One Aggravated Hip and Hipster!!!

OK! Where shall I begin.... I don't want to come off as one very angry hipster..I prefer to be a more chill hipster, but that may not be the case at the moment....due to ONE thing....at my apt with DR M. this past monday he put out the word "THR"!!!!!!!!!!

For all you non-hipsters THR=Total Hip Replacement. Now if I am not mistaken I just spent the past 4 years of my life undergoing 3 surgeries and 3 recoveries so I would not have to have a THR, because it was not recommended for someone my age. For Reals!!! I am at a lost for words..which is very unusual for me ;)
So at this moment I am awaiting a day surgery in January at BI hospital since I am now officially to old for Children's to have a diagnostic procedure on my hip joint. According to DR. M it just may have been to late to save my hip with the "conservative method" due to the arthritis in my hip from all the cartilage damage and lack of labrum. Again for all you non-hipsters..A THR (in most circumstances) would have been a much easier surgery and recovery than the surgery I had this past year. Also a THR will not fix my psoas tendon issue caused by my previous surgeries..again lost for words. He is not quite sure how my psoas tendon will turn out..there is not a lot he feels like he can do..it's a very tricky tendon that has been inflamed for years. Immobilization of it will only make my hip worse and doing surgery on it could risk making the tendon worse..can I  say WTF on here..well it's my blog and I just did! I told you I was angry!
At this point I am still using my cane for distance, still can't drive (that "drives" me crazy) and still in physical therapy. My physical therapist has been amazing and is not quite giving up on me and my hip like I feel Dr M is at the moment. He is still all about strengthening my weak and atrophied muscles, protecting my tendons, and trying to get my hip to work as best as it possibly can..Yay PT Guy.... my hip and I thank you!!!!!!!!

I will leave this post off on a happy note..don't want to be now labeled as the "Angry Hipster" ;)!!!  "D" got me a puppy...(take a look back to my post on "Puppy Love") and I was right puppies really are the best medicine!!

A Hipster In Waiting....

 I am sorry I haven't written much lately. Like my title says I am a "Hipster in Waiting". I had my procedure a month ago. Two injections: one around my psoas tendon to see if the inflammation can calm down and the other for my IT band inflammation and bursitis. I can say my IT band seems to have improved since the injections, but not much improvement with my psoas tendon which is truly beyond frustrating..it helped maybe for a few days maximum..after one week of excruciating pain post injection. I had to actually go back to taking my pain pills for three days post injections. When I saw Dr M before they knocked me out for the procedure he said that "the fix" for this may take a bit, but he would try his best to truly fix my hip. I am seeing him in a few weeks to discuss what comes next...is it all my psoas tendon or am I still having issues with my actual hip that is making my psoas tendon not calm down. What happens next I am not so sure, but I will make sure to get back to you once I know ;)

In the past month I also had my birthday..which was a great weekend with some of my family and D (pic to the left of b-day weekend), but it also marks the fact that I have been in pain every day for four years with this hip which is in all honestly is quite depressing. I just don't understand why they can't fix my hip, it really doesn't make sense... they do face transplants nowadays how can a hip be so challenging!! I know I am not the only one with this frustration..I have so many fellow hip sisters who have had multiple hip surgeries and still haven't been cured, and I can't figure out why it is so difficult for our Dr's to fix us. Would a hip replacement be the answer?? Or have we been messed around with so much that it wouldn't take the same?? So many questions and not enough answers.
I also tried acupuncture for my hip this past month...if it wasn't so expensive I would do it every week (It really should be covered by health insurance). I didn't see a major improvement with my hip, but it helped me relax and took some pain away during the visit..it was very cool and I definitely want to have another session. I would be interested in the long term results.
I also started back with Physical Therapy. I had to take a break for two weeks because of my procedure, and then due to my health insurance I had to reapply, so I went through a new PT initial evaluation again. My PT guy said that I have muscle atrophy and some very tight muscles. So back to the gym first for a few weeks  to build up strength, and then hopefully back into the water for some more aqua therapy which I feel is the best therapy for me and my hip.
Well that's it for now....Later Hipsters ;)

My Last Hurrah At Children's Hospital!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fldsy-fpXO0

To go forwards we sometimes need to look back. The link above is to a video I made that I have posted on You Tube to share with YOU my fellow hipsters and readers! It captures parts of the past four years of my recovery. It doesn't include all of my recovery or even all the people who have been a HUGE part of my recovery (how many pics does one actually take during bad times ;)).  I just really set out making this mini movie to reflect on what my past fours years have been like for me and my hip. Now I am trying to put the past behind me, and to inspire myself and my hip-chicks that there will be a light at the end of this hipster tunnel..even though at times it is very hard to see that . Through our rough times we have found strength, we have found new friendships, we know who really is our true support team, we are thankful for all the help we have received, we try to have fun even during the hard times, we have shed many tears, we pull ourselves back up again, we try to learn from the hand we have been dealt, and most importantly we have learned we are some very tough hip-chicks!

This week I will be going in for my final procedure at Children's Hospital..the cutoff at CH is 36 years old (they move you over to the old people's hospital after that (just kidding) you can have surgery at Beth Israel Hospital after that, so I can still keep my surgeon just get "worked on" in a different environment). Not to discuss my age at all, but I may be approaching their cut off...so hopefully this last one will be the one that makes my pain go away.....fingers crossed!

I am having some MAJOR issues with my psoas tendon and IT band...double ugh! This procedure will look deeper into this issue...I am not exactly sure of all the details...I think my mind is officially fried when I see a Dr about hips. I am so burnt out on the subject....I want action not talk at this point! The idea I guess is that they will explore my psoas tendon to see if scar tissue is strangulating it or try to get to the root of the inflammation that literally makes my recovery seem at times impossible due to pain, as well as making walking without a cane for any kind of distance not a option at this point. This issue also makes sitting or standing for any significant amount of time a nightmare as well...bottom line this needs to be fixed. The procedure is under anesthesia and should last 45 minutes..if there is a clear passage way they will fill the area with cortisone..(oral anti inflammatory meds did not work.) If there is a bigger issue than another surgery will have to happen, but lets not go down that path at this moment. I will fill you in once I know more....
Hope You enjoy the video and please keep your fingers crossed for me..Thanks xoxo

(PS. Thank You D for recording the song for my video..you're the best!)

