8.5 months ago my husband was driving me to have surgery.  It was early, and dark, and cold.  I was so scared and had the strange realization that my God-given body was going into a building and coming out never the same.  Would the hip surgery work?  All these "what-if's" in my mind at 5 a.m. 

"What if I can't run again?"  

Always my nature, I tend to not sit in a fearful place for long.   So I instead turned on Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and my husband and I rapped all the way to the surgical center.  Just like we do on the way to races.  Pumping myself up instead of letting that fear weigh on my heart. 

"You only get one shot do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime. Success is my only option, failures not."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It amazes me that at this point I am counting down days until my triathlon.  Days!  Two days to be exact.  Just months ago I was counting

...days until I was off crutches
...days until I could dress myself
...days until I was walking
...days until I got to jog

I recall simply shutting my eyes and envisioning how it would feel to run again, to cross a finish line, and to move without pain.   I am looking back at my journal entries, as well, just months ago I was only jogging 30 seconds at a time, in May I ran my first full mile with no stopping, in June I did a 5K race (a long throw from my 13.1 miles) and now I am up to 40 minutes with NO stopping and sometimes I run even after a bike ride!  It feels phenomenal to see hard work pay off. 

Often when you're in the middle of a huge life altering change (which for me was stopping a body that was in constant motion), all things that used to make up your time seem distant and pieces of yourself feel like they are slipping away.  So, with encouragement from a sweet friend coupled with my own athletic brain, I decided to take life into my own hands and at about 3 months post-op I discussed the possibility of doing a triathlon with my physical therapist and surgeon.  My rationale behind it was I was swimming, and biking anyways...so why not use that to keep me simmered down from running to much too soon and complete a race at the end of summer?  Dr. Nowak gave me the enthusiastic green light and immediately my soul felt back on fire.  A goal was in the future, and something to work towards was months away. 

I have completed 5 triathlons in my life, with my last one being in 2011, three sprints and two Olympic distance so the fact that it has been three years since my last triathlon and 8.5 months post surgery will  present a combined challenge for the event, but I am excited for the fun of it and victory of this personal accomplishment. 

So much to be proud of and so much to look forward to!  I am not even sure where to begin on the milestones achieved from the last time I wrote.  I am really learning how it feels to be proud of your body instead of harsh and judgmental of its changes.  It's challenging, but more often than not, I am proud of myself and happy with my choice to have surgery.

I know I have not been posting nearly as much, as I have been out and about training as much as my hip and schedule allows.  Thanks to my coach Toby for the amazing workout plan that takes into consideration my hip recovery, but also is preparing me for the endurance of it.  Right now my workouts are consisting of swim, bike, or run days and I even have a few brick workouts under my belt (err-under my hydration belt?).  Brick workouts are designed to mimic what you will be doing on race day-so I have performed more bike/run bricks where you bike then immediately go right into your run.  Boy, oh, boy do your legs feel like jello that first mile of running.

If you have had the surgery or are considering it, I really started to see a change in increased activity with lessening pain at about month 6, however, I followed my surgeons protocol like an A+ student.  Make sure that you always listen to your body and learn the difference between pain and tightness!

I can't wait to get out there on Saturday.  Truly seeing my hard work laid before me and what my mind and body is really made of!  I know I will embrace each moment  and enjoy the feeling of racing again reflecting on how far I have come with each mile.  1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run, so there will be many miles for reflection. 

I have crossed so many finish lines in less than a year and this will be one more hard earned milestone.  See you at the finish line.

In movement, love, and laughter-

XO

Amy   

Happy Monday everyone!  After a wonderful weekend away with the husband, I am feeling refreshed and recharged.  There were some wonderful strength, endurance, and emotional gains this past weekend with my hip.  Last time I was where we stayed I was hardly walking 10 minutes and this past weekend, I ran trails, my first big hill, and spent time in the woods alone doing what I love.  All that the day after a 16 mile bike ride!  Amazing.  This past weekend was the first time I thought "I will run again and it will be okay."  Minimal pain, stiffness, and soreness and each day proves more and more worth it for the labrum repair and FAI surgery.

