Sore Ass Muscles......literally

I went to see a new physical therapist on tuesday (7 weeks post op) for some new pains that I have been having in my hip. After a couple minutes of some basic questions for me she started poking around in my belly. The end result is that my Psoas muscles are extremely tight due to weak and sore glute muscles. She had to do some deep tissue massage to try and get my psoas to release so that we could work it with some light stretching and leg lifts and holy crap did it hurt!!! It felt like she took a dull knife and slowly stabbed me in the abdomin with it. Because the muscle is so deep (underneath some important organ) she has to apply constant pressure over the span of about a minute.

After that I thought the pain was over, but alas she informed me that my scars had way to much scar tissue around them and I need to start massaging them twice a day to keep the new tissue growth down. And I thought the last massage hurt, HAHA. Yet again we moved on to another massage, this time the problem child, my glutes. To my surprise and relief no pain with this one why she was massaging it. At the end of the day both my physical therapist here and in Indianapolis think that I'm pushing it to much. Which is funny because all I'm doing is some light household chores and floating in the pool. I'm not sure how this constitutes as "to much activity" yet they seem to be willing to let me return to work in 11 days where I'll be walking all day, lifting boxes, and be expected to all around be "Superman" again?? I'm nervous and not sure where to turn at the moment, do I rest in hope that I'll feel better when I return to work, or do I have to realize that some pain is normal regardless what the therapist says?? I don't know, but what I do know is that I was expecting a lot less than this when I first heard I was having surgery. Note to self for the future, Hip surgery is no small deal. At least I can start jogging in 4 months (yes they pushed back that date as well).

Keep on the sunny side always on the sunny side.

It's been awhile since I've posted on here but things are really started to look up, finally. This past weekend I tried for the first time walking without crutches. It was only around a small cottage, but it was my first free steps!!!!!

Rachel and I cleaned house today and I managed to cook dinner without crutches and did most of the house work with one. I loved all of the cards that I got over the past month and a half but today I needed to take them down. I don't feel like I'm injured any more, I'm now a success story of being injured. It seems like when things want to go wrong, do they go wrong. But when things want to go right, it something that you need to cherish.

The scars are healing very well, they are all different sizes. The first one on the front side of my hip is about 1 inch, the second on the side of my hip is about 1/2 inch and the third on the back side of my hip is just about a bit larger than a piece of corn.

The pain is still there and most days I just push through it, but they are starting to be way more good days than bad days and that's something to be proud of.

The Mountain's only so big

I feel like I'm reaching the summit of the mountain, like soon everything will be an easy downhill slide from here. I've been going out more often, maybe to take Rachel to work or go to the bookstore but every day I try to make one trip outside. It's kind of bittersweet because I can manage to build up enough strength to get out but usually it's only one thing per day before I'm beat. Things are looking up though and starting to take a turn for the better, I can finally take a shower by myself, dress myself, and do simple things around the house. I'm looking forward to next week when I'll be down to one crutch and hopefully there will be fewer restrictions from the doctor.
I've also noticed in the past week and a half that the world really isn't handicap accessible. It really makes it difficult when you're in a store and the aisles are to narrow for crutches, or you're trying to get in a door and it's to heavy to open while you're supporting yourself on your crutches. I guess it takes a mile in their shoes to realize how difficult their life really is.

3 weeks down

It's funny how 3 weeks can feel like 3 months, how one surgery can take an extremely active person and force them to sit on the couch. But I'm getting closer and closer to being off crutches and I have a list as long as my arm on what I want to do when I can walk again. This past weekend (July 4th) was the first time I was out of the house for more than an hour and it felt wonderful. The wife, my sister, and brother in law took me to the Picnic with the Pops, which for living in Bloomington 2 years I've never heard of. It was a lot of fun to get out of the house, listen to some wonderful music, watch the fireworks, spend time with my family, and eat some great BBQ. I wasn't sure how the whole night would go because this was the first long trip out of the house, but it seemed to go ok. At first things were going alright but as the night went on the pain started to get worse and for the next 2 days I paid for it but it was worth it.