PPS: These are self portraits I have taken this past week..pain wise this has been a rough one, but I try to capture the moments when I can put a smile on my face :)

Me and My Psoas

I haven't posted in a bit, because I haven't had a whole lot to say on everything hip ;)
Current Situation is as follows 7 months post surgery:
*Can walk in apartment without my cane
*Need to use a cane for any other kind of distance/ stairs/ etc..
* Still doing Aquatic Therapy twice a week, and the other days I am doing my stationary bike at home for 30 minutes plus all my PT stretches
*Taking 800mg of Motrin 3 times a day  to try to help with my inflamed psoas tendon...first course of action to try to make it "calm down" (I seem to be able to only handle it twice a day due to my stomach...motrin can cause ulcers and feel pretty harsh in your system..they have me on prilosec and zantac to help)
*Still Can't Drive (UGH) due to weakness in right leg/ and irritated psoas tendon/ and the major muscle near my hip that was cut through is not bouncing back currently...fingers crossed it will soon.
*Still can't do stairs "normally" due to psoas tendon and muscle
*This Just In:  I also have IT band tendinitis now as well as psoas ...excellent..notice sarcasm! Pretty much to help either one of these tendons/ tendinitis..it will hurt the other...talk about your catch-22..double ugh! I have a call into Dr M about this.
* Pain has increased but I am not taking any pain meds except for the motrin. I am using ice packs and my E-Stim kit.
* Need to get insoles for shoes and make sure I have appropriate sneakers and no heels (like I didn't already know that/learn my lesson ;)) My PT guy said the two No-No's for feet wear post hip surgery are Uggs and flipflops..so I guess my Ugg flipflops were a mistake to wear all summer...now he tells me! He also said my walk is a little bit off..I move my right leg in a more circular motion ....he said my body is doing it naturally to protect my psoas tendon, but now because of it my IT band is irritated. So I guess I  need to learn how to walk on one leg... ;) Ok.. being sarcastic again ;)

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

My status through my eyes currently is as follows:
In a much better place than I was 2 months ago, but I am not better than before surgery, if anything it is worse. My psoas tendon is even more irritated (this has been an issues since surgery #1), and now I have this IT band/muscle "issue".   Honestly I have no idea how my hip feels. I have a deep ache and pain under my incision, but I have no idea if that is from my hip/ screws in hip/ arthritis/ IT band/ inflammation/or scar tissue. I am 7 months post surgery and I know Dr. M said I really got to give it a year to see if it worked (that is when we are scheduled to meet again) so hopefully time will heal these wounds ;)

My current philosophy is take it day by day, and even go one step further by just trying to stay in the moment I am in. I am trying to stay away from the what if's and all the other stress my hip has been putting upon me (yes.. I am blaming my hip).

This post is really for my fellow hipsters (and anyone who is curious on the status of my right hip ;) ) I don't want to discourage anyone..just putting out there where I am at in my own personal recovery. The jury is still out for me if these surgeries actually work or not ...hopefully they do!!!!!

Has it really been 6 MONTHS!!

To answer the title.....well it has! What a surreal half of a year!! Time is such a odd thing. During the past 6 months there have been weeks that felt like years and weeks that have gone by in a blink of an eye (mostly due to the pain meds ;) ), and here I am at 6 months post surgery, and I feel two things
1. It has been the longest 6 months of my life!! 
2. I can't believe a 1/2 year has gone by!!!

So 6 months out..where am I..hipster wise..according to Dr. M (and me)

Still on a cane and will be for a bit. I can do short walks (around my apt) cane free..but outdoors still on a cane until my leg is stronger. One of my muscles he sawed through..oh I mean operated on still hasn't bounced back yet (which he said is normal for my hip) which is why I still can't go up stairs "normally" yet and can't break free from the cane...yet. Hopefully with PT I will get to that point soon. (My PT guy told me today that I need to limit my walking due to my psoas tendon...he said it's the first time he has ever told someone to limit their walking, but he doesn't want the fibers in my tendon to start shredding, so I need to be  VERY cautious..ugh)

No Driving still (due to weak leg and psoas tendon). I need to be able to have strength to hit the brakes when needed, so once I get that strength back he suggested some driving in a  parking lot  first (for practice).....who has been telling Dr. M. about my driving skills????!!!

Hip can rotate more! Pretty much he pushed my leg back pretty far with my knee bent down, and then explained to me how much better my hip was  now than prior to surgery. I was impressed with my flexibility skills...for sure..but will be more impressed when I can walk on it with out pain and a cane!

Concerns about my "Damn Psoas Tendon" (my pet name for my tendon....seriously I may just remove it myself). It is acting up again due to more activity, and it is a catch -22 situation. If I do less PT and less activity my psoas will calm down, but if I do less PT and rest my hip and leg won't get better...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! So my PT guy has the lucky job of finding the balance to deal with that, and my part is to do tons of stretching which Dr. M demonstrated to me.  Dr. M.  is concerned about doing another cortisone injection into it..since I already had 2 so far..he thinks 3 is pushing into more dangerous territory.

Lots More PT! Loves that I am doing aquatic therapy...believes its the best PT for me!

Wants me on anti-inflammatory meds..especially before PT.

His Co-Pilot Dr that was with him for this apt started bringing up hip replacements if my cartilage/arthritis situation gets worse..I ignored him! ;)

Will go back in 6 months to celebrate my one year anniversary with him ;) and also for new x-rays, and to see where my hip is really at..in the meantime..PT..and if my psoas tendon doesn't calm down then go back sooner.

6 months out! I kind of thought I would be better than where I am at, but Dr. M said I am where I should be at especially with the atrophy and issues I had going into surgery. My take on 6 months is that I am definitely recovering from the actual surgery (yay), but I don't feel better than I did pre surgery, but I guess that will just take a little more ....TIME!

The Times They Are A-Changin'

The past few weeks have been quite different...in a good way!! I have finally recovered from the "Great Withdrawal  of 2010" ;) (Seriously that was truly one of the most awful experiences of my life)
So Much has happened in such a short amount of time!

No Pain Meds..Not even Tylenol! I am dealing with the pain with ice packs, rest, stretching, and tens unit.

