Added exercise bands for resistance to moving squats and standing 4-way leg lifts.  The inner thigh and forward leg lifts are the hardest for me at the moment using the non-surgical leg because the standing leg's stability is being challenged.  Was directed to do these and any other weighted exercises every other day.

Added one more set of squats to the bosu/balance pad.

Added leg press at 80 lb. 

Added bouncing a ball against the wall for balancing 5 x 1 min each leg.  Not shabby. 

Added planks.  Not ok'd to do side planks yet.

Really working the internal and external rotation of the hip.  It's not as far along as the therapist would like. 

Continue walking 10 min on treadmill as often as possible and work on form. 

Work on figure 4 stretch modified against a wall

I'm quite enjoying that I can do flip turns without pain so I created an easy swim playlist to get in touch with my inner porpoise.  It's difficult to describe experiencing some of this music under water for the first time without using the words 'surreal' or 'free'.  Water's generally the place where I feel no pain and where I feel the pressures of the material world physically lifted from my body.  It is my my most easily accessible outlet. 

At the top of my playlist is this song, Winter's Love by Animal Collective and yesterday I could've had this on endless repeat as Friday was rough for me at work.  Floating, flowing, moving along.  Wash it all away.

I love this life in winter time
There’s frost cakes in the carpet
In winter time I have no legs
Two stumps of meat below me
A false snow fall could ruin my day
Its mask hung from the street wire
And winters love
Where could she be
She’s warming in my pocket

Just a calm and modern day
Getting up early every morning
Rush to work then rush to bed
Am I a better person?
Evening, I wont give up
The box is better said
I pulled the boy out of his box
And made that boy a man

Routine added more light weights to my leg lifts, side and rear.

One legged balances - very proud to say I did them every day this week and I feel alright after they are done

Bosu is hard for me to get into initial position but I love the challenge

Walking on the treadmill is hit and miss. Maybe 2 days this week felt solid but the other days I'd start to feel twinges near the end. Yesterday especially.

I can do a flip turn but no hard push off. But I can flip in the water!!! Woohoo!!

I'm on week 2 of prednisone steroids for breathing. This is 3 weeks solid of bad breathing. My dad said to take in more calcium because it can weaken bones. Got it.

Might also be all the meds but my blood pressure is unusually high. I've been taking 20 minutes to relax before bed and it's so far helping. The last thing I need is hypertension.

Still sticking with myfitness.com. I want to do everything I can to not have to pay $$$$ to fix a problem like this again. And if genetics indicate, it's gonna be a long battle with arthritis.

Had a big setback with a cold that developed into bronchitis and a sinus infection.  My energy and oxygen was completely sapped but I modified my daily cycling to go back to the chair bike because sitting on my regular bike was dizzying.  I managed about 2 x 15 min the week from Christmas to New Years.

I also managed to do the physical therapy exercises on my bed when I woke up in the morning.  Not much, but at least I did them.

First land PT after aqua therapy was challenging.  Doing standing balancing exercises, 1 min x 5 on each leg every day.  Standing hamstring curls. Standing hip flexor stretching.  Calf raises.  Standing side leg lifts.  Continuing with the pelvic tilts and bridges.  Mini-squats.  Hamstring stretches and calf stretches.

My walking is improving but I'm still favoring my non-surgery leg.  I'm clear to start 8-10 min treadmill walking a day on a very, very slow pace and the time I spend can be cut short if I don't keep correct form.  My hip flexor is very, very tight so my steps are so short and sometimes my legs step too wide to the outside instead of straight ahead. 

The most uncomfortable stretch is the figure 4/modified figure 4 stretch.  That's the last thing I'll do daily.

Otherwise, driving ok, getting around the grocery (short trips only) and back at the office.  I really miss working from home though. 

Will start swimming on Sunday.  Can do kicks in 25m increments with rest in between.  Otherwise, all pulls or 'light' kicking.  Mostly stopped because of my illness but so very ready to do something more challenging physically.

I found out today while I was gone, the office was invaded by mice.  They got in my desk and ate through my oatmeal packets and popcorn packs.  And they pooped on my extra workout clothes. 

And I didn't wake up New Year's Day all better.  I have bronchitis and I'm on a steroid because it's exacerbated my asthma.  WoooOOoooOOOOooOOOO.  But here's to hoping I get a full night's sleep instead of hacking my lungs out when I try to lay down.  This sitting up and sleeping crap sucks. 

Screw it.  Wake me up in 2014.

What a rollercoaster year.  Death, overworked, injury, surgery, moving, squirrels.  I wrapped up what I could of 2012, paid off bills, swept the floors, took out the trash today.  I'm ending the year sick but hoping tomorrow I wake up feeling much better.  I have a feeling it will happen. 

