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!

Playing the Waiting Game

I have around 40 days until surgery and I can't wait! Even though I am extremely nervous about the whole thing, I just can't wait to get it over with and be done with dealing with this!!! Right now I'm playing the waiting game. I have good days and bad days. Most lately are bad. I don't know if it is just nerves or I am doing to much on my hip. I tend to clean, shop, etc. when I'm nervous.

I am extremely lucky to have family and friends that are so supportive throughout this entire thing. They are all SO supportive that there are times where I have turn them away. I have had to not let them go to a doctors appointment with me or tell them that someone else is handling it because so many of them offered to help. I really appreciate everyone around me. I think that is what is getting me through all this. Most of the time I can ignore how much pain I am in and enjoy what I am doing, however, there are times where it really gets in the way. That is when I am able to turn to the people around me for support.
I know everyone is not as lucky to have such a supportive surrounding. What I also have found extremely supportive is if you join a support group online such as Hip Chicks (http://hipchicksunite.ning.com/). Here you can talk to everyone on the website that has gone through or is going through the same thing as you.  You can get advice and share advice. The entire website is wonderful and has helped me tremendously.

As the date draws closer and closer, I get more and more nervous. Soon I will start giving my own blood to the red cross to save for my surgery (4 units!!!). When that starts, I know that everything will become very real. Right now it seems so distant and unreal. I am excited for recovery and to be able to learn so much from this experience. I am going into Occupational Therapy and I know this is really going to help me become a better therapist in the future.

My best advice to anyone else going through this, is to stay positive and make sure you have support. This is something that you can't do alone and there are so many resources out there to help.