another year gone by

I haven't been HERE forever! I skipped over last year's surgery for several reasons. #1, and most importantly, I moved about 1-1/2 hours away from where I was. #2, my hip wasn't bothering me to the degree where I thought I wanted to go through another surgery. #3, I wanted to wait and see how much flexibility I was able to achieve with my new hip. As it turns out, my range of motion is still somewhat (and disappointingly) limited.

Now that I've gotten a job at Starbucks and have absolutely wonderful benefits, I'm revisiting the current options for hip #2. I've visited Dr. Mark Dolan from Northwestern Orthopaedic Institute of Chicago and am contemplating my next move.  The throbbing in my hip is starting to keep me awake at night and walking for exercise is becoming more of a dream than a reality.

Lots of reading to do and big decisions to make. Here we go again.

Eight months later

Time flies! Here we are in June already and I'm slowly regaining my running endurance (I really mean slowly..). I'm down about 33 pounds and three sizes and feel SO much better.Thank you, Steve, for your encouragement and inspiration.

I saw Dr. Barba yesterday and had an x-ray taken of my hips. The new and improved left hip is doing well and hopefully I will have full flexibility within a couple of months. The old and somewhat envious right hip is burning and keeping me up at night. I would like to ignore it, but it won't let me. October 11 is my next surgery date, and Amy said I can change my mind if I decide I'm not ready. I think after a couple more months of running (and biking!) I'll know for sure.

Bye, Bye, Bhernee

Bhernee resigned from her position at Northpointe and moved on to bigger and better. Northpointe's loss.  She was hard on me, but I know it was for my own good.  I'm done with PT now...as of last Tuesday.  I have one last appointment with Dr. Barba next Friday. I'm hoping he'll tell me I can tie my left shoe and put on my left sock like a normal person would. Maybe someday I'll even be able to cross my legs again.

I've been very busy with quilts the last couple of weeks with my Christmas orders. I'm really under the gun. Even though it's a crazy rush every year, I never really get used it. I'm exhausted every day because I sew until midnight or after. I reward myself with mini-vacations ...a day here and there of relaxation and fun. 

I turned 50 today (actually yesterday because I'm so slow at getting this post published). I'm a little unsure how I got here so quickly...but I'm glad I made it! It was a very nice day.  Here I am with my mother. She had two total hip replacements 20+ years ago. I will never be that hip.

I will probably not write anything more until I start running again....and before you know it, I'll be back here blogging about my right hip!

Happy Thanksgiving....Merry Christmas...Happy whatever you celebrate.....

Progress

Not much to write about lately, but just know that I'm doing fine. My other hip really bothered me after PT today, but I think for good reason.  
My 45 minutes of fun consisted of: 
1. Going up and down a flight of stairs 10 times. rapidly.
2.  Lunges. Oh, how I love thee.  And, just for fun, lets do the second set with my eyes closed. Yep.
3.  Standing on my left leg with a tether around my waist. Throwing a 1.5 lb ball at a trampoline in such a fashion that it bounces back to me. This exercise proved to me - as if I didn't already know - that my Dad's fastpitch softball pitching skills simply skipped a generation and landed in Katy's left hand. I don't know why this task was so ridiculously difficult for me. True, I am not the most graceful person. True, standing on one foot and tossing a ball constitutes multi-tasking and my kids will tell you that I cannot multitask. But geeeeesh you'd think at 10' I could hit a 3' x 3' square, right? Ummm. a couple times.
4. The highlight of my PT today (and you thought it was the ball toss? ha.)....picture this....lie on your back with your legs extended. Bring up your right leg so your knee is at a 90 degree angle pointed to the ceiling, foot flat on the table. Raise your left leg about 6" off the table (the leg connected to the new Birmingham Hip. Yes, that one.) and leave it suspended. Ready? Lift your butt off the table without using your elbows for support. 10 times, then switch legs. Try it, just for fun.  I was wiped by the end of that session. 

OK, I'm done complaining. For now. NO WAIT...I'm on a low-carb diet. I'd like to complain about that.

November. Already.