No more Crutches!!! (Crutches burning party will be coming soon...so look for your invitation in the mail ;) ) All cane /all the time now, and I look forward to the day when I can ditch the cane, even though it adds an interesting conversational piece, and some flair when I am out and about ;)

I went on my first mini vacation/ road trip (I didn't drive..not at that point yet..driving is still a tad out of my reach, but watch out world and the people on the road when I am back behind the wheel ;) ) It felt so nice to get away for the weekend, new scenery, and I got to celebrate my grandmother's 90th Birthday!!! (Which was awesome!) I have been pretty housebound/ neighborhood bound since FEBRUARY!!! It was a four hour road trip, but we took many "stretch breaks" along the way and I brought ice packs w/ me. I did bring my crutches for a just in case moment ,which I did have to use on the last day due to muscle and hip pain/fatigue. They did have a pool at the hotel so I also got an aqua therapy session in as well ;)

I had my first BEACH DAY of the summer!!! It felt amazing! I am a summer girl through and through, and it has been quite a bummer not to be able to enjoy the beach and outdoors due to my hip and my pain patch (you can't go in the sun w/ the fentanyl patch.. it can be quite dangerous to get it hot) . So my friends, my cane, and I got a beach day in this week, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I even took a short stroll w/ my cane in the sand! I sure was in need of some natural vitamin D...what a spirit lifter! Unfortunately I couldn't go swimming due to my hipster and the waves, but hopefully I will be able to make up for it next summer...surfs up for sure!

I also got to go out and have my first drink since surgery...Cheers! A nice glass of Pinot Noir hit the spot just right (and even helped with the pain a little too) ;) Listen to some live music and it was especially nice now that I am off of the pain meds, and I could appreciate it a lot more. Plus I didn't feel all sorts of jumpy when I was out in public (seriously that pain patch made me feel awful now that I can actually mentally reflect on the past 5 months!)

It was really nice to be out with my friends again and really enjoy my time, and remember it ;)


In two weeks I will be going for my 6 month check up with Dr. M. This is the time when he said "After 6 months you should start to feel a little better, and see some changes from the surgery" Well I guess I already am..I went from crutches to a cane, I am in more extensive PT,  and I am off pain meds. My leg does still feel pretty weak, I am still having groin pain and my psoas is flaring up from being more active (this is the one thing that is really making me worried). I can't walk on my own.... yet, but hopefully that will start to happen soon!  I still have pain constantly for the most part (but different from the pain before),but I am just keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this surgery worked! I will say though for the first time from all 3 surgeries I do have a good feeling that it just might have done some good for me! I will update you after the apt and see what Dr. M thinks!

Peace out for now fellow Hipsters! :)

ps. I do have a new blog that I started during my recovery...Lots of fun and interesting interviews, and my thoughts on all things except for hips..that stays here! ;)

http://sj-sarahinthecity.blogspot.com/

wasn't expecting this.......

Well this is probably my most controversial piece of writing yet....I mean I am no Perez Hilton spilling celebrity affairs so don't get to carried away.... what I mean it is that this is probably my deepest,open, and most opinionated post probably to date..

Pain Meds:
It is the angel and the devil all rolled into one small package. Now I am just one person, w/ one experience. My story is probably different than other stories, so it's not a story that you should make any decisions off of, it's just my experience that I have decided to share.
It is July 16th and I am 96 hours into my pain med withdrawal .I am currently having some difficulty standing due to dizziness from the medicine the hospital gave me last night, my fingers ache typing this so this will probably be continued tomorrow, my stomach burns from all the vomiting, and my heart feels like it going at a rapid pace (restlessness, anxiety). This is my "payback" I guess for my somewhat pain relief post surgery..I guess you always got to pay up sometime.

This post is not against pain meds, if it wasn't for pain meds I probably would have died post surgery due to shock alone from the horrific pain, I known people who couldn't live a "normal" life unless it was for these meds, so in that case they are life saving, all I know w/ the relief they give there are prices to pay..something that shouldn't be taken lightly by Dr. or patient. I also think it is unfortunate that insurance companies will seem to ok people taking pain medication  most of the time (and they don't always do that which is a whole topic w/in itself) ,but they don't seem to ever ok acupuncture or massage therapy or any holistic medicine that has no side effects afterwards. My Dr after my first surgery gave me a script for acupuncture and my insurance company literally laughed it off. I paid for a few sessions of massage therapy after surgery #2 which felt awesome, but at $100 a pop it wasn't affordable especially after missing so much work after surgery. PT can help, but insurance only gives you a limited amount of sessions.  If you want more you really got to fight for it, and I have.

My Story:
3 surgeries deep on my right hip.  First two arthroscopic the most recent was open surgery (surgical dislocation of my right hip), my surgeon even said that it is one of the most painful surgeries a person can have. I was prescribed vicodin and acupunture after my first surgery (labral debridement, microfracturing of rt hip, and removal of loose bodies.)  Morphine in the hospital, scripts for vicodin upon leaving. My Vicodin got approved my acupuncture didn't. I was on Vicodin for about 3 weeks regularly post first surgery, and then tapered off and used it only for bad pain days. About a year later my hip tore again in February. I was provided vicodin for my severe pain which I took some nights when I got home from work, didn't have  surgery #2 till March. After Surgery Morphine and Dilloted for a few days in the hospital, then pills. Took vicoden again since percoet makes me very sick. Used it for about 3 weeks post surgery.  I still had quite a few pills left and on days after a hard PT session or a day at work where I used it a lot I would take one vicodin to help w/ pain if ice and tens unit did not seem to do the trick.

Hip stated to get worse in September went for a few more opinions and found out that my hip had FAI and that I could have a chance to save my hip if I get this open surgery done. I had 5 second opinions that were all in favor of this was my chance to get out of as much pain as my hip would allow w/ out getting a new hip, ( I was not approved for a new hip due to my age and that only 1/2 my hip is damaged.) The pain was pretty severe so I was prescribed more vicodins to help until my surgery date arrived which was a 3 month wait. Hip surgery is not emergency surgery..severe pain that interferes in your every day existence does not count as an emergency. I took the vicodins when I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore.

After my third surgery I was in the hospital and rehab hospital for almost a total of 4 weeks. During that time I was on large quantities of pain meds..I don't even remember much of the first 11 days. After I was taken off the IV pain meds, the morphine pills I took helped extremely w/ the pain..I knew this for 2 reasons  #1 I could feel when I was due for the med I almost couldn't breath because of the pain and #2 when I had to go off the morphine for eight hours because of my double blood transfusion I was screaming in pain..even w/ ice packs up and down my leg. The drawback for my pain free time was that  I constantly felt seasick, I had a hard time walking w/ my crutches so I always had to be supervised for my dizziness and I had such blurry vision I could hardly see. I left the rehab hospital w/  2 vicodin every 6 hours..they wanted to give me stronger meds, but I was scared to take them since I tend to have difficulty w/ medication. My allergy bracelet can never hold all the meds I am allergic to..I am that person ;)

I had visiting nurses and PT once I got home, my whole "medical team" thought I couldn't go forward w/ PT and make gains because my pain was stopping me...which it was. My surgeon sent me to a pain clinic..first option was methadone..the new surgical pain relief med, I said NO, it seemed like to strong of a drug and I was worried to take it, in the end I was convinced to do the Fentanyl Patch..they said it was the perfect drug for me..no major side effects and can help seriously w/ my pain. I put it on that afternoon..four hours into the patch I was w/ my OT guy he said I was slurring my words and I didn't look ok..talked to pain clinic they said, "rip it off" it takes 12 hours for the full effect and I was already way drugged out 4 hours in...I got so sick that night..headache, nausea..awful. Next morning took the lower dosage patch and tried again...it really was strong at first, but after a week of feeling "drugged out" I started to get adjusted..graduated visiting PT and started outpatient PT. I was told to use the vicodin every 8 hours for beakthrough pain which I did on my bad days but I stayed away from it on my good. After awhile they wanted to raise my patch dosage, but I decided to stick w/ what I had and deal w/ a little pain. Use it as a indicator.