I'm starting to put more weight on my hip when I walk, and I took of the strips over my incisions yesterday. Everything seems to be healing well, and of course one day I push it to much and then pay for it the next day. But I've come to terms with the fact that it's a slow process and just want to be able to do some more activities. I have another doctors appointment next friday and another meeting with my physical therapist to see how things are progressing and when I'm allowed to return to work. Until then I'll continue to count my blessings and take it one day at a time.

16 Days Post Op

Well I'm now past the two week mark and only have three more weeks left on crutches. It has been one hell of a journey, and one that I hope doesn't have to happen again. Yesterday was not a good day for the Szostek household. I woke up feeling some slight pains in my the front of my hip, and of course I forgot to mention my new friend the bed sore that I now have. The day only got worse, by the time Rachel got home I had a terrible migraine and was throwing up the rest of the night. I don't know why I was chosen to have such a terrible recovery but it's nothing like I expected. First the edema and swelling in my leg leading me to the ER, then the horrible stomach cramps and pains for three days, then the bed sore, and now the migraine. I just want to be done I know that the point of this blog is for my to track my progress and try to stay positive but it's just so hard right now when everything seems to be against me and so difficult. But I know I will survive and I know it can only get better from here.

Anyway back from the dark side I thought I would post a picture of my incisions. They are healing nicely since the stitches came out and seem to be doing well.

Other than that my range of motion seems to be coming back more and more every day and I now feel comfortable laying on my side more. I am learning a lot from this whole experience and in the days that I've been here I now have a better grasp on what's important and what doesn't need to be rushed. And I'll leave with the words of The Temptations, "Ain't to proud to beg and you know it."

My home for the past two weeks

I thought I would make a post to show everyone where I have been "living" for the past two weeks. 

It's basically a the same idea as a hospital bed, there are four pieces of wood behind my back that help support me and some back pillows, then we have some body pillows that I lay on. It looks wonderful and comfortable but after two weeks it's like laying on cement. 

Other than that today is the first day alone since the surgery, Rachel has taken the past two weeks off of both (yes two) jobs, and her family has been here on and off as well. You don't realize how much you miss the help until it's gone. It's freeing but also somewhat scary, I keep thinking what if I fall (insert joke here) or what if the dogs get to wild and jump on me. But it's been a successful morning and I managed to make it through without any issues. I'm excited that tomorrow means I'm officially two weeks post op. I'm getting better and better each day but have to remind myself not to push it, that I did have a major surgery and I need to take it easy. Last night I tried cooking steak for dinner and I managed to get it done but I learned that I wont be cooking again until I'm off crutches. Until that time you know where I'll be here at home on my bed.

10 Day Post Op Check Up

Today was my first check up back at the doctors since the surgery 10 days ago. First of all we had to drive two hours up to the north side of Indianapolis to get to the doctors office which makes it a long day. Once I got there they sent me for some x-rays (which I will post soon) and then I went to see the doctor who took out my stitches. He said that everything looks good as of right now which is a good thing, I'm still not allowed to go swimming or take a bath but at least now I can take a shower and stop being a stinky couch bum. After we went to the doctor we went down the hall to go see the physical therapist. We got nothing but good news from him, he reassured me that the number one thing for me to do is to take care of the pain and the swelling, then after that I can work on my range of mobility. I am still going to be on crutches for the next three weeks until I go back to see the doctor again, and after that we will reassess how my hip is doing and ween me of the crutches. It was a very long day, just from walking around the doctors office, doing PT (3 stretches in each direction) and coming back home I feel like I ran a marathon. My muscles hate me right now and the only thing I can do is sit down and ice myself.

After reading back through my posts from last week I realized that they seem very happy and almost portray the fact that I haven't really had a tough time. I do want to keep a positive outlook on things but I just thought I'd clarify. These past ten days have been hell for me, from staring at my leg trying to make it move and not being able to, to the worst stomach pains I've ever had for days straight. I have a long road ahead of me and didn't expect how much work this would be. I couldn't have made it this far without my friends, family, and even people that I don't know. I love all of you and thank you for the continued support during my recovery. It's not over yet and there will be more bad days, good days, crying and laughing, but at least there will be more days.