yeah, i'm hip

Yup, thats my new hip (the Shakira model, I think) ;)

Surgery #2 has come and gone... I am now in recover-mode and by this Tuesday, it will have been 2 weeks since my surgery.  The surgery was successful, with a few obstacles.  My blood levels were extremely low--apparently I lost a lot of blood during the surgery.  I had donated two units of my own, but they still had to transfuse two more units after that!  The surgery took double the time, due to some of the hip abnormalities that I had that were God-given.  I was pretty sick at the hospital, nausea...vomiting...no energy...all due to the fact that I was low on blood.  The medical staff considered transfusing two more units after the surgery, but Dr. Valaik put his foot down and said, No.
What a great Dr. I am fortunate to have!  He told me that because I am so young (although weak at the time), he wanted me to build my blood levels back up on my own, rather than risking the 1 in a million chance of contracting something through someone else's blood.  I really thank him for that. It was a wise decision. The whole staff there at John's Hopkin's Good Sam. was amazing!  Kevin, the P.A., Berny, Dr V's coordinator, Megan from physical therapy, David "Davey" Jones, Nurse Lakita...I mean really, these people were the best!

I even took the time in the hospital to jot down on a notepad how I felt at my worst:
At my worst, I felt as if I were totally drunk and wasted, trying to strap my adult self into a child's car-seat in the backseat of a very hot car on a Houston's summer afternoon.
 I remember that feeling vividly--tired, sweating profusely, my face, lips and tongue a pale whitish grey.  It was awful.  Surgery #2 was much different from the first.  It really isn't any better knowing what to expect.

Allan slept on the little window couch all week!  :(

Allan and I spent our 7 year wedding anniversary in the hospital when I was feeling my worst!  Johns Hopkins didn't have penthouse suites, so Allan did the best with what we had.  He was so awesome. When I woke up that morning, he surprised me by decorating my room with a banner that read, "Happy Anniversary", and had balloons, plants and flowers everywhere.  It was so very sweet, and had me teary-eyed.  How did I get so lucky?
Allan showered me with gifts, getting me a beautiful, silver, LOVE necklace that resembles the statue in Love Park in Philly.  I love it, and have worn it everyday since! He also took the time to burn our wedding and honeymoon films on to dvd's for me.
So, that evening, after eating our delicious orange jello (haha!), we got as cozy as possible in the hospital room and watched our wedding videos--it was absolutely perfect.

So here I am, at home now and still currently getting poked and prodded by needles.  Ugh, I loathe needles!  I have a home nurse that comes by twice a week to clean my incision site, draw blood, and make sure that I am comfortable and doing my physical therapy (my PT also comes to my home).  For the first several days after I came home from the hospital, my poor husband had to give me injections into my stomach (blood thinners, so I wouldn't get blood clots)...that was crazy!  Nerve racking, to say the least.  He would start, then we would giggle a bit (nervous laughter), then he's have to stop, then we'd both take a deep breath then he'd poke the needle in my tummy...then, I'd CRY!  No...just kidding. It wasn't actually that bad.  The pain of the medicine would sting afterwards and the fact that it bruised and left leopard spots on my stomach sucks.
Allan is once again, a great murse (man-nurse).

 

 My little Mama  :)

My beautiful Mom came up from Houston and spent a week taking care of me.  Allan had to get back to work so it was super helpful.  It was so great having her around.  She made her delicious homemade Thai food, which was the only thing I could keep down for the first week out of the hospital. She helped with the laundry and dishes, letting our dogs out, and getting me dressed, etc.  I'm on crutches, and it is really hard for me to do very much of anything due to the precautions that the Dr. gave me.  Well, that, and the pain.  Having Mom here was great!  I loved being able to finally spend a Mother's Day with her, and enjoy a  little one on one time.  We can bicker like siblings, yet she cracks me up and has such a nurturing spirit about her.  She left yesterday, and I miss her already.

Tonight, my mother-in-law comes in from Colorado to take her turn at helping me get around. I can't wait to spend time with her too.  She said I'm out of luck if I'm expecting all of the cooking like my Mom did.  Haha!  That's okay, we already have plans to do some knitting and crocheting.  I think I want to make Romeo and Kekoa winter sweaters.  ;)

So far, I seem to be healing nicely.  I'm already off the heavy pain meds and my incision site looks great.  As great as 32 staples down the side of my thigh can be anyways...

I'm in great spirits and I'm even going to hobble my way to the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event tomorrow morning.  My team has raised over $3,000 dollars for this cause--I'm so proud.  I have to go and support my team, and be the cheerleader for them, as so many were for me while I was in the hospital.  Allan is going to participate in the actual yoga class "in support of me".  What a guy--I can't wait!

Thanks to everyone for the cards, flowers, balloons, facebook messages, emails, energy, prayers and thoughts of wellness.   I am so privileged to have such a support system of loving arms around me when I need it.  Believe me, that's what kept me pushing forward.
I love you all! xoxo

LO
VE,

Bionic Storm