Whew......

This is my first blog post hip replacement surgery. Quite the ordeal, however, I am feeling well and healing, just need to be patient. I have two more weeks before I can weight bear on my left leg. I have to "hop" using a walker and only my right leg. On Saturday, my oldest son and wife and their two beautiful daughters came to visit us. Ellie kept saying to me "Gwandma hop", and then she would start hopping on one foot. Gotta love 'em, she was so cute.

I pass the day with a pretty simple schedule, wash up and brush teeth each morning bright and early. Unfortunately, I can't take a shower until I can hike up the stairs and that won't be until after May 24th. But, my husband has graciously agreed to help me wash my hair and that makes me feel sooooo much better. After the clean up I watch a little of the Today show and drink my coffee, at 8:00 a.m. I take my daily meds and give myself a shot of a blood thinner that will keep me from forming blood clots. Now I know have a better understanding of what my sisters and one brother have to do each day and then for them it is multiplied by 2-4 times each day. I definitely have a greater respect for what they have to do to keep their lives as normal as they can. Then the rest of the day is left to watching mindless TV, knitting, reading, some web surfing, and just sort of being bored.

I am very excited that I am on the less than two week countdown. My husband has been wonderful during this time, he has been very patient with me. I will have to do something very special for him when this is all over. As weird as it seems to have a foreign object in my body, I am looking forward to seeing how it works. I'll keep you posted.

Another Weekend has Come and Gone

It is hard to believe there is only weekend left in April. Spring is going fast even though the weather isn't cooperating. We had a somewhat productive weekend. Craig had a house showing with a young couple, and I started a sweater for my new grandniece, is that word? We also made some decisions about our backyard. We had a hot tub for around seven years and after having to continually put money into it so we could use it we decided to get rid of it. The only problem is that it left a space in our landscaped backyard that needed "something". So, after a little bit of brainstorming we decided that an old fashioned fireplace would be the perfect accessory to our backyard. After receiving a couple of bids we realized that we didn't want to spend quite that much money, so we went to Menards to see what they had for project kits. Lo and behold we found a great fireplace, just what we wanted and within our price constraints. We just love the looks of it and think it will be great for family fun times. We ordered it yesterday and hope to start building it in May. Of course we will not be doing this ourselves but will hire someone much more talented in the art of masonry. Here is a picture of what it should look like when it is done, except it will only have one woodbox..

A Dichotomy of a Day or How Life Can Be Painful and Yet So Joyful

Okay, okay, okay, I know the reason I am having hip surgery is because I have painful arthritis in my hip, but really, does it have to keep reminding me every minute of every day? I have had a very difficult day today. I can hardly walk, when I do try my hip cracks like it is breaking and the pain is getting worse as each day goes by. I have tried taking Tramadol plus another analgesic but nothing seems to help today. I am worried that I may have trouble next week when I go shopping with my beautiful daughter for her wedding dress, but I will persevere and just "drug up" to make it through the day.

On a lighter note, I am great aunt again. My brother Tom's daughter Alison and her husband Greg welcomed a beautiful red-haired little girl named Lucy Rose. Isn't that a nice name? I am a little partial to the name Lucy as I have a sweet Great Dane with that name and even though it is my dog's name I still think it is a great name for a little girl. We haven't met her yet but I'm sure very soon we will.

That is all for today, will keep taking my pain meds in hopes that eventually it will catch up to the pain and will continue to look forward to my surgery (I can't believe I am saying that) in around 10 days.

Make New Friends but Keep the Old, Some are Silver and the Others Gold

Yesterday I spent the day with a very dear friend. We met for coffee in the morning at a local coffee shop. We visited there until around 1:00 pm and then decided to go to the second hand shop on top of the hill. I found some treasures; vinyl albums, colored glass to put in my candle holders, a stainless steel spoon holder and some fun garden art. Then we went to a very late lunch. I ended up getting home around 4:30 pm. What a

day, we talked about everything and anything. How wonderful it is be able to enjoy the day with a good friend.

The Start of Something Good?

Today I started the road to a total hip replacement. I have had problems with my hip for a few years now and have finally decided it is time to take the plunge. With our daughter planning her wedding for August of this year, and if I want to dance at her wedding I really need to fix my hip.

I had my pre-op appointment today as well as my chest x-ray, lab work and visit with the nurse educator. I am going to blog about the whole experience so others can know what to expect. As I began my online search for information about personal experiences with a hip replacement I was very interested in how their recovery progressed and think others may be interested in mine.

Interestingly, they found I had a bladder infection today. I am totally shocked as I am symptom free and wonder if I will feel differently as I start my medication. Who knew, maybe my tiredness and aching were all a side effect to the bladder infection.

Not sure when or what my next blog will be in relation to the hip surgery, it will all depend on whatever happens that is blogworthy (new made up word?).

Ellie is Two!

Last Saturday we spent the day celebrating our oldest granddaughter's second birthday.  It was a wonderful day spending time with family.  Ellie is a very special little girl  She is smart, sassy, funny, full of energy and just a fun little girl all the way around.  Her cousins were all there and they had so much fun playing inside and out.  She received a nice array of gifts, from educational to musical to girlie stuff.  She had a Dairy Queen cake decorated with beautiful butterflies and she was dressed in butterflies, hmmmmm, guess there was a theme there for her Spring birthday.

It is hard to believe that she is already two, those last two years have just flown by.  We are so blessed with two beautiful granddaughters and look forward to many, many birthdays with our little angels.