"this is my hip"

My hip has been super ticked off with me the past few days. I'm pretty sure I've just done more than I should. It is hard for me to realize that not even 90 days has passed since the surgery. I need to listen to my body more! I've come to realize that those of us who are in pain on a fairly constant basis---seem to learn to ignore our pain. This is good when you're trying to fall asleep at night without pain medications, but not so good when you're ignoring the pain so you can clean up around the house or make dinner or do laundry or pick up your baby when they won't listen!
Anyway, I'm working on the happy medium. In my hip-group on Yahoo.com one of the other members posted something great today. I've pasted it below. She really sums it up well. Couldn't have said it better myself.

This Is My Hip

Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:44 am (PST)

This is my hip. There are many
like it, but this one is mine. My hip is not my best friend, but it is my
life. I must master it as I must master my life.

My hip, without hope, is useless. Without my hip, I am useless. I must
stride my hip true. I must walk straighter than my neighbors and all who
are trying to walk, too. I must walk among them, despite snapping and
grinding. I WILL…

My hip and myself know that what counts in this life are not the miles
we walk, the pain of our hips, nor the sounds we make. We know that it
is the hope that counts. WE WILL HOPE…

My hip is strong, even as I, and it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as
a science. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its
accessories…all about it as a whole and each of its individual
parts. I will ever guard it against the ravages of inaccurate diagnoses
and uncaring medical personnel, as I will ever guard my legs, my arms,
my eyes and my heart against damage as well. I will keep my hip limber
and strong. We will rely on each other. WE WILL…

Before God, I swear this creed. My hip and myself are the defenders of
my mobility. We are the masters of triumph and hope. WE ARE THE SAVIORS
OF MY LIFE.

So be it, until victory is ours and there is no pain, but LIFE!

Listen to my hip under this post on my blog or directly through you tube
also.

6 surgeries, yet still on the quest for freedom...

SHC
http://congenitallychallenged.wordpress.com/
<http://congenitallychallenged.wordpress.com/>

Down to one crutch!

Can't believe I haven't posted in so long. It's been hectic around here with all the help we had after the surgery and the rehab. It's taken most of my energy just getting some of my "usual stuff" done. I'm feeling a lot better lately. The right hip pain is down by at least half and I'm walking with just one crutch! Very exciting to have a hand free now. I've even been up cooking meals again. The most exciting news is that I started driving again last week! It's amazing how much I missed that part of my independence. The physical therapy is going well. It's time intensive. I'm there for an hour and a half twice a week. I'm getting stronger and can walk further than I could before the surgery without pain. I still have a hard time with any standing for longer than a few minutes. We have our nanny still helping with my son and the usual stay at home mom "duties". She's a God-send. We are so grateful to have her.

Anyway, off to be...I'll work on increasing my updates...

Continuous passive motion with my baby boy

Hip Braces, Walkers and Ted Hose, "Oh-My"

I'm still alive

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to let you all know I made it through the surgery. I'll post all the details from the doctor soon. It's still hard for me to sit for too long. So I'll keep this short. I'm using the continuous passive motion machine 4 hours a day everyday, I'm wearing my hip brace (I'll post a pic, it's ugly and cumbersome but supposed to help), I also have to wear these ridiculous boots to keep my legs straight while I sleep. Thank God for Vicodin! I have weaned myself off of pain meds during the day and just take them at night since I'm still sleeping in the recliner. Anyway, things are good so far. thanks for all the cards and flowers and well wishes ;o)

Insurance is a GO!

Finally got a call from the insurance utilization review nurse last week. Based on all of the info I faxed over to them their doctor has certified my surgery!!! Thank God! I'm so relieved and in such a better place mentally now preparing for the surgery. My doctor's office also told me I was the first patient they ever had go through the appeal process and win ;o) Usually the doctor's office staff has to deal with the insurance companies. Classic me, to controlling to let them handle things. ha
I'll write more soon, I feel like I'm nesting for another baby trying to get the house ready for me post surgery. I just want everything in its place and nothing left to do so I can come home and heal and relax!

Insurance craziness

I have probably wined and complained to most of my friends and family about this already. And I have to say my husband is a saint for listening to me stress out and try not to totally freak out over our insurance issues.
So for those of you who haven't had to listen to me complain, our insurance company sent me a letter on Friday the 19th of July (two days before my birthday, excellent timing) saying that they couldn't certify my hip surgery based on the medical documentation they had!!!