I have finally had some readers reach out with questions about hip pain, surgery, and FAI which was my whole goal of sharing my experience. I thought I would write a small post about pre-surgery, my symptoms, and what I considered my "essentials" for recovery.  I really haven't written the nitty-gritty truth or lamented each day of the process because for me, that would hinder my healing mentally.  All in all, for me this was a positive (yet not easy) choice and I would rather not focus on the negatives of an elective surgery.  Yes it sucked that my labrum tore, but it was my choice to do the surgery.  Know what I mean, peeps? 

However, it is helpful to know and understand what you're in for if you do go through with this surgery.  I have a few earlier posts with a great picture of my actual torn labrum found here as well as some thoughts before the surgery itself in this post!  As I have mentioned previously, if you have a torn hip labrum (like I did) as well as FAI like I did/and still do in my left hip (a structural impingement of the pelvis and head of the femur) you will find it hard, if not impossible, to read positive blogs and sites about the surgery; for one main reason;  IT HURTS and it's a long recovery.
Initially, the only blogs I found were so upsetting it almost terrified me and my family to even consider the surgery.  I was so lucky, as I have written before, to find Ashley at Fitness is Delicious to see a fellow runner and triathlete be so positive in her recovery.  She is my long-distance hip home girl!  However, if and when you decide to go through with a repair or FAI correction, there are some things I would consider buying or having around and my list is below.

If you think you might have a torn labrum or are having hip pain, my journey is below.  It is not meant to diagnose you, but I do think it's helpful to hear someone's perspective and then consider your options.  I was pro-active in finding a top surgeon and physical therapist.  So you have to take control of your body and recovery-not settling for anything less than the best.

Pain & Misdiagnosis
While everyone's symptoms are different, torn labrum pain and FAI can be commonly misdiagnosed as a psoas strain, tear, or groin pull...as mine was.  It began as a deep ache and throbbing in my groin and spread around to the glute.  When I still couldn't walk three weeks later after onset, I was absolutely not believing it was my psoas as some practitioners told me.  I did countless hours of research, meeting with surgeons, and finally got a hip MRI (they do place a needle into your joint capsule to inject dye.) showing I had a torn labrum and FAI in my right hip, as well as glut medius tendonitis, and a stress reaction in the head of my femur.  Whew!  It felt so good to have a concrete diagnosis.  No more guessing.  So please ensure if you suspect you have these similar symptoms, go get checked out and obtain imaging to be positive, trust your instincts if you think it's more serious.

First Pains
I first began to feel pain when I was training very hard and trail racing frequently last summer of 2013.  I was doing hard trail half marathons almost each weekend, and part of my training plan included steep hill repeats that required sprinting up a steep grade with a constant lifting of my knees and hips, and I am talking about running hills that are hard to simply walk!  So it was very vigorous.  I was also doing high level Pilates and strength training with repetitive deep hip flexion, thus, I don't believe one thing in general was the culprit, rather all the things I did exacerbated an already existing deformity in my pelvis-and weak hip muscles also contributed. 

The pain began as a deep hip/groin ache and radiated to my low back and outer bum cheek.  Since I am an athlete, runner, former gymnast, I simply accept the fact that there is pain in pushing your limits.  So, I indeed kept training on it, ignoring the fact that the throbbing pain was not really going away.  With a goal race in mind, my annual half marathon in Oregon, I was in a moderate amount of pain but decided to still race it anyways.

Race & Finish Line
Once I got to the race, I went ahead and warmed up with an easy mile, definitely a little limp, but decided it would most likely shake out and my drive/mental strength could push me through!  And boy oh, boy did it ever.  I just wasn't ready to give up after the hard work, travel, and hours of time running.  At about mile 6, in what was later named the hilliest course in America for 2013, I had searing fire deep in my joint that made me almost throw up just out of raw pain.  At that moment, I knew there was deep damage and something was wrong.  My surgeon later told me most likely my hip cartilage was already torn before the race, so the 13.1 miles definitely did the final trick.  I look back at photos of my face in in excruciating pain, but I ran all 13.1 miles and crossed the finish line-I am shocked I could push through.  I was hardly able to walk as I crossed the finish.  Sometimes you simply cannot give up a hard earned goal and my husband totally understood.  To this day he and I both agree that I would have felt worse not racing and not trying as opposed to just giving it a shot.  Many of you might consider it crazy or reckless-however, I have stopped defending this athletic brain of mine.  Yes, I ran on torn hip cartilage but I also have learned lessons only known to myself and I do believe it was a matter of time until it happened; surgeon also agreed.