My, how time flies. My, how the leaves blanket my lawn. I guess I'm out of excuses....I'm going to spend the morning raking and mowing. My new Birmingham Hip (BHR...the familiar acronym) seems to agree with me and the surrounding muscles and tissues are healing rapidly. I'm walking very well except for a bit of a limp, which will disappear soon.

April 8, 2010....that's the date I can run again. I have to start slowly on the treadmill (soft surface) and see how that goes.  If I can't run...if it doesn't feel good...I'm buying a bike. It is what it is.

The A-OK

I saw Dr. Barba today and got the ok to go back to work on Monday.  He also said I can bike and swim, which is way more exciting than going back to work!  My only restriction is four more weeks of the 90 degree thing. I cannot bend forward toward my left knee, however I can bend forward if my left leg is behind me. This is somewhat confusing, and somewhat who really cares. So, if nothing else, after four more weeks of tying my left shoe behind my butt I'll be quite proficient at it.  OR...wait.....maybe I'll buy some new shoes that don't require tying!! Now THERE'S a novel idea. Of course, that would involve shopping...and spending money....two things I don't do very well. 

I digress... 
The important thing to note today is that my x-ray was perfect (well....except for the arthritis in my right hip that may require doing this all over again in the future, but I'm not even thinking that far ahead). The weather wasn't half-bad either. 

Now, if the lawn fairies would come and rake my yard life would be perfect.

Boot Camp with Bhernee

I am at day 18 post-op. Every day I am amazed that I see improvement....not just a little improvement, but things are progressing much faster than I had anticipated. I have been hobbling around the house without assistance, but I do have a cane to use if I get tired. Everything is easier now, except I still am not allowed to bend over beyond 90 degrees, which makes tying my left shoe a challenge (left-handed behind me). Aside from that, I'm good.

I had PT today, so I warmed up a little in the gym on the NuStep recumbent. It feels pretty good, but I'm anxious to move on to "real" machines. 15 minutes on the bike and I was off to visit Bhernee.

Bhernee was a drill sergeant in a previous life. Despite her denial, I'm sure of it. She took my cane away and had me walk up and down full flights of stairs...and not just once....twice.  Then she made me do lunges (OH my, what's that? A glute?)...and wall squats (hold it for the count of 10!)....and squats with a ball between my knees (SQUEEZE that ball!) ...and step-ups (front, back, side...both legs). Even though she tried to encourage me with "OH, you're doing so well!!", I felt if I didn't try to get out of there quickly I would be doing push-ups and wall climbing. Perhaps it was the glistening (a.k.a. sweat) on my face and neck that convinced her to take mercy on me...who knows....but she said I had done enough for today and allowed me to recline with a nice ice pack. 

Ahhhh....the little things.

Now THIS is a Wild Zipper

Kind of looks like a zipper, doesn't it? It gives a whole new meaning to butt ugly!  But, what can I say? As long as what's inside is working like it should, I'm a happy camper.  I'm sparkling clean and shiny, having just dried off from a WONDERFUL shower. ahhhh....

A Craptacular Day

A leftover hurricane? Is that what this rain is all about? Yesterday was so beautiful...and today is total yuck. It wasn't a totally wasted day, though. I got my staples out. This is monumental. Tomorrow I'm going to take the longest, hottest, steamiest shower ever. Just before I turn into a prune, I'll take a picture of the incision (as promised) for the blog. It's pretty darn ugly, I must admit. Perhaps the surgical team person who got the order to "close me up" was going for a speed record. It's all good....not a highly visible part of my body.

At physical therapy yesterday, we worked on strength and balance. Bhernee showed me how to use a couple machines in the fitness center at Northpointe which adjoins to the P.T. Department. One is a recumbent bike which, for all I know, may be designed especially for rehab patients because the seat swivels for easy access in addition to being a very smooth ride.The other was a hand-driven bike.  Today I had my final blood draw and my last coumadin pill (hoooorraaaaay for both!!). After the lab visit, I rode the recumbent bike for 20 minutes. Bhernie said I could do an easy 15-20 minutes and in my mind I'm thinking "that means 30!" but 20 was plenty. After that I spent some time with free weights. 

I took a two-hour nap with ice on my hip. I earned it.

