3/3/2014 All is Well, Post-Stumble, and My Friend Deborah's Hip Replacement Was Today - Flying Colors!

As has been the case, too little sleep last night, but I was up and at work at a reasonable time.
Even as stiff as I was - and expected to be - on the second day after taking my little spill, I got out of the house - with onkly a few groggy mishaps.
I was taking my big handful of vitamins and supplements all at once, as I always do. 
After one sip, I DROPPED THE NEARLY FULL GLASS OF WATER on my lap - and splashed the kitties as they ate their breakfast (With Electra still getting better from pancreatitis and lipidosis, I have to feed them in my living room so I can monitor that Maia doesn't eat all of Lexi's food...). None of us were much happy about it, but at least it was before my shower, so I wasn't dressed yet. But holding a giant mouthful of variously tasting pills in your mouth while you, soaking wet and cold, struggle to pour a fresh glass of water is pretty gaggy. ) But I shook it off  and got going.

Not a bad day at work. Enough to do, not too much, and only a few confusions.

My friend Deborah is my "guest" today - though she's not writing here, in the normal sense of a blog guest - she is a little occupied today - getting a total hip replacement! As we speak, if her surgeon is on schedule!
Debbie has been a friend since college - we were drama students and roommates together. We lost touch for many years and went in our directions, but several years ago (I think it was with the advent of Facebook), we re-connected - older and wiser, both of us, and very glad to re-connect!
We go to the theatre, or fun special events (The Lord of the Rings shown in an Arena with a live orchestra playing the sound track - great fun!), or with a group of friends to brunch. She has pretty bad fibromyalgia and some other physical issues, so she is
Well, the first time I was recovering from hip surgery, I had a whole wonderful army of friends taking shifts caring for me at home, so I didn't have to deal with a rehab hospital. (Have I mentioned how much I DID NOT WANT TO GO to a reheab hospital? Oh, only about 50 times? Right then..). Most of them have day jobs, but, because Debbi doesn't, she was kind enough to volunteer to be my Day Shift most days. It was great - she didn't have a ton to do, and none of it was physically challenging. A little breakfast and lunch, and helping me get anything I might need (Water, medications,  etc)., and the rest I could do just fine... They just needed me to having someone to make sure I didn't fall.
We spent a week or so of days catching up, laughing, watching some tv together - she brought me a very generous recovery gift of a Roku device for streaming tv, and she and her husband very kindly brought me their "older" giant flatscreen tv!
We really had a great time. She intended to stay with me the second week, but then at the end of the first, she tweaked something  and was suddenly in pretty bad pain, and was horrified to have to bow out for week 2. It turned out to be the perfect weaning off time - byt then I could deal with simple breakfasts and lunches, and I didn't even really ned to fill in all of the day slots.

Shortly thereafter, her doctor diagnosed her with hip arthritis, and - she needed a new hip!! She told me, "Now that I've seen you go through it and heard all about it (And believe me, I talked ALL about it!!), I know exactly what to expect, and how great the results are, and I'm not a BIT afraid!!" She pushed hard for the Anterior approach. She had to wait a few months, but she got it. (AGAIN - Posterior surgery is a very good surgery. If you need to have it, do not worry - just follow orders, and you'll be great in jig time!) 
I cannot express how happy it made me to know that I had any part in making her journey easier!!
So - at the very moment I am typing this, she should be about 2/3 or the way through her surgery, and on her way to being able to walk in much less pain! Fibromyalgia is rough, and hard to deal with, but a bum hip can make it mechanically impossible to walk. I am so glad she is "joining the Bionic club" as we in my circle of friends have come to call it!

Tonight I have a night off all to myself, and though I need to go to Safeway for a few non-co-op grocery items, I will wait until tomorrow, after my chiropractic appointment and give myself a *real* night off. Also, I hope to be a little less stiff and sore.
I just received word back from my surgeon - I only need be concerned if I have significant pain in the new hip joints... 

