Weekend of fun with Sis' family. Marvel Comics show, City Museum, but I was good and didn't move around too much.
I slept with K on the futon, this was a not-so-great idea but I made it work. The futon pad isn't really "padding"! And my back was unhappy for it.
Symptom update:
1) Hip flexor down front quad: I'm actively resting it, picking up my leg and assisting
2) lumbar back easily gets tight, and I have a pain in upper left hip associated with the back.
3) lots of leg pain in left femur, best guess is related to #2
4) outer hip pain, trochanter? Achy, sometimes sharp pain.
Overall good, my back gets tired from walking and carrying a backpack. A tingling feeling in the mid region, right side.
Did as much PT as I could, only got in one 20' ride on the trainer.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Friday, October 27, 2017
Follow up with surgeon
Monday PT at home and 2x :20 bike, Dr L appt
Tuesday PT at home and 2x :20 min bike, surgeon appt
Wednesday PT in am, then nothing for my bday!
Thursday PT in am, gym 10 min each bike and elliptical, SWIM 5x 150P, 50S
Friday PT in am
Monday Dr L appt in the afternoon, a mixed up day, but good appt. He mentioned that my cerebellum will need to relearn walking and etc, love the casual science drops :D
Tuesday 6 week follow up with Dr P-G (I though for sure I was 7 or 8 weeks!). All great! She moved leg and hip around, noted the pain and said it's to be expected. I can bike!! Short and flat course, 8 week if unclipped, 10 weeks if clipped. I smiled the rest of the day for this news. Can work up to swimming without pull buoy. Next 6 weeks the focus is healing, being careful, resting, and normalizing. She also pointed out that I have to mentally relearn, in particular to NOT hesitating when I clip out while biking. She's right on that, I'll hesitate.
And kept the rental car for one more week, next Tuesday will be a month!
Wednesday, HAPPY BEEDAY! PT and three new exercises. Long day at work with FACS assay but otherwise a sunny warm gorgeous day. I walked too much, between parking meter payments and such, irritated my hip. Best part of day was hearing from family and friends :)
Thursday, yes I've irritated my hip, it hurt all day. Hip flexor as usual. Swim was great, slowed down a bit without the pull buoy, 21 mins down to 22, ha! My form is terrible, and this conclusion supported by observation that my lower back was also irritated today. Carrying a backpack, walking, could feel tightness, fatigue, and "pings" in the upper rear left hip. Iced in bed.
Friday (today!) At PT we discussed my fatigues and pains. Three new exercises -- step up and step down stuff. Bought a blue band as I've graduated from green on the hip bridges. She tested my back (do a hip bridge, then back down, then she felt pelvic bones for 'levelness'), and the left side was rotated back. She demonstrated an exercise to counter those muscles pulling it out of place.
Lots of commas today, too tired for full sentences?
My sis and her family coming down in a few hours!! WHOOP!!
Tuesday PT at home and 2x :20 min bike, surgeon appt
Wednesday PT in am, then nothing for my bday!
Thursday PT in am, gym 10 min each bike and elliptical, SWIM 5x 150P, 50S
Friday PT in am
Monday Dr L appt in the afternoon, a mixed up day, but good appt. He mentioned that my cerebellum will need to relearn walking and etc, love the casual science drops :D
Tuesday 6 week follow up with Dr P-G (I though for sure I was 7 or 8 weeks!). All great! She moved leg and hip around, noted the pain and said it's to be expected. I can bike!! Short and flat course, 8 week if unclipped, 10 weeks if clipped. I smiled the rest of the day for this news. Can work up to swimming without pull buoy. Next 6 weeks the focus is healing, being careful, resting, and normalizing. She also pointed out that I have to mentally relearn, in particular to NOT hesitating when I clip out while biking. She's right on that, I'll hesitate.
And kept the rental car for one more week, next Tuesday will be a month!
