1-week

*Pictures above...Decoy enjoying her time out of the kennel and stretching out on the couch, Eric making my leg lifting device, Decoy and I on our Princess Throns relaxing, and me on the bike 1-day after surgery.

It's been on week since my surgery and things are going good. Like April said in her post last week, surgery went well and the surgeon was able to fix what needed fixing. He sewed up my torn labrum and shaved down my hip socket, femur head and femur neck. I guess he did quite a bit if shaving on the neck this time around. He has me on crutches for 3 weeks versus 2 the last time around. I have only two incisions again and they are almost a mirror image of the ones on the right side. I have quite a bit more bruising this time, I guess it's because of how much bone he shaved off and the blood needing to go somewhere. Recovery for the first 4 days was rough. The pain was more intense as well as the swelling and brusing. I don't remember the first time around being this painful, maybe it's like chidbirth...if we remembered how it was the first time we probably wouldn't have done it again, right?

Being 1 week post surgery, I've been to 1 physical therapy session and have been able to keep up with my exercises. I've been able to ride the exercise bike for 15 minutes a times (sometimes 2x/day), do my tummy time/back time to stretch out my hip flexors, get on all 4's and do some rocking back and forth, flex my quads and have gotten my glute to fire every day! I'm scheduled for another physical therapy sesson on Wednesday as well as my 2-week check-up with the surgeon.

Eric continues to be very supportive as well as my family, his family and my co-workers. Thank you all for the flowers, meals, cleaning and outtings! Everything that has been done has been very much appreciated! I know Eric (and I) are enjoying the meals. Eric enjoys eating them and not having to think of something to feed me!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope you are able to spend it with your friends and family!

I'm ALIVE!

We'll at least I think she is...this is April, her twin sister posting for her. But if I remember correctly she only had to update my blog for one surgery, now here I am updating her's for surgery #2...looks like she finally owes ME one! Yes...
Well, sounds like everything went according to plan. I had to call my Mom this morning to first of all, remind her to go to the right hospital this time, (last surgery she showed up at the wrong one) and second of all to specifically request a phone all once Tiffany was out of surgery because last time I think it was around 9:00pm that I finally got a call saying everything was a-ok. Anyways, my mom called around noon saying the surgeon just came to talk with them. Sounds like everything went well, the doc had to shave off more cartilage that he thought and scrape some more lining off her hip socket but other than that things should be back to "normal". He apparently commented that there was no arthritis in the hip joint (which we had never heard there was) so that was strange...he'll have to explain that to tiff when she's a little more with it at her post op apt in a few weeks.
Well...here's to a few long days of recovery for Tiffany, she will do fine; after all, she does have a nurse at her fingertips! Oh...and a lot of good drugs too!

Stuff

I thought I would type one more time before surgery tomorrow. Yesterday marked my 6 month point on my right hip. I'm noticing changes and am looking forward to more! This has nothing to do with my hip, but Eric and I celebrated our 4-year anniversary together yesterday. I told him that I hope the next 4-years go even better!

My surgery is tomorrow already! I've gotten the phone call from the nurse confirming everything, so I guess it is really going to happen. I've even asked about the whole pregnancy test thing since last time they didn't tell me about it, and it caused some major last minute stress!

Surgery is scheduled for 9:50AM now and I have to be there at 8:00AM. She said that my surgeon is very efficient and moves through his surgeries very quickly. Interesting how he can move through his surgeries quickly, but his doctor office visits are always 1.5 hours behind.

A funny side story:'My grandma fell the day after Thanksgiving and broke her pelvis in two places (that's not the funny part) so she has been in care facility receiving physical therapy and occupational therapy while there. Yesterday when I went to visit her, she provided me with some practical strategies to use following my surgery! She told me about ice packs, how to put on my shoes using my grabber, how to move my leg with a rope and even how to get into my car using some slippery fabric. She is surprised that my therapist doesn't provide me with strategies. We are even going to swap walkers because mine has breaks and hers doesn't. I don't use mine as a real walker (just to slide it around the house with my things on it), so I think my grandma would benefit from the breaks more than me. I was sorry to tell her that I couldn't share my raised toilet seat with her just yet. She and I will be in the same boat recovering at home come Saturday.

I will have my sister post an update on how my surgery went and I'll update when I'm able. I'll try to take some pictures this time around.

Till then!

2 weeks, 2days, 'till round 2

Yep,round 2 is going to be here before I know it! December 17th is the date and I'm ready, even though things don't seem to be falling into place. My surgery time has been changed 2 times since I've scheduled it and when I called to schedule my PT sessions, I found out that my PT left. I did find her (wether she likes is or not)and have scheduled my first 2 PT sessions with her. I just hope billing all works out the same as it did when she was at the other place. Don't get me wrong, she is more than worth it, but therapy get expensive. Because I'm having surgery so close to Christmas and New Years Eve, getting in at the "required times" has been difficult.

I'm a bit wierd in the fact that I wanted all things (time, place, surgeon, nurses and anastegiologist) to be the exact same as last time, but I already know it won't. I have all the faith in the world that my surgeon is the best, but if all things were unchanged I would feel more comfortable. I have my house set for recovery. My toilet is ready, my bike is set up and recliner is ready to be sat in. As for Christmas, my presents are bought and just need to be wrapped. I have the beer and wine for Christmas Eve with my family and just need to make the chex mix (not too early because Eric would eat it all and then I would have to make it again).

I also have my plan for the first two weeks in my head with regards to Eric.
Last time, I played the tough card and did most things by myself within a relatively short amount of time. This time, I think I'm going be a bit more "needy". This is my last shot I figure to see what Eric is really capable of. Grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, dog duties, cooking, my personal cares and of course my last minute holiday shopping...how far can I push him!?!?!? In all seriousness, Eric is great to me and I have no doubt that he will do even better with me the second time around!

I'll post the specifics of my surgery time when the time comes closer. Knowing my surgery team, it will change once more before the time comes!

Happy Holidays to everyone!