I got an email from an old friend from the YMCA and she wrote that it seems like I am always recovering from something! I think she is right. Is that the way life is? I feel like I am recovering from 2012 and the hip surgery was just icing on the cake!
I look around and see friends and acquaintances that are facing true hardships; sick children and dying parents and I know in my heart that my pains are temporary and my life is blessed. Having said that I think it is important to take time to sit with whatever pain or struggle exists in order to acknowledge it and let it go. I am trying to be much more mindful and for me that means mindful of the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, for me and for others.
Whenever I am feeling frustrated or guilty or wronged in some way or alone all I need to do is to be patient and change will come. Hopefully it will come from inside me. My most favorite saying from Wayne Dyer is "change the way you look at things and the things you look at change" and that is the real truth of it. If I can shut up and be still long enough...be patient with myself and others, then I can see more clearly what needs really exist and if I really need to do anything at all besides be mindful.
So today I am 14 days out from my left hip surgery. Dr. Leslie Vidal at Rose Medical Center. I highly recommend a consult with her if you have any hip or knee issues. I was thrilled and impressed by the entire operation. The biggest pre-surgery struggle was my insurance and we didn't have approval until 10 minutes prior to my entering the operating room! It was crazy and her entire team was calm, professional and kind. Even Dr. Vidal came out to talk to me about the insurance 20 minutes after we were supposed to start! She is a real professional and genuinely concerned about her patients!
The surgery only took about 2+ hours. It took longer than they expected due to some really cool bone protrusions that had formed on my femur. The Osteplasty took some unexpected time but she said she got everything smoothed out and if I am a good patient it should heal nicely! She also mentioned that my labrum looked like crab meat and in fact should look more like steak...not good. She cleaned it up, showed it back together and then reattached it to the bone. Nice and neat. The pictures are gross but you might enjoy seeing them. Just not my thing.
Now the real challenge begins for me again....patience....4 weeks no walking and no driving. John had decided on a boys weekend the weekend after my surgery so my friend Christine flew out from SLC to be my caregiver! What a saint and a blessing that turned out to be! I am a real pain in the butt to take care of and Christine had the house running like a small military camp! She fed, bed and cared for me with such passion and kindness, it was amazing. Once I weened off the pain meds life got much better for me. I hate those things. We had a big celebration when I was finally able to poop because then we knew I was on the mend. It took 5 days but it was worth the wait! Phew I felt better!
Since John returned it has been a real challenge for both of us to manage my non-walking, non-carrying status. I don't think we have any appreciation for how important it is to be able to carry things when we walk...or bend over...or lift our legs for ourselves! Crazy! John has been outstanding at caring for me, running his business and trying to run our household. We have been blessed with amazing friends and family who have done so much! MP even offered to come up and clean but I couldn't have that! NR, MB, PS, MT, NS, HS, LS, LN and more have been helping us with so much! I am SOOOOOO grateful for your friendship and help! I know I have a long list of IOUs that I have to manage.
The next 3 weeks it is all about PT and being a smart and conservative patient patient. I am going to Panther PT and so far I like their team very much. I will keep you posted on them as time goes by! I have a CPM machine for 5 more days and then I will be ready to throw it out the window! Ugh! I have lame little exercises to do in order to get my nerves working again! It is amazing how traction can mess with so many parts! I hope the feeling comes back to all my parts soon enough!
I have one little ride in the future that I am hoping to be able to do, Buena Vista Bike Fest, June 1 and if that goes well you might see me doing the Triple Bypass. Not a lot of running for a few months and swimming can start only after my psoas release heals. Ouch! No swimming yet!
Patience and kindness will get me through this. Patience with me and others and the process. And kindness with me and others as well. I feel like I am being grateful but I worry that I am not being enough so I need to be patient with the process.
The greatest joy is that my niece Madeline has been here visiting and she is a great lady with a really nice friend named Tim. They are classy fun and living life! I am so proud of her!
Patience commence.....
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