update

I'm loving Dr. A. He said that all looks ok and I didn't need to have anything done. He also said he was glad I called him b/c I should always do that so he can check it out. Much better attitude than most dr's. He said he'd be happy to do the colonoscopy if the other dr's wanted it but I said I wasn't really in any state and he felt it wasn't a necessity so I am putting it off for now. Only time will tell if that is the right decision, but I do feel like it is. He doesn't think that anything would show up as well to change the course of treatment.

As for my right hip, I love those lido patches! They fix me right up. Of course the left got jealous and wanted one so started to act up but I've done a fair job of ignoring it today and tonight.

Dr. A also answered my q's about anesthesia (not general - woo hoo!) and wound size (not as big as I had started to imagine) so I felt much better after our convo today.

So all in all I haven't felt this happy in a few months! I know I still have to have the surgery but Dr. A seems very competent and positive about it so I'm going with that! (touch wood)

I could get into how bad my right hand/wrist has been but why ruin a good post? :-)

Recap & 36 Week Post-op

So the test run in Tampa went fairly well. My right hip was pretty amazing, especially since I have not been in the pool for two weeks! Unfortunately my left hip has really been hurting the last couple of days. I do not even want to consider what we may need to do at this point. I mentally can not handle the idea of another surgery, at least not presently.

So, we did a lot of walking around mixed with driving every day. I think the most walking I did though was on Thursday. I am definitely happy that the right hip did so well. I was also shooting with my Hasselblad so was bending over and kneeling more than I have in a long time. I was a bit sore but nothing too bad. It helped that I iced it after the long walk on Thursday.

My wrists were a different story. My left was hurting from using the H and my right, well, it just doesn't like me anymore and constantly likes to hurt me. Another surgery I'm not ready to contemplate, so we will pretend it's all fine. Jeepers, I feel like Humpty Dumpty!

There was a message on my VM at work from Friday from someone at the Clinical Appeals Department at Oxford. I rang her back but she wasn't there. Can't wait to hear what she says. I guess they received my letter from last week!

It's good to be home though. Florida is nice, but for a visit. I could never live there. I am definitely a city girl!

PS-I've added some photos from the trip on my Flickr site :-)

Achy

It ended up raining last night. We kept changing our mind to go on the ghost walk, and eventually decided to do so. That was a mistake. Even though we booked and gave them our info, when we arrived at the hotel for the start, no one was there. We rang them and they said they thought we meant for tomorrow night - buggers! Anyway, it really started to rain then so it probably worked out for the best.

My left wrist was killing me last night - it hurt so much that I wrapped it up in a lidocaine patch. I think it was from holding my Hasselblad. I will try to be more careful today. The sun has come out for the time being and I'm just waiting for my friend to get back so we can go to Ybor City. It's meant to rain later in the afternoon - not looking forward to that. I also put a lido patch on my right hip last night before we left. Today we have a twist though because the left one is unhappy. Oh well, if it still hurts when we're leaving I'll toss on a patch there! Shame I didn't bring more!

Other than all the achy bits, I'm having a great time.

Working it

I went to the pool yesterday and had it all to myself! So nice. I did a longer than normal workout, which I think is easier because this pool is heated to a nice temperature. Warm water is definitely better for my body with all of it's "issues". I also incorporated some arm exercises as well, and I am sure feeling that today - especially my under arms and shoulder area. I will try to keep it up though as I definitely need to start working them as well. I've added more reps to my leg lifts and a little bit longer to each of the walking directions. I haven't done the leg press or the bike again this week, bad me! I will try next week, things were a bit hectic again.

I did ice my hips when I got home last night, but that didn't seem to matter to the left. It was okay initially but later on started to hurt a lot again. Just when you are thinking it's better because you're not compensating as much with it - bam! Oh well. What can you do? I will have to just be careful but keep up the exercise with it as well, as I have been doing.

Hand/wrist also has not been happy the last few days. I'm dreading the surgery so will pretend it is fine for now.

