almost 2 weeks post-op!

Things are going well for being almost 2 weeks post-op! I'm getting around more by myself, I can go to the bathroom by myself and today I got breakfast without any help! I still can't get in and out of bed alone and I can't get up the stairs easily, so I'm still sleeping down stairs for the time being. I'm gonna try to go upstairs again tonight or tomorrow morning to take a shower but it takes a good 10 min just to get up the stairs so we have to set out a good hour + just to take a shower! it's crazy.. and I'm going to the Dr. tomorrow so we'll see what he says about my progress! I'm excited to show him how far I have come so far!
Here are some pictures to show my progress! enjoy.

First Breakfast! Yum :)


Smile :)


Jess! She has been there for me every step of the way! I love you girl!


PT the day I went home from the Hospital


Yay! I'm going home!


looking pretty good to me for only being a week and a half post-op!

6 days post-op!

Wow. Almost 1 week post-op already!!! It feels like its been forever but also like it was yesterday. Lets go back...

Day 1 - Friday morning we got to the hospital and the process went really quickly. I got to the pre-op room, got changed, had some tests run, got my IV put in and then my parents, Jacob and Pastor Don came in to stay with me. We prayed talked and tried to keep my mind off surgery. Then the Dr.s assistant, the anesthesiologist and his assistant came in and then Dr.Scheid finally came in and we talked briefly about what was about to happen, then it was time to go. I got wheeled to the OR. I remember going in and it being VERY cold and bright. They put me on a smaller table, and a lady said she was going to put sticky tabs on my chest, then the anesthesiologist told me he just started the meds so in about 20 seconds I would feel a burn and my body would start to feel weird.. I don't remember anything after he said that!

Waking up in recovery was a blur. I threw up once, and don't remember much about recovery except asking how long I had been there and a nurse told me I had been there for about 45 min. I don't remember the trip upstairs or them taking me to my room (4090 just fyi.. jess? ;-) lol!) I do remember Jacob and my mom walking in the room but then i draw a blank. Every night at the hospital I got woken up every 3 hours to take meds.. it was kinda of annoying that I couldn't sleep but every time I woke took my meds, it made me sleepy so I got right back to sleep. Friday, Saturday and Sunday night they took blood around 3am and that was the worst part of the night by far. My mom slept at the hospital with me Friday night but other than that she left around 10 or 11pm each night.

Saturday: I ate breakfast! hash browns, fruit, and juice. Jessica came to visit me that day :) It was so nice to see her! I really only moved my toes and feet on Saturday, not much else. I don't remember much except pushing my PCA pump and as soon as I did that, I was asleep! haha! I did stop using my pump Saturday night which was great. the less I used it the less harder it would be to go to oral meds.
Ashley came to visit that day and it was SO nice to have her there! She has already been through this before so she was a true help to me. Jessica came later on and Lauren and katie brough me dinner. Later on I asked if they would take off my leg pumpers and scratch my legs. OH MY WORD!!! best feeling EVER!!! I was making all these sounds and everyone was laughing at me for sounding "dirty" ;-) hahah!

Sunday: This was a LONG day. Katie and Jayson brought me breakfast and they stayed with me for a few hours. Lauren came over, as well as my parents and when Jayson and Dad were in the waiting room watching the game, my sisters and mom gave me a bath. It felt so good and my legs were still covered in the betadine so they tried to wash some of it off but even today, it's still on my stomach and parts of my legs. PT came in and I got out of bed, sat in the chair but I felt really nauseous and dizzy and my blood pressure dropped very quickly so I got back in bed and decided to start 1 blood transfusion in the afternoon and started another one about 8:30pm that night. Lauren, Katie and Jayson left and around 4:30 Jacob and his parents came by to visit before they went back home to IL. They brought me some beautiful flowers and we all talked for a while. Jacob had taken them to dinner then night before and surprised them with the news we are engaged, so we talked about that which was very exciting :)
His parents left and around 6 or so Krista and Hollie (2 of my managers from work came to viit me!!!) They brought me the biggest "Get Well" balloon I have ever seen and a package as well! Krista didn't look so well when the nurse came in to finish my first blood transfusion haha so they left and that was pretty much then end of my day..