After 3 months on the patch I just was sick of feeling a little off, memory was not as strong, felt sick to my stomach more often, couldn't go out in the sun (it is summer takes away from that summer fun), lightheaded, depressed, just not completely myself. The pain clinic tried to tell me I should stay on it until I finished PT, I said "nope I want off now", I need to know what kind of pain I am really dealing w/ at this point and if it is tolerable then why stay on drugs. Ripped patch of Monday afternoon.
Tues/Wed
-Nausea
-vomiting
-Flu like achinesss from my toes to my finger
-abdominal pain so intense it felt like fire
-constipation
-insomnia
-restlessness/anxiety/ feeling like you didn't want to be in your skin
-depression and crying

Thurs: pain so bad took a trip to local hospital per order of my PCP and Dr at Pain Clinic..had x-rays of my bowels and was given IV drip for fluids, Zofran for nausea, Ativan for anxiety, restlessness and nausea, and clonadine for withdrawal symptoms...so lots of drugs to help w/ getting off drugs..how ironic. I refused to take the vicodin (which they said I should use to ween off patch) since my hip wasn't killing me and I wanted off the pain meds especially after what I was going through.

I am still really hurting but better than yesterday..there is no way I could have typed this yesterday. I want to know when I am going to feel like myself again and when will the symptoms subside. It is truly a HORRIBLE feeling..probably some of the worst days of my life and I have had some bad days. Given what I know now..would I have made the same decisions..possibly..the pain I had in my hip was so great, but I wasn't aware of the consequences for my pain relief..I wasn't taking these pills for fun, so I am not going to get addicted. I may have not been addicted mentally, but I sure was addicted physically come to find out now. It's a question I don't have answers for..do you take the pain meds and suffer later or suffer and hope to get better w/ time and ice packs. It's hard when you don't have consistent medical guidance.I feel like my pain clinic should have been doing a better job looking over me, they were more like drug dealers, they never talked to me about my pain, never asked me to keep a pain journal (my surgeon asked me about this recently and in retrospect that would have been a good idea), they never really talked much about my pain..more about how I felt on the meds, paid a $20 co-pay for a 5 minute apt where we pretty much discussed nothing, but they got their money and I left w/ my new script.....and a return apt card.

As patients we should be given all options to help us from moderate to more intense. If we take pain medication it should be monitored closely and the patient should be watched carefully and should have true support from their medical team when coming off of it. We should be allowed and be given the right to have covered by our insurance alternative and non addictive pain relief options as a viable option if we choose. And no one should be denied pain relief if needed...everyone deserves a chance to function to the best of their ability. They should just be done as safe as possible...is that to much to ask for from our health care?? Should a person who is already suffering from one ailment have to suffer more because they trust in what there Dr's are giving them to "help" them??? Just something to think about...well it something I am definitely thinking about.

Me and My Calfsters... It Doesn't Sound Right ..and It Sure Don't Feel Right!

AHHHHHHHHHHH!  Here's a riddle...When Recovering from hip surgery what do you expect NOT to happen.......  Give up??? How about not being able to walk on your "good" leg as well as your "bad" leg! Unfortunately this isn't a riddle..it is reality...temporary reality, but reality just the same!

I have been doing PT for four months now..Hospital PT, Visiting PT, and now outpatient PT. This past week I have been pushed up to 3 days a week of PT. Day 1 Aquatic Therapy (mon)  Day 2. Land Therapy (Wed) A mixture of exercise for all parts of my leg and hip.  As my PT guy said to me.."You don't have just a hip problem you got a whole leg problem"  (meaning that muscles, nerves, tendons have all been affected by my 3 surgeries, immobility, crutches, bed rest, compensation, yada yada yada ) ,so he wants to take things slow and be careful..hence why he doesn't want me parting ways w/ my crutches quite yet.).  Day 3 Land therapy (Friday) My PT guy was out today and I got another PT guy..don't get me wrong this guy was a nice guy and he seems to be good at his job I just think things went awry, because he didn't know my case or me. His  concern was that my calf muscle on my right side seem to be greatly atrophied, so we spent the hour doing stretches and strengthening my calf muscles..The stretches hurt (a lot), but the other exercise for my calves just seem to hurt like regular PT pain..working muscles that are recovering kind of pain. 

I left PT, went w/ D to Market Basket in my wheelchair (no way could I do my first real market trip on crutches...I almost got knocked over a few times in that place and I was in a wheelchair!!??) Then I went out to hear D perform some songs at a local Bar for a Beatles Tribute night (he did a great job by the by...awesome rendition of Blackbird by the Beatles) and watch a great Beatles Tribute Band..it was a fun night..I spent it sitting down..had some pain in my hip but D's brother got me some disposable Ice packs (Thanks Mark) and I made it through the night and had a fun time to top off a very busy but successful day (pic on top is from that night).

6AM Sat morning..woke up in excruciating pain...tried to get up to go the bathroom and realized I couldn't stand on either one of my legs. D is not only a "Rock Star" but a nurse as well..there was some inflammation..he felt it was due to overuse from my PT session the day before. I was in severe pain all day..icing my calves till they were numb..eventually I couldn't take the pain by 6pm and put a call into DR. M. He actually called me back in 10 minutes..My surgeon returning calls on a sat night..Shocked..I know I was! Dr M as always was helpful..he agreed that my calf muscles were definitely/ strained and most likely inflamed..so his recommendation was ice packs, propping my legs up on pillows, taking more of my pain med and adding prescription motrin for inflammation. The next 48 hours was pretty rough between the pain and aching in my lower legs..not being able to walk..and feeling sick from my meds..I pretty much wanted to be someone else. It is now Monday night and I can put some weight on my good side now and move around a little bit..eased off some of the meds, but still resting.