Post-Race
Post race I was unable to walk or put weight on my right leg but the fact that there was a little wine after the race assisted in easing the pain for the duration of the day!  The limping, deep and sharp throbbing, and groin pain continued for three weeks until I decided to get imaging which of course, showed all the aforementioned items.  With rest it subsided slightly, but with activity it worsened.  With all my research and reaching out to others; I quickly realized that a torn labrum or FAI does not heal on it's own.  I also have a BS in Exercise Science and know the properties of cartilage. If you don't do a repair, you will simply manage the symptoms of the tear- which I hear some people can do quite well.  For me, however, I think managing the symptoms would have felt like a Band-Aid, just masking it and not really trying to fix what is wrong.  Not only that, I couldn't live a life where the more I tried to do, the more it hurt.  That is just not me.  I did my hours and hours of research and found that the top doc for this surgery is Dr. Marc Phillippon out of Vail, Colorado. 

Since he was the leading in the nation, what did I do...?  E-mailed him of course.  Silly you would even ask.

I asked him if there was anyone in Wa. he recommended, which ended up being Dr. Doug Nowak out of Everett Bone & Joint.  Dr. Nowak studied under Dr. Phillippon, he is an athlete himself, and is highly adept and trained in hip arthroscopy.  It is not a minor surgery and you want someone with solid credentials.  I did meet with a couple other surgeons but once I met with Dr. Nowak-I knew he was the right surgeon for me.  He listened, didn't act quickly, understood my goals, and never rushed me and his patient reviews were solid. He even told me to think about surgery for a few weeks and see if the torn labrum was something I could live with-how great is that?  A surgeon that was encouraging me to NOT jump on the table like other surgeons I met with.  He understood the magnitude of surgery and wanted me to think about it as well.  I quickly decided it wasn't something I wanted to deal with, and so I scheduled surgery with him three months after my diagnoses. 

Surgery
I was in surgery for about two hours where Dr. Nowak expertly reattached my labrum, shaved off and re-shaped the surface of my femur and pelvis, and lengthened my psoas tendon in the front of my hip.  In order to access the deep joint capsule, the patient is required to be in distraction (aka in a boot that slightly dislocates your hip for instrument access).  I recall waking up and being so thrilled I went through with it, considering the night before I could hardly eat I was so nervous.  It is a surreal feeling to drive to surgery in your given body knowing you will wake up not how you went in! 

Post-Surgery
The immediate days after surgery are a bit blurry since I was taking medication on a rotating schedule and just trying to cope.  If you are getting the surgery, make sure you have loved ones around you to help you maneuver around for the essentials.  My husband was my primary source of physical help, lifting me up and down off the bed, onto the toilet, and in bathing and my Mommy was my cook, housekeeper and leg adjuster.  When you have the labrum repair it is a bit different protocol from just FAI surgery.  So please note that mine included both procedures.  What I think people didn't understand and still don't is that I was non-weight bearing for 4 weeks, then partial weight bearing after that, with full walking 8+ weeks after so you are off your leg and joint for weeks.  You do have to re-learn to walk.  Not only are you using crutches to protect the surgery, you are also not allowed to lift your actual leg to avoid psoas tendonitis.  Once I began walking, my muscles were totally atrophied, my neuromuscular connections were gone, and all my muscles around my hip were painful and weak. 

Depending on your surgeons protocol (I appreciated Dr. Nowak's as he was cautious with strength and assertive with range of motion), physical therapist, and surgery, your movement will be minimal to begin and then you can add on more and more.  Another reason it's essential to have people you trust around you is because you will rely on them to do your exercises for you passively.  A few other things my friend Ashley mentioned is the pain meds will indeed goof up your digestion so please make sure you take fiber!  It's a very painful side effect when that area is already in so much pain and swollen.  My friend Shawn suggested a reaching device to help because you cannot bend down at an angle for quite some time which was also helpful.