Will be going to the pool this weekend, working on my website and tonight taking it easy as I have a date :-) Enjoy your weekend! I'm hoping the weather people have got the forecast all wrong!

???

My left hip is KILLING me today. I realised at the end of yesterday that I'd forgotten to take the Mobic. But can it REALLY lose the effect in a days time? Either that or I slept in a really bizarre position - which has been known to happen.
I'm baffled.

Thankfully the right isn't too bad, just a bit achy, but think it was from wearing high heels yesterday? Perhaps that's why the left is not happy either? Well, going to the heated PT pool tonight and we'll see how that goes.

It's also my day for the chiro/massage dr - sooooo happy about that!

Four weeks till my holiday!!! I can't wait! (I'm not counting down or anything ;-) )

Well...

I did change my appointment to earlier, but when I left to grab some food before, I barely made it down the block. My left hip, in the front, is going nuts at present and I was gimping down the street. So I am a wimp and bailed - cancelled my appointment and am back home now.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day. :-)

Home bound

Today I stayed home from work as I was in too much pain this morning. My whole right side was just flipping out. The weather was bad yesterday and add the lack of sleep and stress, it's the "magic" combination for a flare-up.
I actually went back to sleep and slept till about 11.30! Guess my body really needed it.

I did go to the pool yesterday, and it was good. I stayed in for a little longer, almost 30 minutes this time. At one point my right hip started to hurt whilst I was in the pool but then it went away so I just kept on plugging along. Last night when I was in bed watching telly my left hip started a stabbing sort of pain right in the joint. Such fun! But I finally did fall asleep, sans drink or my sleeping pill, so that was an accomplishment.

I am meant to go to PT later, but am going to see if I can go in earlier as I don't really feel like going at all, so if I have to wait till 6 I can't see it happening. We'll see if they can accommodate me.

Swim

I went for a swim today and it was going well until I decided to try the breast stroke. I had already done my leg exercises and thrown in some arm exercises for good measure as well. I did the walking up and down the lane and at the every end decided, heck, what can half a lap do? The good news is that my right hip was ok for the task, however, after just a couple of strokes, my left hip, on the inside, near my groin, started screaming bloody murder. Not good. That was the end of that. I'm wondering if I do have a labral tear in there, as that is the location that was hurting. I know we have yet to do an MRI, but I am in no rush as there's nothing we can do about the left until my right is very strong.

I was definitely sore on the right side afterwards, and came home and iced for a little bit which helped. I then went to a friends house and had multiple children climbing on me, but I behaved and did not pick them up, well, not for any length of time at least. So right now my right knee and foot are hurting but (touch wood) the hip is ok. I am going to go again tomorrow for a swim and see how that goes. Since I missed PT on Wednesday and they're closed on Monday, I must make some sort of effort to keep the strength up.

On a different note, I am v. excited about getting a new scanner and getting to work, but am baffled as to whether I buy additional bits for my PC or just get an iMac. I'd originally wanted the Mac OS but funding just does not exist for that at the moment. There's + and - 's for both so if anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it. So confusing and I'm so not up to date in this tech world! I have to keep doing my homework! Also trying to find anyone who might have Mac software for scanning and/or Photoshop. It's incredible how much software costs.

Do I or don't I?

The last few days have been pretty rough. By rough I mean not only has my left hip become a complete wreck again, my right one is hurting alot. At first it was just in one area, but now it's moved to the front as well. I am not sure if it's because I am starting to overcompensate with my right for the left, or if it's in the joint. The stress of this is really getting to me in all sorts of ways. Not surprising really.

Friday I took the train out to the island and only had one bag. It wasn't too heavy but I definitely felt it in my hips. Saturday I went to Macy's with my mother for a little while. It's a smaller store than some and we didn't do much walking around in it as I knew exactly where I had to go. By the time I returned home I was a wreck. This was mostly my left at this point. I went to lie down on the couch and couldn't straighten my left leg for the life of me, the pain was intolerable. I iced it for about an hour just to numb the pain. As I had dinner plans that night I conceded and put a lidocaine patch on it. Thankfully that helped get me through dinner.