When you have been through what I have been through (fellow hipsters ya know what I mean) when something goes "wrong" it can be a little scary..you don't want anything else wrong w/ you, you don't want your recovery to back track, etc. I tried to fight through that fear as much as I could which isn't always easy especially when you are on pain meds. It also makes you nervous in trusting PT. I am all for PT, and it has helped me a lot, but I also know my own body and I should have probably spoken up when the stretching was hurting and when we seemed to be doing all calf exercises since that is not what I have been doing. I trust my PT people, because they are experts, but I got to remember to that I am also an expert....of my body! Fingers crossed legs will be back on track by my next PT session on wed!

No Pain..No Gain...not quite yet!

PT!!!!

Pretty much PT is my life currently..I have graduated from visiting PT to out patient PT in the past few weeks.

My First session

PT Guy :"Wow you have so much scar tissue going on I can feel it through your shorts"
ME: "Hmmm ok..yes I can feel it too
PT Guy: "The first few weeks we are going to have to do massage therapy for this, because you need to break up the scar tissue...seriously you should be even massaging yourself every day...you should probably even book an apt for a massage"
ME: OK..If you say so..massage it is!


Later that week: First Official PT day

PT Guy: get on bike for 10 minutes

and hour passes w/ intense PT exercises

PT guy: ok we are now going to massage that scar tissue
5 minutes later..
Ok see you next week

Now I know PT is what this all about, but seriously all I got was a 5 min massage and I am on week 3..talk about not following through w/ the program ;)

I have been doing the stationary bike as well (up to 38 min a day now) and this week out patient PT is now to 3 times a week. It has been a pretty intense work out..I seriously have passed out every day after my session for a good 2 hour nap..and I don't usually do this...and ice packs are back in full force!

Drum roll please:

Today was the big day though..June 21st 2010...Aquatic Therapy!  This was a first for me ..and I was soooooooooooo excited! I love to swim so this seemed right up my alley.  First off...Water is magic!!! Second Off my bathing suit still fit me from last summer..yay! (That is always a fear after you have been sitting around for 3.5 months ;) )

Location: I was in a large 4ft deep swimming pool..I am 5ft 7inches.. 

I handed my crutches over to my PT guy and grabbed onto the bars on the ramp to lower myself gradually into the pool...by the time I was at the end of the ramp..I was WALKING on my own w/out crutches...I felt like Superwoman and water is the source of my magical powers! I walked the length of the pool 4 times..two of those times he had me walking backwards.  We also did calf and glute stretches in the water which was easier and I practiced standing on my "bad" leg while doing kicks to the side and then vice versa. Then it was all over and as I slowly walked up the ramp I felt my magical powers being drained from me...especially when my crutches were handed back to me.  My PT guy said you are not the first person to look like that getting out of the pool ..I am sure I wasn't;)  He said I am a interesting patient due to my 3 surgeries and the extensive nature of this particular surgery, as well as my extreme psoas tendinitis issue, so he is currently not following the "No Pain No Gain" mentality..he is saving that for later on...excellent ;) He did say before I walked off to the changing room....we got to do some more massage therapy this week... ;)

So at this point in my recovery:
**I am approaching my 4 month anniversary..YAY (Dr M. said the first 4 months are the worst and it will take about 6 months to get back on my feet)
**I am using a cane full time at home in my apt and crutches for outdoor adventures ( this is what my PT and Dr orders are currently) until my muscles are stronger.
**Still going to the pain clinic every few weeks to regulate my pain meds (hopefully I will be done w/ that soon...pain meds sure take a toll on your body but everyone is insisting that I need them to get through my PT currently..ugh)
**Doing Stationary bike at home every day..working my way up time wise..38 minutes currently!

Also I have started a new blog..one that focuses on more than just my hipster..I am still definitely will be updating this blog I just added another one..for fun ;) You can check it out or become a follower of it:

http://sj-sarahinthecity.blogspot.com/

"Hip"fully Enlightened

Tonight as I was writing to one of my lovely "hip sisters" I wrote down the words

"I think in the past week I have truly come to peace w/ my hip...I think in the end it has given me more than it has taken....."

I would like to back track for a second ...Last week I got one of those lovely before summer colds that takes you out of commission for a good 5 plus days and in my case this sentence is almost ironic...but nonetheless I have been up to this point a busy "resting hipster" (PT ALL THE TIME..is my new motto). Pretty much I had a break from my break in life (see I told you I am ironic) but since I couldn't do any PT, and I couldn't talk (because my voice was very hoarse) I had time to read (Dead in the Family :Sookie Stackhouse Series book 10, The Host, The Help, and Eating Animals...discuss amongst yourself my wide variety of book choices..I am a diverse individual ;) )













as well as I also had a lot of time to think and reflect, not like I didn't have lots of time to do this before, but being three months out and 3 surgeries in you always start looking at things w/ a new perspective.  I mean everyone reflects especially when you have "major" events happen in your life...why is this happening.....why did this happen to me...what did I do to deserve this...as George Costanza so eloquently said,.."yada yada yada".  .I know you catch my drift, but nonetheless I feel a strong desire to write this particular post...and as they say it's my blog so I can do what I want...actually does anyone say that ;)

Maybe it's the pain meds, maybe it's been the 3 months of being mostly in the house, maybe it is the cold, or maybe just maybe I have been a little enlightened...... stranger things have happened ;)

So here it goes..No way around it..what happened to me and my hip (yes we are now 2 entities) sucks...bottom line...Pain Sucks, Surgery Sucks, Recovery Sucks, Missing out on things Suck, Being Stuck in the Hospital Sucks, Missing Work Sucks (I know some of you may disagree w/ that but...) Being Dependent Sucks...OK I think you all getting the Sucking Point, but I think as we all know sometimes life can just Suck. We will all have our moments of unhappiness, pain or what not, but what you get out of the suckiness is another matter all together, so w/out any more chit chat this is what doesn't suck....

