For all you (hip)sters out there, you know what a big deal it is to hit post-surgery monthly markers. Not that we want to wish our days away, but there is so
much pride in saying "I made it through 2 months of recovery" or "I'm at the 3 month mark!" Well...in ONE WEEK I will hit the FIVE MONTH milepost (thanks be to God). This "anniversary" is distinguished by the entrance of snow to Indiana + 
holiday fun + the "okay" from Dr. Scheid (one month ago) to enter the world of elliptical + a long awaited "stay-cation" = GREATNESS.As you can see from the pictures, Nate and I love playing in the snow. Over the past few weeks, we took snow walks, sledded with niece (very carefully), and flew through the air on the Park Tudor mini zipline. I can't walk long distances yet, but it feels so good to get outside and enjoy myself. The snow is majestic here and reminds us oftentimes to stop and worship our Creator of all things beautiful.
We had a splendid Christmas at home this year. Especially this year, as we reflect on 2010, we thank the Lord for a newly reshaped and on-the-mend-hip to celebrate. We are hopeful the healing will continue with success as we enter a new year. For those of you wanting hip milestone updates, here are a few:
Physical Therapy: I officially graduated from PT last Wednesday! I got a t-shirt from Sarah to signify my graduation! I gave up on water PT early on as I felt it was not as helpful as the land. I feel I should have started in the water earlier and perhaps it would have had greater impact. My PT says my strength and range of motion have improved significantly. I feel this as well. I still find myself wanting to lift my leg (with my hands) to enter the car or to cross my legs. I need to let my leg do the lifting and let the muscles "remember" what their role is again. I am at the gym almost daily doing either cardio (no running of course!) or strength training. My big focus now is to strengthen my hip flexor and to keep working out the bursitis which is inflaming my left side. My IT band is being overworked due to the bursitis, so I'm walking that line between resting/icing (several times a day I ice, especially after workouts) and regaining strength and stamina. The bursitis has been most discouraging. The cortisone shot hurt like no other and didn't seem to help. The PT hasn't helped it as much as I had hoped. I have stretches and exercises to do to hopefully decrease the inflammation and pain. Just in the past week I have felt some new groin pain. I'm so hoping I haven't re-torn my left labrum. So, the next phase of PT is on my own--working hard to abide by the things that have been recommended to me.
Swelling: As stated above, I am still dealing with much swelling now almost 5 months in. Dr. Scheid has said to expect 6 months of recovery so I'm assuming this is all part of the process. I plan to go see him this month and to address the bursitis if it has not decreased. I've been told a person should no get a cortisone shot in the same place more than three times in a lifetime. I'd like to do a little more research on the pros and cons of cortisone shots.
Quality of life: LPAO surgery has been such a significant trauma on my body, mind, and soul. I am continuing to "restore" life again and yet in a strange way, I look back with fondness as I acknowledge the faith-building, life-altering experience we have walked through and continue to walk through. I am grateful for a chance to live with significantly less pain and I look forward to the day when I don't think about hip pain for an entire 24 hour period. Lord, I pray that day comes!
Until then, we are learning to return to LIFE again. For the most part, minus running, I am back to my normal life. Icing my hip and managing the nerve pain has become a normal part of the day. It's still good for us to remember, however, that we are still in recovery mode. Though Scheid says 6 months of recovery is to be expected, my gut tells me it will take a full year to feel my body get back to normal. I will expect this and then be surprised if it turns out to be less.
Next steps and the right side: The not-so-great news to tell is that last week Dr. Meiers officially diagnosed my right side pain with a labral tear. The MRI showed a significant tear and also displays my severe dysplasia on the right side. This was discouraging news, as you can imagine, but confirms the level of pain I've had in my right groin area. We were waiting to see Dr. Meiers in light of the fact that my right side had been weight bearing for 3-4 months and we were unsure if the pain was related to this weight or to a tear. Likely, it is related to both. Either way, we now know we up against the same thing we were/are on the left side.
We are now praying and considering surgery dates (combined arthroscopic and RPAO) for the right side. More to say about this in days to come...
Until then, we try our best to be present in this day, in this moment, and to choose to live with a grateful spirit:
God of fulfillment, never-failing Lord, grant that we may always place our trust in you, that our hope for deeper love, greater peace, and personal fulfillment reside only in you.
