The author walks periodically without a cane and even manages to lose a little weight

Sunday, Aug. 13 Usually when I'm in my regular workout routine, I lift three days a week and ride a bike five to six days a week. I usually take one day off from working out to give my body a day of total rest. I've decided to take today off. No real reason just trying to get back to a regular schedule.

Monday, Aug. 14 Up early again went out for a walk at 6:30 a.m. I went three times around the addition in just under 39 minutes. I guess the day off was good for me. Around 11:30 a.m., I did my weight workout. I went to three sets of 20 on the wide grip pushups. On the close grip I did 1 set of 20, but only 16 repetitions on the last two sets. We had some five-pound dumbbells that my wife used to use and I added some triceps exercises, French curls and kickbacks  (three sets of 10). It was a good workout. I took a nap after I ate, because I was really worn out.

Tuesday, Aug. 15 I went out at 6:30 a.m. again. I walked three and one-quarter times around the addition in 40 minutes. I'm really getting tired of the same course, but I'm not going to change it until I get the OK to walk with out a cane. I went out at 2:00 p.m. after a nap. It's such as nice day I had to get outside again. It's 83 degrees with a humidity of only 38 percent, so it felt really good. I just went one time around, and I didn't time myself. I just strolled to enjoy the weather.

Wednesday, Aug. 16 I was out early again, and I went three and a half times around in 41 minutes. It got chilly overnight; I was almost cold early in the walk. Too bad it won't last. I did my weight workout at 11:45 a.m. The only thing I added was a second set of 20 on the close grip pushups and a third set 16. After a nap, I went out for one trip around the addition at 2 p.m.

There are a couple of things I haven't really stressed about recovery. One of them is pain control. As the days go by, you'll probably take less and less of your pain meds. I'm down to two a day right now. However, I don't hesitate to take another pill if I feel I need one. We've had a change in weather, and it really got my hip aching. That day I took an extra pill about five hours after an earlier dose. Controlling your pain is simple if you don't let it get to a high level. Keep the pain level low.

Another thing is the use of cold or ice on your hip. I am a cold fiend! I put cold on my hip after each time I exercise and whenever I get some twinges of pain. It does a great job with reducing the swelling and pain relief. We purchased some Thermal Pads from QVC, they can be put in the freezer or in the microwave for heat. They're almost as good as ice but don't have the mess. In fact I've got one on now as I type.

Thursday, Aug. 17 I went for a walk early again. I went three and three quarter times around in 43 minutes. Later in the day I went out and walked around one time. I added some walking without a cane. On the second half of the walk every time I got to a drive way I'd walk the length of it without the cane. It was usually just about 10 steps. I did this about 5 times. I really tried to walk with out a limp. Felt pretty good.

Friday, Aug. 18 The weather changed this morning, and it's very humid again. I went four times around the addition in 45 minutes. On my third time around I added some walking without the cane. This time I added some steps each time. No more than 20 steps at a time. I only did it on the third time around. The weather is calling for rain later, and I don't know if I'll be able to get out later.

I am really getting bored with my lifting routine, so I'm going to change it up on Fridays. I'll just do a wide grip push-up but will do as many as I can in one set. When I work with the exercise bands I'll do one rep of each exercise in a row. That means in one set I'll have will have done six exercises. I'll see how many reps I can do.

Saturday, Aug. 19 Since today isn't a school day I slept in. I got up at 8 a.m. It's a good thing I didn't have to get up, since I stayed up until after midnight watching TV, I wasn't sleepy. I did get almost eight hours of sleep, which is good.

I decide to eat breakfast, drink some coffee and read the paper before I went out. It was a nice change of pace. I walked 4 and a half times around the addition in 45 minutes. I kind of surprised myself at that. I think part of it was due to the fact that I was awake. When I go out early it takes my body about a lap to get fully awake. I also increased my walking without a cane -- not by much but a little more.

One of the things I am concerned about is my weight. Bri told me that many patients don't eat much because the pain meds dull the appetite. Well I don't have that problem. I asked her when she removed my stitches about my caloric intake. Should I increase it because of the demands put on my body by the recovery? She said probably not, keep a normal well-rounded diet. I'm pretty much doing that, but at times I get cravings and I eat more than I should.

Last evening for dinner my wife, Linda, and I went out to eat and since there was a chance of rain. I didn't want to wear shorts (can you imagine my TEDs hose getting wet?) I put on a pair of jeans that fit perfectly before the surgery and by golly they were just a bit loose in the waist. I feel pretty good that I'm not turning into a fat pig.