-I have learned to be a stronger person...mentally and physically
-I have found out how much I like to write
-I know I can deal w/ pain and I know how to get through it
-I am a braver person
-I know I have people I can count on no matter what and I will go as far as saying that some relationships have even gotten stronger through this period of my life, because of the working together part.  Hard times can bring people closer, as well as show you who are truly your real friends. (Thank You to my Friends and Family for all your love and support...no words can ever express how much you all mean to me and what you have done for me.)
-It has open me up to reevaluate my life in many ways and appreciate what I do have in ways I may have not before
-I have met my fellow Hip Sisters who have experienced the same journey and together we have been able to educate others and lend support to other Hipsters (Thank You Girls for all your help xox)
-I have learned how to be Pro-active/ to understand that I have to make things happen for me..get the right help, get the right information, not take no for an answer, to be my own/best advocate
-Understanding my body and how fragile it is, but also how strong it is, and what it has the ability to do
-How to do things even though they may not be my "normal" way of doing it..I can still get the job done..(Example one: My wheelchair way of sweeping and washing floors) So being independent during a time when I am more dependent
-Asking people for help and feeling OK w/ it as well
-Learning how to fight and strive and work hard to create my own happiness even during dark times...this is never given...ever.
-Learning how to be more patient (as a patient..and as a non-patient too ;))

So even though there has been some very dark times I am now understanding that the lesson learned may be more valuable to the rest of my life than having a "perfect" hip...because as we all know; nothing is perfect ;)

ps. I just noticed that this is my 50th post on this blog..LOL..I wrote 50 posts about one body part....LOL.... wonder what I could do w/ a more diverse subject matter ;) Happy 50!

Hipster In Boston!

Well I am now getting out and about a little more and this past weekend I made the official first " Lets get dressed up and go out on an adventure to the big city"...;)  A birthday celebration for my BFF Nicole (Happy Birthday again N!)

A group of us went out to a nice dinner at Pomodoro in the North End of Boston (highly recommend the restaurant by the by). Now if you are not familiar w/ the North End ..most of the restaurants are very tiny inside..which makes for a nice, quaint , and romantic time, but proves to be a little tricky if you are on crutches..especially big shiny red ones like the ones I roll w/..;) The restaurant was quite accommodating though..they actually put my crutches by the front door so I didn't have to worry about leaning them on anything or anyone (by accident) ;) and they retrieved them for me for "bathroom breaks" or to stretch.
Sitting for long periods of time is still hard on the hipster, and it's not as easy to stretch when you are out to dinner, but I would recommended it if you are sitting for awhile or you will probably regret it once you do finally stand up. Also being on pain meds out and about is a little different than in the comfort of your own home. At this point the pain meds are helping me w/ my ability to function better day to day w/ my increase PT and moving around, but they do make you feel a little off.  That "offness" you feel though seems to magnify though when you amongst lots of people and lots of commotion...can't quite put it in to words ...but I did feel a little woozy while I was out and about...

It was really nice to get out and feel a part of this world again,and be part of the people you care about celebrations (missing out on things is really one of the worst parts of recovery)

Parking was very hard..even w/ my handicap Placard there was no where to park...honestly handicap parking is very very very limited...which is quite ridiculous...and the one handicap parking space was being used by a very non-handicap man...PEOPLE handicap parking is for people who are handicap getting out of the car..if you drop off a handicap person and then use the parking that is not what it is for and not allowed..ok I feel better that I said that! But luckily my friend was driving and dropped us all off out front of the restaurant and he went and parked the car (Thank You Bowen)

Overall it was a FABULOUS night and I look forward to getting out more!
Ps. It did take the whole next day to recover physically so it's good to space out adventures in the beginning (but I also moved as well during the week..but I will save that for another blog post ;) )
pps. Don't worry..I DIDN'T WEAR HEELS..I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSONS..heehee

Did you just call my tissue.......FAT??????????!!!!!!!!

Well I am officially 3 month post surgery as of tomorrow and 2 days ago I had my 3 month check up w/ Dr. M and here is what he had to say...

My swelling seems to stem from a collection of fatty tissue, scar tissue, and muscles not molding back into place yet because as he said to me .."Sarah, I did do A LOT of work in there ..it's going to take some time..." So it is causing swelling in a few places in my hip and that in turn is putting pressure on my sciatic nerve..which is causing pain radiating down my leg and into my foot. Also I do have bad arthritis in a section of my hip..in the "already to much damaged part" which may also be causing me pain..plus one of my major muscles hasn't fired up yet..so the big thing at this point is PT!! Need to get my hip and leg stronger...ASAP! So Dr. M graduated me from visiting PT to outpatient PT (yay another milestone..I like those). I am going to do a mixture of aqua therapy/and land therapy which should be interesting since this will be a new "hip" experience for me. It looks like I will be able to start back to work part-time in July (YAY), and no driving until I am off all pain meds and walking w/out any crutches or a cane...need a strong right leg to be able to hit the brake when needed. So I have been approved by "The Ride" to transport me and my hispter around when needed..which I am sure will make for some "interesting "rides ....especially when I don't have any pictures of my "grandchildren" to share w/ my fellow passengers..lol ;)  Currently I am using a mixture of one crutch or a cane inside my apt and two crutches for outside adventures..which I have been having more of..YAY!

Thank You soooooooo much Jaxson for making a hospital experience as fun as it can be (I am jealous ..I think Dr. M is starting to like you more than me..lol) and thank you for a really fun post hospital day..what a great way to celebrate my 3 month anniversary..You're the Best!! xoxoxoxox

Also some other sidenotes:
Thank You Ellen for a great lunch outside in the BEAUTIFUL sun..so nice, fun, and invigorating for me and my hipster....I had an awesome time xoxo
Thank You again Dad for my stationary bike ..I am up to 22 minutes on it and I am going for 25 minutes before the end of the week..GOALS! xoxo
I had a FABULOUS time celebrating your birthday Mom..it was a nice and fun dinner, and I also enjoyed being w/ Karen, Maria, and Marla ..Wonderful ladies/Wonderful evening  xoxox
What all this means is that I am also starting to be able to do more, sit a little longer, and walk farther on my crutches..which is all major improvements in the past few weeks :)

To my fellow hipsters I guess my one negative thought currently is Pain..I am so tired of it....I just want to feel some relief ..I mean I am obviously better than I was 3 months ago, but I am still in enough pain for the pain to get through my pain meds and be w/ me almost every minute of every day which is disheartening, so that is what I am waiting for to improve most of all....pain is extremely draining....pain meds are extremely draining as well....but hopefully I will start to see some major  improvement w/ that soon. I have been going to a Pain Clinic to help w/ this part as well.

Well that's all Folks.....for now ;)

Clot or No clot...That Is the Question....