Invasion of the Asian Lady Beetles (a.k.a. fake ladybugs)

How in the HECK do those creepy little bugs get into my house? I was gone for an hour - to have a blood draw - and I return and these ugly bugs are all over the INSIDE of my front window. The nerve.

With them, the box elder bugs. They at least have the courtesy to stay outside. Also, somewhere out there - and I haven't found it yet - is a very large wasp nest. I only know that because the wasp traffic is very heavy outside my door. I won't use my front door during the day until I figure out where their home is. They aren't staying here without paying rent, and I have a feeling they'll be evicted. I'm just not in the mood to house freeloaders.

None of this has anything to do with my hip. I'm off course. Well, it didn't start out that way. I was on my way to the lab when I noticed all the bugs, so it sort of does. And then I was distracted by my beautiful maple trees...which have yet to drop their leaves. Stunning, don't you agree? Every year I praise the beauty of this view, only to curse the 12" thick blanket of leaves a couple weeks later.

SO, yeah. Focus...the hip...my blood is great (have to have it checked twice a week while I'm on Coumadin...which is my only remaining prescription drug). I'm walking very well with crutches and can put full weight on my leg. I have no pain. Some of my physical therapy exercises push me, but I wouldn't describe it as pain. My incision itches and that is very annoying. Two more days and I'll have all that metal removed, so maybe that will help. Also, and most remarkably, I haven't had ice cream for more than two weeks and I am surprisingly still alive.

To My Little Angel

Thank you, Sam. You are the daughter every mother wishes for. You've put my socks on, exercised my leg, shopped for me, cleaned my house, sat alone at the hospital waiting for me to wake up, and hung around after everyone else went home.

You did my laundry, drove me to physical therapy, you put that pillow in just the right spot, and you picked up my swiffer. You bought me a grab-it so I can pick it up myself :)  You got my prescriptions filled, communicated with my friends, and made sure everything was fine before you went home.

I couldn't have done this without you. I <3 you (for those who don't know, and most of you do, my other angels live far away...but they know they are my little angels too)

Frankenstein's got nuthin' on me

Here is a picture of my incision with all 38 staples. They come out on the 22nd and I'll take another picture then (hopefully you can handle the suspense). Of course I cropped out a lot, so to get it in perspective, my butt is on the right and all the white in the picture is the bandage that I pulled back for the picture.  I have some minor skin irritation due to the tape but overall, it's not too bad.

Cold and rainy PT day

Bhernee measured my leg (which was about 2cm larger than my other leg...apparently, that's normal) and tested my current range of motion abilities. I was quite happy to find out that water therapy has been pre-approved by my insurance. After I get my (38!) staples out, I'll start on that. In the meanwhile, I have a list of exercises to do.

Sam drove me to my shop after my PT, and after my mandatory bloodwork. My tennis shoe caught on the edge of the car door frame and kind of made a "thud" landing. ouch. I tried my best to ignore that and went inside to gather up some sewing I can do tonight. It's been a long time since I've had a nap. I'm due.

They didn't tell me not to.

No one said "don't mop with your crutches".  Surprisingly, this rag-on-the-end-of-the-crutch method works quite well.

No one said "don't swiffer while you're on crutches".  Doesn't it just figure that after a little bit of swiffering I once again dropped the swiffer. I hate it when that happens.

I have yet to try raking, but by the looks of my yard, I'm going to have to figure out how to do that on crutches too. They didn't tell me not to.

Continued boredom

For excitement on my first full day home from the hospital, what could be better than swiffering? I did a few laps around my house with my swiffer until I dropped it. Game over. I can't pick anything up. I don't bend very well just yet. I'm still trying to figure out how to pull my slipper up over my heel. I pulled some tongs out of my kitchen drawer and brought them to my recliner to see if they would work...they would, if they were only 8" longer. Ugghhhh.  I'll just have to wait until Sam comes to visit. While she's here she can pick up everything else I've dropped this morning (in addition to the swiffer): a towel, an avocado, a sudoku book, and a blueberry.