Monday: I had breakfast again (I'm doing well at eating a fair amount and keeping it down) PT also came and I got to the chair. I started to feel dizzy and sick but I sat there just so my body could get used to being out of bed. but after an hour or so I was kind of in a grumpy mood so I got back in bed. Later my Dad came and so did Ashley. She was such a help and got me out of bed to go to the bathroom since my mom wasn't there. As soon as I got back in bed, PT came so I got right up and said my goal was to walk to the other side of my bed. Where did I get to? I went all the way to the door!!!! YAY! I made it all the way back to bed and I was quite excited!! Now, round trip it took me a good 20 min but, hey! haha. Lets have them break your pelvis, take a saw to your hip, rotate, move and cut your bones then put it back together with screws and see how fast you walk 3 days after surgery! haha
Laura came to visit me that night and it was so awesome to see her!!! She, Jess and I had dinner, talked then they talked while I took a short nap and my mom came by around 8 so the 4 of us girls all hung out and ended up watching the "The Bachelor" hahahahaha!! it was so stupid it was funny!
I ended up with a weird rash on my legs (we think from the betadine) that my mom and the nurse didn't like so she gave me some benadryl and flushed it through with something else through my IV line and all I can say is WOW! I have never felt so odd in my life!! this is a text I sent after she gave it to me. I don't remember sending it but everyone who got it laughed:
"judt got benadrill * it feels coocoo kant keep eyes open...wowo i feel weird.. "

Tuesday: DISCHARGE DAY!!! Jessica came to see me early in the morning along with my parents. PT came again and we went for a walk. I went over a step (yay i got over it!!) then I rode around in my wheel chair for a little while. Boy it was weird moving faster than a slow walk! I almost got dizzy just sitting in the wheelchair. ha! but then we just had to get some stuff worked out with the pharmacy, sign my papers, and I was good to go. The car ride was a little strange feeling but it was nice to finally be home.

Getting in and out of bed has been a learning experience. Walking to the bathroom takes about 10 min and 10 min to get back. But I'm getting a little faster each day which is a great improvement! I have an apt to go see my Dr. next Thursday and have a 2 week post-op checkup! I have not yet looked at my incision, but my mom says it looks good. I don't have a problem looking at other peoples scars and incisions but for some reason, I don't want to see mine... not yet anyway.
One thing that I do hate is having to get lovenox injections 1X every day. :( At least my mom is an RN so she doesn't mind giving me those.
I still have major tingling and numbness on the top of my leg, and Denise told me that I might never get the same feeling back as it was before. That kinda freaks me out but i guess it's not a surprise with all the stuff they did in my leg during surgery.

Ok well I think that's all for now... I have been wanting to do this for a while but every time I started, I fell asleep! :) I'll be updating again as things improve :) Thank you everyone for all your prayers, thoughts, texts, cards and visits! It means so much to me!

<3

tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow...

Yep. 24 hours from now I'll be checking myself in to the hospital. Yesterday was a good day because I went to church and had some of the elders pray with me and my parents. It was very comforting to hear their kind words of encouragement and know they are there for me and praying for me.

Jacob has also been amazing and very encouraging. He wants to make sure his future wife is taken care of and doing alright ;-) Tuesday night before I left his house I started to cry and he just held me, talked to me, and he has been so supporting through this all. I love him very much..

I had lunch with Sabrina, Ashley and Jessica yesterday and it was great to talk to them, hang out for a couple hours, and just hear them give advice and listen to their stories. I'm scared of the unknown but I have I have the best Doctor on my side. He is my Father, my Healer, my Comforter, and my Protector and I know I have nothing to worry about. God will be in surgery with me, with Dr. Scheid, and all the nurses and everyone else that will be in the OR with me. He's watching over everyone, and giving wisdom to everyone involved.

I'm ready to start wedding planning! Lets get this surgery over with so I can have this behind me and focus on my future and all God has for me!

Again. 10:30 tomorrow morning.. Please be praying. Thank you to all..

~ me

within the week..

4 days... Ok, everyone is telling me not to get scared, but.. I can't help it. I KNOW I'm only freaking myself out. A week ago I was fine. I keep thinking about all the things that could go wrong, and what would happen if things didn't turn out right, or what if I don't heal afterwards and I'm on crutches forever. I know I need to focus on the positive things, like... my engagement!! Yes I'm engaged to the man I love with all my heart! We've been engaged almost a week now which is weird! But I guess it's good because it means the wedding will be coming up soon ;-) haha! We have talked about dates but we're not setting anything in stone, because we're waiting until after surgery to really plan anything.

Anyway I have heard from sabrina and marcie that the surgery really isn't that bad it's just a lot of work after... I know I can do the work, it's just going to be hard! Anyway i almost feel better if I don't talk too much about it so I shall stop for now! haha!

I might go shopping today and start getting things for the hospital, so I'll update again before Friday, just please keep praying for me, thanks :-)

Single digits..

9 days away! Wow. The year is coming to an end and surgery day is coming closer.