Continued 10:39 PM 

 I don't have significant pain, so HURRAH!!  It's a little sore - I am sore all over from catching my fall!  - and already 
improving - so - WHEW!!! this evening I have been walking around the house in a more natural, comfortable way that I have so far - there's a little irony! Fall down then get up walking even better in just a few days! 

So - back to Deborah! Her daughter was kind enough to text Debbie's progress to a group of her friends. I am most grateful, plus, I think I was able to be of a little comfort to her, maybe.  I tried, anyway!   Her surgery was actually delayed in the day and she finally went in at about 7:00 pm - but she was out in NO time! at 8:15, her surgeon came out to say she was done and in about 30 minutes they could go in and see her! WOW!!! By 8:40, Sarah texted to say she had just talked to Debbie, and she was very lucid - going in for her post-op x-rays. 

I was out for hours, and don't remember anything at all about the post op x-rays!! She's amazing! It could have some to do with different procedures at Sutter and Kaiser, but no matter - she's out and doing great. Also, she has dealt with other kinds of chronic pain for a while, and I had never had anything stronger than ibuprofen - could be a reason our wakeup time was so different. Proof that everyone is a bit different! 

I am so happy for her! And Sarah was very relieved once she got to talk to her mom. They are a great team. 

I can't tell you how happy I am that she was able to undergo this procedure. 

I also talked to her husband's cousin (facebook) and he said that Debbie was able to help him push for getting his father an anterior replacement, because at 85, they were afraid to do surgery - so they are going to do it almost entirely with the epidural, with just a little something to keep him from hearing the procedures - I hear that it sounds like a wood shop in there- and of COURSE it would. It sure looks like one!  VERY clean one! 

So - the ripples get paid forward - i learn from others and my great Sutter team, and Deb learns from me and her great Kaiser team, and she lets her cousin-in-law know about the anterior approach, and his dad is now able to get a new hip. 

My heart feels very full and warm tonight. 

Good things: 

My concern about my own hips after the little spill I took is alleviated, my muscles are loosening up and feeling better, my friend is repaired and will be up and around in a week or three. Jt is in Bali recharging he batteries, and I am so glad for him!  

Tomorrow, I will see my chiropractor for the first time since - last... May?!? June? He's so great and was so wonderful in helping me keep my poor painful frame upright for so long before we knew I needed new hips... I can't wait to semi-saunter in there on my own power, with little or no limp! He's not gonna believe it! I'll bring him a copy of my x-rays, too. He's a great guy - I know he'll get a kick outta that. Besides, it will probably be a good thing for him to have medically. 

Then I have Physical Therapy Wednesday - I will have to confess to Anne that I fell. I am NOT SUPPOSED TO FALL!!! 

I am so , SO glad I have watched my health and practiced good dietary and supplement practices for so long, and that I was working on reconnecting with my body and my physical health fr the last 4-5 years at least! I think that's why taking a fall for me was not disastrous. My bones are strong, my muscles are also strong for my situation, and my immunity is high. I was able to catch myself at least to a degree that I didn't just go "THUNK!" onto one of my hips! I landed on the left one  - but in moments I was able to test both of them and know that the mobility was still OK, without any extra, elevated, or new pain. *whew*. My muscles EVERYWHERE else in my body, particularly upper body, got so sore because they did their job compensating and catching me. They are reminding me the I AM ALIVE!!! YEEEEHAW!!! :) 

I have a lovely show I'm performing in, and start rehearsing for another next week... 

Life is INDEED - GOOD!! 

OK - It's not even 11:30, and I'm DONE with the nightly blog post! Debbie is out of surgery and in her room now, and should be home in 3-4 days - sweet. I'm going to go ice up nad get to bed by midnight! 

EXCEPT - here she is - on Facebook Instant message! :) A quick little exchange but she'sdoing well! 

"Hip, Hip" - hurray! ;) 

(Puns - I am occasionally guilty) 

A very good night to you. 

-M