HIP PT

10/22/08 Wednesday

Yesterday I went to the hospital for a dopplar ultrasound on my operative leg to check for clots ... none found! It took me an hour and a half to shower/change for the trip, an hour and a quarter at the hospital and by the time I got home I was exhausted and my hip was in revolt! After a couple of hours icing, I was up again and packing my stuff to move back downstairs to my apartment. My brother-in-law has been great ... running errands, driving me around and moving my stuff for me. He knows what I'm going through, having had double knee-replacement himself.

Recovery has been pretty much unremarkable. Each day, I move my leg more and with less pain/discomfort. The PT came again today and said I do not need to use the cane except when going up and down stairs ... in fact it was more of an order than a recommendation. Dr. Dearborn likes his patients to become 'normal' as soon as safely possible. Seems like I'm way ahead on the recovery scale!

Getting in and out of bed is a breeze now .. and that was the hardest thing to do. I'm feeling a lot better psychologically as well ... I can get up out of a chair without any pain at all and I can do it without having to stop half way ... a wonderful feeling!

I see the surgeon for follow-up on the 22nd at which time I should be released for driving! But I have until November 26th to observe the three basic precautions they give us, in order to let the hip heal properly.

All in all, I'm very, very positive!