The Hips have It

So, let me start by saying I'm loving this chair! I have been all over the place - it is so so nice to have mobility back that does not include pain! A friend and I go up to the student center and have lunch at least once a week. And, now I take my chair to the office. Makes life much easier - I am not exhausted when I leave there or in so much pain I can't think.

Speaking of pain - I saw the orthopaedic doctor last Friday. They did a series of xrays on my hips, pelvis and back. The good news is that my right hip is in great shape! The bad news is that my left hip is in horrible shape! There is no cartilage at all, bone on bone, and that is chipping away or being worn off. He said there is no option but a total hip replacement and there is nothing that will take away the pain in the meantime.

Also, the L4 and L5 vertibrae are out of alignment and severely arthritic - why I can't seem to stand up exactly straight and why, if I could walk much, my back would bother me a great deal. Not much to do for that - just a fact of life at this point.

I am going to see the orthopaedic surgeon for a consult - I'm not sure I can stand the surgery and I'm not sure they do it on someone who still weighs 400 pounds. But, it'll be a starting place and if it's something I have to do after I lose another 100 pounds, I'll have it on the schedule.

Good thing I got the power chair - and the doctor agreed - said I would need it!

Interesting sidenote - there was this huge black spot right near the center of my pelvic bone - Doc said "That's your fibroid tumor - did you know you have a fibroid tumor?" I almost laughed but I didn't! I did manage to tell him that the fibroid had it's very own year - 2009 - and it was not allowed to say or do anything this year!

I didn't weigh at this visit - I've been doing better and have only eat Dominoes once per week the last two weeks!

Progress Report what - Number 50?

Been a little behind - for one I let my home phone get cut off which zapped my internet. That's back on - just some bumps in the never-ending bumpy road called life. Thank God for the bumps though - they keep me awake! (and you make see that on facebook too)

I saw the GYN surgeon around March 15 or so - she was pleased that things have continued to be good - code for 'yay no bleeding'! Right now we're not going to do anything but wait and see and if I don't go thru menopause in the next year or so, we may do the hysterectomy.

Had an INR - holding steady at 2.8. I weighed too - down to 403 - 198 pounds lost!! Man, will I ever get below that 400 pound mark?

Saw the cardiologist this week - he said he was very happy with the progress I've made. I had gained 9 lbs since the GYN visit - thanks to Dominos Buffalo Chicken Sandwich!! I am retaining a great deal of fluid again - I guess that will never be over. Blood pressure was 124/82 can't get much better than that.

We discussed the weight loss surgery which I still don't want to have and Mitzi was with me. She commented that I'd done so good on my own - but he said that I need to get down to 200 - he don't see me any smaller than that - and that I could jumpstart the process with surgery instead of spending another two years getting it off.

The compromise - we are at the edge of summer which was great for me last year. I've signed up for the CSA Farmer Box again - and if I can repeat what I did last summer I can get 50-60 pounds off by the time I go back to the cardiologist in August! He agreed and we'll go from there! I weighed 340 pounds when I married Ronnie Martin - I'd love to be there by the end of summer.

FYI - I got my powerchair! It is great - wish I had done this years ago - I have life and freedom back - I've been all over the campus, to a concert, to church several times, just everywhere. In process of getting approved for AccessRide and at that point, the city is my domain again! Watch out for the white haired woman on the candy apple red Jazzy!!

I really got to do something with this hair!