1 YEAR POST-OP!!!!

WOW - what a difference a year makes!! I am officially one year out from my original PAO surgery. This past year has been full of hope, excitement, sadness, setbacks, and happiness all rolled into one. There were times where I lost all hope of ever being the same person I was before hip dysplasia - but then the good days started to out weigh the bad. I can with out a doubt say that I am a stronger person now, physically and mentally, then I have ever been before! I had a post in the works about how mentally taxing this surgery is, but that is for another day. Today I celebrate that I have made it through the year!!

Let's take a look at then and now...

Then: Pre-op I could not walk or do any activity without falling down
Now: I am increasing my activity level and time every day, still a little pain (but I have had more surgeries then most), but overall feeling pretty good.

Then: Post-op, I could not move my leg at all. And I remember thinking 'Will I ever walk again?' As it was not very convincing to be able to see your leg, so you know it's there, but not be able to feel or move it.
Now: The doctor can not believe how flexible I am. It's a little weird to have him and his residents move my leg and hip around and say things like "Wow!! That is impressive!" I still have an area on my upper front and outer thigh that is still diminished for sensation. But, as far as I'm concerned, that is a small price to pay for where I am now.

Then: I sat in my "sitting room" that my loving husband set up for me. I would work from home, knit, read, and watch tv, and then get so bored!! All I wanted to do was be able to be part of the world again. I felt so left out as my husband and friend left for State College on the weekends to work security at the PSU games.
Now: I never stop running!!! I am either at work, the gym, tennis courts, or a bike trail!!!! I love every minute of it, but there is a little part of me that would love to sit - but I will save that for the Left PAO. I am now heading up to State College with the guys to go to the games or just tailgate.

I'm not 100% done recovering yet, but my latest surgery was in June. It was not as major as the original, but it set me back a little. Reflecting on the last year I feel so blessed to be where I am!! I see the light at the end of this tunnel and that makes me very happy.

I had my 10 week post-op appointment for the surgery in June on August 10th. Dr. Goodspeed was so ecstatic with my progress. He told me that after everything that I have been through with this surgery, the pain that I have endured, and my high tolerance for the pain, I will breeze through childbirth. I asked for that in writing :-). When we were finished with the appointment he said that since I was doing so well, we would consider the appointment my 1 year post-op as well. I don't have to go back unless I need to. He asked me to call or email him periodically to let him know how I am doing. That is the least I can do for the person who changed my life!!

YAY for 1 year!!!!

Two weeks post-op...

Update...

I am now 17 days out from my 3rd and hopefully final surgery on my right hip. As I stated in my last post, the doctor feels very confident in a full recovery now - as do I!! I haven't had a lot of pain with this surgery, which no pain is always a good thing. I have even been to the gym quite a bit. Last night I did 9.25 miles on the bike in 35 minutes with a resistance level of 7!! Not bad considering everything!! I can not wait to get back to running, mountain biking, and tennis again.

I had my 2 week post-op on Thursday, June 18th. The doctor is very pleased with my progress and could not believe that I was walking without a cane! He reiterated just how large the heterotopic bone growth was. He showed me on the x-rays that it was actually covering the head of my femur bone! Holy crap - no wonder I could hardly lift my leg without getting pain and the snapping feeling. He said he could not believe how fast my body grows and repairs bone. He had never told me this before - but he said that at my 6 weeks post-op for the PAO the bone fusion was further than normal. He said that if I were to ever break my femur bone, it would probably heal very, very quickly. When I told my mom this her response was, "Renee, this is not a challenge!!"

I asked the doctor when I could start running again. His eyes got really big and he said "Hmm, I have never had anyone ask me that at 2 weeks post-op." He said that I could start trying to do everything that I want to do. I have to "practice driving" for a little while though, as that movement from gas to brake is still pretty weak. As it is, my husband is being very protective and is refusing to let me drive to work yet, so he has been bringing me to and from work. I could get use to having a chauffeur!

The only thing I am "dealing" with now is tiredness (gotta get back into the routine) and itching. The itching is driving me crazy!!! The doc put me on Indomethacin after this surgery as a precautionary measure to heed off heterotopic bone growth again. I finished up the medicine on Saturday, but am still having problems itching. My body is starting to look like a scratching post for cats! I wake up in the middle of the night because I am so itchy. I am hoping that the medicine soon works out of my system and I stop looking like a dog with fleas.

I start back to PT tomorrow. I am looking forward to it since now with the extra bone removed, I should be able to lift my leg and do the exercises. Plus my physical therapist have become friends - it's hard not to when you see this person 2-3 times a week. Plus I think you should at least be nice with the person who has to touch your bum (to feel the muscles).

