Step #1: Make it through surgery
Check!
Several hours after going under, I heard from my parents, who heard from my surgeon that the unscrewing, sawing, drilling, and plating was successful! I have a sweet post-op xray with the new fancy hardware store, but don’t have it on a disc yet so that will have to wait! In the mean time, check out the new hospital space suit/body heaters:
Yeah… talk about instant birth control right there. They’re like hospital gowns with a vacuum hose attached, pumping in hot (or cool) air. Makes you look like the Michelin Man. Also made me feel like I was sitting in a sauna, so had to turn that bad boy down. Of course the hair net is always super attractive. 
What I remember before surgery is all the prep, anti-bacterializing my hip, and taking out my contacts. I remember saying goodbye to my parents and the nurses wheeling me into the OR, and I remember them transferring me to the operating table. I don’t remember them at all putting the mask with anesthesia on me, and I definitely don’t remember doing the backwards countdown or anything else until I woke up 3 minutes 6 hours later! Kind of a bummer… that back words countdown and knock-out moment was kind of my favorite part.
Step #2: Make it out of the hospital
Check!
(Last week at the clinic with pneumonia.) With minor complications. They kept me a day longer than intended due to not quite hitting the pain management marks on schedule. Then, my second night I ended up spiking a fever of 101.5, but was freezing with goosebumps, and was super congested. You might remember that I got pneumonia the week before surgery – brilliant timing, right? – so they were concerned about a reoccurrence of that. After being intubated and staying in the hospital, it’s apparently quite easy to get pneumonia. Let’s not do that!! Several PT sessions in “the gym” (full of stairs, beds, curbs, and all the other foreseeable obstacles one could encounter), a long check-out list with a bag full of drugs, and they sent me on my way! I’m staying at my mom’s house for about a week, or until I can drive again, whichever comes first.
Step #3: Physical Therapy
half check…
I’m trying to channel my inner JuliaGoBigGreen here. This stuff is hard! Knowing me, I of course saved my last big leg workout for the morning-of. (Side: my friend at the gym told me he got hell from his surgeon for running the morning of… told me you bleed a lot more. Dr. Van or anyone else… true? BS?) Anyways, did my last big legs workout and hit my heaviest squat to date. Two days later, my PT is helping me to do a simple [body weight] leg lift. Oh my GOODNESS is that ever frustrating when something so simple feels so unbelievably hard!!
The exercises she has me doing are the same ones a patient would do after a total hip replacement… something I’m trying to avoid as long as possible! I am doing (1) quadricep contractions (thigh squeezes), (2) gluteal contractions (butt squeezes), (3) heel slides (photo left, just sliding the heel up towards the butt and back down), (4) straight leg raise (sounds so easy, and this is by far the hardest!), (5) abduction / adduction (photo right, sliding the heel out away from the body and back in), and (6) short arc quads (place a can or rolled up towel under knee, try to raise foot off ground… second hardest).
I have to keep reminding myself that they did cut through all these muscles along the lateral side of my leg, and had to sew them back together. It’s not just the bone that needs to heal, but also a ton of muscles! I do these 2x per day, and trust me… it feels like a “workout.” So funny to think that!
Step #4: Ride power-cart at Target
check!
You bet I did… as a kid I always wanted to ride the power chairs whenever we went to target or Costco or something. You know what? They go like a quarter of a mile an hour and make you feel bad for holding everyone else up. Not all it’s cracked up to be.
What I really want is one of those ride on Power Wheels Fisher Price cars… hahha let’s go with the Dune Racer:
Here’s a “friday confession” for you – I used to babysit triplets that lived across the street from me, and they had this ride on Jeep. I’d always convince the boys that they wanted to ride their scooters or something so I could ride the Jeep. And it did go faster than .25 mph. 
Step #5: Get off meds and DRIVE!
Next Friday.
Hopefully! I can’t drive until I’m off all narcotics (vicodin, oxycontin, roxicodone), and until I have the follow-up appointment with my doctor on December 23rd. That’s just next Friday! Being independent is something that has always been important to me, and obviously being on crutches there are a lot of things I simply can’t do because I don’t have two hands. Carry soup to the table? Nope. Reach anything out of an upper cabinet? Nope (oh wait, I couldn’t do that anyways…). So it’s going to be quite a while before I can do any of that two-handed stuff, since I’m estimated to be on crutches for the next six weeks. BUT I would sure as $#!& like to be able to drive myself to PT. What else is this handicapped parking tag good for?
So chicos… I made it. It wouldn’t have been without my amazing medical team, and my supreme friend/family support squad! Your prayers, texts, emails and facebook messages of votes of confidence truly mean the world to me. You are all angels, in every sense of the word.
-E
1. You look GOOD in a hair net.
2. You look even better riding that power-cart.
3. I loveee you for introducing me to Google reader!!
Thanks for an awesome low-key craft day. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the time that you’re still on the narcotics so you can’t go anywhere…then we can craft and drink tea all day! Kidding. But seriously…
oh Erika, i just know you’ll be recovering asap! Keep that positive outlook. Enjoy the holidays and stay warm. Hugs from NZ!!
