Surgery

I finally have my first hip surgery scheduled! I will have a PAO (peri-acetabular osteotomy) on my left hip on December 2nd.  That will give me a month or so with the babies beforehand, as they are due on November 1st.  I am praying that I can make it until then as far as managing the pain and weakness.

I went back to see Dr. Jiranek at MCV a few days ago.  I was hoping and praying that we could come up with a final plan and a surgery date and we did.

We decided on my left hip since it hurts me more.

Is it slightly crazy that I’m relieved to schedule a really serious surgery where they will break my pelvis into pieces? Yes, I think so.  I do equally dread it, but I know it’s what I need to do to have a chance to get out of pain and get my life back.   Here’s a video that explains my condition and the surgery.

My pre-surgery to-do list is as follows:

1. Family doctor for a physical
2. Cardiologist for clearance
3. Hematologist for clotting disorder consultation
4. Anesthesiologist consultation
5. Give my own blood to be used for a transfusion that I might need after/during surgery

As for surgery, it will take 3-5 hours and I will be under general anesthesia. They will detach my muscles and then cut my pelvis in three places to detach it and the joint from the rest of my pelvis. Then they reset it and put screws in to hold it. After surgery is over, they give me an epidural to numb me for a few days.  I stay in the hospital for about three to five days. I go home with pain meds and can’t bear weight for a while. He said I will be hating life for about a couple of months and then I will get better. All of my muscles will have to learn how to work in their new and proper location. After tendons and muscles in the hip area shut down and were overwhelmed, other muscles had to take over and the problem spread. So, my body has to figure how it is supposed to work now, instead of the weird ways I have been compensating. I will be on a walker first and then crutches.

It’s unclear though how much better I will be until both sides are done. I wait 6 months to do the other side.

I will move in with my parents for several months, with the babies in tow, until I can handle stairs again and manage in my own house.

I’m just thankful that I know God is looking out for me and has it in control. I know this because of our infertility — even when it was devastating to me, there were things at work that I didn’t know about. Like my hips — surgeons said that if I had carried to term, it would have been horrendous to my body and possibly dislocated both hips.  So, God had it in control and still found a way for us to become parents. I know he has this in control, too.