Today is a double anniversary. 8 months since I turned bionic, 5 years since
I went to Chester Zoo wearing a lovely long dress and got married there. That does make it sound like it just happened
on the day but it was a planned event, honest.
Well I’d hardly go to the zoo in a long dress if I wasn’t up to
something.
Anyway it got me thinking that in the run up to the wedding that
was when I was first suffering with my hip.
I did get worried I’d be struggling on the day; it was only a short
aisle but the last thing I wanted was to not be able to walk down it. As it was things were fine, I walked, I
danced, I fretted over the football score as Liverpool played Man Utd on the
day, but the hip was OK. Though by that
time I’d given up my dancing and zumba, little knowing that 5 years on I’d
still not be back to doing them.
In my last blog post at 6 months I said I had gone back to
Dancercise and also got back on a horse.
I also said my groin pain had been getting worse and I’d been back to my
surgeon. Following his recommendation I
did bin the classes for a bit and took ibuprofen. And I worked on doing my hip flexor stretches. But things aren’t getting any better. It’s getting more painful. It doesn’t hurt constantly but it hurts more
often and when it hurts it’s more severe.
First thing in the morning it is sore and tight. Stepping back into knickers has become a bit
of a chore again. Mostly I still manage
it but there’s a not-so-lovely sharp stabbing pain as I do. And it’s that movement of bringing my leg up
when I feel it most, but to the point that it’s now there when doing every day
things like driving. Not bad enough to
make me need to stop but I couldn’t do much more than the drive to work without
it hurting more. So Monday week I am
going back to Cheadle again to see what Mr Hoad-Reddick can do. Part of me still half wants to go straight to
surgery if that would sort it and skip the injections. But on the other hand I also don’t want to
miss Christmas and if the shots might buy me a few months then maybe I’ll go
for it. Last year our work’s Christmas
do turned out to be a really miserable night.
I blogged about it and don’t want to be blogging again saying how 2016
was the same. I’m going to be dancing
this year, not sitting in pain feeling sorry for myself.
And I’m not going to let this blog post turn into a self
pitying whinge fest. Yes the groin pain
is there, and yes I am still overweight, but neither are going to get fixed
that quickly so in the meantime there is good stuff. My hip generally is brilliant. If it wasn’t for the groin I’d likely forget
half the time. I walk everywhere with no pain, I don’t worry about it at all
and when I think of how it used to be it really has been a life changer. I still lurk at least on a couple of facebook
groups and see other people’s progress stories.
Some are ridiculously amazing, often US patients who have anterior
approach with no restrictions and are up driving in 2 weeks, horse riding at 6,
trekking, climbing, skiing...all sorts.
But others struggle more and I feel so sorry for them as this should be
something that makes things great again.
One lady has had her stick forcibly removed by her surgeon at 7 months
and she is scared as it gives her security.
I feel quite sad for her that after having had surgery she has lost
confidence rather than gained it back.
When we went to Morocco at 13 weeks post op Kev asked if I was taking my
stick; we’d got used to taking it on every holiday, even a long day out. But I said no and had no hesitation in
that. I have no confidence issues at
all. I walk where I want, in crowds,
mixed terrain, stairs and not a care in the world. The only thing that has spooked me was a
slippy floor. I’m not generally scared
of falling but the past few years winter has been hard as icy surfaces have
seriously worried me. I’ve had minor
slips, the little wobbles that you get but because in the past my hip couldn’t deal
with it, those little wobbles hurt or had the potential for real pain. I have a horrible feeling that having been like
that for 5 years I won’t be free of that worry so easy. As if I didn’t already
feel like an old dear!
And that has veered back into whinge territory again – must get
out of it. We had our cruise holiday and
I was a bit gutted there was no particular buzzing or beeping at airports or
ports. Heck I even got a brief smile and
a Happy Birthday from the Russian passport control lady! We did tons of walking on the holiday. Nearly every port we did was on a DIY basis
and as a couple of times we failed to find the right bus so walked it all. The fitbit was in overdrive. A couple of times in talking to fellow
passengers I mentioned I’d got the new hip; it was great seeing the total
amazement on their faces. Not to mention
ego boosting when I get comments about how young I am!
And as well as walking miles…literally miles, thousands of
steps…I wore heels, I got drunk, I danced.
Sometimes all 3 at once :) I took part in my first silent disco…cue lots
of tuneless singing (like that’s different to normal) as well as dancing
loads. I did intend to do dancercise on
board the ship but that meant getting up early on our days at sea. When the sessions were on I was usually
stuffing my face on a huge breakfast.
Waffles and syrup…very sinful, VERY nice! I did make it on the last day but as
everybody by then knew the routines I was totally out of it. It was blowing a gale and I couldn’t cope
with the far too enthusiastic Shawna,
our activities manager. 10 minutes later
I admitted defeat. But that was all I did bale out of. As well as the walking, twice I climbed
towers that I probably shouldn’t have done. Pics below of the towers in question, and in the second you can see me halfway up trying not to look down!. Kev was sensible both times and sat at the bottom.
The
first in Tallin was a killer and I had to come back down almost sitting at the
top end as the steps were narrow but deep.
I was back to doing one leg per step, operated leg first which was fine
but by the end of that my left thigh was wrecked. I spent a couple of days wishing I hadn’t
done it. Then a week later I was back up
another one in Warnemunde (lovely beach town in Germany). Steps a bit more sensible that time and no
pain, though my head for heights was tested.
Great views, great for the fitbit and no grumbles from Horace – top result :)
So overall am I bit pissed off things aren’t perfect…yes. But am I glad I went through the surgery? Too
bloody right I am. I know I’m not the
most patient patient but at least I have a sympathetic surgeon and
options. And I can dance. And I can wear
heels. And hopefully next blog update
will have less whingey bits :)