Wednesday, HAPPY BEEDAY! PT and three new exercises. Long day at work with FACS assay but otherwise a sunny warm gorgeous day. I walked too much, between parking meter payments and such, irritated my hip. Best part of day was hearing from family and friends :)
Thursday, yes I've irritated my hip, it hurt all day. Hip flexor as usual. Swim was great, slowed down a bit without the pull buoy, 21 mins down to 22, ha! My form is terrible, and this conclusion supported by observation that my lower back was also irritated today. Carrying a backpack, walking, could feel tightness, fatigue, and "pings" in the upper rear left hip. Iced in bed.
Friday (today!) At PT we discussed my fatigues and pains. Three new exercises -- step up and step down stuff. Bought a blue band as I've graduated from green on the hip bridges. She tested my back (do a hip bridge, then back down, then she felt pelvic bones for 'levelness'), and the left side was rotated back. She demonstrated an exercise to counter those muscles pulling it out of place.
Lots of commas today, too tired for full sentences?
My sis and her family coming down in a few hours!! WHOOP!!
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Righting a wrong, pushing harder in more ways than one
SWIM ?? yards maybe 700?? In about... 15 mins?
Didn't time it. So it's funny that I'm posting this as SWIM instead of my recent casual listing, but then I didn't start my watch or keep count. That wasn't the goal.
This was a social swim with a new (old?) friend. Righting a wrong. Taking a step forward. Outward?
Eh, the Out thing. Not going there.
And I just remembered this coming week is Ace awareness week. Coincidence? Get your purp on. Also funny, I ordered some stickers last week and they should arrive later this week.
The swim felt great. There were 4 of us in the lane, much to the irritation of the first two swimmers. Haha, she was doing "intervals". And he had a wide unilateral kick and headphones. Yeah I could jumped to a lane nearby to spread out. I didn't. Ha!
This was my first real Workout in a long time. OK since Sept 10th. Heh, like the 9-10/9-11 news thing. Heart rate!!! Effort!!! Needed to rest!!! Yay!
Enjoyed the swim (my neck not quite as enthusiastic). And enjoyed the friend :)
Didn't time it. So it's funny that I'm posting this as SWIM instead of my recent casual listing, but then I didn't start my watch or keep count. That wasn't the goal.
This was a social swim with a new (old?) friend. Righting a wrong. Taking a step forward. Outward?
Eh, the Out thing. Not going there.
And I just remembered this coming week is Ace awareness week. Coincidence? Get your purp on. Also funny, I ordered some stickers last week and they should arrive later this week.
The swim felt great. There were 4 of us in the lane, much to the irritation of the first two swimmers. Haha, she was doing "intervals". And he had a wide unilateral kick and headphones. Yeah I could jumped to a lane nearby to spread out. I didn't. Ha!
This was my first real Workout in a long time. OK since Sept 10th. Heh, like the 9-10/9-11 news thing. Heart rate!!! Effort!!! Needed to rest!!! Yay!
Enjoyed the swim (my neck not quite as enthusiastic). And enjoyed the friend :)
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Got a bit of an itch here.
For the first time in a long time, I surfed a few race info sites. Wandered into the Run 100's site, clickety-click here and clickety-click there. Hooo boy. Really don't think I'll be doing a 100 in 2018. Oh but to think....
TH is talking Texas in 2019. Oh but to think...
Monday Oct 16th I'm bumping up walking a bit, as walking suddenly feels really good. As in, I think I have less pain now that I did pre-surgery! It's tight when I stand after sitting but that works out relatively soon. And none of that popping it used to do. But I'm measuring in a period of inactivity, no biking and really reduced movement, so it's not the best comparison.
I have my new watch face app for Day and Night. Shows a STOP sign when I don't MOVE! enough. I'm actually happy to see it, means I'm sitting still. So tempting to wander out to smoker's park for a bit of a stroll, the weather is wonderful and sunny! I parked further away today as sort of a test, was suprised to find that it's 0.7 miles each way. Ooops, so I should reduce a bit on the bike and doggie walk tonight to accommodate that.
Tuesday, I think I walked too far yesterday, LOTS of left hip flexor pain from about 1am to 6am. Ugh. So I backed off today -- 10' ellitical, 20' swim (600y as 6x100 yay!), 20' bike in the pm. Parked closer. And kept the rental car for another week.