Be aware that when you remove the bandages there is lots of blood, fluid, and swelling.  So it will look much worse, and it's helpful to have someone there with you to absorb the shock of seeing your hip in that way.

I have been asked continually how bad it hurt and to be honest-I was surprised at how deep it hurt in the first weeks after and how often moving it wrong way jolted it with pain; but you have to remember that just because it is an arthroscopic procedure doesn't mean it's minor!  You have layers of tissue, fascia, and bone that they need to access, so know that.  When I look back sometimes I think that running the half while it was torn was more painful that surgery itself though! 

Essentials & Things to Remember

1.)  Loved ones:  for movement assistance, bathing, food, and ice.  Most importantly for support, love, and comfort!

2.)  Crutches:  my mom got me extra cushions for  my underarms because your ribcage, etc. get over rubbed and pressed by the crutch.

3.)  A surgeon you can call:  When I slipped and was terrified I ruined the surgery, Dr. Nowak was so great to access and he even called to check in on me.  Great for a piece of mind.

4.)  Shower chair:  my mom brought one with her and it was a LIFE SAVER.  I was very unstable and could have slipped in the shower.  Not to mention, recovery is exhausting.  Sometimes just crutching around up and down stairs was so taxing.  It was great to sit and get clean.  You typically won't/can't lower yourself into a tub (or submerge your sutures) for weeks.

5.)  A good book.

6.)  Lighthearted magazines.

7.)  Funny shows & movies.

8.)  Recovery Ice Compressor/Ice Man Wrap:  This is a big one.  This machine wraps around your whole hip and pumps ice water over the joint to it's seamless, smooth, and you can rest with hit on because it is secure.  I actually slept with it on the first few nights.  Wear layers because you get cold, and have a good cup of tea near you.  The compression helps tremendously with inflammation-I will still use it after harder and harder exercise.

9.)  Warm socks/larger pants:  when you are not moving as much your circulation is poor, so I found my feet always cold.  Not only do you need larger pants to fit over the dressing, you have to be comfortable!  I found the tighter the pants the more it pressed my stitch thread into my skin, ouchy.

10.)  CPM Machine:  I know some people who have only had FAI and not a labrum tear did not require this.  If it's suggested, GET IT.  Continuous Passive Motion Machine will manually move your leg for your from about 30 to 70 degrees.  My friend Shawn who got the same surgery, also highly recommended it!  It feels great to move in some way, even if it's not you doing the moving.  It's also been proven to reduce scar tissue in the joint and while the labrum is healing. 

11.)  I recommend a spin bike for home or somewhere near you if possible.  My husband got me a spin bike in great condition and I used it two days after surgery to get my hip moving.  It was terrifying and excruciating, but necessary.

12.)  Massage.  I began lymphatic massage less than a week after surgery.  My close friend was kind enough to drive out to me weekly to care for my hip...and emotions to be honest.  Lymphatic is specifically for enhancing the lymph system and assisting in reducing swelling.  As weeks went on, she began to work muscles and eventually the scars/incisions.  I still see her once a week for scar tissue and recovery.

All in all if you find out you have a torn labrum, I feel like these are some of the take home things to think about and have ready to go.  If you have FAI and no torn labrum, I would encourage you to speak with a surgeon and look at correcting the impingement if it's symptomatic or your labrum is in danger so you don't have the potential of further joint damage.  The most important thing you need, remember...is lots of inner strength and focus.  I am 5 months post op and am back to so many things I enjoy and hope to return to 100% at my 1 year mark-right on track.

XO  In happy hip health.

Amy

5 months ago today, I was in surgery to repair my torn hip labrum and correct FAI in my right hip.  

I recall asking my husband shortly after surgery (on crutches, in pain, and unable to use the toilet myself, crying...)

"When do you think I will be happy I got this surgery done?"  

And he said "April or May."  

Well, here it is April and I feel the joy growing each day as I am able to do more and more; re-gaining strength, mobility, and starting to feel like the athlete I am. There are certainly times where I wonder if the surgery worked or how hard I can push it again when I want to get back to trail racing, however, I am trying my hardest to stop the "what-if's," since they aren't serving any purpose except feeding things beyond my control!