Well on the positive side I made it two weeks w/out going to the hospital...
So on Friday my PT dude was nervous about my swelling that seemed to have gotten worse on my hipster and I also had pain in my calf so he thought I should give Dr. M a ring- ring to see what was up (and to also ask him how his time in Hawaii was..Not ;))
So I followed my Pt guy's "orders" and rang Dr M...his advice was as follows:

This surgery has a high risks for blood clots...this is not something you take a risk w/..if your swelling has increased and you are having calf pain GO TO YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM...like now (well he didn't actually say" like now" but you get the idea)

So I did....after waiting 8 hours for my ultra sound I was Clot Free...next week when I see Dr M. hopefully he will get to the bottom of why I have so much swelling in my hip...well he better get to the bottom of it..because it is truly a pain..literally!

No pics this time of my Hospital trip..I think I have enough to last me a lifetime..It looked liked any other hospital visit so you can use your imagination for this post ;)

Thank You Carrie for taking me and keeping me company xoxoxo
and Thank You D for taking the 2nd shift xoxoxo

On another note. I have made it to 10 minutes on my stationary bike this week..Yay! I have graduated from visiting OT and have stronger arms because of it..Yay..If this surgery doesn't work I can take up female arm wrestling for a living..Thanks Neil;)
I got my cane in the mail..so hopefully my new cane will bring me no more crutches karma soon...The cane is staring down the crutches in my room as I type this ;) Also I had a outdoor adventure this weekend as well....Thank You for a fab lunch on the ocean Dennis, Nicole, Scott and Abby..much needed for my mental health!
So it looks like all my bases are being covered.
Peace Out for now Hipsters :)

!!!?&?%$#@!!&*!!!!! and more

Seriously back at the hospital again..%$#@!!!
Trying to keep my blog "clean", so I will refrain from what was really going on in my mind when my Dr's office said I needed to go to Children's Hospital emergency room to get checked out.  So to back track a moment I have been making some progress w/ weight bearing and physical therapy, but then there started increase swelling next to my incision ...like a tennis ball lump...that was warm to the touch..so off to Children's I went.  After an ultra sound, 3 Dr's, iv fluid, blood tests, meds and 8 hours in a room in the ER  I was released w/ a mummy leg..see picture ...  No infection..yay, but swelling isn't probably going to disappear for awhile so they thought some good old fashion compression would help..but to compress this swelling it would take 7 ace bandages ,because it needs to be compressed from my toes to my belly and this is the only way along w/  resting it. After 4 days of compression and ace bandages falling off constantly...my PT guy, and I decided to give it a break for a few and just rest it and I will be seeing my surgeon in a few weeks (he was in Hawaii during all this at a "medical conference"..aloha Dr M) so I think I will see what he has to say....since my white cell and red cell count wasn't bad I am deciding not to stress over the swelling until Dr M says there is something to stress about...not that I am giving Dr M permission to stress me out ;)

So w/ all this swelling and "visiting" hospitals..I am still dealing w/ the fact my hip is causing me a great deal of pain, and my pain meds are not cutting it and the swelling is just making the pain worse so Dr M at my 6 week apt told me he wanted to go to a pain clinic because w/ the increase PT there would be increase pain..maybe he had ESP about the swelling that would be ahead..hmmmm...well that aside I did have my first apt (as well as my 2nd and third..loooong story) at the pain clinic this week. Had some difficulty getting paperwork all settled..I mean THEY had difficulty getting the paperwork settled, then they prescribed me and had me take meds that were WAY TO STRONG but now I am on a 12mg Fentanyl patch..it is strong, but no where near as strong as the 25mg..I am definitely in a lot less pain at the moment (actually I can't feel my hip at all), but I am having some icky side effects currently,but they told me that would take about 5 days or so to subside..I will have to get back to you all on that.  So on that note that is what is going on right now and if this blog doesn't make sense blame it on the patch, because that is what I will do ;)

Thank You to my "hospital entourage" Dad, Ellen, Dennis, Jessica, Carrie, and Pete for keeping me company during a really stressful night ..greatly appreciate it!xo
Thank you Nicole for the beautiful flowers and for cheering me up..you are an amazing friend!!xo
Thank You Nancy for coming over and making me forget the hipster w/a fun movie xox
Thank You Mom, Dennis, Nicole, and Dan for a fun first afternoon out...much needed for my mental well being which is also important! (also a shout out to "Lee Harvey" for great entertainment on my first afternoon out)
Thank you to Dennis, Mark, Liz, and Carrie for helping me out through my rough day/ night on the 25mg patch...so glad you guys were there ...xoxo

Thank you to my "little" bro Sammy for visiting me and cheering me up ..it was sooooo awesome seeing you (and I do remember..LOL)

ps. Thanks to my hip twin MP who gave me a tip on these great sneakers (see pic on side) that feel absolutely amazing on my hip and foot!!! Love Them!

 

 

 

 

 

Fentanyl Patch is used for Managing moderate to severe chronic pain in patients who need continuous, around-the-clock narcotic (opioid) pain relief and whose pain cannot be managed by less powerful pain medicines.Fentanyl Patch is a narcotic (opioid) analgesic. It works by dulling the pain center in the brain.Read more: http://www.drugs.com/cdi/fentanyl-patch.html#ixzz0nOGaCjzz

PUPPY LOVE

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." 

I found this quote on the internet and I had to "borrow" it for this post.
I am currently/officially 2 months post surgery and it still hasn't been that easy for me....yet!  Pain is still a main issue, I am still on crutches, I have major swelling in my hip, still need to use a wheelchair, still on pain meds, still can't go out of the house on my own (have actually only left the house twice for fun), and still can't drive. To be quite frank it is a pretty depressing time, but I am not writing to bring you all down w/ me (well I think I am not ;) ) What I want to write about is the puppy factor....

My neighbor has a bunch of pug dogs, and the past couple of days he has been kind enough to let me have 2 1/2 hour sessions of puppy love..one day w/ Diesel (the white pug and the other w/ Gus the little black puppy pug) and let me tell you as I held the puppies all those things I mentioned above went out the window..actually I didn't even think about my hip at all..I was on a total pure puppy high.  Normally to achieve this kind of pure happiness it takes a beautiful beach day, a vacation, a fabulous time out w/ friends, a great time w/ my family, a romantic night out w/ someone you love, a great work out, seeing a favorite singer or band live...all things I currently cannot do.  I realized I can't change my current situation "hipster" wise..it is what it is..but I can change my mental well being by giving myself these happy moments...by holding a puppy, listening to my ipod and tuning out w/ some of my favorite tunes, laughing and talking about anything besides my hip when friends and family come over (or chat via skype..ray -ray), practice my guitar (it has been awhile), sitting outside on a sunny day and reading a book and drinking a cup of coffee ...  find these happy moments that take you out of your pain..It is easier said than done...for sure.. but w/ that said I am hoping that Gus and Diesel will be out again tomorrow because puppy love is better for pain than vicodin any day and it doesn't make you feel sick :)  On that note fellow hipsters and friends I am going to work on finding and enjoying my little happy moments at home to help me get through this hard moment in my life :) I hope you all are well and enjoying all the small things in life too :)

Life w/ out Precautions AKA The Next Chapter !

