Recovery will be long. I'll be on an epidural for the first four or five days until they transition me down to "lesser" drugs like oxycontin and oxycodone. They'll get me up and moving as soon as possible (to prevent blood clots, scar tissue, etc.) but I won't be able to bear weight on that leg for likely 12 weeks while the bone fuses. So a walker at first until I have enough strength and balance for crutches. Also, many hours a day in a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine to get the hip bending again, and doing little "exercises" to try to work certain muscle groups.
Oh, and it'll be a few days (perhaps a week or more) before my bowels wake up. Fun!
After 7-10 days I'll be able to go home, where I'll continue with the CPM machine and exercises. I'm renting a hospital bed with a trapeze handle for the first few weeks until I regain some mobility.
I'm hoping that within a month I'll be able to start working again. I was considering setting a recovery goal of doing the Seattle-Portland ride next summer, but that might be a bit too ambitious. More likely is to ride the Colorado mountains with my brother-in-law if/when we visit them next summer.
10 years
8 years ago
Oh the joys of surgery recovery! Funny that intestines do not like to have their job interrupted. Being asked about them every time a nurse comes in gets old quickly. Have a few quips handy to break up the monotony. ;)
ReplyDeleteCount me in on the Colorado ride next summer!
ReplyDeleteHeather says to chew gum - it helps the bowels!!!!
ReplyDelete