Just yesterday I rode 13.5 miles (hilly, may I add) in the sunshine-nothing to feel sad about there. Yes, it's hard knowing where I was a year ago, running each day, but I have turned to some wonderful sources of inspiration-most importantly myself- to keep me going with no need to look anywhere but forward!  I keep certain people and experiences alive in my mind not to diminish my experience but assist in keeping perspective in my heart and mind as I heal, such as my friend Carrie who has overcome so much, athletes that are doing unimaginable things with one limb, or even my own husband and best friend who endured three painful wrist surgeries (one failed) and is still able to do and excel in the cycling he loves.  

Hardships are obviously different for everyone yet we all have them.  What seems catastrophic for one person may seem small for another, however, what remains true throughout all challenges in life is the relationship you have with yourself.  This surgery has certainly tested my inner strength and challenged me to practice what I preach to my clients about positive and productive self-talk, learning not to depend on others for the encouragement I deeply craved and needed. 

I have come to really truly believe in cultivating my relationship with Amy.  If you do not believe in and encourage yourself then you are a tree with no roots!  Having someone else support you and be there for you is essential, I am not disputing that, but it's the ability to see your own inner light and fire that's most crucial knowing that you have it deep inside to make it through what life throws your way. In the times where it hurt so badly I was nauseous, or I slipped and fell three days after surgery, or having to be lifted in and out of bed, I had (and still have) to have those talks with inner-Amy I have done unimaginable conquering of things before telling myself that this was no different.

When you loose touch with your inner roots, you will feel it.  I will be honest, I have not totally mastered it; part of being a personal trainer is I give that "go get 'em!" attitude to clients, friends, and family, so sometimes I wish I had more of that from others in my life, however, that's when your inner strength must be re-connected with...you can't depend on others 100% to help you believe. It's a daily battle, but eventually it will become ever present in your life.

The same goes for my clients in becoming healthy, getting fit or loosing weight.  If you do not have the belief in yourself that you can get healthy, your efforts have no roots.  That is why so many clients begin a fitness regimen and slowly fade away-they have not made the inner-choice for themselves but rather some other purpose, or come to depend on their trainer, which can keep you going for only so long!  Same as above, when you have connected with your inner goals motivated by authenticity only known to yourself you will not quit.

At this point I can honestly say, I am so thrilled I made the choice I did to get the surgery; and I keep continually repeating Kara Goucher's quote above.  If you are considering the surgery, I highly recommend doing your research and finding the best surgeon possible, (I am SO happy with my choice at Everett Bone and Joint, in Wa.) and weighing what's most important to you.  

No matter what, I encourage you to re-connect with your inner belief that you are strong, amazing, and have it in yourself to overcome that obstacle.!

XO

Wow, wow!  I cannot I believe time has already brought me to my fourth week after hip surgery and that I'm also ringing in my 29th year on this lovely planet!   I think there has been much progress made in my recovery and more than anything, I hope that my body accepts the surgery and everything is on track for a healthy and happy 2014!

These past couple weeks, I have been trying to slowly wean of crutches and begin to walk.  Definitely a full time job and mentally challenging.  Walking after 4 weeks of not standing on, lifting, or using your leg is extremely difficult and painful.  One might think it would all come back quickly, but it surely takes time and has been a surprising and humbling week.  That being said, I have also been to the pool to swim and bumping up time and resistance on the spin bike!  I have been able to make full meals in the kitchen (kale and black bean tacos!) reaching and grabbing for spices and cookware with more intention and natural movement without the crutches under me.  I even did a little booty shake dance with the dog to some great holiday tunes!  Oh, yes.  I was also able to get out and drive with husband yesterday and today on my own to run errands and grab a latte; most definitely feeling like a new driver since the muscles and nerves are not used to the finesse of the pedal!   But it felt oh, so wonderful.  My kind produce man who knows me as "avocado girl" was very thrilled to see me and I in return.  I was in for, you guessed it, avocados, but it was great to see a friendly face and get out of the house. 