In Germany, it's not a New Year until Dinner for One is on tv apparently.  My Germans drink along with it.  I definitely can't keep up.  Cheers!

Everybody take care and have a great New Year's Eve!

Many corny (literally) presents and opulent presents (cue the Rolex, definitely not mine) were passed around on Christmas.  Mine from The Kiddo and my future SIL was beautifully wrapped.  And beyond corny. 

Making fun of my recent ordeal with the 2012 Bedroom Invasion from Above, I got this squirrel candle.  Therefore, I really can KILL IT WITH FIRE. 

Thank you, Kiddo!  But I actually need at least 7 more to make the representative scurry or dray.  Scurry or dray sounds so benign.  It should be a murder of squirrels.    MURDER THEM WITH FIRE!!!!!

As much as I can, I'll keep track of these costs related to my hip arthroscopy because I'm getting hits looking for this.  I hope this helps give you an idea of what you may be facing if you're having this procedure soon or you can tell me if this billing is way off compared to your procedure.  I saw on another blog where similar surgery was around $15k with an overnight stay in the hospital ($10k for the procedure alone, $5k for the overnight stay).  Total out of pocket for the hospital/surgery was $5k.  This did not include PT or follow up visits which I am including below.

Background:  I have out of state insurance in California through my full-time job and I have to say, it's the best insurance I've had so far.  The company pays a great majority of the premiums and the co-pays are normally around $10 for doctor office visits (not counting labs or x-ray).  I have one chronic illness, asthma, and I have my regular annual physical check-ups.  Pre-existing conditions were not a hinderance to my coverage. 

I am aggregating the cost from day 1 seeing a new orthopedic surgeon about mystery pain in my hip related to running to release from post-surgery physical therapy.  I've been having pain running since 2009 and by intermittent rest breaks, taping, constant rotation of new shoes and braces, I made it to mid-2012 where I couldn't take it anymore.  My procedure was for hip arthroscopy to repair a torn labrum and hip impingement.  This is the cost from July 31, 2012 to current day.

I am using the insurance claims and claims pending online as a framework for now.  Please keep in mind the billed amounts are probably marked up for insurance coverage.  If paying straight out of pocket, hospitals and doctors may negotiate a different amount with the patient. 

My ability to pay: I am full-time employed and have been for several years.  I am a single mother with a child in university, never married and self-sufficient.  In the process of purchasing a home which I do not recommend you do when you have surgery during a holiday season. 

So now for the nitty gritty:

Initial doctor/new patient visit, the protocol to rule out other causes and physical therapy:
7 physical therapy sessions - $70, without insurance $3,450
3 doctor visits w/o XRay - $30, without insurnace $154
X-ray during doctor visit - $10, without insurance $74
Total to Rule Out Pathology - $110/about $3,678

Diagnosis:
MRA at hospital- TBD - bill pending at $130, without insurance $3,274
Radiologist - $0, without insurance $379
Doctor visit for result/prognosis: $10, without insurance $70
Total of diagnosis $140/$3,723

Day of Surgery (updated 12/27)
Hospital $459.18/$22,590.15
Surgeon1 $104.11/$3,812
Surgeon2 Pending/$2,528
Radiology $10/$60
Other?
Total: $575 (not including pending)/$28,990

Physical Therapy
TBD, projected at 6-9 months total recovery

Follow up visits
Doctor visit - TBD

My anthropomorphic dog received not one but two puffy coats for Christmas. I think he really wanted a whole roast beast.

Otherwise, everyone was playing the ukulele I got my niece while she played along with her pitch pipes.

It was a very sweet night. When I can figure put my upload problem I'll post what my future son-in-law and Kiddies got me. The theme was KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

Week 4

PT said to stay on crutches a little longer. There are still pain issues.

Aqua therapy begins 2-3 times a week.  Stepping side to side in the water is very hard at first.  I was taking too big of steps and it contributed to my balancing problems.  For all directions, forward/backwards, side to side, this was the case.  Taking very small steps in the water and working on a normal gait.  It feels like it's next to impossible that I'll walk normally because I feel like I'm lurching to one side and PT confirms that's what it looks like.  Step/clomp, step/clomp.  In one session, he holds my hips as I walk.  My leg is drifting towards the outside when go forward.  Damn.

Aqua therapy ends with 15 minutes in the hot tub.  HOLY CRAP I LOVE THAT.

Still sleeping on my back though sometimes I lay on my side with a pillow between my legs.  I don't do that for long.

Doing my PT exercises first thing when I wake up then follow with 30 min bike.  One day this week I couldn't do bridges without cramping.  I wasn't pushing through the heels so that wasn't the cause.  I think it was fatigue from moving.

I very much do not endorse moving house after surgery but boy am I lucky to have such great friends.