Day 6

So I have been up and about since the day after my surgery. Ive done great and really haven't been too uncomfortable.

I literally slept for 23 hours Monday. I was only awake to eat or pee. I decided to stop takings Percocet. They aren't doing anything for my pain. They just made me sleepy or loopy. I'm not in a terrible amount of pain so it's ok I guess. I was hoping for some relief finally w good pills. Oh well I guess. 

Today was my 2nd PT session. She said that I am doing way better than most people. We even did a couple exercises she didn't plan on doing bc I was doing so well. Today was a great day for me too. I got up and got my own breakfast and lunch. It took me forever but I did it. I would just grab each item and take it over to the table and assemble it there. If you only buy 1 thing to prepare for this surgery you must buy a reacher/grabber thing. It's the best invention ever. It's great since you can't bend forward or reach for things. I even got dressed by myself today with the help of the grabber. 

Oh a little funny story... As Andy was helping me put my shoes on before PT, I noticed when he was tying them, he was tying my shoes together!!! I yelled "don't do that?!?!?" He looked up dying laughing and gave me a kiss. He has been amazing. I'm so lucky to have him. He keeps things funny, he's protective of me while I'm walking but he also let's me be independent. He let's me do things on my home at own. If I asked he would get whatever I needed in a heartbeat, but he knows I don't want to be completely dependent of him. 

I have an amazing support group around me. I've had people bring me food and/or visit almost everyday. I have a friend coming tomorrow. As annoyed as I am not being able to move around I have so many people reminding me that I can and will get thru this. According to my therapist I'm off to a great start 

Day 3

So I got to shower today and take the bandage off. The shower part went way easier than I thought. I do suggest using a shower chair so you can sit. I also had a safety bar installed so I had something to grab onto. Our new shower head detaches too that's a huge plus. 

We took my bandage off and I looked for 5 min for some type of bruise... Nothing. Pretty happy about that. In a lot of pain but of course to me it's tolerable. The Percocets just make me high as a kite but don't take the pain away. 

Yesterday After PT Andy and I went out to eat lunch. That went fine.

I do like the walker better than crutches. I feel so much more stable. I have also got great use out of my reacher/grabber tool. It's nice to help move pillows and blankets 

I hope I get to enjoy the sun today!

Day 2

I don't plan on blogging every single day but I'm pretty proud today.  I woke up at 430-5 bc I couldn't stand laying on my back anymore. It was killing me. I'm a side/toss around sleeper. Not cool. Well I needed to get up to pee, get some breakfast and take my Meds. Andy want awake yet and I didn't want to bother him. I got up and out of bed alone. Went to the bathroom had no issues. Went to the kitchen to get my ice pack and got into my chair in the living room...all by myself. Pretty pumped. Hurting a lot more today tho. I think my nerve block is starting to wear off. 

Then off to my first PT session. We just did a couple basic exercises I do on my own. I have to pump my heels, flex my quads, then gluteus, then hammies, then abs. Andy is going to have to pick up my leg and roll it gently in circles and rock my leg side to side. This all is just to get my hip moving so it doesn't stiffen up. As I'm typing this I'm laying on my stomach. Supposed to do this a lot throughout the day to stretch the front of my hip. Boy is it uncomfortable. 

Back track for a min....after PT Andy wanted to get food and asked if I was up for sitting down somewhere. And I was like yea sure....so we went to Papa Dons (yes people we went back there. Food is great and no scumbags in sight. 

I did fine at the restaurant. I just had to bring my plate to my face to eat bc I couldn't bend forward over the table

Most people I've heard/read about don't move around in public this soon. Although I'm in pain and the Percocets aren't doing shit I think I'm doing pretty well. I just doubled up on Percocets (it's on 10mg doubled) to see if that will help w my pain. 