As my year of 28 years old is wrapping up, as well as 2013, I can't help but feel overcome with love for those in my life (old and new) for all I have been given, and for the opportunity to nurture new dreams.  This surgery has and continues to teach me new things daily and I realize I am about only a quarter of the way up the mountain, but man-oh-man, I have a new and rich understanding of myself as a woman, athlete, and fitness professional.  I also see how this experience will continue to give me depth and insight into those I work with;  a stronger level of empathy and motivation (my current clients may argue I am plenty pushy!) as well as an understanding of just how hard working with our bodies can be no matter where we are at; recovering from surgery, making good eating choices, self-acceptance, getting in shape, watching your fitness slip away, being at the top of your game, or just planning to get into the game. 

I have also found that some of the things that are getting me through this surgery & recovery also apply to what dictates the success of sticking to your fitness and wellness goals, which can be just plain hard and also presents it's mountains to climb. 

...For example, friends and family.  I could not have gotten through my surgery without the care of love of both my husband and mother, but my friends have also played a healing role; cards, visits, meals prepared for me, e-mails and just checking in from my closest friends have not only made me smile but realize how much I depend on them for reminding me who I am and why they are apart of my life.  I believe the same goes for sticking to your fitness and health goals.  If your family and friends are not on board, you lose that base of support under you!  If you are trying to eat well, yet a friend brings you fast food-well, you get the idea.  Same also goes for family.  If you're ultimately aiming to exercise more and eat better, half of the success is determined by your environment.  Just like I needed someone to take me through my exercises and drive me to appointments, you need people in your life to see your goals, take them seriously and support them. 

...Patience.  For those who really know me, they would not necessary describe me as patient or sedentary.  My typical day consists of training 5-6 clients back to back, teaching Pilates class, walking the dog, spin, and running, running, running!  Needless to say, this whole being inactive thing for 4-6 weeks was a deep ache in my heart and more than once left me feeling unlike myself...but at some point....you suck it up buttercup!  The only way I had a fighting chance to do what I love was to try surgery, and there is so much to be said for trusting your choices.  Although it takes daily patience to wait and get cleared to do more, you find the victories throughout the day, and like the first blooms of Spring you realize that small changes happen, time is not standing still, and full blooms are weeks away.  Same for implementing changes as you get fit or healthy; it cannot and will not happen over night.  Patience is the key when, day-to-day, your goals seem far away or unreachable.  Small changes happen when you make an effort, not giving up is the hardest part, yet the reward is so worth it.

I believe being the best version of you is all you can do.  For me, the best Amy is the one that does not have torn cartilage dictate what she will or will not do in the future; thus I made a choice to be MY best version and make the last year of my 20's the strongest and happiest yet! 

I wish you all the same, 

XO

Wow!  I can't even believe it's already been over a week since I was in surgery.  It definitely feels like the days have been going by so slow, but at the same time so quickly!  The surgery went very well according to my surgeon, with two anchors and sutures repairing my hip labrum, and an osteoplasty (shaving off a portion of my bone on both my femur and pelvis), and released the psoas tendon, essentially lengthening the actual tendon itself by cutting it slightly.  The very first thing I recall waking up afterwards is seeing my husband and feeling so relived it was done and so proud I saw it through!  I was definitely scared going into it, but felt great knowing that the steps I was taking would hopefully fix a problem that cannot heal on its own.  So my first little victory was taking control of my body and getting this surgery done.  Swelling is doing great, stitches are out, and pain meds are minimal and my Mom continues to marvel at my lack of bruising. 

First Days of Rehab
My days have been full of activity!  Whomever said recovering from surgery is down time is very wrong.  It's very challenging of course and quite painful at times, but each day I am able to do a little bit more and allow myself to cry through the frustrating parts.  At times, moving through the pain is scary but I think of it like racing; the payoff is the feeling you get when you continue to push forward when you want to stop!  Onward I go...
My day really consists of three main routines, all of which will be quite typical of any solid FAI surgery rehab protocol, in my opinion.  I like that my surgeons protocol is aggressive in range of motion, it makes me feel like my joint has time to heal properly before putting too much strain on the repair.

1.)  Continuous passive motion machine for about 4-5 hours per day, I was actually able to fall asleep in this glorious machine the first few days as it feels great to get your leg moving intended to break up and scar tissue and adhesions.  The machine takes your leg from 30 degrees to 70 degrees, as FAI patients are generally restricted from flexing up the hip for about 3 months. 

