Eight Weeks Post-Surgery

Hello all,

Since last update, I have been able to start some new exercises to strengthen the muscles and such in the hip, as well as add some cardio back into my life.  I am limited to 30 minutes on the elliptical and bike still (no walking for fitness/treadmill/stuff like that) - so I get to sweat at the gym at least, for a little bit!

Speaking of walking - that motion has greatly improved over the last few weeks.  I still have to carry my crutch around with me for extended periods of time - but if I'm in the house or moving around a few cubicles, I'm ok.  After about 3-4 minutes of continual walking, I need the crutch.  I have been able to attend Baltimore Comic-Con, the Shindig music festival, and I am going to attempt the Maryland Renaissance Festival this coming weekend.  I know I will need to carry around my camping chair (well, Bob will), but I'm looking forward to movement.  Still can't "go for a walk" or anything yet, but...at least I'm not totally dependent on a wheelchair, walker, or both crutches!

Click on the below link for a video of my recent exercises:

8 Weeks Post Surgery Exercises

 me at comic-con

Video from Six Week Mark

Elliptical, Steps, Walking without Crutch

Six Weeks Post-Surgery

Just had my six week follow-up with my doctor.  Everything seems to be doing well, in terms of recovery.  Asked him my usual list of twenty questions, asked about the recovery process (physical therapy), and he had to remind me I'm only one month in!

New developments in the last two weeks of physical therapy: I can do about 20-30 minutes on the lowest settings of an elliptical and exercise bike, I can (starting tomorrow) do flutter kick in the pool, and as of today after my appointment, I can take small spurts of walking WITHOUT MY CRUTCH.  Unfortunately, my body is still doing a weird gait/muscle weakness thing, so I can't do it for very long.  And I can sort of go up and down stairs "normally."

Here are your many many photos as promised:

PT trying to straighten out my tilted pelvis/lower back joint

Clams

Water side leg lifts

Water marches

Water Squats

Arm swimming with buoy between thighs so my legs don't go anywhere 

Buoy demonstration, treading water with just arms is not easy!

Five Weeks Post Surgery

Today is five weeks since surgery, nothing has really changed since last week other than I have a little more movement/mobility in the leg, so I can do more external and internal rotation, much easier to get dressed and put on shoes! Here are some new exercises from physical therapy:

One legged step squats, to give the left leg some strength, this one lets me know how weak the leg still is!

Weight shifting and balancing on the board

Four Weeks Post Surgery

Today was a big day-body weight on the surgical leg, with crutch assistance to help my body from falling over because the muscles in the surgical leg are not completely ready to support me on their own! Can do these squat-like exercises to work on strengthening the glutes and other hip muscles. It hurts more now that I'm putting more weight on the leg and doing the true motion of walking. Still, very excited I have a little more mobility each day!

Updates and more videos/photos to come!

Recap of last four weeks:

Videos - Treadmill, 50% Weight Walking, Workstation Modifications

Ok, that took all day - but I just uploaded them to an unlisted Youtube link and put the links here.

Enjoy!

Anti-Gravity Treadmill and 50% Body Weight Walking

Grabber Arms

Desk Modification (Wheels/Grabber Arms)

Three Weeks After Surgery

Ah, three weeks after surgery.  I have a lot of videos and photos for you!

After the brace came off, I got a lot more movement - but I was still at practically no body weight (just dangle-weight pretty much) - so my right leg must be full of muscles by now.  

 I put my shoes on by myself (with a little pain, but not too much)

 I have been allowed to drive my car since the two week mark - which is very exciting because I love control and don't like that everyone has had to cart me around!  Now, I can cart them around!  I'm not quite able to "drive alone" because I can't get to/from my destination easily alone...but soon!

 I went to Best Buy with Bob and we played a funny joke on people in the store.  He was wheeling me around in my wheelchair (much easier than one leg walking with my walker with the no weight bearing restriction) and all of I sudden I stood up with my right leg to stretch my back and he yelled "PRAISE JESUS, IT'S A MIRACLE, SHE CAN WALK!" ...we got a huge kick out of it.  We're dorks.

I hopped up to the second floor (that was not easy...not much railing to support my jumping and it's sooo many stairs!) so I could see my Roxie.  She hasn't wanted to come into the basement to visit me for some reason.  But she loves chest/tummy rubs.

I made videos show the modifications I/my family has made to my workstation so that I can work independently next week when everyone goes back to work and I'm home alone.

(VIDEOS WON'T LOAD FOR SOME REASON - EMAIL ME FOR THE CLIPS)

SO - big news yesterday at physical therapy.  I can now put 50% body weight on my left (surgical) leg.  What does that mean really?  It's hard to describe.  They put in this super cool anti-gravity treadmill developed for astronauts that calculates my body weight, then I'm zipped in and it fills with air and lifts me off of the treadmill so only half of my weight is going through my legs.  It was the weirdest feeling in the world when my left foot finally hit the treadmill and started walking.  Afterwards, my calf was sore and my foot felt all funky, like it had just come back from being asleep.  But it felt so wonderful to get some pressure off of the right leg!  Here is some documentation from the anti-gravity treadmill:

First steps in the anti-gravity treadmill!!! (50% weight)

Balance board so I can know what even-balancing on both legs should feel like, because that is also 50% body weight if I'm just standing up

First time standing on both legs since surgery with even weight distributed

First step on my left leg outside of the anti-gravity treadmill, 50% of weight on leg, 50% on crutches

Stretching after first "walk"

Last but not least - some more picture from physical therapy exercises/stretches from this week:

Ball squeezes between my knees - this feels really nice because I can use my inner leg muscles again.  Can't do it at "full might" - they want me to do just do one-third of my strength.

Videos of anti-gravity treadmill to come!