Wednesday, new PT exercises! 2x10 wall squats with yoga ball, 3x30s each single leg balance, 20x both then single leg heel-to-toe calf raises, and side-steps with yellow band at ankles. If something feels easy, we'll discuss Friday. I only did 10' bike in the morning, I parked further away again like Monday, so eased back on morning stuff. Plan is 15-20' bike in the pm along with 15-20' of stretch and weights. ETA: did the 20' bike with 15' of arm stuff while on the bike. Things are feeling good, just the hip flexor pain when I try to use it. So don't use it!
Thursday, noted some discomfort (almost pain) last night but was OK overnight and into this morning. Still not sure what caused Tuesday morning's pain, as I walked a lot yesterday too. Today was 10' elliptical, 10' bike, 21' swim for 900y steady in the morning. All felt great!
Friday, PT included 10' bike and 10' elliptical. All felt great, getting new exercises.
Saturday, 23 mins swim 1000 yards! Still using the pull buoy so while I'm happy to be swimming like this, I realize this isn't reality. As soon as I drop the pull buoy I'll slow way down. Continued my streak of 40' of bike or bike/elliptical. Today was 10' bike, 10' elliptical, the swim, then later in the day 20' bike.
TH is talking Texas in 2019. Oh but to think...
Monday Oct 16th I'm bumping up walking a bit, as walking suddenly feels really good. As in, I think I have less pain now that I did pre-surgery! It's tight when I stand after sitting but that works out relatively soon. And none of that popping it used to do. But I'm measuring in a period of inactivity, no biking and really reduced movement, so it's not the best comparison.
I have my new watch face app for Day and Night. Shows a STOP sign when I don't MOVE! enough. I'm actually happy to see it, means I'm sitting still. So tempting to wander out to smoker's park for a bit of a stroll, the weather is wonderful and sunny! I parked further away today as sort of a test, was suprised to find that it's 0.7 miles each way. Ooops, so I should reduce a bit on the bike and doggie walk tonight to accommodate that.
Tuesday, I think I walked too far yesterday, LOTS of left hip flexor pain from about 1am to 6am. Ugh. So I backed off today -- 10' ellitical, 20' swim (600y as 6x100 yay!), 20' bike in the pm. Parked closer. And kept the rental car for another week.
Wednesday, new PT exercises! 2x10 wall squats with yoga ball, 3x30s each single leg balance, 20x both then single leg heel-to-toe calf raises, and side-steps with yellow band at ankles. If something feels easy, we'll discuss Friday. I only did 10' bike in the morning, I parked further away again like Monday, so eased back on morning stuff. Plan is 15-20' bike in the pm along with 15-20' of stretch and weights. ETA: did the 20' bike with 15' of arm stuff while on the bike. Things are feeling good, just the hip flexor pain when I try to use it. So don't use it!
Thursday, noted some discomfort (almost pain) last night but was OK overnight and into this morning. Still not sure what caused Tuesday morning's pain, as I walked a lot yesterday too. Today was 10' elliptical, 10' bike, 21' swim for 900y steady in the morning. All felt great!
Friday, PT included 10' bike and 10' elliptical. All felt great, getting new exercises.
Saturday, 23 mins swim 1000 yards! Still using the pull buoy so while I'm happy to be swimming like this, I realize this isn't reality. As soon as I drop the pull buoy I'll slow way down. Continued my streak of 40' of bike or bike/elliptical. Today was 10' bike, 10' elliptical, the swim, then later in the day 20' bike.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
My Ta-Da for the week. And I need to quit limping!
Coming up on the end of week 5, progress report.
I swam!! OMG, right? I swam Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Tuesday was 10 mins, just a test and all of 300 yards. Some aqua-jogging and walking. The life guard kept a close eye on me :)
Thursday was Anton and I made it more of a just-swim, no aqua-jogging. Some walking.
I was using a pool buoy, not hurrying, not really setting a goal other than "get to the pool" and time, all accomplished. Towards the end of Thursday I started thinking about form, bilateral breathing, joining a master's class...
