Well, there is certainly a lot to write about in this post. I have been walking without crutches or a brace for about only 5 weeks and I’m already going back for surgery #2 on my left leg today, April 22!
In the meantime, I have been busy doing physical therapy and home exercises to strengthen my right leg and prepare it for taking the full load. Physical therapy has been great. I will be able to continue doing several of the exercises even after my next surgery. I went two days per week, about an hour per session. I will try to post my exercises for you soon.
I can bend my leg to 120 degrees and completely straighten it as well . My leg aches and swells at the end of the day if I walk around too much. It’s very weak as there is still very little muscle strength but that will come with time. It will definitely be harder to get around even with crutches after this next surgery since my right leg can only tolerate weight bearing for short periods of time.
I have been applying Mederma to the scar site. One of my stitches came to the surface and that area of the wound opened and took much longer to heal so is still quite purple. The Mederma seems to be working great on the other part of the scar where I have been able to apply it for much longer though. I do this a couple of times a day. The area around the scar is also still very numb. I can’t feel when I’m shaving my leg or kneeling on my right knee. The physical therapist said sensation will come back at a very slow rate and could take up to 2 years or so for full sensation to return.
At my pre-op appointment last Wednesday, my surgeon asked me what I would like to see done differently since I have been through this once now. I asked if we could try a different pain medication. I will be taking Dilaudid which is a hydromorphone. It is stronger than Percocet (which didn’t work for me), but hopefully will not make me as nauseous as the Vicodin did (we will see). While in the hospital last time, I was given an anti-nausea patch behind my ear. I took it off right away when I got home and began getting sick about an hour later. My surgeon said I could leave this patch on for 3 days (I wish someone had told me that last time). I am really hoping I can manage the pain meds and nausea better this time around.
I’m excited and anxious about tomorrow. I know what to expect and know what’s coming! I’m certainly glad this will be my last HTO. The painful recovery is still quite fresh in my head from the first surgery. By the time all is said and done, I will have been off work for about 8 months of this year to do these two surgeries. I feel it is all so very worth it though. I also feel a shopping trip for my first pair of skinny jeans is in my near future too!! Well, that is it for now. Next time I write, I will have two straight legs!
Not a Cowgirl 