I feel a lot of hope from this surgery. I truly feel that this will be the last chapter in the right hip PAO!!!

3rd Times a Charm...

I am home from the hospital. I came home Saturday morning. I am hoping that the third time is a charm and that is was my last surgery for the right hip. The doctor said that he pulled a piece of "bone" (heterotopic - scar tissue formed into bone) from me that was a little larger than his thumb. Let me tell you - he has chunky fingers. He said he was very surprised at just how large this bone was and feels that it was the cause of me not getting fully recovered and all of my pain. Wow!!! What a relief to hear that - I can't wait to start PT - to really test things out.


I am off of work for two weeks, although I will be working from home. This recovery it already a lot different from the first and second surgeries. I am able to be full weight bearing and I cam walking around the house unassisted. It feels so nice to be able to walk around the house and do the stairs. Since it is June and the weather is gorgeous, I am taking advantage of sitting outside. This is totally different from last time when I couldn't do the steps and was confined to the spare room that Doug made into a sitting room for me.

This is where I am recouping today. I am checking emails from work, resting, and doing a little knitting. I am pretty sore still. I have a huge bandage with at least an inch of gauze packed in it over my entire right hip. I am to leave that on for 5 days. I can't wait until Wednesday when I can remove it - it is so itchy.

I feel pretty good about the recovery from this one already. The doctor had me start on the stationary bike one day after my surgery to keep things moving. It is so funny to go to the gym and see the looks I get for walking in there with a cane. I seriously want to lift my shorts leg and say - look I just had surgery, so please stop starring. I requested to get my hardware from my hip. The doctor said I should receive it in 2 weeks as it has to go through pathology. That should be interesting to see the 5 screws that held me together for nine months.

Thank you to everyone for you prayers, well wishes, and good thoughts as I went through surgery. Now it is time to recover and close this chapter!!

New Surgery Date

I went to the surgeons last Thursday for my pre-op appointment. You know pre-op for the June 26th Surgery, right? Wrong! It turns out that my surgeon has to have hip surgery (ironic I know). His surgery is on June 20th. There is no way he would be able to perform my surgery just six days after his own! A lot of his surgeries are very time consuming, so they are all pushed back until July - September. My surgery is only three hours long and the doctor wants to get this hardware out because of the post-op infection I had so they wanted to squeeze me in before his surgery. My new surgery date is Friday, June 5th!!! AHHHH - that's right, this week!! I am freaking out a little. I had so many things planned between now and June 26th that I have had to cancel.

For this 3rd and hopefully final surgery on my right hip they are going to be removing the hardware, doing a scope to fix a possible labrum tear, and removing a heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification — Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a process by which the soft tissues around the hip harden into bone. This complication is more common in males than in females, and more often affects patients with other muscle or bone conditions. Patients with HO may experience hip stiffness, or may feel no discomfort at all. Patients who are known to be at high risk for HO may be given medications or radiation therapy after surgery to prevent HO from occurring. Borrowed from: http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~l/K..Sw6LW_v63G

If you have read my previous posts, you know that the doctors thought that I had a snapping Psoas tendon. However, the ultrasound and x-rays reviled that the muscle and tendons are getting "caught" on this extra piece of bone. Boy, I'll tell you if it was going to go wrong - I think it has with this RPAO. I really hope that my LPAO won't have so many complications!!!

So these next four days are going to be pretty busy trying to to prepare for this surgery!!! Wish me luck!!!

This & That

It has been a while since I have posted, but really until the next surgery on June 26th there really has not been much to report.

I am keeping myself busy by going to the gym, running (or trying to at least) and getting back to playing tennis. I have missed tennis so much as I have been recouping. I have been out at least two times this week to play. I played with my friend for the first time since my surgery. That was a lot of fun. I was up 3 games to 1 until he started coming back. We played until we couldn't see anymore and he ended up beating me by one game. After playing, I said "Now that I have this new hip, I'm giving you a run for your money, aren't I" to which he replied "You are playing really well". See there, my game was bad because of the hip...haha take that!! I am not competitive at all...or sarcastic.

My right hip has been sore, but I admit I have been putting the beat down on it with tennis and running. I am still hyper sensitive in my thigh area with the nerves and feeling coming back. I am quite anxious to have June 26th get here and be done with. After this next surgery I will be able to truly move on!!

So really, no news or little news is good. It means I am holding on. Hope everyone enjoys this wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We are putting a new roof on the house this weekend. Don't worry, I am on the ground crew. There is NO WAY I would do that type of incline with still recovering. Roof, tennis, and picnics = a busy weekend!!

