Hard Work

Now the real work begins. I tell my right leg to move and it just lies there looking at me. Today at PT they gave me a thing to loop around my foot so I can pick it up and move it.

The day after surgery they have you get up, walk as far as you can go with a walker, and then sit in a chair.

Every so often somebody makes your recite the big 3 precautions, as if they were a catechism:

-- Thou shalt not cross thy legs or feet.
-- Thou shalt not bend to more than a 90 degree angle.
-- Thou shalt not twist at the hip.

And what happens if you forget? You dislocate your brand new hip and return to GO without collecting any money. In fact you pay a big price.

So with the terror of a dislocation hanging over my head, I went to PT and OT today to the “gym” where they taught me how to use crutches, climb stairs, put my socks on with a reacher thing, and get into a bathtub.

It was slightly overwhelming, but I could pride myself on the fact that I was doing better than anyone else in the gym, probably because they were not native English speakers.

I still immediately tense up when someone says to put weight on my right leg. I can’t tell if it’s because it really hurts so much, or I am still so fearful.

As for the incision, it’s about 4 inches long and neatly held together with staples. The first dressing removal seems to have taken some skin with it.



Today all the tubes came out, so that means I have to get out of bed any time I need to go to the bathroom. My greatest triumph today was doing that all by myself. Baby steps it is, just baby steps.


Everyone says the secret to a full recovery is PT, so I determined to work hard, even when it hurts. I can’t let those muscles atrophy while I am waiting for the pain to subside. In truth, my new titanium hip is probably the strongest part of my body right now. I just have to convince all the other parts to cooperate with it.