FREEDOM!! (ok well partial freedom I am still on crutches and can't drive..but lets keep this positive ;) ) FREEDOM!!! So after my 6 week check up w/ Dr M I got my precautions lifted..no more bed rest, no more 90 degree /20 degree angles...no more constant worrying that I will dislocate my hip...let me tell you how much better I feel mentally having those precautions lifted...I am a whole new woman...kinda ;)  It does feel amazing to have certain worries be taken off the table and it gives you that light at the end of the tunnel feeling back..can you tell I am feeling a little bit more warm and fuzzy inside. 

So now I am sure you all are waiting to ask me what I did w/ my new found freedom....guess!!  If you guessed I totally took advantage of it and may have went a little overboard and did to much, because I was so excited to have a little more control over my life and body again and wanted to feel like a 35 year old woman instead of an injured patient...than you guess right..and if I had to do it all over again I probably would have down the same thing...sometimes you need to say "screw it" and not just to putting screws in your hips to fix it (c'mon you had to see that one coming)

So my first weekend of Freedom:

Friday: did some PT  and OT then got ready for my first night out to hear D perform at a local restaurant...Great singing..great food..and a great time...I know I was told to start off w/ an hour out, but I will admit it... I stayed out for 4...but I wore appropriate shoes (see I learn my lessons) I did laps around the restaurant w/ my crutches to keep stretching, and my OT guy and his wife also showed up to the show so technically I was being observed for how I function in the "real world" which in that case was almost like an OT session..so that's that...

Saturday: Recovered from Fri nights adventure..ouch ouch ouch (enough said) and took a shower (which I got into by myself for the first time independently) now that I have no more precautions I could bend my legs more on my shower bench to swing them in easier =independence! After the shower I also did my hair (first time since surgery that I managed to use the blow dryer to blow out my hair...see pic above of me, my blow out, and my blue shirt..haha..I was so proud of myself.. that I actually took that pic..LOL..it was nice to feel girly again :)


Sunday: Sat up for most of the day w/ lots of different company visiting (ouch..sitting for long periods of time hard on the hipster) Then had a dinner party for one of my good friend's birthday (well when I say I had a dinner party I didn't mean I actually did any of the cooking or cleaning..lets not get crazy here...I just helped w/ the celebrating ;)) It was a really fun day seeing lots of great people. I think the lesson I learned here is that if I have plans at night rest during the day and vice versa. I am still not physically up to a full days and night activity, even at home...yet.  But it was such a wonderful day it was worth a few extra aches and pains. It's all about learning what your limits are, and I am starting to have a clearer view of mine after this past weekend :)

So w/ my new found freedom comes consequences..duh...so now I just need to achieve BALANCE..and then everything will be fine.      Next step to get off crutches...:)  Later Hipsters ;)

Funny Thing Happened On The Way Into Bed..........

Well maybe not so funny...;) I sprained my wrist and hurt my tendon on my left hand..ok not so funny...especially when you are on crutches...but if I don't laugh at this situation ..I'll cry..and there is no crying on bedrest...ok there is....but lets just say it could have been worse. Had to take a trip via ambulance to the hospital to check my wrist out..they put it in a splint and now I type w/ my left hand and have a little more difficulty w/ my crutches..great (note sarcastic tone).  Thank goodness though I did not break it and that I have great OT and PT to help me compensate for a bad wrist to help my bad hip (thanks boys).....as my surgeon said "you had to go and make this more difficult for me" ;)

Overall w/ an adjustment to a better splint and having my restrictions lifted at my 6 week check up (will get to that in a minute) I have been able to manage..just took a few days to get there.  Thank you Nicole, Jodi, and Nancy for spending the day w/ me in the hospital and for "babysitting" me at night xox

So on to the next chapter..I had my 6 week check up (yes I am double blogging..I don't think there is any written rule about two stories in one blog post and if so..whatever..lets break some rules..I am bored anyways ;) )  My 6 week check-up started off in dramatic fashion..hey why not..w/ the wrist and the crutches I couldn't make it down the stairs so I had to go to the hospital by ambulance..my friend Jaxson went for the ride w/ me which made the ambulance ride even more exciting.  The perk of going by ambulance to your check-up at the hospital is that they totally rush the process..I was x-rayed immediately and was seen pretty quickly and then we were taken back by another ambulance all in time to watch zombieland on on-demand by 2:00pm..not bad ;) Thank you Jaxson for making my hospital visit as fun as it can be for a hospital visit and for your support! xoxo
6 week check up wrap up:
-Hip Bone Healing Very Well
-No more impingement ;)
-Swelling in hip normal
-Right Foot has poor circulation due to inactivity and swelling (it turns purple every time I sit) doing foot exercises to help and keeping eye out for calf swelling to make sure I have no blood clots
-Will still have some pain due to arthritis/ cartilage damage prior to surgery that is unfixable
-Next 6 week Main goal..Strengthen my leg (muscles) so I can get off crutches..go to cane..then be a free woman
-Precautions all lifted..can bend and move w/ out watching my 90 degree angles and 20 degree angles...so freeing..yay!
-Can sleep on my side again (YAY) **warning that does hurt a lot at first..only can sleep on my non- operated side w/ a pillow between my legs..but it feels good I don't have to always be lying on my back and I can stretch out more now..which is good for the rest of body :)
-can try to go out and do some social things (in moderation) Bed arrest is OVER!!!!!
-Dr M  is setting me up w/ a pain clinic to manage my pain meds and  said they may add more pain meds to help me through what he says may be the most painful part of my healing , because w/ intense PT on a atrophied leg like mine w/ soft tissue issues there will be lots of pain, but he said I need to push through it so I can get to the other side....so at least it will be managed by Dr's who know how to deal w/ pain meds and pain..good!

Next visit we can talk about driving and work...so Intense Physical Therapy here I come...my dad even got me a stationary bike to use at home..so I will be cruising through recovery ;) Thank you Dad!!! xoxo


Also I got to have day of beauty by my friends Christina and Marla at my home..I got my hair cut,colored, and blown out..it was so nice to feel girly again...it makes a big difference...I feel more like myself and that is AWESOME and sooooooo appreciated..Thank You so Much Christina and Marla xoxox