Sunday I was pretty achy with both hips and just took it easy. That didn't seem to be much help though as by nighttime I was in agony with both. I iced both for a while before I went to bed, and that seemed to help. I am just so frustrated with the lack of progress and the setbacks that it's really affecting me something horrible.

So the question is, do I or don't I go to the MET today. There is a photography exhibit that I've been wanting to see since it opened in September, around the time of my surgery. My parents and I have plans to go see it and they don't want to go if I am suffering, but to be honest I am so frustrated with my life being on hold I just want to do things again and enjoy myself.

Last week I was so excited to feel free and be able to get around without worrying how many steps a place had or how many blocks I might have to walk, and now it feels like it's just been taken away again. I know eventually I will get back to that point, but I am having a bit of a hard time at the moment keeping the faith. So that's where I'm at currently. Not quite defeated but definitely forced back from the front lines by the enemy.

YAY!

I made it a whole work week without a crutch in sight. Quite an accomplishment. My left hip has started to really bother me again so I am glad that I've the injection for later today, though I must say I am not looking forward to the procedure itself. I believe I have the same doctor as last time though and he was very good. I so appreciated how he explained the procedure step by step and was constantly telling me everything about it and how it was going.

On a different note, I came across some interesting items on a message board I am on and thought I would post them. I did not write them. I will post each separately.

Also, check out this site: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf

12 weeks post op

It's never a dull moment in Tricia's world, that's for sure. I came down with a lovely cold or something last week, and it has decided it is so fond of me it doesn't want to move on. We are now trying antibiotics as a form of eviction. I hope they work.

As for my hips. The right one is good, I haven't been moving around too much since I've not been feeling well so it's hard to tell. The left hip has been touch and go and last week we didn't do any leg lifts with it. I've started to do them the last couple of days at home and so far so good. But again, I've not been walking much so it's hard to suss out exactly what triggers what pain.

The good news is that Dr. Kelly said I can get an injection into my left hip! I am going on the 21st, with the hope (and a prayer) that it will work like last time and keep me pain free for at least 3-4 weeks so I can enjoy my trip to London. I'm not looking forward to the process again as it hurt a lot last time, but I've got to try something.

Fingers crossed it works!!!

11 week post op update

Yes I am late again, but that's because I didn't go to PT on Monday. To be honest, I did not go Wednesday last either. I was letting some semblance to a social life start to creep in again.

So, last week, after PT on Monday, where we did leg lifts with NO weights, I still ended up in agony for a few days after. This is really getting old. And boring.
For the most part when I walk around I am okay on my right side. The right can get a little unhappy if I do much walking, but I am starting to think that is because I am leaning on it more than my left because my left is hurting so much. I try to ice when this occurs.

Yesterday am I woke up with horrible pain in my left hip. I was so uncomfortable that I rang Dr. Kelly's office and left a message. I have been thinking that since PT is so difficult on that side, and my leg is clearly getting weaker (it's weaker than my right now), some sort of evasive action needs to be taken. Other than this inhibiting me from walking more and seeing how I do without the crutches, and making my right side get irritated, it's most importantly going to ruin my trip to London in a few weeks! I can't have that. I discussed with my PT guy all of this last night and he agreed with everything I was saying, and said that (the dreaded) injection may be a good idea. For those of you that do not know me well, I absolutely dread the thought of putting that poisonous rubbish in my body. But...(there's always a but) it did work from 3-4 weeks on my right hip over the summer, and if I can somehow be fortunate enough to have it done and it works whilst I'm in London, I'll be a much happier person. Also it will help me take the pressure on my not-to-be-abused right hip.
I heard back from Dr. Kelly's office today. Arianne went on holiday so it was some person I don't know which meant going through the whole song and dance about what has been going on. (It's been short of a few days from a year since I first saw Dr. Kelly). I filled her in on all of my left legs loveliness (ie my IT band pops constantly and pain is more so on the outside of the hip), and she said that she thinks an injection might be something Dr. Kelly would want to do, even though I've not had an MRI yet on the leg. She was going to speak to him and would ring me back either tonight or tomorrow.