Got new PT exercises on Weds and Friday:
Weds: added clams with yellow band, hip bridges with yellow band, side planks, and prone knee bends. All felt good.
Friday (today): added hurdles (yay! I've been watching others do hurdles, my turn!), green band for hip bridges, cat/camel, and planks on knees. This too me seems a big step, I'm doing something off the PT table :)
Saturday I swam 20 mins and covered 500 yards with my new watch app. Let's not dwell on the fact that I can usually swim 1000y in 21-22 or so mins.
Sunday I did 10 mins of elliptical. Oh boy. So exciting. Better once you turn OFF the stupid telly screen shoved into your face on the new machines. I was OK forward, not so good doing a backwards stride.
Saturday I swam 20 mins and covered 500 yards with my new watch app. Let's not dwell on the fact that I can usually swim 1000y in 21-22 or so mins.
Sunday I did 10 mins of elliptical. Oh boy. So exciting. Better once you turn OFF the stupid telly screen shoved into your face on the new machines. I was OK forward, not so good doing a backwards stride.
On Wednesday TV and I were having lunch on the plaza and I saw my surgeon walk by. I walked up to her, focusing on being strong and walking good. She asked how long it's been, how I was doing, then said "you need to quit limping". HAHAHAHA!! I loved this, best admonishment.
So lately I've been focused on that. Walking. Seems so simple. And it really is when I stop thinking about it. So I'm adding that to my PT goals, walking.
Monday, October 9, 2017
One month today!
Surgery now a full month behind me!!
Today so far better than yesterday, less lateral knee/IT pain and less surgical site discomfort. I'm working on walking the right way without a wobble or limp.
But now as of 2pm my lower back is pissed off, can't sit or stand without discomfort.
So now time for a Ta-Da list:
In the past month... surgery and two weeks non-weight bearing, CMP machine and ice machine, up to 20 mins twice a day on The Bird with zero resistance, two weeks completed of PT, off crutches and able to walk the dog a few short blocks, now up to walking her twice a day, driving rental car (that's an accomplishment for me!).
My To-Do List:
For the next month...start swimming even if just 10 mins or just aqua-jogging, next week (6 weeks) start elliptical, strengthen back and pay more attention to posture and "time off" to rest that irritated nerve, build upper body strength as possible cuz I'm tired of feeling weak there, get to where I can walk dog more than a few blocks.
Today so far better than yesterday, less lateral knee/IT pain and less surgical site discomfort. I'm working on walking the right way without a wobble or limp.
But now as of 2pm my lower back is pissed off, can't sit or stand without discomfort.
So now time for a Ta-Da list:
In the past month... surgery and two weeks non-weight bearing, CMP machine and ice machine, up to 20 mins twice a day on The Bird with zero resistance, two weeks completed of PT, off crutches and able to walk the dog a few short blocks, now up to walking her twice a day, driving rental car (that's an accomplishment for me!).
My To-Do List:
For the next month...start swimming even if just 10 mins or just aqua-jogging, next week (6 weeks) start elliptical, strengthen back and pay more attention to posture and "time off" to rest that irritated nerve, build upper body strength as possible cuz I'm tired of feeling weak there, get to where I can walk dog more than a few blocks.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Fourth week, on my own now
First day was Saturday. TH had planned to stop by but her doggies were sick and they needed her more. I spend the day focused on being elevated, yet still moving around. Established habit of bike and PT twice a day. Bored but felt good to just relax.
Sunday TV and MP took poor Sugar to TGP for a walk. I was jealous! A lot like Saturday -- elevated and resting. My Dollar Store puzzle book seeing a lot of action
Monday I tried driving and going to work. I could only get a 2hr meter spot and refed it around midday. Four hours was well enough time, my back was quite unhappy. Sitting hurts the left outer leg just above the knee and standing aggravates my back. Home to get rid of the swelling.