7 Month Post PAO

It has been 7 months and 4 days since my RPAO. All and all I am feeling pretty good. I have had my fair share of complications with this surgery, but all and all I do not regret it. I have some pain and weakness yet, but I can walk again with out falling.

Since my last post I went to see my surgeon on 4/9/09. I was not scheduled to see him, but when I got to PT and Paul saw that I was still in pain, he wanted to make sure that I did not hurt anything when I fell down the steps. I had x-rays taken and met with Dr. Goodspeed. The good news is that I did not do anything to the newly constructed hip. The bad news is, there is another "complication". Since surgery I have had a hard time bending then extending my leg whether it is laying, sitting, or standing. Think about putting your pants on and how you move your leg for that; or laying flat on your back and bringing your knees to chest and extending them out, like in Pilate's. When I say "hard time", I mean extreme pain and a pinching sensation. I had thought that this was because I was still too weak. Turns out I have a Snapping Psoas Tendon. Yeah, I know, if was going to happen...

The doctor said that from the reconstruction of the hip it seems as if the tendon is getting caught on a piece of bone and then releasing (think rubber band), hence the pain and popping sound. He could hear and feel it as he made me do the motions like 20 times - yes fun, fun. The good news to come out of this is that they will be able to "release" the tendon arthroscopic, which means a quicker recoup time. My surgery is scheduled for June 26th. I think this is the only year that I have ever wanted to wish away. I am eager to get this surgery and get on the recovery road again. I have stopped PT for now. My PT, Paul and me decided that it would be better to continue after the surgery. Then I will be able to do the movements with my leg that will help me get stronger.

On Sunday, April 19th I completed the MS walk of 4 miles. I was very hesitant in doing the walk this year but felt that I needed to do it. A very dear and close friend of mine was diagnosed with MS about 4 years ago. She is not even 30 years old yet!! Since her diagnosis I have walked in her name. My thought process was if someone can fight everyday of their lives with MS then I can surely suck up any pain I might feel and walk for them. The surgeon told me that the bones are healing nicely and that I can try anything I want, I just might have a little pain. By 3.5 miles, I was really feeling it and was starting to wobble (can I just tell you how much I hate wobbling - I am sure all my fellow "hipsters" can attest to this). But, I made it - 4 miles at a great paced walk. I felt like I really accomplished something!!

That same day I had my first Special Olympics tennis practice. This is my first year ever coaching and volunteering for the SO's. I have six athletes signed up. Three were not able to make it to practice due to prior obligations, one did not show, and two athletes were there. I really think I am going to enjoy coaching. One of my athletes is going to defiantly keep me on my toes this season. Since it was just two athletes, my friend (who is my assistant coach) and me participated with the athletes. So I ended up getting two very nice workouts in this Sunday. Now I am not going to lie, I was not feeling all that great that night. I ended up having to take some pain medication, which I don't like to do. But all and all I was happy to have survived the day.

Now we count down for June 26th, and pray that this will be the last surgery for my right hip!!

Btw...if any are interested I found a video of one of the things Iam getting done in June. Warning...not for the weak stomach. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWXLFnO-BMU

Just when you think your out...they pull you back in!

I have been attending physical therapy twice a week since November. I had been making great strides and was getting very excited at the prospect of leaving that part of the recovery behind. But apparently my body has decided other wise.

Last Thursday, 3/26/09 I completely broke down at PT. I felt so discouraged. Here I am six months out from surgery and I have hit a wall! I read of my fellow PAO's being finished with their PT and here I am...still. My physical therapist, Paul saw the look on my face, that look of "I'm in pain, but dammit I am going to win this battle" and that is when the talk came. Paul called over another PT who is well versed in Strain / Counterstrain. I am still having problems with my muscles communicating properly with my brain. And with more probing, they are pretty positive that it is a labral tear in my hip. I am under strict orders not to do any more lower body work outs until advised. And Paul has limited my PT to one time a week to try and get me to rest more. I have a call into my surgeon to see if I can go in for surgery in May instead of June. June was the targeted month for my screw removal, but I am really hoping for May since a) don't want to be in pain anymore and b) don't want to be sedentary anymore. I am a very active person and this "resting" thing is killing me. I physically feel ill when I can't work out!

To add insult to injury on Friday I went to go down to the basement and get something when I fell down the steps!! I tried to throw my weight and managed to land much harder on my left side, but still hurt the op (right) side pretty good. I called the surgeon and he feels that I did not do any damage. I have had a clicking sensation when I walk ever since the fall. If that and the pain do not go away within the next week, I am to call them and get in to see them. UGH!!!

My main goal is to stay strong until the next surgery. I was so very close to having this all behind me and then WHAM!! I just want to be able to enjoy the things I did before. Positive thoughts!!!