2.)  I am also filling my days with exercises intended to increase range of motion and allow nutrients into the surgical site, my husband and mom have been taking me through all of these which total about 30 minutes per day, twice a day!  It's physically taxing on both of them since I have to let my leg completely relax, but again, I lie there thinking about the joint knitting itself back together and breathe through any pain or discomfort. 

3.)  Ice!  I have an amazing compressive ice pack that wraps around my hip and leg and pumps cold water through it continuously, so as I type my hip is nice and cold.  The swelling and bruising is very deep so the fact that I am able to keep this on for up to two hours is a wonderful treat.  Gone are my days of frozen peas!

Small Victories
All in all my small victories are adding up, even with the challenges I have each day (took a painful and scary stumble on day 3-ouch!), I have to focus on the positive changes when I can.  I am getting up and down the stairs on crutches (slow but sure), able to lower myself onto the bed with one leg (one leg squat everything), and the spin bike is my biggest accomplishment to date!  I am now up to 23 minutes on the spin bike (was at 15 minutes 3 days post-op).  My husband is the ultimate coach and draws more out of me every day, he bought me a spin bike for my rehab efforts and has coached me to push with my non-operative leg while the hurt one goes along for the ride. 

Another victory is some exercises that started out excruciating are a little less painful.  It can be challenging as an athlete to re-write what physical success looks like; but I reminding myself to take it one day at a time, being aware of all the important healing my hip is having to do.  While it was arthroscopic, there's much anatomy that's trying to regain balance. 

Nutrition
My Mom is cooking some wonderful healing meals with lots of greens, fruits, and Omegas.  As far as nutrition, I am eating to heal my body not look at this like a hall pass to fill my body with whatever sounds good.  Don't get me wrong I am still enjoying my squares of dark chocolate, however, no alcohol, minimal sugar, no dairy, and trying to stay as inflammatory free as I can.  Not too far of a stray from how I normally eat, except much more diligent about protein for repair.  My meals are ranging from berry, peanut butter and kale smoothies, to fresh raw salads.  My mom and I are trying to emphasize variety to get as many types of veggies as we can. 

At this point my goal is to practice true patience.  Patience with myself and with my body.  It's hard to go from running everyday, teaching Pilates, walking and hiking, to a very sedentary lifestyle.  However, I know in my heart that doing surgery was my only true option.  At least I am giving myself a fighting chance to do all the things I love again.  Each day I will continue to focus on small victories and in all honesty...it can always be worse.  I am thankful I still will still have a leg to be active on after it's all said and done.
XO

Amy

Almost two weeks to go until my hip surgery, and I must say, I am counting down the days and making a list of needed items before the big day.  I was even considering making one of those-arts-and-crafts paper link streamers we used to make leading up to Christmas.  I still may to count down the days!  I also made a pretty in-depth schedule/calendar of my recovery regimen.  Although it's not going to be a linear process, I thought it would help with the chaos I am feeling in my mind not being able to run and with all the do's and don'ts post-surgery.  However, I know this will be an invaluable proccess for perspective into my own life and the clients I work with.

Outside of getting in my regular workouts each day (cardio & hot yoga) I am following a pretty strict nutrition and pre-hab (yes, pre-hab) regimen outlined in the book: The Rapid Recovery Handbook:  Your Complete Guide To Healing After Surgery.  This book aligns super well with my own personal beliefs on nutrition and healing.  The author really advocates a green and veggie heavy diet, which I follow every day anyways. However, the she does advocate the healing properties of heavy Omega consumption via either fish or supplements.  I have been trying to integrate as much Omega supplements and fresh wild salmon as possible (canned and fresh); with the idea being that the natural anti-inflammatories will provide less of a need for traditional pain medications.  As a vegetarian this can be challenging, however, with such a major surgery I want to heal as quickly as possible.  The book also has an in depth list of pure supplements she recommends such as Vitamin C, a good multi, and other natural supplements to promote healing.  I have also been supplementing a bit of green drink into my day for extra boosts for nutrition. 

