Well that is what my hip will look like when done!!

Cool huh!! Not sure I want to jump into this already... Amazing that it will take away my pain. Looks like it will cause more issues!!

Its getting to the point however, that I will do anything to feel better....

Went swimming with Cam yesterday. It felt good as usual in the water. I really needed the exercise. Nice to spend quality time with Cam. He did a great job driving.

A fairly easy day compared to last weekend. Thank goodness!!



Good night for now.

TAKE THE VICODIN- NO MORE THAN 8 A DAY!

That's what my doc says. He surprisingly wants me off the Ibuprofen as much as possible to save my liver.

He suggested to start PT as soon as possible. I will get an appointment set tomorrow. Lastly he says get the surgery as soon as possible. (we shall see)

I was surprised to hear him say its safer to take eight vicodin a day vs as much Ibuprofen and Tylenol I was taking. He says its not a big deal to get me over a possible physical addition or even a mental addiction.

I am also going to start stretching everyday and get going on physical therapy.

Regarding taking Vicodin (at work) all day. I thought about it, but I get very very loopy on this stuff. I am very worried I will not be on top of things even after taking half a Vicodin.

We shall see... I don't want my performance to waver an inch..More than ever I need this job!!

Lastly, the key to helping the pain go down is to remain active. It keeps my leg muscles and tendons looser..But again it does not make it better and the clock is ticking. I WILL NEED THIS SURGERY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER... Biggest problem I have not paid off my chemo treatment or my hip scope!! Does not feel good to be drowning in debt!!!

Thanks for all the support

Anatomy of a hip

The exact anatomical features of hip dysplasia can vary from person to person. Both the hip socket and the femur can be affected.

Did you know that 80% of people with Hip Dysplasia are women!!! I guess the rest are me and dogs.

Work has been awesome! I got the authorization to work from home after my surgery as long as needed. I told them a month at least and they said fine. As soon as I have or if I schedule the surgery I will train my assistant so that any thing I cant do at home she can fill in. She is great!!

Just about everything I do is possible at home. It worked great during my cancer treatment however this is a heck of lot longer.

I am very worried about this. Its a big surgery and very complex. Scares me. Also, I am up to my eye balls in medical bills. Tough to stomach writing more checks...

But, the pain is getting worse every day. I had a very very rough day again today. Even with the Vicodin my legs hurt like hell.. I just want it to stop....

So much for the a happy 2009. THIS YEAR SUCKS!!!!!!!!

Work is also cutting back my travel. They canceled my trip to Kentucky.I have a two day trip in a week I need to go so I hope they let me.

I know they are doing what they can to help but it is very depressing. I really don't have much to look forward to each day lately... Its all been the same. Just making it through the day and hoping the next day is easier to manage than the one before.

Don't worry I am not "depressed". I don't need to be anti-depressant. I just want the pain in my legs to go bye bye.. Quite simple, don't you think.....


I have yet to hear from the Doctors office regarding the cost of this surgery. I hope to hear soon so I can decide what the next step is. Also, I am going to a my regular doctor tomorrow to discuss pain management options . No matter what decision I make it will be awhile before I get this done. I am hoping there is something out there to help besides, Ibuprofen and Tylenol that don't work... I cant continue to rely on Vicodin or can I?? So far nothing else has even come close to helping.

We will see. At this point I will about try anything.

Take it easy......

BAD DAY IN SEATTLE!!

Not sure how to start this off so I will just cut right to the chase. My worst nightmare has come to be a reality! I need to have surgery again...

As you know my left hip has been going nuts since my last appointment in January. After discussing it with my doctor and after getting new x-rays my doctor feels the only way I can become pain free is to have surgery on the left side. Its called a Periacetabular Osteotomy.

Basically, the doctor cuts out my hip socket and repositions it in order to make it larger so that my femur can fit inside the new socket. Right now my hip sockets are very shallow and narrow so my femur head does not fit inside my socket. It can no longer handle the load and is causing me a great deal of pain and becoming arthritic. If it continues it will wear down all the cartilage in my hip and I will need a hip replacement. Since my cartilage is still good, I don't have advanced arthritis and I am so young; he feels the only option is to do this procedure. Once I recover I will be able to go back to normal activities.

He is going to start with my left hip since it is in the worst condition. After it heals, we will evaluate weather or not my right hip is needed to be done.

Sounds fun doesn't it!! The recover process is as follows: 4 weeks on my back after the surgery, 6 weeks on crutches then additional weeks on and off crutches combined with hard core physical therapy.

Sounds like a very long time and a crap load of work!!! But, it could be worse (I think)

I will post more detail regarding the procedure once I find them. I am not sure when I will do this but based on everything I have been through and the amount of money I have spent or are still spending on myself, I have no clue!!!

