I realized I better post this sooner rather than later – I don’t want anyone thinking something went wrong!

Because it didn’t.. my surgeon said everything went just like they planned. I actually have a very strong femur and very strong bones.. it just happens to be that the femoral neck, while strong, is not normal. They did biopsy the area that they are thinking is FD, but until the biopsy results come back, it is just the working diagnosis. 

I asked my mom to help with photos, and she definitely had no problem with that! My mom takes more pictures than anyone I know. LOL – I’m sure you’ve seen someone retake the SAME photo about 30 times to get it just right.. well, she’s one of those someones. I’ll take you from start to finish in Sperly style..

Packing up my overnight bag. For once, I didn’t forget anything major! Btw.. you guys like the haircut? This isn’t the greatest photo of it.. but I LOVE having short hair again!

Please ignore the rather large smudge taking over the table. As you can see.. my mom and I came prepared. I actually didn’t bring that much.. most of what’s filling my bag is my pillow and teddy. (Yes.. I am in college. And I sleep with a Teddy bear.) We left the house at 5:00 am because we had to be there by 6:00, hence the face on my face. 

Oh the joy of the self timer. Haha I think we took 10 of these. This is pre-op, after I got my IV in and everything. I’ve had blood drawn plenty of times, and have never been told my veins were too small. Wellll judging by the multiple attempts to get an IV in me, I guess I’ll agree.. my veins are small! The guy gave up on trying to get it in my hand, and just put it in my forearm.

 

Talking to my dad and sister right before I went in to surgery. They were driving back from Michigan, and roads were TERRIBLE. My sister graduated the night before from U of Michigan.. and now she’s home!

Post-op.. after I had moved from the recovery room up to the 8th floor. Room 828.. which I didn’t leave for a solid 24 hours! I was so curious about what was out there, since my mom kept coming and going and I could hear other people or their machines beeping away.. I did eventually get to leave thank goodness

Uuuugh gross picture. But I was in the hospital, so what  can you do. I said I’d blog from there since I’d have so much free time, but honestly, I just slept.. a LOT. Plus the wireless was really shotty there so I couldn’t even connect the majority of the time. Sorry!

Hahah I am such a coffee snob. I couldn’t have any coffee before surgery obviously, so this was the first coffee I had, a WHOLE DAY later. The coffee they brought on the tray wasn’t even like Folger’s.. it was below Folger’s. (No offense to any Folger’s drinkers.. but that’s what working in a coffee shop does to you!) There was a little Starbucks cart down in the cafe (or so I’m told.. I never got to venture that far) so when my mom went to go get coffee (yes, she’s a coffee snob too), I asked if she would get me one. And get me one she did – it was BIG! I guess I’m just used to splitting it up into two mugs.. but that size looked so big! After this I definitely was in a much better mood..

And here is me, in my better post-coffee mood. It was also nice to be able to put a real shirt on, and underwear (gasp!!). I’m thinking I also had Vicodin a little before this.. because believe me, that smile was not permanent. 

Going over the PT exercises that I have to do. This lady was super nice, and she said I did so well with getting up and getting around that I didn’t have to stay for my 2nd PT appointment. Cleared!

Crutches? Hmm.. where have I seen those before?

Finally! Venturing out of room 828! All of about 30 feet down the hall and back, but still, seeing the “outside” was fabulous. No prob. with the crutches.. I’ve been a master at those for a good minute.

Practicing stairs.. unfortunately we have a whole lot more stairs in our house than these two little dinky ones, but I’ve been managing them alright. These PT rooms remind me of the play rooms in my mom’s school for the little kids – I used to LOVE going to work with her just to play in there!

Before checking out, remember to have your IV removed! And that face is not a yawn, it’s an “oh shit that tape hurts!” Also in that photo are my meds.. I am currently taking Vistaril and Norco (Vicodin), alternating every two hours. The morphine that they had in my IV gave me a KILLER headache, so bad that it made me nauseous, and then they had to give me a nausea medication which just made it worse.. lol it was bad. 

So, like I said, the surgeons said the procedure was very successful. I have three pins screwed through my femoral neck, and those should be good and strong for a long time to come. They had to cut through some of the muscles along the outside of my hip, which they sewed (is that the right word?) back together just fine, but it has made my entire left side of my thigh sore and bruised feeling. I am managing the pain OK by staying on top of my medications, but yesterday and today definitely hurt. The doctor said these would be the worst two days, and then it will get better from here. I’m counting on that because even with medication, it definitely hurts right now.

I can’t take a shower till FRIDAY (uugh) but my mom washed my hair in the sink for me this morning, and finally I feel CLEAN! I am just taking things day by day, knowing that it will get better and easier. Don’t laugh.. but I’ve ALWAYS wanted to ride one of those power carts at the grocery store and Target and stuff. My mom and I are going to CostCo tonight to fulfill my dream. Hopefully I will never again have a legitimate reason to use one, and least not any time soon! 

Annnnd, my sister and her BF and my dad are back! Even though my dad’s not staying here it’s just really good to see him and give him a hug. I’m taking advantage of all this down time – I got some good xmas stuff done yesterday (no details.. family reads!) and am getting more done today. But for now my friends, I feel like I should sign off. The Vistaril makes me super drowzy, and I guess it’s hitting hard. I legit keep closing my eyes like every 3 sentences. 

Thank you everyone for all your support. I am so glad I didn’t delete this blog all the 100 times I have come so close! Thannnk you x 1,000,000!

E