Thank God I was blessed with good phone skills and an assertive manner, because that's basically what I did all afternoon last monday and all day tuesday. I talked to multiple people, left messages, wrote letters and faxed documents until I finally got process for an appeal started. Thankfully (and sadly), the medical assistant at my orthopedists office is very used to having to appeal the insurance companies decisions. She is having Dr. Clark write a letter explaining why I need the surgery and what he plans to do.

Apparently, people sign up for hip surgery all the time just for fun... ha ha.

Oh well, I've done all I can do now. Just have to wait and see what they decide. I'm trying to stay calm trust that everything will work out. I know I've done everything I could and as much as I may want to, freaking out isn't going to help any. UGH.

I'll keep you updated.

Great Book!

I have actually been able to do some exercising this past week! My Dad bought me a book from my Amazon wishlist. It's specifically for those of us with funky hips. The title is, "Heal Your Hips", by Robert Klapper, MD and Lynda Huey. Dr. Klapper is an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in LA, he specializes in hip surgeries. Lynda Huey is an athlete who has written another book on water workouts. She has worked with a lot of pro. athletes. I totally recommend it for anyone with hip problems considering surgery. Especially, if you're not sure what activities you can or can't do to help with your hip pain.
Sorry for the commercial, but it's really a great book ;o)

Shopping in Sedona, AZ

other people's kids...

I took my son to the Children's Museum here today. It's such an awesome place! Today was not a good day to go, they were experiencing a power outage which meant no air conditioning. Since it was a toasty 106F outside we only stayed for half an hour. There's a large mat with a series interconnecting tents and tunnels on the first floor. There were a ton of kids playing and I was walking around watching my son explore. It was amazing to me how many of the Moms were totally engrossed in talking to each other paying no attention to what their kids were doing. While I hobbled around with a cane watching my sons every move. Especially, since we were totally surrounded by strangers!!! So weird. Anyway, one of the little boys decided to lay on the floor and start kicking right when my boy was tottering by. I steered my son in the other direction and told the little boy, "no kicking, kicking is not ok". A few minutes later I saw his Mom drag him and her other kids off the play area. I definitely got the feeling my comments were not appreciated. It was really hard for me to understand because if my son were kicking, hitting, pushing, spitting etc... and I wasn't right there to intervene and appropriately discipline I would actually appreciate someone telling him what he was doing was not ok. ugh. Then this evening I went to Gymboree to spend my "gymbucks". Always fun and exciting to see how much you can get with the 50% discount. I was enjoying being in the mall by myself, drinking a diet coke and actually shopping without a stroller, when a little boy maybe 2 years old came over and started pulling on my cane and saying "MINE". This wouldn't bother me if his mom had been close by. But of course she was off shopping and totally ignoring her little boy. I seriously could have picked him up and walked out the door and she wouldn't have noticed! After the museum experience earlier I just went to another rack and tried to avoid him.
I swear, these are the parents who need to read more People magazine articles about abducted kids!

physically challenged breastfeeding

I was doing some random web searches on physically challenged parenting and I came across a great book. Breast Feeding and Human Lactation, by Jan Riordan. I'm going to purchase it so I can paraphrase some of the information on this blog. Just thought I'd throw the title out there for anyone thinking of breastfeeding. I have breastfed my son his whole life, we're going on 16 months now. He's just starting to wean because of my surgery in August. It's been an amazingly rewarding experience. He has been happy as a clam with all the delicious and nutritious breast milk. And, I've had all the happy hormones to keep the postpartum and chronic-pain blues away. Ps: breastfeeding releases endorphins which are basically, "happy hormones" that make you feel calm and relaxed.
More to come...

canes should not fall down...

I'm using my cane all the time now.
This has lead to the following critique of canes:
1. There's no where to put a cane when you are stationary and need both hands to do whatever you're trying to do (laundry, dishes, cooking...) I usually end up holding the cane under one of my armpits while I try to do things with not quite two hands free. Which leads me to number two.

2.canes do not stay where you lean them, they slip and slide down whatever surface they are leaned against. This is extremely annoying considering those of us who walk with a cane, aren't the best at bending over to pick things up

3.canes make really fantastic swords and/or dog-wacking devices. This is altogether too much of a temptation for my son. Which leaves me "caneless" while he battles the dogs with his cane-sword.

If I come up with any solutions I'll take photos and post them here, who knows maybe there's lots of money in innovative mobility device designs.

relaxing by the pool...

we have a surgery date!!!

