Skinny little leg

I just wanted to put up a picture of the muscle atrophy in my left thigh. It was already weak before surgery and now it is teeny tiny.

Ants

Today I have truly lived up to the name of this blog. I'm having a very bad morning and it's all because of ants. They were on my counter when I got up this morning so I sprayed them with cleaner and wiped them and the counter up. I took a shower and when I came back out, the ants were back. So I sprayed them again. When they showed up a third time, I couldn't take it anymore, and I started crying. All the emotions of 3 weeks of pain and exhaustion came out and I cried over 10 ants marching around my counter. Now I feel like the biggest whiny girl and my eyes hurt from crying. Ugh, I hope I can only go up from here!

Three weeks!

I've made it three weeks post op! I'm moving around great. I've been able to lay on my right side for short amounts of time. I try to sleep like that but then I get sharp pains in my hip, so I have to roll on my back. I've cut back a lot on my pain meds too. Yesterday I had a pill at 6am, 12pm, and then 7pm. I didn't take another pill until I woke up around 5:15 when Jeff got up. I did have a big day yesterday. My sister drove me all the way to my parents' house and we had lunch, went to walmart and went to Batesville. I slept on the couch from 7-9:30 last night and then got in bed and slept until 7:30 this morning. The only issue I am still having is with my incision. For some reason there is a part along the bottom of it that is wide open and keeps "weeping" and bleeding. I took all the antibiotics that my doctor prescribed but it is still bleeding. I took the dressing off this morning and blood actually started pooling in it. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to get it looked at again. Here are two pics. One is the top part of my scar that is healing up just fine. The other is of the bottom of my scar when I took the dressing off this morning.

Two week follow up with doctor

At first I was confused when I got taken back for the doctor-they didn't take me straight to x-ray. But Dr. Scheid said they were going to limit my radiation exposure and do my next x-ray when I go back in four weeks. He asked how things were going and looked over my incision and stitches where they scoped. He was concerned about the weeping along the bottom of my incision. I can uncover that part in the shower but then I have to put a clean dressing over it tightly. He also prescribed me some antibiotics in case of infection there. Still no weight on the leg until I go back. I am supposed to mimic walking with crutches by putting the foot of my bad leg flat on the ground. Only the weight of the leg can go on it. He doesn't want me driving until I clear out some pain meds but I can use the recumbant bike. I just need to get to where I can drive myself to the gym. Lastly Denise popped out all of my stiches. Yay! I follow up with him July 28th. I had to do five weeks because of the transition from one job's insurance to the next. I don't want to have to deal with sending bills to Cobra.
Next big milestone: I'm getting all fancied up for a wedding on Saturday. Definitely using the wheelchair for this one!

Two Weeks

Well I have made it two weeks post op. I've made some more progress since my last update. I've had three trips out of the house. First trip was last Thursday and I was out of house maybe 3 hours. I went to my new job to fill out paperwork. Then my husband I went to target and I had my first experience with a motorized cart. I was exhausted when I got home.
Then I went out again Saturday morning to grocery shop and after the trip around Meijer my hip was so stiff and sore that I had to stay in the car at Kroger. Then I actually went to dinner Saturday night but only lasted about two hours until I started to have pain. Today was my first day home without any support and it went well. I am able to shower on my own and take care of my own food. But I still am having to take pain meds every 3 hours and every time I try to go longer, I start having pain right at 3 hours. I go back to the doctor on Wednesday so hopefully the X-rays look good. Here is a picture of my scar at 2 weeks.

And here are my doggies that like to get in my way.

One week!

One week ago I had my LPAO, and I think it was still going on at this time as well. I'm amazed at how much I am able to do already. I can get to and from the bathroom and bed without any assistance. I am able to dress myself using my grabber. I haven't tried putting on my own socks yet, but it is summer, so I can live without them. I plan on taking another shower today which I hope will go quicker than last time. I have been doing my exercises twice a day: ankle pumps, quad sets, glute sets, heel slides, abductors, and leg lifts at the knee. The only exercise I have any trouble with is the abductors. I have to move my leg out to the side and back in and I do not have enough strength to do it correctly. I am still taking my Norco every 3 to 3 1/2 hours. I was trying to spread them out more, but the pain is still too much. I did sit up in my wheelchair and the couch for a total of 3 hours yesterday, and that left me with a lot of pain last night and this morning. Some of it is muscle pain, but then I also have pain in my butt and groin, which I think is bone pain or screws. I will be making my first trip out on Thursday to take care of some paperwork, which is also Jeff and I's four year wedding anniversary. Who knows if we will do anything special. It's up to Jeff since I can't move to do anything, lol. I'm happy about the progress I've made in one week, and I hope I can keep the progress going. I just need to find the focus to get back to my school work. I finished my first summer class with a 100% so I hope I can pull off the same for my other two. Well, now I am rambling.

Last, but not least, please keep my friend Ashley in your thoughts and prayers. She is about to have her 8th orthopedic surgery on June 20th in Boston and is super stressed about it. She needs all the good vibes she can get!

Here is a pic of my silly Lilly doing what she does best. I hope it brightens your day!
EDIT: I forgot to add that I have my follow up appointment with Dr. Scheid on Wednesday, June 22nd at 9:15 am. I can't wait to see my x-rays!

Day 5- Clean!

I just wanted to add a quick update about progress since I've been home. I also changed my dressing today so I have a pic of my incision.

• I can walk to and from the restroom on crutches by myself
• I was able to sit in my wheelchair for about 30-40 minutes before my hip was irritated
• I got dressed this morning using my grabber
• I took a shower with just a little help from my husband
• I pooped! (I thought it was funny that the Dr at the hospital asked me everyday if I had or not)
  

Here is the pic of my incision. Whenever I can move around more I will get a measurement on it.