Two weeks today!!!

Today I am officially two weeks after surgery. It seems like forever ago and only yesterday at the same time. Today was an incredible day for me . . . first off, I drove myself to physical therapy for the first time this morning. Instructions say you can drive 4 days after surgery but I had not done it until today. Let me say, there is an incredible sense of freedom and independence that comes with driving again. I was thrilled, elated and felt better than I have in two weeks just driving again. Ok, then I got to pt at 7:30 this morning, 30 minutes on the bike and then Lauri took me off of crutches completely. I was a little unsure at first but with her expert coaching, I took my first completely independent steps and then repeated them over and over again. I probably walked 10 laps around physical therapy before I tired and started my pt work with her. It was amazing!!! I am weak and there is lots of work to be done to get myself back in walking shape but I did it!!!! I was ecstatic. I also started pool physical therapy today. So, pool therapy consists of putting on a flotation belt, getting in to the deep end of the pool and jogging laps for about 20 minutes. Lots of work but felt great. I was there today with Nik who is a pro hockey player and one other guy - don't know his name - he plays college hockey. I am pleased and proud to report that I kicked total butt at pool physical therapy today. After the jogging, we put on fins and did kicks on our stomach and our backs down the full length of the pool and back. Mark, the guy who runs pool pt, said I have the strongest kick he has ever seen at pt. I guess all of the working out that I did pre-op has paid off big time!! The pool felt great today and I think it went a long way toward strengthening my hips and legs as well as stretching them out. I felt like a new person when I got out today. Home for a nap this afternoon and then back to pt at 4:30. More great news -- I took the continuous passive motion machine, foot pumps and game ready ice machine back today. The only thing I still have to do tonite is bind my ankles together while I sleep. I am still wearing the hip brace and both of these last until Sunday when I will be completely and totally free. . . at last!!! Hallelujah!!! I really feel like I turned a corner today and am feeling so much better about everything. I was in pt tonite with a woman who had hip surgery on Tuesday. I assured her that she would feel much better starting day 5 and then would turn a huge corner on day 7. She looked very hopeful and like she really didn't believe me. :-) I know I have said this before but seeing the new surgery patients makes me realize just how far i have come. I am starting to do some new exercises in pt and am starting to get some strength back . . a tiny bit but it's better than nothing. They have to teach me how to walk again . . this time without a limp or hip problems . . and then I will be kicking butt again in pt. A great day!!!

For anyone who is reading my blog that has upcoming surgery with Dr. Philippon . . . don't be nervous, don't be scared and don't back out. There are some rough days up front after surgery but the end result is amazing!!! My hip has never felt better and I am only 14 days out of surgery. He is an incredible surgeon and you can certainly trust him 100%. This is my second hip and I wouldn't trade this for any amount of money. I already feel like a different person and I still have 3 months of pt to go!!

I spent a lot of time with Lauri today talking about the things that I plan to do once my hip is 100%. The weather is getting nice her and I am dying to get out on a real bike. It's still too early but they are going to try to get me out for real before I leave. I am thrilled!! Lindsay and Lauri have also convinced me to come back out next winter to learn to ski. I can't wait!! I am finally through all of the ugly surgery stuff so now I can seem to think about is my future and all of the things that I haven't been able to do that I will now to be able to do. To say I am excited wouldn't even be close to describing how I feel.

Thank you Dr. Philippon and the incredible staff at Howard Head Sports Medicine. Watch out world!!