Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Physical Therapy or Torture?

So, here's a typical day for me:

Wake at 4 am and get into the continuous passive motion machine. Sleep (sort of) for 2 hours with my feet in foot pumps that help prevent me from getting a blood clot and with my left leg slowly moving back and forth from 15 degrees to 90 degrees. By Friday, my leg has to move from 0 degrees to 125 degrees . . . right!!! Wake back up at 6, get up and have some breakfast, take a plethora of meds and then back to the foot pumps and a game ready ice machine while lying on my stomach (which is where I am right now) for 2 hours. Take a shower (a major undertaking when you cannot stand up on both legs), drive 1/2 hour to physical therapy by 11 am. Exercise bike for 20 minutes then either Lindsey or Laurie arrives with that "look" that says we're going to move this hip no matter how loudly you scream. For the next 40 minutes, they physically move my hip around in the socket and stretch the incredibly tight muscles that are trying to prevent them from moving my hip around in the socket. I guess I make lots of faces because they tell me they know when they are getting somewhere when my eyes are so wide and bulged out that they think they might actually pop out. Then that is followed by about 30 minutes of isometric exercises and then 40 minutes of lying on my stomach and icing the hip. Repeat entire procedure at 4:00 pm. There really isn't enough time to drive back to the house so we tend to hang out at the hospital for a couple of hours and then back to PT. Race home after PT, have something to eat, hit the continuous passive motion machine for another 2 to 3 hours, more icing and lying on my stomach while trying to catch some sleep. Start the 4 am process all over again. Whew!! No wonder I am tired and cranky! And, today, I am back to Dr. Philippon's office to have an x-ray on top of all of that.

I am trying to back down the pain meds a bit although I am not sure that is going to be successful . . .especially through physical therapy. The swelling in my leg is still pretty disgusting. Hopefully that starts to go away soon too.

There are people in PT with me that gets lots of special attention so I think they must be pro athletes of some kind, I just don't recognize them. We all have some fun with the therapists so it's a pretty good experience. I will just be happy when it's less painful!! Apparently I have very tight hip flexors and my left quad is locked in place trying to protect my hip. They seem to be no match for Lindsey and Laurie though. I wish they would surrender peacefully instead of putting up such a fight. I know . . more time lying on my stomach. yikes!!! I am pretty sure at some point, my leg is going to completely come off.

ok, 40 more minutes of lying on my stomach this morning and that will make almost 2 hours. We'll see what difference it makes today.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work, April! We're monitoring your progress and you are doing an awesome job. Tough days ahead, I'm sure, but also sure that you are tougher!
All your friends here at the Board of Pensions say "hi." JJ

Susan in Jackson Hole said...

April,
I have, fortunately, just stumbled upon your blog. I have a tentative surgery scheduled with DR.P. to fix what another surgeon made worse...He wants to,among a few other procedures, repair my labrum using a part of my IT band. You had mentioned that this may occur during your operation. Did it? Thanks again for a very informative account of what you have been thru!If anyone out there has had this done-pls. feel free to contact me.

Susan in Jackson Hole said...

April,
Thanks for your informative blog. I never heard/read if you had to have your labrum repaired using part of your IT band. I have a tentative surgery scheduled with Philipon and this is one of 3 procedures the want to do on my hip(need to repair whay a another surgeon did). Frankly, I am scared. I thought the other Doctor would help my hip; not make me worse. Anyway, just curious about the IT band and I am glad you are better.