Memorial Day is Sun and if I can keep this up I definitely won't miss the cookout and sitting in the sun 

Day 1

Well the surgery went great. Got up to the Cleveland clinic at 6am for 730 surgery. I don't rember much going into the OR and the next thing I know I'm in the recovery room and it's almost time to go home. I woke up and the brace was already on me. They anchored the labrum down and shaved the head of my femur to fix the FAI. I surprisingly didn't feel nauseated at all after surgery, just a little groggy. Took awhile for me to finally see clearly and that bothered me more Than anything. My throat is a little sore from the tube and from being so dry, so I'm talking like I'm losing my voice. Ate some Lorna dunes and drank all the water I could get my hands on haha. The nurse helped me to the bathroom and helped me change. I was in a lot of pain (still am) but I felt way better than I thought I was going to feel

We finally get home and start walking towards the house on my crutches. Andy (my husband) went ahead of me to open the door and told me to stay put. Of course I didn't listen. Next thing I know I lost balance and without thinking put my operated leg down to steady myself. I had a nerve block and had zero feeling or control in my leg, I screamed and down on the concrete I went. Andy came running. The fall didn't hurt but scared the shit out of me. Now my hip hurts noticeably worse so then I began to panic that I screwed something up. Andy and the neighbors' friend came

Running to help me up and they carried  me into the house. I did great with a walker at the hospital so for now I'm switching to my walker (complete with tennis balls on the bottom) Andy thinks I am more than likely fine. He said my crutches went flying and that I landed perfectly on my left side with my bad leg straight out. He doesn't think I twisted it. I hope he's right.  From then on I slept pretty much the rest of the day. 

I ate some subway and took my pills. I had pb&j for dinner. I was expecting to be sick and I am glad I didn't have to start with broth or jello. The medicine isn't touching my pain tho. Pills are basically tic tacs to me. I have a high pain tolerance so I guess if the Percocet doesn't help oh well. They gave me Valium too. I'm gonna take that before bed and see how that goes 

Had 4 visitors today; mom, gma, and my neighbors. My mommy brought me flowers and the other brought food haha. 

PT starts tomorrow. This should be interesting 

The Day Before

Tomorrow is my surgery and if I thought I was freaking out before, NOW I'm freaking out!! I mean surgery is scary and now I'm stressed out bc the surgeons office just called to tell me my PCP hasn't sent them my pre admission testing papers. Like I want to worry about all of that?!?! 

As I scrolled thru Pinterest (as I always do) I found this, and I think it's time for a new tattoo!! I want to get this on my hip (like hip bone area)   It means, "it's not over and there's something more to come". The arrow adds the factor of "pointing you in the right direction....to keep going" I think it's fabulous !!! 

Next time you hear from me, I will be post op!! 

My sanctuary, the gym

Surgey is on Thursday. Tomorrow is looking like a day of cleaning the house and getting everything ready. I'm at the gym right now for what I think is going to be the last time for awhile. Even tho I haven't been able to workout how I normally do, being at the gym has helped my spirits. I feel like I belong here. I love working out. Sounds crazy but I like how I feel when I'm done, I like the feeling of getting stronger everyday, and I of course like the results. 

I already have seen changes in my body that I am not happy with. My stomach is bloated and flabby looking. I had been making huge progress in that area before my injury. All down the drain. I've lost muscle. My legs were so strong and now they're back to jiggly. My cellulite was almost invisible when my legs were at their best and now it's back with a vengeance.  

Not going to lie I'm worried about sitting around for 3 months and eating. I don't wanna go backwards. I know it's time to concentrate on resting and getting better but let's face it, I'm worried about getting fat. 

I'm already missing exercise. Can't wait to get back at it!!! 

1 week til go time

It is 1 week until my surgery. Yesterday was rough for me. Starting to freak out for sure but then I found this, and it is helping. 

Let's go back to the beginnig

   I jumped the gun and posted out of order, so let me start from the beginning. My name is Sheena, I'm 28 years old and I am about to have arthroscopic hip surgery on May 22.

Around 2010 I started to gain weight. I am 5'2" and wound up weighing 140lbs. Now I know that doesn't sound too bad but it really is overweight for my height. I decided to start running to help lose weight. I had always hated and been terrible at running. I would run maybe a .25 mile and stop to walk. It was embarrassing but I kept at it. I ran a 5K in almost 38min. Not good but I wanted to get better. I had caught the running bug. I found myself getting faster and it became easier to run without stopping to walk. Last year I won 1st place in my age group (4th overall female) on a very hilly course in the August heat with a time of 25:50. Amazing what hard work will do and I love running. I ran my 1st Half Marathon last year and had signed up to do another half in April, but my hip stopped that from happening.