I can't believe I finally have a surgery date. Since November 2007 I've been seeing orthopedists for increased pain! I've finally found an orthopedic surgeon (or OS) that can and will do another arthroscopy on my sad right hip. Dr. Martin Clarke with The Core Institute is the lucky guy. In less than 2 months, August 19th to be exact, I should be on my way to recovery and hopefully much less pain. The CT scan showed that my Right hip has a piece of loose bone from the original PAO and they said my hip joint is very lax or loose and there's definitely arthritis and inflammation in the cartilage. I also found out I have arthritis in my SI or sacroiliac joint. Which really answers a lot of the questions I had about why I have so much lower back pain. The good thing is that a cortisone injection after the surgery into that joint should help relieve some of that pain. Dr. Clarke brought in another OS who specializes in hip replacement. He said I would be his patient sooner than later, but I'm still not a candidate for replacement yet. Thank God! I just want a few more years to be able to have another baby and get some life out of this unhappy hip of mine. Apparently, babies after hip replacement is not recommended. Good to know. Well my SI joint is killing me right now, time for more ibuprofen. I'll post more later. Happy almost 4th of July!!!

wacky hips

I saw the 3rd orthopedist in 3 months yesterday. The next step is a CT scan and having the head of the largest ortho group out here review my case. The Doc. I saw yesterday specializes in hip arthroscopy, mostly sports related injuries and his exact words were, "I've seen a lot of wacky hips in my practice, but you are the first of your kind". great. I feel so special. Actually, what would really make me feel good is if they would just magically say, " that they could of course fix me and take away the limp and the pain by doing "xyz" and I would be cured immediately"... guess that's not going to happen. I started crying on the way home in the car. For the most part I'm pretty upbeat, but when I have to stop and seriously think about the pain I'm in and what it is exactly I can or can't do it really gets to me. I really want to have another baby and if we don't get this pain under control I don't think it's possible. ugh. The only things that really help are that my husband loves me and totally supports me, and my son is amazingly motivating and would cheer anyone up in even the worst situation. Also, my husband still thinks I'm hot, even when I'm a total cane carrying gimp. Too bad pain knocks my libido down so low.
Anyway, bye for now.

olympic shaving

Back in the day (a few years ago) shaving my legs wasn't an olympic event. Not anymore! Now, I have to give myself a pep talk and gather my strength to hoist my leg up onto the shelf in my shower so I can reach down to shave it. It's really freakin hot here, over a 100 degrees most of the summer. Pants are not an option in this weather and my husband's not really one for the "granola-european unshaven look". So at least twice a week I muster my energy, take some ibuprofen and shave that ugly stubble. I'm definitely asking Santa for laser hair removal for Christmas this year!

introductions...

so... gimpy mom? guess that needs to be explained.

I'm 30 years old (31 in a month), I'm a mom to one practically perfect son, and I have congenital developmental hip dysplasia... ugh. I'm a registered nurse too, so I will attempt to avoid ridiculously large annoying medical terminology whenever possible. But I want to start this off the right way with total clarity. So, here's the hip explanation: I was born with hip dysplasia. That means my hip joints didn't form correctly, specifically my acetabulum is too shallow, or in English, the socket of the ball and socket joint is too shallow and kind of wonky. It's normally diagnosed at birth or in the first year of life. In fact they should check your baby, any baby, at every "well-child" visit to the pediatrician. Obviously mine didn't. So here I am 30 and approaching my 3rd hip surgery on the right, the left side has behaved quite well since the original corrective surgery when I was 16. Did I mention that already? When I was 16 I had hip pain, rather abnormal for a teenager, so they did xrays and low and behold I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. 12 years too late, my orthopedist explained to us, sending my Mom into a guilty crying jag for the rest of the day. Turns out if they had caught it before my 4th birthday I could have been corrected to near normal. They didn't, hence my current painful condition. I had bilateral Chiari Osteotomies at age 16, 6 months apart. They seem to be calling that surgery Peri-acetabular osteotomies now, or PAO. Guess that's a hell of a lot easier to pronounce!

Honestly, I'm really pissed off about the whole thing. I figured this blog would be a great way to vent and let off some steam about dealing with life physically limited and in pain.
I should mention that it's not all doom and gloom. I have a wonderful life otherwise, went to college, married an amazing man who actually loves me and I get to stay home full time with our totally adorable, light of my life son (sorry for the cheese, but seriously kids are really amazing and when you have your own it's totally life altering).

I guess that's it for now, I'll be in touch...