Tuesday drove to Dr L who said my back needs to be unloaded, as in not sitting or standing. That's hard to do at work! But I'll do it. He worked on the back and leg. Scraped some adhesions in left hip flexor. Ooooh that's a special type of ouch. Only a 2hr meter again, and by two hours I was done anyway. And I needed to rent a car, so on the way home got myself a little black Nissan to drive until Sunday. $165!! Hope it's worth it.
Wednesday PT and discussion of the various aches and questions. Why the pain in left leg, lateral and just above knee? Guess is maybe irritation from a tourniquet used in surgery? Why the wobble in my walk -- gotta practice quad-glut-quad-glut. Why the pain in hip flexors overnight? Try doing some PT exercises instead of lying still, maybe being less still would help? Walking better when I put my mind to it. Gotta learn to walk before you can run! Iced before going to bed, haven't done this in a few days.
Thursday I didn't have hip flexor pain but did have lateral pain again. And I have a numb spot in right upper arm? Started Tuesday night when taking off my shirt -- a zinger of burning pain like something bit me. Last night I kept thinking a but was crawling on me there, that's when I realized I have lost some sensation. Huh? Anyway, hip feeling good but tight. Didn't get all my PT finished this morning (just got the bike ride) so I need to double up tonight. Carefully!
Friday PT again, feeling some pain and discomfort while walking so I'm hesitantly walking.
Saturday met TH for brekkie! She encouraged me to swim, I said I'd do it. But by the time I was done at work I didn't go. Not feeling great, more pain and discomfort. Pain in left hip flexor, discomfort over surgical site, back, left knee lateral.
Sunday, more like Saturday. Some work then home to rest. I'm dedicating time off my feet, but not really "flat on my back" to take the pressure off the spine. I need to dedicate there. I talked to Dad in the evening, wasn't in a terribly positive mood. I realize recovery is Peaks and Valleys, I was in a valley.
Sunday TV and MP took poor Sugar to TGP for a walk. I was jealous! A lot like Saturday -- elevated and resting. My Dollar Store puzzle book seeing a lot of action
Monday I tried driving and going to work. I could only get a 2hr meter spot and refed it around midday. Four hours was well enough time, my back was quite unhappy. Sitting hurts the left outer leg just above the knee and standing aggravates my back. Home to get rid of the swelling.
Tuesday drove to Dr L who said my back needs to be unloaded, as in not sitting or standing. That's hard to do at work! But I'll do it. He worked on the back and leg. Scraped some adhesions in left hip flexor. Ooooh that's a special type of ouch. Only a 2hr meter again, and by two hours I was done anyway. And I needed to rent a car, so on the way home got myself a little black Nissan to drive until Sunday. $165!! Hope it's worth it.
Wednesday PT and discussion of the various aches and questions. Why the pain in left leg, lateral and just above knee? Guess is maybe irritation from a tourniquet used in surgery? Why the wobble in my walk -- gotta practice quad-glut-quad-glut. Why the pain in hip flexors overnight? Try doing some PT exercises instead of lying still, maybe being less still would help? Walking better when I put my mind to it. Gotta learn to walk before you can run! Iced before going to bed, haven't done this in a few days.
Thursday I didn't have hip flexor pain but did have lateral pain again. And I have a numb spot in right upper arm? Started Tuesday night when taking off my shirt -- a zinger of burning pain like something bit me. Last night I kept thinking a but was crawling on me there, that's when I realized I have lost some sensation. Huh? Anyway, hip feeling good but tight. Didn't get all my PT finished this morning (just got the bike ride) so I need to double up tonight. Carefully!
Friday PT again, feeling some pain and discomfort while walking so I'm hesitantly walking.
Saturday met TH for brekkie! She encouraged me to swim, I said I'd do it. But by the time I was done at work I didn't go. Not feeling great, more pain and discomfort. Pain in left hip flexor, discomfort over surgical site, back, left knee lateral.
Sunday, more like Saturday. Some work then home to rest. I'm dedicating time off my feet, but not really "flat on my back" to take the pressure off the spine. I need to dedicate there. I talked to Dad in the evening, wasn't in a terribly positive mood. I realize recovery is Peaks and Valleys, I was in a valley.
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