It has been 13 days post-op and I am on the path to recovery. Even though my asana practice is quiet now, the 'juice' of yoga is still in my life. It has been said that gratitude is the touchstone to spirituality. And I am feeling it. I am so grateful for modern medicine and the chance of resuming an active life without pain.

Preparing for surgery and post-op required a leap of faith and what the 8 limbs of yoga calls aparigraha, letting go of my attachments. I let go of my classes and said good bye to my students. Of course, I let go of my income temporarily and most importantly, I let go of fear. reminding myself that everything is impermanent.

With the help of prayer and meditation, I rallied my courage so I could 'boldly go where I have not gone before'.

I thanked my higher power for my dear husband, Steve, who has been my rock and support all the way through this. And I thanked my higher power for good medical insurance. Like a good student, I did all that was required by Edwards Hospital in Naperville to get the surgery and met the deadlines.

It was a full three weeks of tests and doctor appointments prior to surgery. Steve accompanied me to a required joint replacement orientation at the hospital. Prior to the orientation, I had convinced myself I was too young to have to go through all of this. But when I took a look around the orientation room, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. The orientation gave specific instructions so I could have a safe and successful surgery but also be prepared for a recovery that requires patience and determination. Steve gulped pretty big as he realized his responsibilities around the house would be doubled. And those things weren't necessarily his specialty or favorite thing: shopping, cooking, laundry, herding the boys in the morning and during homework, dishes, dog walking and cleaning AND working his job full time. He would be required to be what he already is: an angel.

Prior to surgery, my 'mama-nesting' instinct kicked in. I ordered pre-made meals to take the pressure off Steve, washed almost every garment in the house, cooked and froze meals and went into cleaning hyperdrive. I cleaned drawers and closets and ordered helpful 'post-op clothing', footwear and medical items. When my walker arrived, my 15 year old, looked at the walker, sympathetically sighed, shook his head and said, "Ooooh Mom... wow." , My boys finally realized the seriousness of the situation. I was going to be counting on them to do the right thing and be helpful to their dad (and me, of course).

April 28th 5:15am, I arrived at the surgical center for an outpatient anterior hip replacement for my right hip.

Just a note: there are a few different methods for hip replacement. The most common surgical methods are posterior hip replacement and anterior hip replacement. Recovery times for anterior hip replacement are generally quicker and are recommended for people who have been active and are on the younger side of surgery candidates. From what I understand, posterior hip replacement is more commonly recommended for complex cases. Contraindications of each method of surgery are completely the opposite of eachother.

P.S. to yoga teachers....This is a good thing for any yoga teacher to know. What is recommended for recovery for an anterior hip replacement is completely different from a posterior hip replacement. Those with hip replacements just starting yoga should always consult their doctors and physical therapists first before starting a yoga practice. And they should be very clear with their studios and teachers about their needs once they are cleared to practice by their doctors.

5:30am to 7am - Prep for surgery. All vitals were taken, I spoke with both the anesthesiologist and my orthopedic surgeon prior to surgery. Both set up my expectations for surgery and the day. But things don't always go as planned...

7am to 12:OO pm - My surgery went fine but apparently, I was quite sensitive to the anesthesia. Post surgery, I was held in the recovery room for an unusually long time because my blood pressure was too low and they could not seem to elevate it into the 90's. The nurse would not release me to the next stage of post op until my blood pressure numbers were close to the lower range of normal. Honestly, those few hours were the most difficult of all of them (pre-op and post-op) and I will spare you most of the details about the back pain, nausea, dehydration, headache and disorientation I experienced. But it was an "I want my Mommy" moment.

12:30 - 5pm - Post-Op Room 2 - I was so glad to finally have Steve in the room with me (the next best thing to my Mommy). Vitals continuously checked, blood pressure reverted back to the 70's and 80's, IV's placed and I was observed for a while. Remember, this was supposed to be a same day outpatient procedure. Unfortunately, when the Physical Therapist arrived and got me up and walking with my new hip so I could go home (which is routine with joint replacement), I pretty much fainted and got sick to my stomach. That landed me an extra night at the hospital. I was deeply humbled and exactly where I needed to be. Again, gratitude list: I was so grateful for the medical insurance, care and attention.

April 29th - After a lot of care and an overnight stay, I was ready to give the PT another try. I walked 150 feet with my walker and learned how to go up steps with a cane and get into the shower safely. PT also taught me how to use a 'hip kit' so I could be fairly independent and put my own clothes on with all the restrictions. I was released late afternoon.

That first week home - It was pretty much a blur as I was under the influence of some heavy nerve and pain meds. I experienced quite a bit of blood loss in the surgery and notable loss of hemoglobin and the fatigue was overwhelming. I feel like I slept more those first 7 days after surgery than I have in 5 years. Naps in the morning, naps in the afternoon. heavy sleep at night. My body needed sleep to begin to heal itself. Home health care was prescribed and I am fortunate to have a physical therapist and a nurse visit me several times these first few weeks.

We began with simple exercises in the bed and some minimal standing exercises with the walker.

After the first three nights, I deducted that narcotic pain meds lowered my blood pressure, made me foggy and weren't serving me well. So I safely chucked hardcore pain meds.

Day by day, I am beginning to feel more solid standing on my own two feet. The incision was a doozy but is healing nicely. There was no sign of bruising because I iced all week long. Ice. Ice. Ice. I am still icing and it really helps the inflammation and reduces pain. Continuous icing is imperative for a speedy recovery and I will not stop until all inflammation is gone. I still have some inflammation on the outside of my thigh but am no longer required to wear compression socks.

We have increased PT exercises and have converted from a walker to a cane. Exciting times!!

I have managed to cook a couple of small meals for the kids, fold some laundry and do some dishes. I am feeling stronger and stronger on my own two feet, and I now I only need one nap a day (which is a gift from heaven).

My Post-Op appointment with my surgeon is only one week away. Only one more week of Home health services left.

Is it possible I could be cleared to drive since I am not taking narcotic pain relief? For right hips, standard wait time to resume driving is 6 weeks. We shall see.

Life is looking up. Big cheers for a leap of faith.

Next Up: Hip replacement Recovery and the Beginner's Mind.