Or maybe a better question would be why is one leg twice the size of the other?? It's disgusting and feels a bit like the insides are going to burst out of my skin!
Yesterday the swelling was up around my butt and the incision, which runs about 6 or 7 inches down the back of my rear-end/upper-thigh as opposed to lower and on the side of my thigh.
Seriously, it is currently totally gross looking. Lumpy, still tinted orange from the iodine (*) scrub, and a massive purple-blue bruised creeping out from under the bandage. I can barely bend at the knee from the swelling. It's just about the weirdest sensation I've ever felt!
The above was written 12/12--5 days after my surgery. Now, 12/24, the swelling is limited to right above my incision, and down in my lower calf/ankle area. I have a cankle!! :-) It is still tender around my knee and down the outside of my calf, and ankle, but just tender. Not too bad.
I'm getting around pretty good, have been off the pain meds for over a week now, and have been driving and getting out & about a little at a time. I'm bad...I don't know what is "too much" until it's too late. Like when I'm trying to sleep and my entire leg is angry with me and won't let me sleep. But, that will pass soon enough.
I had the staples taken out 12/16. The surgeon had a student with him, since I guess I am considered an unusual case. That's par for the course. Of the 4 surgeries I've had in my life, all but one have been a bit extreme or unusual. Why? Most likely because I am too stoic for my own good and let things get out of hand before committing to have it "fixed". He said that the incision looked great, and that I'll be able to start pool PT soon. My first pool PT is next week--I can't wait! Regular PT has been going great. Painful at times, but great. My PT, Ginger Holman at Woodburn Therapy Group, is fantastic and has a great sense of humor about things. It helps. Immensely. I'm now doing mini-squats and riding an exercise bike for nearly 10 minutes without much agony! Ha!
Was it worth it? Hell yes. There is NO pain where there was before. My surgeon said that the ball was pretty much worthless, and that the cartilage around it just "peeled off like an orange peel" (sorry, pretty gross!). There was also pretty extensive damage to the socket, and he had to really put a lot of fixatives in there. My implement is ceramic on ceramic, which is supposed to be top of the line, be very durable, and only get smoother with time. The socket is reinforces farther back than a lot of people, due to the damage, so I have to be extra careful for a bit longer to ensure that the bone grows through the mesh he put in there to help it. I would recommend anyone in my area that needs any type of orthopedic surgery to seek out Dr. Thorsett, at Silverton Specialties. I had, given the circumstances, an outstanding experience with both the surgeon and the hospital staff.
It will take time...but I'm more than ready to wait out to be over a decade-plus of pain.
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