Good Night!!

Leaky Weekend!!

It has been the "drippiest" weekend in the history of the Gilbert household. Everyone says how much it rains in Oregon but I didn't know it rained inside the house!!

Saturday we had a leaky toilet which as you see below leaked right through the Laundry Room ceiling. I had to replace the toilet but no major plumbing damage. Just need new dry wall to fill the hole.

Sunday it got even better!!!! The boys where taking showers this morning and I heard a dripping noise in the Family room and look what I found!!!


After having the Plumber come out this afternoon it turns out not to be a catastrophic failer but a leaking tub/shower faucet. It was half the cost, thank god! I just need to watch it and make sure after caulking drys on the new faucet and we use the shower again it does not start leaking again.
So not horrible news but certainly not great news. Very expensive weekend!!! Turns out the plumbing and fixturing in this is house is crap! Theresa and I think the builders were stoned when they built the house nothing is correct, straight or the way it should be.

Well anyway, all this dripping certainly has helped take my mind off my hips. Go to the Doctor tomorrow. I will update probably Tuesday as to what the doctor said. Cross your fingers.

See ya got to pay the bill... $$$$$$

Quick Thursday update

I wish I could say that I am feeling much better since last weekend and Monday but that would be a lie!

However, the last few days have been more manageable. It still hurts at work and I am now limping all day at work. I can get through the day. It helps that I have been swamped! It takes my mind off of my legs.

I am convinced my left leg has similar issues as my right and its not overload or from over compensating. I hope I am wrong but I don't think so.

We will see on Monday. I just have to focus on getting through the rest of day tomorrow and the weekend!

I tried a little bit of easy stretching yesterday. It didn't help. I use to be very very flexible. Now I cant even touch my toes! Oh well that from laying around I think.

Yesterday and today my right hip doing something that is hard to describe. Sometimes when I move it, I get the sensation its sticking then pops. Its weird and it hurts like hell! Not sure what is up with that but I will find out. Just one more thing!!!


I just need to stay positive and take it as it comes!

I will post Tuesday after my doctors office!! Have a great weekend.

Monday Update

Hello All:

Just a quick update.. No change since last Tuesday, still sucks to be me!!! All weekend in pain and I had another very bad drive home. He seems to hit me half way home. I was also having trouble sitting around 11 am and it got worse by 4pm.

I thought I would be alright coming home because I felt OK hobbling out to my car. Then as soon as I got close to Oregon City it became very very difficult. I started rubbing my left leg and hitting it against the door. Nothing helped. I need to try to relax because I hit my hand on the shifter Knob so hard I thought I broke my hand. Its just frustration. As I have been saying, I am sick of it and everyone I know has to be sick and tired of it. I just don't understand how I could have a surgery to fix my pain which it seemed to. But after almost 2 months its gotten worse but on the other side??

Until I see my Doctor next Monday its all speculation. I guess I just have to suck it up and deal with it. The only problem is, I DON'T WANT TO....Its getting to the point I don't even want to get in my car anymore. I hate driving.

Its not just getting through the day...This weekend, I got up at 7:30 on Saturday and 7:00 am on Sunday. I woke up because of pain and could not stay in bed any longer. It sucks because I LIKE TO SLEEP IN!!!

Nothing is getting better and everything related to my legs seem to be going wrong. Several people at work today noticed I have started limping again. I am trying not to but everything hurts and its hard to move....

If I am missing something please let me know, but I don't see how the surgery I just had caused my left side to freak out!! If I "overloaded" my left side compensating it would begin to get better over the last month as I start walking normally...

But that is not happening. Anyway, I could spend all day guessing. I will just have to wait and see.

See ya later

Tuesday

Well, another week from Hell!

Monday I could barely walk and getting home was horrible. Today, getting through work sucked. By 10am I was praying the day would be over. I couldn't sit, I couldn't walk and I was absolutely having major issues. I worked very hard to stay focused and do what needed to be done and keep myself together!

Getting home was just as bad as yesterday. I don't understand what is going on. Both my legs ache like nothing I have ever experienced before. My left groin area hurts when I move my leg when I am sitting. My legs hurt and ache when I am standing and walking too. My left hip feels like some one kicked me as hard as possible. There is so much going on its hard to isolate where it is coming from. I go from walking to limping to walking. Sometimes it looks like I have stick up my butt because I am trying to limp on both legs! My right leg is getting stiff and my hip "sticks" sometimes which hurts like hell. I think its just tight from the surgery. The swimming should help break that up.

