This week was about good news and bad news. Well, globally
too, but mostly about ME ME ME. And as I am already bored with that subject,
instead of doing a separate post I’m just going to recap Friday’s doctor’s
visit in its proper place, the Friday slot of this post.
Sunday,
May 14th
As already discussed last week, Mother’s Day hit me a little
harder this year. It happens every now & then & is to be expected since
this is my first year back in NC, living 10 miles from the house I grew up in. Dr. M spend some time with his pop today, and the Mother’s Day
roses were still lovely (they called them that because they usually are in
bloom around Mother’s Day). My mobility just really sucks lately, so I stayed
home. Even so, had I known that my dad & Sue were spending a quiet day at home I
might have gone to harass them. Ha!
After Dr. M came home I decided that I needed to get out of
the house after all. We took a nice drive around and then brought Chinese food home for
dinner. This was my fortune. Well then!
Monday,
May 15th
We were undecided about whether
to put the futon in the living room at the new house, but finally went ahead
& ordered a new mattress for it & rearranged the room to make it fit.
It is an EXCELLENT place to take a nap when you’re feeling puny – I know because
I already tested it out. And also we decided that it was a little inhospitable
to not have seating for guests.
Tuesday,
May 16th
I don’t know about you, but I
personally think that Miss Rita is saying, “Why don’t you come up
sometime and see me?” Ha!
Wednesday,
May 17th
Poor Dr. M. He put a squirrel
baffle on the bird feeder, but apparently it wasn’t very baffling to our squirrels.
I’m not sure if you can tell (this is a picture through the door), but there
are two squirrels on there.
Squirrels: 2, Dr. M: 0
Thursday,
May 18th
Dr. M and I just sitting on the
deck enjoying the evening together.
Friday,
May 19th
This is the face of a man who is worried about his wife. He
was in the waiting room while I met with the orthopedic doctor. This is what I
found out (copied from my Facebook post – sorry if you’ve already read it): My
prior hip surgery from August 2011 (a resurfacing) failed- the cup that they
put in there is now loose & tilting in the wrong direction (the source of
my pain). Hip resurfacing can lead metal toxicity (which is why they mostly
don't even perform them anymore), so my doctor needs for me to get an MRI &
have blood work done to make sure I don't have metal floating around (I am Iron
Man!). I don't actually think they'll find anything, but we'll see. Then after
all that's done, he'll do the revision, which will be - he kept saying - a
MAJOR surgery. He doesn't know how much damage he'll find until he gets in
there, and he can't guarantee that the surgery will be entirely successful. He
hopes (hopes!) he can make both of my legs the same length (they aren't, right
now). The surgery will be sometime in July or August (he’s booked out that
far).
Recovery might be quick or it might be several months. But I
work from home, so I don't even care at this point. I am SO glad we moved
when we did! I would hate for Mike to have to go through this again without any
support.
One final thought (for now): I was afraid that the doctor would say that there was nothing wrong with me. Or that there was something so wrong it couldn't be fixed. Now that I know that something was wrong, and for who knows how long, I feel really sad for the me who tried to walk without a limp, and thought she had "failed" physical therapy. I didn't want to go to the doctor just to be told I was imagining things & that I needed to work harder. Next time, this wheel will squeak until she's sure that everything is working properly!
After that cheerful news, I needed some comfort food. Please note that
while I ate every bite of the soup, most of the popcorn shrimp & fries came home
with us.
Saturday,
May 20th
Today Daddy
& Sue came by to help Dr. M clean our house. I was SO THANKFUL! Although I
have to say that despite my view of myself as a slothful person, I had a really hard time just sitting there
& watching them work! Fortunately they were only intermittently in the
living room – ha! I didn’t take a
picture of them working, so here is a picture of my temperature scarf,
completed through May 19. As with the Temperature Monster from
last year, I like the cool weather colors better than the warm weather ones.
Which is fine, because when I wrap it around my neck the cool weather colors
will be on the end.
That was my
week – how was yours?
I'm glad you found out what was/is wrong and that it can be fixed. I agree, having someone tell you that there's "nothing wrong" when you're in so much pain would be utterly depressing. And stressful! Now that you and your doctor know what you're fighting, it just needs to get done. When will you get the MRI?
ReplyDeleteI think they'll probably call me on Monday to schedule the MRI. We'll see!
DeleteThank you, dear friend we've never met. Stress is getting to us, but now we at least know what is ahead.
DeleteI am terribly sorry about your hip; moreso about your constant pain. What a horrible trial. Thank goodness you saw a doctor and can see a solution in your future.
ReplyDeleteUNRELATED: that has to be the thickest "soup" I have ever, ever seen in my life. Good heavens. I think your spoon could have stood straight up in it!
Boy that's the truth about the "soup" - it was a meal all on its own! Lots of potatoes in there...
DeleteThat "soup" didn't need a bowl, Nance! It was so good though...
DeleteThat soup, shrimp and fries looked awesome! It has been a long time since I've some good seafood.
ReplyDeletesquirrels are sneaky. I even had one that managed to get past the slinky.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels! They are acrobats! I'm sorry about the hip situation, but hopefully you'll feel much better after you get it addressed.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping you have the very best possible outcome from your surgery. I'll keep thinking positive thoughts for you and for your marvelous caregiver. The most important thing for you right now is to make certain you have the best possible doctor and that you have total faith in a full recovery.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who tripped and fell on her sidewalk. Her surgeons (yes, plural) said there actually was an upside to her broken arm, broken nose, torn apart knee, and broken femur. As all of them said, "Broken stuff's much easier to fix than mysterious pulls, stretches, and tears."
ReplyDeleteSure enough, in six months she had a healed arm, a lovely face, an almost-ok knee (the need for skin grafts slowed her down) and a healed leg. By eight months, she was walking without even a cane. And oh, by the way -- did I mention she's 80?
I really, really hope you're in the same situation -- that you can go into the shop, get the repair done, and be road-ready again in a few months. there are all kinds of good things going for you -- being home again, having extra support, working from home, and so on. We'll all be rooting for you. One day at a time!
Make that "I have a friend." We're still friends, and she's still very much out and about!
DeleteThat news about your hip is both good and bad but doctors do wondrous things these days so think positively through the pain. It is good that you are "back home" where you have a good support base. And that guy you live with is the #1 supporter. As is often said "this too shall pass". I'm rooting for you, DanaBug.
ReplyDeleteFriend, have I gotten so far behind with your blog? Can hardly believe it? Maybe i've followed you on FB and didn't realize, or been too busy!
ReplyDeleteSad about the pain you're having to endure. Hang in there!
I love "Miss Rita" ;-)
And the scarf is beautiful!
We slinkied our bird feeders. Not sure yet how successfully. Plus we have coons that can tear down the whole structure! Ugh!