2009 was a crazy year, filled with many events. I found a new job, I finished my last year of college (for now anyway...) and graduated. I met my wonderful boyfriend, Jacob. I was diagnosed with congenital hip dysplasia. I turned 23. I learned so much about myself this year and I thank God for bringing people in my life to make me realize how loved I am, how special I am, how uniquely different I am, and for blessing me with everything I need. There is a little sadness factor in 2009 for me losing touch with some people I came to know very well, like people I met in WA, and people from my old job. It's easy to say things won't change and you'll stay in touch, but it's totally different when it becomes a reality and you go your separate ways.

I was also blessed with meeting some wonderful girls who also deal with hip dysplasia. Ashley, Courtney, Jessica, Stephanie, and Sabrina. It's been so wonderful to have these girls to talk to, support each other as we prepare for our surgeries and or problems. It makes it easier because we can give advice, share stories, tell each other what we think we might need in the hospital and what really helps pot-op.
My plan for next week is to work on Monday then hang out with Ashley and Jessica, Tuesday night Jacob, my friend Emily and her fiance, Nick are going to dinner. Wednesday if a family dinner and Thursday is relaxing in the evening with Jacob so on Friday I'm ready to be at the hospital by 8:30am. Please be praying for me this week as I prepare mentally and physically for Friday..

Christmas. Wow, that was a lot of fun! I went to IL with Jacob to visit his family for Christmas and we had a really good time :) We left Thursday afternoon and came back late Sunday night. We went to 2 different family Christmas gatherings (one Thursday night and one Friday night) and had one of our own at his parents house Friday morning. His brother and sister in-law announced they are expecting their third child, which was a wonderful Christmas present in itself! We spent Saturday r.e.l.a.x.i.n.g! We went to a movie with his parents and went shopping then spend the night eating and talking! Sunday we really didn't do much but we went to his cousins wedding in the evening then left to come home after we had dinner. It was the first Christmas I spent away from my family so that was kind of hard but we celebrated Christmas on Wednesday afternoon with my parents, sisters, my grandpa and Jacob. I love my family very much and I'm so blessed to have them in my life!

New years. I work tomorrow morning and I get off at 4, then Jacob and I are going to his friends house for dinner and spend the evening bringing in the new year!

Well, I'm about to get ready to head over to my sister Laurens house. She and I are totally into LOST and are in the middle of watching the 5th season, getting ready for the last season starting soon!! I'll update soon...

Soon..

Things are starting to change... Because of Christmas and New years, today is the last Thursday that I will be closing with my Manager, Krista, until March of next year. That's scary to think about.
And because of surgery happening so close after the holidays, finding time to hang out with people is really hard because everyone has stuff going on.

I was giving the option to donate 2 units of my own blood to use after surgery or I could use shelf blood. I chose to give my own and I donated my first unit this past monday... HAHAHA! Wow that was an interesting experience. (lets just say 3 min in to giving blood, my stomach didn't like my breakfast anymore...) So my mom told me she would go with me in a few days when I donate my second unit!

I can't explain how much I want my surgery to be over with. Listening to Ashley talk about her surgery, and watching Courtney and Sabrina go through their surgeries, and Jessica having hers tomorrow just makes me wish mine was today so it would just be OVER WITH. I hate waking up and having PAO be the first thing I think about in the morning, or the last thing I think about when I go to bed. I'm tired, stressed and I'm really starting to panic about everything happening. I wish it was over with and I could FINALLY be on the road to recovery..

Well on a lighter note.. Saturday Jacob is taking me to Chicago for the day! We're celebrating our 7 months together and he's taking me out for a fantastic dinner! I'm so excited and can't wait! I love you Sweetie! <3

3 weeks...
Lord, please let it come and go quickly...

12-6-09

buuurrrrr!! It's freezing outside! I woke up this morning an it was 57 in my room. ahhh! I wish it was July and my surgery was be over and it would be warm again outside. That would be nice.

Less than 5 weeks and counting. It's really starting the weigh on my mind and taking over my thoughts.. and I don't like it. I don't want this surgery to consume me, but I feel it's already doing that. I know it's a serious operation and it's something that will change my life, but I just want to enjoy the next 5 weeks with the holidays, a trip to Chicago, my sisters birthday, and time with friends, because I know after the surgery, things will get rough for the next 6-8 months (at least). I met with Ashley and Jessica this past week again for dinner and we talked a lot. (about 4 hours at olive garden! haha) We shared a lot of fears, concerns, asked Ashley a lot of questions, feelings about the whole process and just had a good time together. I'm looking forward to movie night this Friday with them! (I do want to thank the girls for being there for me! It's great that we can all talk and support each other through this process we are going through and are still going through. It's great to have an ear that will listen and understand what I'm trying to explain! haha Thanks Ashley, Jessica and Courtney!)

Well, it's my day off so I'm going to take a nap. I had a long day yesterday...