Another good thing I am taking on as part of my pre-hab, is meeting with my PT before the surgery.  If you are doing an FAI or torn labrum surgery and have never used crutches, I highly recommend meeting up with your therapist beforehand.  Also, you will be with your therapist quite a bit of time for recovery, so you might as well ensure you mesh well.  I couldn't ask for a better match in personality and professionalism than Anne at Edge Physical Therapy.  Not only has she worked with patients post-surgery FAI & Labrum surgery, she is supportive of my choice to go through with surgery, understands my love of running and exercise, knows what I do for work, and has great personal insight into healing.  We met twice this week to go over all my home exercises and yesterday she walked me through using crutches properly up and down the stairs.

When I say rehab is not inactive, I mean it!  The great thing for me is it appears there's not too much sitting, I will be getting started with passive range of motion and stationary bike post-op day 1.    I am hoping I see positive changes and progress most days.  The surgery protocol is intensive but from what I hear from my physical therapist, does vary quite a bit from patient to patient per the surgeon.  Some of my post-surgery protocol is listed below.

1.)  Crutches for 4 weeks, only 20 lbs weight bearing.  (Can I use my crutches to do bicep curls?)
2.)  Continuous Passive Motion Machine (4-6 hours per day).  This is a machine that moves your leg for you, while you lie on your back.  (I wonder if I can do crunches at the same time?)
3.)  At home exercises with assistance from husband, Mom, or friends (which friends would like to come over and do my exercises so we can chat?)
4.)  Physical Therapy 2-3x per week  (Will my PT let me work out/train her patients verbally while I am lying on the table?)
5.)  Stationary bike:  20 min per day starting post-op day 1 (Can I race someone next to me?)

Some of restrictions include no driving, walking, etc.  However, I am looking towards the cutoff dates where I can swim, elliptical and eventually run!

I truly belive that in spite of the hard days (and I am having the hard days), the efforts to stay healthy and active leading up to my surgery will only serve me well.  It's the ability to keep looking forward that's the hardest!  Keeping your eye on the eventual goal, when it's so far away, may be the most tedious part...but the feeling of running through the woods again will be the victory.  I see the same say-to-day struggle with my personal training clients; making change and working for a goal (weight loss, a 5K , etc.) is what takes the most effort and focus-but your health and vitality is the gold medal.  I am reminding you, as well as myself to take it day by day and the gold medal will be around both our necks come 2014.

Xo

30,000.  Brace yourself.  This is the average number of days a person will live on this planet.  Unbelievable, right?  When I read this fact, it just didn't seem like that many days in all reality.  It really made me think about each day and how fast they actually come and go.  When I started to think about what feeds my soul and one, of the many, things that makes me happy...it's of course, running and moving my body in the all the ways I so choose.  That number:  30, 000 just stuck in my head.  So, when I was faced with a really challenging choice these past few months, 30,000 is what helped me decide my path of having surgery; reaffirming that I want to spend as many of those days running, racing, swimming, hiking, snorkeling, jumping and playing as I damn well want to!

I have been debating and mulling over if I should include any details about my upcoming surgery in the Blog world, especially since I don't want to distract from my exciting new venture with my own personal training business. However, many loved ones and friends have encouraged me to do so.  It is a painfully slow wait up until  the big day, and as hard as the wait it is, I know I am going to come out the other end stronger and with more appreciation for my body. 

Not only that, I couldn't help but find almost every blog about FAI Impingement, torn hip labrum, and hip arthroscopy are quite depressing/terrifying and equally as wrapped up in each post surgery ache and pain.  While I know this is an extensive and painful surgery, I want to spend my time and energy focusing on the positive (spirit fingers!).  One of my saving graces up to this point has been this blog.   The author and athlete has really only focused on her surgery outcome and post surgery healing, having the same surgical procedures I as I will be.   Ashley has really been my main source of how I will potentially keep up my active lifestyle while I am on the mend!  Not only that, she is my same age, loves to run, race & compete and was also a gymnast.  I am hoping that I can also provide an honest insight into this injury/surgery for active and non-active bodies, and let you all know my healing regimen approach pre and post hip arthroscopy.

This will be another badge of honor and determination in my 28 years on this planet and I hope that this experience inspires you, dear reader, to either be more aggressive or patient in your health choices, appreciate your own body more, and learn to trust your own instinct on what is right for your life and body.

So, here's to being open, honest and real. 

And for me personally, Amy Michelle Swanson, here's to getting back to hard training, racing and all the things I love.