I washed my hair this morning (I KNOW...woohoo!!!). Funny how the very basic things become so monumental when you are denied them. I think I deserve a nap. The view from my chair isn't really all bad - I have to admit. The leaves on the many trees out front have acknowledged the change of the season.  The other picture is my little Coco, who is always on my lap now that I'm home. She didn't like the fact that I left her home alone. She wuvs me.

Nap time for Coco and me.

HOME!!!!!

I must have passed all my finals because I was allowed to move on to the next level...home!!! How exciting. I've never missed home so much. The most exciting thing (and this is gross) is that I get to wash my hair!

I can't say I'll miss the vampires (especially the last one I had tonight...who gave me a little too much play-by play and detail....and then eventually failed). The staff was great though, for the most part, but I am ready to be home!!

And I thought I was so sly....

I asked my daytime RN to help herself to any chocolate covered cherries that still might be in the box (she loves them and they are, I think, the only chocolate candy I won't eat). She opened the box in front of me and what, to my wondering eyes did appear, but half the frickin box was gone! I told Becky to take the two cherries that Miss Piggy left behind. Geesh. Some people. Next time I'm gonna booby trap the box, dammit.

Yes, I'm still here, and yes, I'm getting sick of it. (actually I wrote this earlier this afternoon...and I am home now.)

Confectionary temptations...

I'm not going to name names, but two very strange things have happened in the last 48 hours here at OSF.

First of all, my three-year-old ipod shuffle was lifted off my nightstand the night before last. Why anyone would stoop so low as to steal my little old device, I'll never know, and when he or she finds out it's only a 1gig version they may end up throwing it in the Rock River. But, to me, it was very special. My kids bought it for me for my birthday three years ago after I ran my 1st 5K. I was probably due for an upgrade soon anyway.

Second of all, Karen and her mom came up to visit (and don't think she didn't beat up the whole nursing staff trying to pull a confession out of someone) and brought me a box of fannie mae candy. Colonial assortment, if you care.  So last night....actually about 4:00am.... my RN sneaked in, not knowing I was awake (due to a mild headache), literally tip-toeing with her arm outstretched toward my fannie mae (visualize some really bad acting by Saved by the Bell's Screech in this role) . I waited until she had her hand on the box before I said "good morning" in the cheeriest morning voice I could muster. I scared the crap out of her (but SO worth it!).  She said she came in to see if I needed anything. Yes. Please.  A slingshot, a BB gun, or a blow dart, whichever is currently available in the hospital arsenal on this lovely October day,  thank you very much.

Don't come between me and my chocolate.

(wrote this one this afternoon...posted after I got home)

The vampires arrived before 5:00 am

During an early morning bathroom visit, I decided it was as good a time as any to get so dizzy that I needed 2 people to assist me back to bed (all of eight feet). You know what Charlie Brown's teacher sounds like? Kind of a "whahwhahh whah whahh whahhh" .....when voices around me start sounding like her, I know I'm close to passing out. Fortunately, I made it back to bed in one piece. The RN's and CNA's here are the best.

Kari took my vitals and my BP was 74/40, so they started an IV saline drip and told me I can't have any pain meds until my BP gets back up in the living-person range. (ok, they didn't really say that, but it was inferred)..and I have a temp of 100, which isn't too bad, but they are still searching for the cause.

So, in the meantime, as has become a pre-dawn ritual, Jenny the Vampire sucked more blood out of me than I knew I had. Wouldn't you think that since my BP is low they would let me keep my blood?

I'm writing this at 5:30 a.m. and I'm not sure when Sam will upload it (it's a sleep-in Sunday), but I'm going to try to get some sleep, even though my incision site is killing me. Hopefully the doc will find out what the problem is so I can go home today.

Still hangin' out...

At least the service is good and the staff is very competent. I'll hopefully be discharged tomorrow. I miss home :(

Better Every Day

I started out today with a 103+ fever. I was a little incoherent during that time, so I don't remember details. The hospitalist ordered a chest x-ray, a urinalysis and the vampire came and took most of my blood (one arm wasn't enough - she had to drain BOTH arms). All the tests were normal, so the fever will forever be unexplained.

