I'm having a terrible time sleeping. This has been going on for 3 nights in a row now!! I am actually beginning to dread the evening, knowing I'll be laying there wide awake. Part of the reason is that sleeping on my back is really getting to me. Normally I am a side sleeper, and due to chronic upper back/neck pain I always have my trusty heating pad applied to that area. Now that I am sleeping on my back, the heating pad is spread across my whole upper back which causes my whole core to heat up to what feels like a thousand degrees. My back and shoulders are also more uncomfortable than usual due to the fact that I am using a walker/crutches.
I am also feeling really restless and uncomfortable. Part of it is pain in my left hip (operated side), the other part is a tingling, restless feeling in my right hip, calf and ankle (the un-operated side). My poor right hip is taking on all of my body weight. I think that even someone with a "normal" hip would still experience some discomfort...the fact that I have FAI/tears in that hip too just exasperates the problem.
Last...I miss my regular routine. I enjoy working and being busy! I lead a really active lifestyle and the fact that I am in bed 80% of the day makes for a dull existence. I am nowhere near ready resume my normal activities....merely showering and changing into fresh PJs is enough activity to cause me to lay down and ice...but I miss the feeling at the end of the day that I've contributed to something.
I guess what I am trying to say is today I am just tired of the whole thing and wish I could fast forward to the part where my hips are fixed!
We are all allowed our moments to whine, complain and feel sorry for ourselves. Today is just my day.
My mom just left about a half an hour ago. :( She was so helpful while she was here....whether it be fixing the blankets on my bed, making dinner, doing laundry, cleaning....or helping me feed the cats....it just made my life so much easier. On top of all the help, we had a great visit too. I guess I just feel like her stay went by too fast and I miss her already. That being said...I do have my friend Jess coming to stay with me next week...so I will have one more week of company and help which I am so grateful for. I am really looking forward to our time together!!
On a positive note....
I had a nice little surprise visit from a friend today. It was almost as though she read my mind and knew I needed a "pick me up"! She brought me some goodies, a magazine and a slushy! Thank you Erika! :D
Other good news...my incision has healed up VERY nicely! I got my staples out on Wednesday! The incision opened up a bit...but not a whole lot. I have some steri-strips on and she told me to keep it bandaged for another week or so. I will take some more photos of it now that I have the staples out. Here is a photo from 14 days post-op of my incision - my robe is covering the top of it, but you can get the gist of it!
Also...surgeons office called today. I reconfirmed weight bearing restrictions. She said it is critical I am toe-touch weight bearing for 6 weeks. At that time, we will do more x-rays and if the screws have set, I will be able to begin putting weight on it. Good to know! She said very sternly...IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE PRECAUTIONS YOUR HIP MIGHT FALL APART! Haha...I think she was exaggerating...?? Either way, I am not going to test it. I have been super careful with this surgery....part of it because I am so worried about damaging what he's done....the other part is due to the pain and the inability to do much.
Well, time to do my therapy! My in-house physio just called and said she had a cancellation and that she is on her way. Hopefully I will be cleared to start doing therapy with my physio. I have also found a therapist in Burlington who does hydro therapy! I am going to combine the approaches with the intent of having a quicker and more effective recovery.
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