I then found CrossFit and that changed everything. I fell in love with lifting, Never in my life did I think I would enjoy Olympic Lifting, but I did and I became obsessed. I kept getting better and stronger. I began to go 5 days a week if I wasn't too sore. I was in the best shape of my life. I had muscles. My running improved. I finally was getting a flatter, better stomach. I have always had a pooch that I just cannot get rid of. I had never wore a bikini in my entire adult life until 2 years ago. I wasn't 100% satisfied with my body, I wasn't quite where I wanted, but I was happy with myself and proud of the work I had put in. I liked what I saw in the mirror. I started to wear clothes that I have NEVER attempted to wear. I was on top of the world..... until the day before my 28th birthday. I stood up out of a chair to go to lunch and my hip popped. It hurt but it didn't hinder me from walking. Everything on my body pops and cracks so I didn't think much of it....but as the day progressed the achy pain didn't go away. I went to CrossFit for 3 more days just working through the pain. It didn't hurt doing the exercises but it was so painful afterwards. At one point at home I was squatting down on the ground working on a blanket project and when I tried to stand up I felt the most excruciating pain trying to stand up. It was almost impossible to move my leg and that's when I knew I had to go to the doctor.

I went to a sports medicine Dr at my hospital and they treated me as having an Illiopsoas strain. I was told to stop working out entirely and to go to physical therapy 2x/week for 1 month. I went and did everything I was told to do but I was still in pain, if not more pain. I work in Radiology and am very cool with our radiologists so one of them said he would give me a cortisone injection to see if it would help with my pain. It may have taken the edge off slightly but that lasted maybe 1 week tops.

After 1 month of unsuccessful PT I stopped going and had an MRI Arthrogram done. They inject dye into your hip joint and then you have the MRI. I was told that I had a labral tear. I was in extreme pain after this test. The dye just sits in your joint and is inflamed because it's not supposed to be in there. I was limping for 4 days straight. I was even sent home from work because I was visibly in so much pain.

My sports med Dr suggested I go see a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. Both he and the surgeon said that I could not have the surgery and basically deal with my pain. I could try more PT and cut back on my active lifestyle but in reality I would be just prolonging having a hip replacement 30 years down the line. As much I was don't want to have surgery, I don't want to cut back on my fitness routine. I love working out. Not only do I need to workout to keep up my body (I have to work at what I have. I am not lucky enough to just eat what I want) I need to workout because it's something I love doing...it's my hobby...my sanity. I am so young. I can't deal with this pain forever. I am an xray tech and I have a very physically demanding job. That doesn't help any either. May I also add that there are maybe 5 drs in all of Ohio that do arthroscopic hip surgeries. That says a lot about this surgery. It's still kinda new to medicine to fix these tears. There are so many things going on in the hip area. Some injuries, like tears, are often confused as other injuries. The surgeon at Cleveland Clinic also told me that I have FAI- Femoroacetabular Impingement. This means that the head of my femur isn't smooth and it is rubbing in my hip joint which tore my labrum. There are 2 kinds of impingements. A CAM (which he said is what I have) is when there is a bump/or more bone on the head of the femur so it's not fitting in the socket properly. There is also a PINCER where there is a little overgrowth of bone on the acetabulum itself (the socket). You can also end up with a Mixed Impingement which is a combo of both. He also said that 25% of his patients have  FAI bilaterally. This is something you are born with so it is not going to heal on its own and if untreated it will continue to tear my labrum more. It can then break down the cartilage in the rest of your hip leading to a replacement. With all of this info I felt I had no choice but to have the surgery.

I began reading blogs from people who have had the same procedure done and it has been so helpful to have an idea of what to expect and it's nice to have people who are going thru the same things you are. That is why I decided to document my journey thru surgery and recovery. I hope what I have to say helps someone else like it has for me.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO????

   It is 8 days until my FAI/ Labral repair surgery and I am freaking out!!! Last night on my way to my car leaving work, I felt a very sharp pain in my left groin....which is supposed to be my good hip. It kinda gave out on me too. I sat in the car and cried. What if my left hip is messed up now too? I can't get both hips fixed at the same time. I won't have time to take off work to get the other hip fixed later. I don't want to go thru a 2nd surgery. I got home hoping it was nothing, but walking in the house and downstairs was very painful. I lost it and starting crying hysterically in the bathroom. Andy came in and found me crying. I just clung to him. "what am I going to do babe?" I just want all of this to be over with. I woke up today and something is definitely going on in there. I will not be going to the gym today like I thought I would be. I'm am lost.