JUNE 17th

My nurse called me today and the company said they will have my hip ready by June 13th.  My surgery is scheduled for June 17th.  I asked her if there was a possibility that the surgery could be moved up and she said that there is a slight chance but that she doesn't think it will happen.  They are scheduling my pre-op testing the first week of June so that if it does happen earlier I'll have all of it out of the way.  Now comes big decisions that need to be made.  Continue on with the wedding as planned or postpone it?  I'm terrified of either decision.  If everything goes PERFECTLY with surgery, I will have around 21 days(3 weeks) to start walking again before the wedding.  My vision for my wedding day was me walking down the aisle with no assistance except for my dad.  I wanted to be able to dance and celebrate at my reception with my family and friends.  I know to some people this may seem petty.  Who cares if you can't dance, mingle with family and friends,  or walk down the aisle?  Well to me its important.  I feel I'll be able to walk on my own in that short amount of time but if something goes wrong again it could ruin everything.  At this point, every week counts in my recovery.  Plus we would lose money if we had to postpone probably.  I'm really set on a fall wedding but I'm not sure I want to wait a year.  I do realize I am lucky that technology has come so far and that I'm going to have a chance at walking again.  There are people around me that are going through things that are more serious.  So I do realize it's not the end of my world.  I'm so very lucky but so very stressed.

same old same old

Unfortunately there hasn't been any more news on my hip.  I'm still sitting and waiting.  I've been watching lots of tv, playing ds, and trying to get back into planning the wedding.  I've been getting out of the house every now and then.  Mom takes me to dance class with her and has taken me to the mall a couple times.  Jason rents us movies from redbox.  However I'm still bored.  So bored it almost makes me sick.  After being up in the morning for a couple hours I'm already looking forward to going to bed that evening just to give me something different to do.  I think the boredom bothers me more than the pain of having no hip.  I'm so ready for the next surgery.  Once I have it done at least I'll be able to work towards something.  Once they release me from restrictions I'll be able to exercise my leg and work towards walking again.  I can't wait to go back to work and be around my awesome co-workers.  I'll be able to pick up at a moments notice and go meet friends for dinner and shopping.  I just need to remember all the things I have to look forward to once this is all over with. 

4 more weeks? You've got to be kidding!!



Before my recent surgery

After my recent surgery

I had my 1 month check up with my hip surgeon.  He took some xrays of my left hip just make sure everything looked okay (which it did).  As you can see from the second xray there is no ball or socket joint.  Instead there is just the metal femur replacement that comes out the top of my leg which is from the first replacement. Thankfully they didn't have to replace that part. Unfortunately, that is the main thing that causes my pain.  It stabs me throughout the day every time I move which then causes an ache or throb that lasts for awhile afterwards.  He showed me a model of what is being made for me.  It is a custom made prosthesis that will fit me and me alone.  He is pretty confident that it will work.  He said he is not leaving the operating room until he gets that hip to stay in.  He also told us that it may be another 4 weeks before my surgery which really disappoints me.  That is really pushing it to get well enough before my wedding.  Once I have the surgery, I won't be able to put any weight on my leg for 3 months so that the bone has time to grow into the prosthesis.  If it goes that way, that takes us to September which of course is one month before the wedding.  Can I get myself walking again with no assistance within a month?  Plus try to get back to work?  Finish planning the wedding? I'm not sure.  The doc is going to call De Puy Orthopaedics this week and try to find out a date of when they will be done.  He said he isn't going to wait once it's done.  He will book my surgery ASAP once it's finished.  Maybe it will be done before June.  That's what I'm praying for.  Even a week earlier would give me a bit of a head start. He is supposed to call me this week as soon as he finds out. I'll let everyone know once he does.