So happy to hear you are recovering well (although the recovery is still going to be going on for a long time). I’m sad to hear that driving the little cart thing in Target isn’t as cool as it seems
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@Sarah – Ohhhh schwiebird. Maybe I need to canvas that hot hairnet photo for your xmas present.
Kidding!! Definitely kidding. Let’s square away a date for our xmas gift exchange!!
@Lindsay – Hopefully you can send some actual warmth from NZ!! If I ever make it over there, and you guys are still there, a visit is definitely in order. I’ve always wanted to just pack up the bike and go to KiwiLand for a month of solid riding!!
@Chelsea – Hahha I know, right? Those carts always seemed so AWESOME!! False. Maybe I need to look into some kind of hovacraft….
So glad your surgery went well! I hope recovery is quick, smooth, and leaves you as strong as possible!
You are doing awesome. Just remember that you WILL heal but no matter what you do you need TIME. I wish there was a magic bullet but just be patient with yourself, and like i said LAUGH at yourself:) At least its not June:)
That is the first time I’ve ever seen a warm/cool air suit… interesting to say the least! I’m glad surgery is over, and I’m glad you’re on the road to recovery! Praying for quick healing!
When you get the new x-ray, be sure to just post the hip. When you showed me the last one on your phone, I have to admit I had the thought, “That would make for really bad sexting.” [Now Steve waits to see whether that gets you angry or laughing.]
btw, the last time I was put under for surgery, afterward everyone was laughing, as I apparently hit on a nurse while completely unconscious.
@Elaine K – Thanks for the well wishes Elaine!!
@Julia – Thanks for the encouragement Julia… I’m hoping that these first weeks are the worst. Hahah but then I see myself just getting impatient later on.
Laughing indeed is the best medicine!!
@Holly – Hahah, “interesting” is one way to describe it…! I guess research has shown patients do much better when they’re at their own comfortable temperature though! Thank you for the prayers
@SteveQ – Ohhhhhh jeezus. I remember the first time I posted my post-op x-rays, and some people were freaking out calling it inappropriate. It’s medicine. Ladies have lady parts. Men have man parts. It’s just the way the world turns.
I can absolutely see you trying to make a move on the nurse though… you should have brought her some fudge.
Hey girl,
So glad your recovering well. Just in time for the holidays! Rest up. As for the blood thinning effect of exercise, I was told the same, but I thought it was because I drink beer while running.
Joking aside, I remember hearing that some where in medical education, but I have never instructed a patient not to exercise before a medical procedure. As you might imagine, having to do so is a rarity in the US Population unfortunately. But I’m sure your doc knows whats up. I will have to remember that one!
@Dr. Van – Innnteresting. My doctor wasn’t the one who said it. In fact, they didn’t say anything about not working out the morning of. Probably because he strictly works with athletes and knows I would have anyways.
Wait… that wasn’t beer flavored Nuun??
Yay for making it home! Did you move out of your mom’s house before surgery? Hope you heal up quick…did they give you a timeline on getting back to biking/running/swimming, even in the slightest bit? No marathons right away, but I hope you can get out on the roads again sooner rather than later.
SO SO SO glad to hear surgery went well and you are on the mend! so jealous you were riding on the scooter cart at target, even if it wasnt as cool as it seems! kick some butt with that PT!
Sperly! I’m sorry to hear about the surgery, but I’m glad you’re on your way to recovery. You have many friends and family caring about you and helping you out, which is always a cool thing. I hope you’ll be able to drive on the 23rd. =)
@Susan – Yep.. moved on December 1st (day I got strep), found out I had pneumonia on the 5th, and surgery on the 14th. I’m just a pro planner.
Right now I have no real time line at all for return to S/B/R… truthfully that was really frustrating with this surgery – I felt like I was entirely in the dark. No one told me I wouldn’t be able to drive until after I came out of surgery?!?! Isn’t that like semi-critical information so I can tell my boss there’s no way I can come in? But my love for nursing grew like 100x during this visit. One of my overnight guys was the sweetest person I have ever met. Stayed up with me talking for like an hour and a half when I couldn’t sleep. 
Are you guys using those space suit heaters in NY?
@Kim – Making little improvements with PT every day!! On the first two days I needed like 70% assistance on the straight legged leg lifts, and yesterday I did 5 entirely on my own! Baby steps.
I had images of like go cart racing when I thought of those little power chairs… not so much. 
@Christina – HEY!! Wow… talk about memories. Didn’t we first meet in the RW Nut forums??
I also hope I can update with a behind-the-wheel photo on Friday!! Thanks for checkin’ in!
was wonderng how things were going with this for you
sounds like good news and great progress so far
hope your appt tomorrow is good!
Merry Christmas
D
@DRog – Thanks D – appointment went well!! And progress is on track. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
[...] My surgery was sixteen weeks ago as of yesterday. I know this is a blog primarily geared towards cycling, but I am a young lady primarily geared towards running. All this biking and swimming stuff I do is just gravy. To feel like I am a runner again, to feel that euphoria of redlining and crossing the finish line in the exact moment, to get lost in the miles knowing your legs have whatever it takes to get you back wherever you need to be… there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for that. So given the opportunity to try running again, you’d think I’d be in ecstasy. [...]