I took my first running steps on Sunday!!! It was nothing spectacular and I was extremely nervous, but I mixed some very slow running into my four mile walk on Sunday and into my 3 mile walk yesterday. I was thrilled to find no pain and no symptoms. The incisions felt tight and it was awkward at first, but otherwise, things went really well.
At PT, on the other hand, I'm finding out just how out of shape I am. 10 minutes on the elliptical had me winded like I was running hill sprints. Planks make me shake, and that's only 30 seconds worth. Luckily, my physical therapist is kind enough not to make fun of me. That said, he is also pushing me to do more than I ever did for weight lifting and core strength when I was healthy. I am really confident that I am going to come back stronger than before once I finish the healing process.
Jenn, I know today was your surgery day, so best thoughts to you. I hope you are home and resting comfortably by now and I look forward to hearing from you later in the week.
Once you start running in earnest your fitness will come back very fast. Your layoff hasn't been that long. Just let it happen, it'll exceed your expectations.
ReplyDeleteHey Sarah! This warmed my heart, thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteMy surgery was really fast, 15 minutes (!!), and I was home and in bed by 10am the same day. I took painkillers Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Thursday I needed to feel normal already so I switched to Tylenol.
My house has steep stairs and one bathroom at the top so that's pretty much sucked but I'll get used to it. Today is post-op day 5 and I am a bit depressed. It's tough being a burden on my family, I have a 5 year old, and feeling useless. Life goes back to "normal" on Tuesday and I will need to get my daughter and I ready, lunch packed, out the door and to school. Should be... interesting.
Post-op appt. isn't until June 11th (18 days after surgery) so I haven't seen my wounds yet and I am not allowed to bear weight until that appt. I am hoping that at that time he will give me the OK to be done with the crutches and at least start cycling or swimming or something. No one has mentioned PT so I will ask about it and if he doesn't prescribe it I will get some on my own I think.
Today I am pretty sore as the bruising is setting in nicely and things are just stiff in general. Last night I gently rolled out the back of my calf with my Stick as I have been having gentle but frequent spasms in the superficial posterior muscle since surgery. I am hopeful that this is a reaction to the trauma to the other muscles and not a permanent condition now. I'll call my surgeon on Tuesday to mention it. It doesn't hurt at all, it's like an eyelid twitch, but it's annoying. The rolling felt good so I will keep up with that daily.
I've been forcing myself to take a crutch-walk around the block once a day and it is taxing!
If you have any advice for me, since I will not see my surgeon for another two weeks, and you saw yours after one week plus your PT, I would be interested in anything I can do to help myself that you did that helped you.
Jenn
Jenn: So glad things went well. I also had the spasms of the calf for a few days after. Based on my basic knowledge of nerves, I chalked it up to them coming back to life after significant trauma. I still have the occasional twitch, but the frequency has decreased markedly.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how hard the crutch walking is? My only advice to you would be to start doing the touchdown move if you haven't already; you don't have to bear any more weight than you want, but let that hip relax and drop the foot down to tap the floor. Once I started that, I was much more comfortable and moved to walking with assistance quickly.
Best...Sarah