Walking is certainly a lot easier today. I walked the perimeter of the ortho surgery ward, but I have to admit that by the time I got back to my chair, I was ready to sit.

Tomorrow I get to go home. If I can get up those steps, I'll be fine. : )

I am looking forward to being home....hopefully I can manage with crutches but I may end up with a walker....not sure yet.

Owie Owie Owie

I've been up twice. Once for a short little walk and once to use the bathroom. Owie.

Last night I had a morphine-type pump (I think the med was called delotted)  to control the pain, and this morning I'm back on Vicodin.

When I'm just lying around, I don't have the intense pain...but standing up is very difficult.

P.T. is coming soon for their second round of torture this afternoon. I can hardly wait. Sam brought me some McDonald's coffee (yum!), so I feel empowered now : )

Surgery Day!

At 1:07pm, I'm sitting in a skinny little bed with hospital bling on my left hand. I've talked to Dr. Barba and my hip has a pretty picture on it. The house symbol means that I'm going home (as opposed to a nursing home), the "M" is his initial and the "hospitalist" is the doc I saw 2 weeks ago. Not sure why he gets credit here. : )

Sam's enjoying this immensely I can tell (that's a lie).

I'll write more later. This needle in the back of my hand is rather annoying.

Sam's writing this:

The surgery itself lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, but we got to the hospital at 10:45, she went into prep for the surgery at 1:19, and the surgery started at 1:54....then, I didn't see her again until 5:15ish because she took awhile in the recovery room.

The doctor told me that my  mom could run again in 6 months. I think she's pretty excited about that. She thought about writing another blurb for me to post after surgery, but then she fell asleep mid-sentence. I'm sure she'll have more for me to post tomorrow.

She's going to be forced to walk tonight, which will probably be pretty painful, but she's got a button to press for Morphine, which she can use every 10 minutes and I'm sure she will.

On my way...

Sam is here and I'm packed and out the door...more later :)

All Things Happen For A Reason...

...or so it is said. Today I had the 2nd part of my root canal....WAY worse than part one. It wasn't so much that the procedure was painful, but after the anesthetic wore off, I was in misery. I believe I've mentioned before that I miss ibuprofen (especially on days like today). My dentist was kind enough to extend my last week's prescription of Vicodin (so what if I had to beg a little?). Yay! I like Vicodin! So, I had to endure a root canal to get a pain killer that actually works on my hip. Who knew?

After a quick trip to my shop, the UPS Store, and the post office, I came home and put my heated mattress pad on my bed (which I use instead of heating my house because I'm so cheap...lol). By this time my jaw was so sore I couldn't swallow the Vicodin fast enough. With the exception of a couple phone call breaks, I slept for 4 hours! Thankfully,  I woke up in time to watch Project Runway! (Was Christopher really crying on the runway? Twice??).

One more Vicodin and I should be able to sleep through the night.

Good night.

(and Happy Birthday to my bff Karen!! If you made it to 50, I can too!)

Last appointment before surgery

Today I met with Francie, the PA-C that will be assisting with the surgery. She checked the incision location for any potential problems and found none. She then gave me the run down of what to expect next Thursday. It was nice to meet her. Apparently she assists with all of Dr. Barba's surgeries.

Here's a picture of the Birmingham hip model they have in the office. Dr. Barba's nurse told me there is a possibility that once they get in there, they may have to do a total hip replacement whereby they cut the whole top of the hip off at the top of the femur and pound a metal thingy down into the femur marrow. Sounds disgusting....I know. If your are at all familiar with the medieval-looking tools they use for this procedure, it's all the more disgusting. Good thing I'll be sound asleep when they make the decision, but I hope to wake up with a Birmingham hip and not the other one.

I don't even know if I'll have internet access while I'm in the hospital...so there may be a delay in my updates.

I'll have to check on that. Have I mentioned that I miss ibuprofen?

The second picture here is the piece that goes into the socket. It's very lightweight. 8 more days. I miss naproxen too.

I miss ibuprofen.

That's all...tylenol just doesn't do it for me.

What Is Hell??

