The Procedure

There was a time that I was so needle-phobic that I asked the dentist to give me a filling without anesthetic. Note: NOT RECOMMENDED. Now that I think about it, that may have been the turning point in my relationship with needles. Sometimes they are a necessary evil.

I had my hip aspiration on Monday & it was just as exciting as it sounds. But, as I said on Facebook, like all things that are dread-full, it wasn't as bad as I had feared. First, though, big props to my dad for coming to pick me up & take me to the hospital (Dr. M had to take his dad to a doctor's appointment). Daddy knew exactly where to go, where they keep the wheelchairs, and how to maneuver me around. Thanks Dad!

For the procedure, they numbed the area (the Necessary Evil Needle), and then used another needle (that I could not feel) to try to draw up some fluid for testing purposes. There was no fluid to be had, so they tried another area (another NEN - but this time I could feel the probing needle a bit - ow!). They ended up putting saline in there to draw out to send to the lab. That doesn't sound like fun, but it was a bit of good news because no fluid means a smaller (or no) infection. Now my hip is a little bit more sore, and I'm waiting to talk to my doctor next week about what they found.

While I sit around on my keister, Dr. M is taking care of All The Things. Today he vacuumed and mowed. He's just the best.

2017 Project 365 – Week Twenty-five

First of all, thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. I have become resigned to my fate (re: needle). You know I’ll be telling you all about it later. As for the week’s pictures, we are deep into daylily land. So grateful that our neighbor planted so many and such a wide variety.

Sunday, June 18^th   

Father’s Day! Did the Sunday School singing thing with Daddy this morning & then took him out for lunch later.

Today’s prayer of confession at church. These things have just been poking me in the eye lately.

The first of many daylilies in today’s post!

Monday, June 19^th              

I just took this picture so you can see how outrageous Ms. Pinky Two-Tone is. For a closer look at her two tones, see Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 20^th                                

My latest project. Hmmm…

Pretty!

Wednesday, June 21^st                         

More flowers.

The top two pictures are our two bougainvillea hanging baskets, and the two bottom pictures are Ms. Pinky.

Thursday, June 22^nd                       

A friend from Ohio sent me these fabulous crochet stitch markers!

Friday, June 23^rd          

My cousin’s daughter (a member of the cult of Crossfit) put together an arm workout for me. I might not be able to walk, but I can try to do something healthy.

Daylilies!

Saturday, June 24^th             

This is the look on my face after being on the “feeling sorry for myself” diet & still losing weight at my Weight Watchers meeting.

I’m reading A Madness of Angels, by Kate Griffin and thoroughly enjoying it. I had to laugh out loud when I figured out what movie the main character was referring to. Can you tell?

57 days until surgery. What are you looking forward to this summer?

The State of the Bug, an Update

(Warning! Ahead there is something rarely seen on my blog: curse words!)

Well heck, I actually AM Iron Man. I got a call yesterday from my surgeon’s office saying that my blood work showed high levels of chromium & cobalt (the materials in my hip device). The recommended maximum for those metals is 3 (3 whats, I’m not sure). Mine was 5.9 & 23.9, respectively. I don’t know if I would be considered to have metallosis, but the probably is high. However, I don’t have any extreme symptoms, other than pain in my hip.

Next up on my agenda is a hip aspiration on Monday. From what I understand (and, I’m a little hysterical at this point, so take what I say with a grain of salt), they stick a GINORMOUS needle into my hip and draw out fluid to see if there is any sign of infection. I presume that if there is infection that would have to be treated before I have surgery. I think. Really, I shouldn’t be posting these health updates with such a sketchy idea of what is going on. But I overshare – that’s who I am as a person. Plus, I need some moral support by other people who would also be horrified by this needle business.

I have a wide variety of feelings about this whole situation. Dr. M is angry (that might be an understatement). I feel more conflicted. Should my original surgeon have performed this type of surgery on me? A resounding hell no. No question – I was not in the least bit the right candidate. And I even knew that, at the time, but I trusted his judgment. So naïve. The right candidate for hip resurfacing is a young, fit, healthy man. Not a sedentary, overweight, small boned woman. Added to that, it is recommended that hip resurfacing recipients have blood testing on a regular basis to ensure that their chromium and cobalt numbers are in a safe range. Was that even remotely mentioned to me? Again, hell no. All good reasons to be very angry at my original surgeon.

But, (and Dr. M is going to be annoyed with me for writing this), I am not a snowflake carried on the winter wind wherever it wills. I am a person with the ability to manage my own healthcare and I let my own self down. During all of these years of pain I assumed that I was the faulty one, so I didn’t delve too deeply into what might actually be wrong. But even dipping a toe into the internet within a year of my procedure I would have found this article.

But (again), you know, I did try to find out what was wrong. I went to the orthopedic office two years after my surgery (after my surgeon had retired) & asked why I had so much pain when I bent forward 90 degrees or more. And the basic response was “meh.”

So, I’m conflicted. Angry. Sad. Exponentially annoyed. And come Monday I get a big ass needle to the hip, which seems a very poor way to treat someone with so many issues. The biggest sigh ever.

Here – enjoy this picture of Roy. It cheered me right up. 

2017 Project 365 – Week Twenty-four

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and people who've been dad-like. I spent some quality time with my father today - I'm so glad he's still around so I can do that!

Sunday, June 11^th   

All dressed up for church, where our prayer of confession just hit me between the eyes (as it often does).

