I'm into the second-to-last stage of my bilateral hip replacement. Being home, I'm now getting outpatient physical therapy (PT). If I ever thought I was over the "hard part" I was sorely mistaken (with emphasis on the "sore")!
I'm now being asked to stretch, bend, strengthen and generally abuse (well, not really) all of the various muscles around the hips and throughout the legs. I've been asked to cut down the exercises I do from inpatient PT from 25 reps to 10, and from four sets per day to two. In their place, I have about twelve new exercises to do twice per day, with two sets of ten reps each. Progress!
Oh, and two of the exercises are done on my stomach!!! I didn't know I could turn over onto my stomach! I'm going to check with the doctor tomorrow and see if I can sleep on my stomach . . . I've been sleeping on my back for weeks!
Finally, I can walk all I want, provided I don't do so much I can't move the next day.
I said I was into the second-to-last stage; here's what I consider to be the list of stages:
- Pre-Surgery Office Visits, Blood Donations, et al
- Surgery and Hospital In-Patient Stay
- Rehab Center In-Patient Stay with Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Home on Short-Term Disability with Out-Patient Physical Therapy
- Return to Work with Continuing Physical Therapy
The "next big thing" for me is being able to get into the car and drive. I'm limited by the "hip restrictions" that are in place, things I cannot do without the potential for dislocating a hip. And I do not want to dislocate a hip! So I'll practice getting in and out of the driver's seat, and test going around the block several times, before I believe I can try a longer drive. Currently, I can't sit for any length of time (in the car) without some little discomfort.
So this week continues PT, on an outpatient basis, and has me trying to drive, comfortably. We'll see how it goes!