“What is hell? I still maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love”....Dostoevsky

"What is hell? Day one of 14 of a mandatory, pre-surgical avoidance of anti-inflammatory drugs on the same day as the first of a two-part root canal procedure".....Me

September 16, Part Two

My lab work was all good, my blood pressure is normal, my EKG was great, and my blood sugar is a little on the low side, which (Doc says) is good. I am a low-risk surgery patient.

The countdown continues. 22 days.

I noticed some signs in the front of the hospital parking lot designated for clergy. They say "Thou Shalt Not Park". Very funny, St. Anthony. Who knew you were such a ham....

September 16, Part One

I never realized the similarities between a group of five-year-olds and a group of over-seventy-year-olds. Both groups interrupt the speaker (or teacher) by speaking out of turn, they try to out-do each other ("Oh yeah? well this is my THIRD joint replacement don'tcha know!"), they have to use the restroom often, and they need to ask their Mom/Daughter before they make decisions. One can sense they are overwhelmed. That's my Aunt Emma in the pic. Doesn't she look like the Hallmark icon "Maxine"? hahahaha.... (she died last year at 100 years old, so I can say that about her now. Can't I?) The little guy is Cole. He's my step-grandson. He wears blue moon ice cream very well.

      I was listening intently to the medicare/nursing home part of today's hip/knee clinic wondering how and why I ended up here. It is what it is, I guess. It's something I need to do and regardless of the fact I represent a different generation than most of my 'classmates', we obviously all have the same goal in mind. After class, the RN/instructor announced that she will take the first four people over to the lab, as they can only check in a few patients at a time. The rush for the door was like being first in line for recess. I brought up the rear.

My lab work is done. I have tiny veins and am always grateful when the lab tech can get the job done first try. I also had an EKG. What I need now is a nap. But...alas...off to the doc.

No, it's not WILSON

Nurse Denise from St. Anthony's Hospital called me today to get my medical history. The hospital had me listed under the wrong name. ugh...

She told me I can have nothing to eat or drink after 11:00 pm the night before surgery. The morning of surgery I need to bring with me: a photo ID, insurance card, living will (don't have that), power of attorney (don't have that either) and crutches. She also suggested that I don't wear makeup. That was funny. Do women actually consider wearing makeup on surgery day?

Dr. Barba will see me before the surgery and autograph my left hip. That's nice. No one has ever autographed any of my body parts :)

Surgery will take approximately 165 minutes. First phase recovery room....1.5 hours. 1st floor, Orthopedics, 2 or 3 days.... Marine Corps Marathon - October 2010.

Registration

The next step in the process is pre-authorization and registration. Done and done. I am also registered for a visit to the St. Anthony's hospitalist for pre-surgery medical clearance and a half-day information session. I have a long list of questions and concerns that will be answered during this "hip class".

29 more days. It's kind of scary to think about.... but at the same time I am SO looking forward to pain-free nights, no more 'needles' in my hip, walking for miles, running....and other things I've been unable to accomplish due to limited range of motion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_gu-xO0BEc I came across this very informative video about the surgery. With my limited medical background (I know how to properly administer Bandaids, ibuprofen, Dayquil and even an occasional Ace bandage), I can appreciate the plain talk.

It's a date!

Well here I go....my first attempt at blogging. Why am I doing this? Because I'm having hip resurfacing surgery soon and instead of wondering how things are going for me, you will be able to check in to 'All Hip and No Hop' (thanks for that, Tom) to check the status of.... stuff. I figure this way I'll also be able to vent all the frustrations of being immobile, albeit temporarily. Those who know me well know that will be the hardest thing of all.

I found out a few months back that I cannot/should not run any more because the pain I was feeling in my hip was indeed caused by arthritis and misalignment [feel free to suggest some optional - though impressive - medical terms here if you'd like]. After a visit to Dr. Barba at Rockford Orthopedic, I found out I am a good candidate for hip resurfacing. If you don't know what that is, read this http://www.rockfordortho.com/coe/hip_resurfacing.html.

Today I found out that my surgery will be on October 8. I have a lot to accomplish between now and then so that my business can run smoothly while I'm recovering.... and a lot more to do at the college so I can take a couple (?) weeks off.

SO....it's all Hip and No Hop!