As you can see, we have a nice variety of daylilies around here. The neighbor has even put some in a pot in Roy’s kennel. (Note: no picture of Roy this week, but I think you got a nice dose on Wednesday – and yes, Stephen, he IS part Teddy Bear!).

Monday, June 12^th              

A typical sight in the back yard.

Tuesday, June 13^th                                

Dr. M has been making me the best salads lately. It’s all the extra love in there, I’m sure.

Wednesday, June 14^th                        

My new low cal dessert – sugar free chocolate pudding, cool whip, & strawberries. Yum!

Thursday, June 15^th                      

I started a new project, using leftover Temperature Monster yarn. Yes, even the orange.

My sister-in-law gave me this very risqué bag for Christmas. Ha! 

The planter that Dr. M brought home is certainly thriving!

Friday, June 16^th          

Daylily.

I hadn’t washed dishes in several days (we have a dishwasher now - & it’s not me!), but even so I thought that six sharp knives was a bit much for two people in three days.

Saturday, June 17^th             

Dr. M & I went out to eat at our local Mexican place & I got something sensible (for me) – mushroom quesadilla. It was really tasty! And probably not as healthy as I pretended it was.

64 days until surgery. What are you looking forward to this summer?

Wordless Wednesday, The Roy Edition

2017 Project 365 – Week Twenty-three

This week is all about the flowers (as it often is around here, frankly). If the ones on this post aren’t enough, go here to check out Dr. M’s latest post. Also, I joined the Instagram cult, so now there are multiple ways to be bombarded by the same pictures (& captions!) each week.

Sunday, June 4^th   

I played the piano (!!) at the nursing home and then Dr. M & I took a drive up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. As I mentioned last week, Dr. M did a post about our ramble here. We saw this little dinosaur (wild turkey) while we were driving around. Ha!

 Monday, June 5^th              

Ms. Two-Tone Pinky McPinkerson.

After our very busy weekend and a stressful Monday at work, I enjoyed some comfort food for the brain & body.

Tuesday, June 6^th                                

For extra solace, I recommend wearing your husband’s shirt.

Wednesday, June 7^th                        

I now have callouses on my hands from using the walker. I don’t think I’ve ever had callouses on my hands – I’m quite proud, actually! (Although I am experiencing this in my left hand, which is very weird & will probably have to be addressed at some point).

Thursday, June 8^th                      

Dr. M with his neighborhood buddy.

We have daylilies in our ditch!

Friday, June 9^th          

More daylilies and our funky petunias.

Dr. M brought home this very fancy planter for the deck!

The moon!

Saturday, June 10^th             

I stopped by my dad’s house today to visit, but they weren’t at home. However, I noticed that he’d left a wheelchair he & Sue found for me outside (he needed to empty his trunk). I was there & so was it, so I just put that sucker in my trunk, while balancing with my walker. I’m not the least bit stubborn & independent. Ha! (Note: the wheelchair is for when I might have to walk pretty far - I don't really need it around the house.)

Later that day I decided to shuffle down to get an up close look at Heather & the impatiens. So pretty!

I’ve had a nice weekend with a good mix of running around and being lazy – perfect! How was yours?

No one ever understands me...

I asked Siri how to spell desultorily, and this is what she told me. Well!

2017 Project 365 – Week Twenty-two

It is very tempting to talk about all the ways in which I’m falling apart, but I’ll save that for a specific Whining Post, so you can know to scroll right on past it. I will say that it’s heartening the way that people are so solicitous when they see me coming with the walker (as well they should - I'm a menace with that thing!). I’m embarrassed by it, but it’s still nice to know that people are paying attention to the gimps of the world. Also, I’ll post this again next week, but Dr. M & I took a nice Blue Ridge Parkway ramble today & he posted some of our pictures. Go here to see them.

Sunday, May 28^th   

I did the nursing home/church routine and then later Dr. M & I drove around. I posted this picture on Facebook & you should have seen some of the commentary. People have very dirty minds (she said self-righteously).

Monday, May 29^th              

Memorial Day at the Bug Household.

I am enamored of all the prickly pear cacti that we see around! I might have to have some for our yard.

Dr. M’s good buddy, Roy, came over for an ear scratch. We like having a neighbor-dog – and no we don’t want a dog of our own :)

Tuesday, May 30^th                                

As Dr. M said, we have the furriest birds ever!

Wednesday, May 31^st                       

My sweetheart made a sweet heart of impatiens for me!

Thursday, June 1^st                      

No picture! Well, we took one, but it was the same as the one we took on the 2^nd & that one is much better, so…

Friday, June 2^nd         

Heather the Sheep found a new home! She’d been living on the deck, but as you can see, she is the perfect guardian for the new impatiens bed.

Saturday, June 3^rd            

This was a big day for us. We went to Charlotte so I could have an MRI (to determine whether I have damage from metal toxicity – I think). I was pretty nervous about it. My last MRI experience wasn’t fabulous. But they gave me valium & ear plugs, and it was an open MRI, so I made it through ok.

We weren’t able to bring any of our day lilies with us from Ohio, so we’re very happy with the volunteers that are coming up by our driveway.

That evening we went to a graduation party for my cousin’s daughter. We had a great time – got to visit with family that we haven’t seen in years. And I tried on these very fashionable glasses. I especially like how they make the end of my nose look so round. Ha!

This coming week I'm going to try to find that fine balance between being stubborn independent & not giving Dr. M a heart attack. Wish us luck!