It seems like lately I’ve had so little so say…and I guess
that’s a good thing in terms of the big picture. Really, it means that
everything is pretty status quo…no major swerves one way or the other in terms
of recovery.
I’ve also been very busy on this new, bio-mechanical hip. I
feel like I’ve totally pushed it to the max (within reason...it's not like I'm attempting to climb Everst), and it has passed
all the tests I’ve given it! I’ve been out in the field for work almost every
day, climbing rock outcrops, walking/climbing down steep hills, and up steep
embankments. I’ve had to climb over and under trees, etc. I’ve done all of this
without missing a beat, really. The hip gets a little fatigued, sometimes…but
on the whole I feel GREAT! I think all of this field work has really pushed me
over the edge to being almost completely healed. There is really only one
motion that I still have a hard time with, and it’s one that I hardly have to
do. It’s when I have to lift my leg up in front of me and over something.
Also, and this is where I get REALLY excited, I was away on
vacation last week in California. Before surgery, when I thought about what my
recovery timeline would be, this vacation to California was my benchmark. My “I’m
going to be 100% by then!” goal. And you know what? I WAS.
Almost every day on that vacation we put a lot of miles on
my “Terminator” leg. There was even a day where I walked about 20,000 steps….almost
6 MILES, and I didn’t miss a beat. My hippy wasn’t sore, or even really all
that tired. Now, here’s the best part…most of this walking was in San Francisco!
I walked up and down those hills without one moment of needing to rest. I tried
not to be emotional, but there were a couple of moments where I got a little
teary eyed. I couldn’t believe how fantastic I felt.
This is where I say the words I’ve always hoped I’d be able
to say post-surgery:
It’s like I never had a hip problem at all…like I am
perfectly normal.
Those are the sweetest words I have ever spoken.
I’m so excited about it, and I feel like this has been such
a fantastic success that I am going to spend the weekend crafting a letter to
my surgeon to let him just how grateful I am for his skills, and how successful
his procedure was and my recovery has been to date. I am so lucky to have had
such a great experience…I’ve been on cloud nine lately with this hip. I am
one happy hip-chick.
That’s all I’ve
got for now,
Thanks for
reading,
D
Danielle, your blog is such an inspiration to me. I have a very limited mobility for many years. I cannot even get on my husband's motorcycle. Even putting my socks on, it's an ordeal. I've always asked myself what's the recovery looks like and there you, are a living proof. I'm currently on a chiropractic care and beyond this, there's not many options left but the hip replacement.
ReplyDeleteOh Ada! I just saw this comment now as for some reason it didn't send it to my email. I'm so sorry for the delay.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words! I am so sorry to hear about your chronic pain...and I can really relate to everything you're saying. While I'm not familiar at all with your particular situation, I would seriously recommend seeing a hip surgeon who specializes specifically with dysplasia and PAO surgery (if you haven't already, that is). I was originally told the same thing as you, I would have no relief until I could go for THR (total hip replacement). A few years later I found my fantastic surgeon who specializes in our condition, and he suggested PAO. As you can read here, it has changed my life!
Ada, I hope you're doing well and coping with the pain. I'm so sorry for your condition and I hope I continue to be an inspiration for you! Please feel free to contact me any time and I will always try to answer any and all questions.
xo
D