The little things...

I noticed that I was always focusing on the negatives about the hip dysplasia (because honestly, there were a lot more negatives than positives at first). So for this post, I decided to list all the positives that my diagnosis of hip dysplasia has given me:

• I started going full force into Occupational Therapy! And I love it!
• I am substitute teaching and meeting great people
• I got to go through an experience that not many people my age get to go through, and I learned so much along the way!
• I experienced a great physical therapy team that coached, taught, and pushed me through the toughest time in my life
• I LEARNED TO WALK AGAIN! (How many people can say that?! Booyah!)
• I can run without pain!
• I can go out drinking with my friends and not bring crutches or a cane along (I was on crutches for my 21st bday)
• I can play catch in the park with my boyfriend (I did that for the first time today since surgery!)
• I can stand all day at work without being in pain!
• I can sleep throughout the night
• I can actually fall asleep without medicine!
• I haven't had to take pain medication in a long time!!!! 
• I can park far away just to get myself to walk longer
• I don't need to carry a foldable cane in my purse!
• I don't need a walker, cane, crutches or any kind of device to help me walk from my living room to the bathroom!
• I learned that I have great family and friends that would do anything to support me :) 
• I have an excuse to get an awesome tattoo over my 10 inch scar!
• I now have my very own walker, shower seat, transfer board, bathtub handle, sock aid, an abundance of exercise bands, etc.
• I can easily get in and out of the car
• I don't get weird looks when out in public like "Why does that young girl have a cane?" (I actually have been told by various people that "I didn't need that". I just looked at them and told them "No, I really do". How naive can people be?!)
• I am sitting here typing this and can say that I am NOT IN ANY PAIN WHATSOEVER! (Do you know how huge that is?! I never thought I'd feel this great!)
• The list can go on and on...

9 months and 20 days POST-PAO!

Two years

This time two years ago, I was preparing to run my first marathon, finishing my Bachelors degree with high hopes I'd be starting a PhD program, and got a job at my internship that would start right after I graduated. So much has changed over the past two years.

By July of that year, I had to put my marathon training to a halt due to a stress fracture. To my surprise, it ended up being much more than just that. I had to quit my job and didn't get into any PhD program I applied to. I felt like I slammed against a huge brick wall. All the things I was striving for was ripped out from under me.

That winter my childhood friend, grandma, and great aunt passed away along with being diagnosed with a life changing condition, hip dysplasia. All of these happening within two weeks of each other. After all this happened, I started going to school again while preparing for surgery. After one of the most stressful semesters of my life, I had the surgery. I spent the summer recovering and saw huge improvements. That fall I kept going to school and realized how much my hip really did affect my life.

It's now two years later and I'm trying to figure out which race I want to run in the summer. I am able to run on the treadmill but won't be able to run on the roads until the summer. I decided the 5K Color Run in July would be a great way to celebrate. But, I still keep thinking about that marathon I so desperately wanted to complete. My plan is to be able to run the half marathon in September of 2014. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to complete a full marathon.

My hip still does affect me every day and I am constantly thinking about it. I don't think that will ever change. However, what I am able to do with it will. And even though my life is completely different as I planned, I am looking forward to see what it will be like two years from now.

9 months and 3 days POST-PAO!

I graduated!

I officially graduated from physical therapy this week! I have been going to physical therapy for 8 months! Now it is up to me to continue my exercises. I'm going to miss all the people that I used to see every time I went there. However, I am excited to be able to do it all on my own. :)

Jogging, jogging, joggin'

During my physical therapy session today I jogged on the treadmill again! This time was twice as long as the last time I jogged. Also, I increased the jog to 4.0 miles an hour! It felt so great to be able to do this! I just kept thinking about how much I have been through and how far I have come.

As for right now, my left side is still weaker than the right, but it is MUCH better than it was before. I still have a ways to go in recovery. I will most likely be stopping physical therapy at the end of this month and it will be up to me to keep at it! I will probably start up again in the summer when I can start running on the road.

A concern right now is that I have a little bump on my left hip. It is most likely scar tissue and doesn't give me any pain. I just need to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't increase in size. My thigh is still numb and I am planning on it being that way the rest of my life. It might take two years to come back, but it most likely won't. The best thing for me to do right now is stick with my physical therapy. I slowed down on it for a few weeks and really noticed the difference! It helps so much!

This journey has been a long and eventful one.

 

"Remember the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running."
-Sarah Condor 

6 months and 26 days POST-PAO!

One month to go.....

I just read a fellow "hip sister's" blog. She is now running 1/2 marathons a few years after her PAO surgery. This is really an inspiration. I aspire to be able to complete a marathon and after my diagnosis with hip dysplasia I never thought that I would get to. I was told by one of the surgeons that I would never get to! However, this girls blog shows me that there is a chance that I can. I realize that these races will be far in the future and I am going to have to start small. But just the idea that it is possible gives me so much hope.

My surgery is exactly one month from today. I have an appointment scheduled on Monday to give my first blood donation to the Red Cross. I have never given that much blood before and I must say I am kinda nervous. I know that giving blood marks that the surgery is close. And, yes, that freaks me out! I have heard such positive things off of other hip blogs and I can't wait to be writing those myself. I wish I didn't have to wait another month and could be already done with surgery and in recovery. I know the closer it gets, the less sleep I'm going to get. I already toss and turn at night from the discomfort of my hip. 30 days to go and I'm ready now!