Not even Vicodin takea all the pain away anymore... I really don't know what to do. I wish I was over blowing the situation and just being a wimp.... But I am not. This is getting really really bad... I have 2 weeks until my appointment. I need to make it until then. Even if I moved it up it wouldn't matter I cant get there. I am not sure how I am going to get up to Seattle in 2 weeks by myself anyway. We will see...

I am trying to take it hour by hour and day by day. I AM ABSOLUTELY SICK OF THIS!!!!

Sunday Reflection

Just a quick note:

I was reading an article on Hairy Cell Leukemia this morning. It is amazing that only 50 years ago this was a fatal disease.. Now its relatively simple to treat with very few complications and almost no chance of dying, if found early..

How many types of chronic diseases let alone cancers are like that?? Most others, you wind up with serious long term problems or death.

Not that getting cancer is lucky but if I had to pull the cancer card out of the deck I am OK with this one.. I know I complain and this has not been a very easy year for family but at least I am here and by the looks of my counts it will be a long long time before HCL will disrupt my life any time soon!!!

Thank you to all the doctors and drug companies who worked together over the years to come up the drug 2CDA that has literally saved HCL patients lives!!!

Happy Saturday

Well its been a quite day!! No major running around. A great day to take it easy.

I didn't do much in the morning but I got a chance to go swimming at noon today. Same as last time, my legs felt good in the pool but started hurting right after I got out.

The aching in my left leg is still getting worse. I have been limping all day. I can not wait to see what my doctor has to say.

I have also been dead all week. Friday was bad news. I was dragging in every meeting at work and I had to force myself to keep it together.

I have more energy today which is good. I guess its true that with HCL there will be times when I am tired for no reason I guess....

The boys both got great report cards!! They certainly are not like me in the school department. I am very proud of them.

Writers block!!! I guess I have nothing else to say today!! Maybe more tomorrow.

HUMP DAY!!!

Very glad it is Wednesday! Feel like this week is taking a month to get over!

Not to complain....(but I will)... I have been dog tired all this week. Yesterday I was the walking dead. Tired as heck today as well.

Left leg still hurts. Same groin pain and sucks driving home... Trying to power through until my end of the month appointment. I don't want to make two trips to Seattle. My doctor wants me to try to hold on. Told me not to worry...

I am becoming more convinced I have a similar problem with my left side. But we shall see soon enough.

Tempted to go get a blood test also. However, what good what it do to find out my counts are dropping. Just upset me so why bother.

Any way, not to be too depressing. All I can say is Thank God for the weekends!! Some day I will have no issues, aches, pains or whatever and actually enjoy life!!

Take it easy.. off to bed early tonight...

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!!

Everybody got the HD Big Screen warmed up for the game today???

GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!

It would be great if the Cardinals win but in reality I think they would have to play the game of their lives to beat the Steelers. Who knows!!!! I love an underdog! I have also been a huge fan of Kurt Warner since he played for the St Louis Rams and won the Super Bowl. A win like this would put him into the Hall of Fame!!!


Now about ME!!!!!!! (just kidding)...........

It has been a very rough weekend! I wish I understood why. The week was not too bad and I felt well enough Friday to go out for drinks after work. I lasted about 1 hour then I had to go home. Didn't even finish my beer! By the time I got home my legs hurt so bad I couldn't stand it. That's the way it has been ever since. I got some house work done Saturday morning but by early afternoon I was in a lot of pain. I am trying to stay off the Vicodin so I continue to take Tylenol and Ibuprofen.. But it is not working. I still have the same right leg pain from my surgery. But as I have been saying, its my left leg pain that is getting worse every day. I have a groin pain and a sharp pain in my hip combined with an ache that wont go away. I also have a feeling of extreme pressure pushing on my leg. It sucks.........When I am sitting and I rotate my leg and lift it toward me I have a sharp pain. (Same thing I keep saying over and over again)

It got really bad Saturday, however I finally did some light re-hab. I went swimming Saturday for about 30 minutes. It felt good at the time but after I got dressed and started coming home the pain started. I was in tears again! I waited until about 8pm before taking Vicodin and went to bed about 9:30pm. Great Saturday huh!! Totally sucked.

I feel like I am going backwards not forward in my recovery. I still am not sure if I should call my doctor. I cant drive up to see him right now and I really don't think I want to know I have same problem on my left that I had on my right. I will lose it!!!

So I guess I will just deal with it. Try to hold on until my Feb appointment. On an interesting note, I weighed myself yesterday morning and I weighed 173! A week and half ago I was 181 pounds. Not sure how or why I dropped that much weight as my eating habits have not changed.
It doesn't really mean anything I just find it interesting.

Hear is hoping Sunday goes better but so far not so good. I woke up at 7:50 with pain and could not go back to sleep so I got up to take Tylenol. But who knows.............. Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!