So, there we are. Oh, and to add to the fun, I think I've caught either a very bad cold or the flu. Ain't life grand? Still, off to see Tom Stoppard's "Rock n Roll" tonight, so perhaps that will cure me???

Happy Hanukkah!!!

9 week post-op

I cannot believe it's been just over nine weeks since surgery, and six weeks since I've been back at work. Where does the time go?

I am learning that slow and steady does seem to be the key for me, though my patience level is barely existent. On Monday I told the PT dude that after last weeks workout with the (only 1 lb!) weight on my left leg, my left hip hurt for days. I said I thought it was the isometric side and back leg lifts and he agreed. This time I did those leg lifts sans weight and it seemed ok, so I'm thinking it was exactly that. My right side we did 1 lb weight for the leg lifts and it seems ok. For the leg lifts with the stim (on the right side) we are still using the bolster and did 3 lbs on the left and 6 lbs on the right. Slow and shaky at first but eventually it got smoother.

The good news is I was told I can start walking short distances sans crutches. He suggested that I can try to go to the corner store, but if I'm running around to bring it with me in case I get tired or sore. The main thing is to not irritate and cause inflammation in the joint. I was hoping to be off the crutches by yesterday, that was my goal, but I supposed this is a compromise I can (or rather will have to) live with. My new goal is to be completely off them by 28th of December, when I leave for London. I really do not want to have to bring this blasted thing with me. I will try to be better about PT as well, as with all the other insanity going on like my nightmare root canal, I became quite lax about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

left hip not happy

This week in PT they worked my left leg as well as my right. The sad thing is my left leg is much weaker than the right. I had been trying to do exercises with it pre-surgery, but obviously the last couple of months have not been able to keep it up. On Wednesday when I was going to do the stim for the right leg we tried a 5 lb weight for the leg lifts on my left, and 7 lbs on my right. That was a bit over-estimating my strength. I was just able to do 6 lbs on my right, but my left we had to get down to 3 lbs. My knees have been very bad and they were hurting with all this lifting, though I know only strengthening my quads will help the knees. Yet another catch-22.

We also added 1 lb weights to all my isometric leg lifts; inside, outside and back; for both legs. I wish I knew what triggered the left hip so badly so I won't redo it. I was going to do some PT now, but my left hip and knee are killing me, so thinking I will ice them and hopefully in a few hours I will be able to do something.

8 Weeks Post op

Sorry, these have become more like weekly updates.

Last Friday I went to see Dr. Kelly for a post op check up. He seemed happy with the way I am progressing, definitely a good thing. He said that I still should not try too much in PT, just focus on strengthening the muscles to help stabilise the joint. He thinks that around 4 or 5 months post op is when I can start pushing it up a notch.

I told him how my left hip has been bothering me a lot more. He still thinks part of it is compensatory, but I did remind him it was bad when I first came to see him about my right hip (just that the right was a hell of a lot worse at the time). He said to tell the PT guys to work on my left and stretch it out, as the IT band is popping a lot and it hurts on the outside of the joint.

Sunday I spent a long time on my feet shopping with my mum. I have not really tried that yet as Dr. Kelly kept saying to keep taking things very slowly. I was sore and achy and my left hip and left wrist (from the crutch) hurt like hell, but my right one held up pretty well. I iced as soon as I returned home and was just a bit stiff that night and yesterday. Not a bad test run at all I'd say. Once I get rid of this last crutch I hope it will be much better for my other body parts.

On the root canal front, I've just returned from the "final" visit with the endodontist. Fingers crossed that once the novocaine wears off I will be okay.