5K!

I ran a 5K! The Color Run! I ran pretty much the ENTIRE thing!

It was a few months ago but I forgot to post my photos, so I thought I would now...

I have come so far since surgery...

Never Give Up!

So, I haven't posted in a long time! I thought I would get you up to date on everything that's going on with me. I have had some incredible improvements! First of all...

I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes straight!!! NO WALKING!!!

That was a HUGE accomplishment for me! There was no pain and not even any tingling that I have been feeling every time I ran after surgery. I'm finally getting better and doing this helped me realize that. Before I did this, I felt like I was platoeing and didn't seem to be getting any better or any worse. But FINALLY I saw some improvement! It meant a lot! I just can't wait until I get to run on the road again. I think about that all the time. When I finally am able to, I am definitely not going to take that for granted. I don't even take walking for granted any more. 

So the next big accomplishment...

I walked 3 miles today!

I know I've done this after surgery before, but this time was special. It was on the marathon route. I haven't walked the marathon route by myself in almost 2 years.These little accomplishments aren't little at all to me. There are so many things I am thankful my body is able to do. I am thankful I can walk, run on the treadmill, put my shoes on, walk up stairs, drive the car, sit cross-legged, sit on the ground and be able to get back up, and so much more. 

I saw a man walking with his wife in the park today. There was something special about this man...he was using a walker. He inspired me because I know how difficult it is to do. He made me smile and I just wanted to tell him my whole entire story. I'm back to blending in with the public (something I wanted so bad in the past) and now I want someone to know about my hip! It's only natural to want to talk to someone sharing the same experiences as you. I didn't talk to him. But I am proud of him. I am proud that he went out for a walk and is working hard at recovering. Watching him struggle made me think about everything I've been through and how far I've come. I'm so thankful that I have progressed so much over the past year. I've worked really hard, been through really tough times, and right now I only have positive things to say about my hip. Something, I thought I would never be able to say.

To all those reading this that are going through hip dysplasia, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm just starting to see it now, but it is there. Be patient, work hard, and keep family/friends close to help you get through. Never give up.

Photo by: One Hip World

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!

I JOGGED FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Today during my PT appointment, I jogged on the treadmill! This is the first time I have ran since my initial diagnosis of the stress-fracture in my hip way back in August 2011!!!! Yay that's right! Marathon here I come! haha. Just kidding, not even close to that yet....

This is a huge milestone for me. I have been dreaming about running for over a year now. It just happens that I wore my "Marathon Training 101" t-shirt today to therapy. It was perfect. I literally was so happy I even got emotional over the fact that I was able to jog. It means that much to me. I felt like I was re-imagining this whole journey and realizing how far I have come.

Right now my PT is starting me off EXTREMELY careful and slow. We were doing one minute walk/one minute jog. We only did this for 10 minutes, so 5 minutes walking/5 minutes jogging. His goal is to get me to 10 minutes of continuous jogging. During the exercise I felt great. It kinda felt weird still having my leg partially numb but other than that it felt better than it did before surgery! Probably because I was running on a stress-fracture and multiple ganglion cysts! Who knew that running can be painless?!
The real test is going to be how I feel when I wake up tomorrow morning. Right now I feel a good sore after the whole workout today. I hope tomorrow I feel the same because that means we can up the time that I jog! 

Overall, I needed to post something about this! I wish I could of had my PT take a picture of me running for the first time...I might during the next appointment :) If I do, I'll be sure to post it on here!

Let's just say this makes me SOOOO happy! I have had a really hard year, with so many things happening that I can't control. Now, I finally feel in control. It's an amazing feeling!