“It hurts up to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse.” ~ Ann Trason
After much contemplation, I decided to go ahead with a second arthroscopic surgery on January 17, 2013 because of some resultant instability issues and pain that hadn’t resolved since my first FAI surgery in December of 2011. Overall, I’ve been happy with the results of the first surgery. I have been able to bike, hike, and classic style cross-country ski, but I want to be able to RUN again. I started to have knee and lower back pain as a result of my unstable hip so I thought I better go in for the fix before I make anything else worse.
Plain and simple the first 5 days sucked. I was drugged and vomity and miserable. I do have to say the initial pain was worse than I remembered after my first surgery, but it was nearly nonexistent by the end of the first week. I guess that makes sense because the first surgery primarily addressed the bony abnormalities and this surgery addressed soft tissue. From my past experience soft tissue injuries hurt way more than a broken bone.
All in all the surgery went well. According to the operative report my cartilage and labrum looks excellent and my osteochondroplasty (FAI repair) looked great with good clearance – all good news! My hip was in fact easily distractable so it was tightened with some fiberwires (looks like climbing rope). The capsule was debrided, some scar tissue was removed, and an adhesion between the capsule and labrum was opened up.
Notes from the week:
January 22, 2013 – Officially on the up and ups beginning today. Up to 70 degrees on the CPM, pain under control with ice and ibuprofen, showered, and successfully stomaching solid foods.
January 23, 2013 – Only 4 episodes of Parks & Rec today after reading the entire first Harry Potter book and doing my taxes. Permitted to start doing partial weight bearing on the crutches so I took several little walks and was surprised at how much weight the op-side could handle.
January 24, 2013 – 1 week down 5 more to go until I can ditch the crutches, 9 more weeks until I can get on my bike, and 11 more until RUNNING! Apparently my hip is now held together with what looks like climbing rope. I sure hope they know what they are doing. 95 degrees on the CPM.
