HipSk8

Did I or didn't I?

2012-02-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

I know that all of my loyal readers, that is to say, both of you, have been anxiously waiting to find out whether today was a repeat of "twizzle" or back to "fizzle." Happily I twizzled today (about half of my 20 attempts were good). I could almost call this a "trend." I would like to think this means I'm on the road to permanent twizzlehood.

I've been trying to con my husband into meeting me at the mall for "lunch," which means I could also sweet talk him into doing some videotaping since there is coincidentally a rink at the mall. I'd like to document the twizzle before it disappears again. So far he's seen right through my ploy and he keeps turning me down, claiming that he is on a diet or busy or some other excuse that I'm just not buying. Look for video here as soon as he does something that really pisses me off and needs to somehow apologize.

It's back ...

2012-02-07T18:58:00.001-08:00

My on again, off again relationship with the Argentine twizzle continues. I am obsessed with the damn thing and not in a good way. I tell myself each session that I am going to try a few and then move on to other things, but I sometimes spend the entire hour mentally and physically flogging myself with it as it continues to coyly elude me.

Today's lesson broke the destructive cycle as Coach R, genius that she is, realized that I am starting the lobe with my arms already in counter position. When she switched it so that I started the lobe normally and went into counter position at the twizzle point, I twizzled. Magic. I still touched my toe down ever so briefly on about 90% of them but the 10% I did well felt very much like they did back in the day. Almost like a real skater.

And let's be sure to laugh at my experience with the fishing pole harness today. This genius idea was all mine, not Coach R's. I thought if she put me on the harness and I didn't have any fear of falling and smashing my pelvis and having to explain this to my surgeon, Dr. Mayo, my muscle memory might just kick in. She was game to try, so out I went strapped in to the harness to work on my quad, ... uh, ... twizzles. I am sure those watching were expecting something far more exciting, like a move that actually leaves the ice, to merit so much protective gear. I am sure it was very disapointing for the mall audience when they realized they weren't going to see Michelle Kwan today. No, the fishing pole lasted about 5 minutes until we figured out it wasn't tricking me mentally into thinking anything other than OMG, my hair is going to get caught in this thing, which caused me to duck my head every time I came out of the twizzle.

Interestingly, I can do the Arge twizzle consistently well on my right foot (always the stronger side now as that was the hip operated most successfully). If only the dance were done clockwise, but no. Then it would be the Enitnegra Tango and what with the Cha Cha Congelado and the Finnstep, we don't need any more silly dance names.

We then moved on to the tough step on the Westminster Waltz (no, not the one you think, I rock at that one). The step I struggle with is the step from RFI to LFI. Sounds easy, no? No. But easier after today's lesson.

Stay tuned to see if the twizzle sticks around for tomorrow's practice or whether it's a no show again.

Deliberate practice ... is not inherently enjoyable

2012-02-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

“The important thing is not just practice but deliberate practice, “a constant sense of self-evaluation, of focusing on one’s weaknesses, rather than simply fooling around and playing to one’s strengths. Studies show that practice aimed at remedying weaknesses is a better predictor of expertise than raw number of hours; playing for fun and repeating what you already know is not necessarily the same as efficiently reaching a new level. Most of the practice that most people do, most of the time, be it in the pursuit of learning the guitar or improving their golf game, yields almost no effect.”

Read more: http://ideas.time.com/2012/01/25/the-myth-of-practice-makes-perfect/

Fizzle

2012-01-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

Fizzle = Failed Twizzle.

It was a short-lived victory. After my carefree day of Arge twizzle excitement two weeks ago (at least 20 of them! with speed! with music! in the dance!) I have not been able to do a single one since. For one great dance session I felt like I was back in my old body again; now the crappy "improved" one has returned.

Of course this is incredibly frustrating but I am pretty sure it will come back some day ... It's as if I have been given a tantalizing glimpse of the possible. Did two weeks ago actually happen, or was that just in my head?

I never thought about the turn before surgery, just did it. I am pretty sure I'm over-thinking it now, trying to figure out what I used to do to make it work. I have also tried to just not think at all and let the muscles remember, but so far that's not working either.

So, focusing on the positive ... I did some off-ice axels which made me incredibly sore. I am not supposed to jump but I did, and I was able to do full one-and-a-half rotation and land them on one foot. That was fun. The Blues choctaw has become pretty consistent but takes too long (about 3 beats instead of 2, talk about messed up timing). The Rhumba choctaw is really consistent.

Choctaws require more hip action than a counter/twizzle a la arge, so I am at a loss to explain any of this. It's like a sick joke, only not very funny. I can only attribute the twizzle failure to muscles that were damaged and still not firing correctly vs. lack of hip turnout.

As my husband said about the inconsistency and frustration, "welcome to golf." Another expensive and infuriating pastime ... and one which I have no interest in pursuing.

Breakthrough

2012-01-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

I have not been doing much blogging lately, but after skating today I am compelled to memorialize today's events. Fellow ice dancers will likely appreciate this post more than fellow hippies.

Today was a breakthrough day. First: I did 2 patterns of the Paso solo on time, including the restart both times. The restart mohawk is incredibly difficult on my hips. I've fought to get the cross rolls on time and on the right part of the blade so they roll. I was pretty close today.

Second: I was able to do the Argentine twizzle for the first time since my surgery. I just did it out of nowhere after struggling with it for months. Then I put it in the dance at about half speed and did it again. And again, and again. Hoping it is not a fluke and it's here to stay. (Note that it's hard because it's really a counter, not a twizzle ... twizzles are mostly easy for me.)

Third: I was able to do the Quickstep choctaw for the first time since my surgery. Same principle as the Argentine twizzle really, and it's because I finally have the muscle control to get over a solid FO edge going into both of them.

Last week I had a breakthrough on my rockers (I'm doing the Junior Moves rocker patterns so it's all of my rockers, but in particular the FO which are the most difficult for the same reason the twizzle and choctaw were -- not being able to hold a solid FO edge).

I attribute my breakthrough to a couple of things: (1) My OIE Platform, (2) Pilates twice weekly (3) Yoga once per week and (4) seeing some videos of myself skating circa 2001 which kicked me in the butt because I really want to skate like that again.

Who cares why I'm improving -- off-ice training, self-pity, whatever it takes! Just glad that I am still moving forward.

Hippiversary

2011-11-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

Friday November 18th was my two-year hippiversary for my left (second) PAO. I am a little late with this update as I was traveling. I celebrated by walking a mile uphill in snow and rain (the snow wasn't sticking to the ground so it wasn't as bad as it sounds). This is something I couldn't have done without major repercussions before my surgery. I was a little stiff the next day but not incapacitated.

When you have a PAO, they tell you that it takes a full two years to heal. At this point I can say that I'm probably as healed as I will ever be. So what's it like two years later?

~I can walk without crippling pain, although walking a long distance, up hill, or carrying a load does make me sore and stiff. I still limp on occasion but it takes a lot. Walking used to be something I loved to do but now it's not my favorite activity. I think I could build up my walking ability if I wanted to work on it, but so far I save my time and energy for other things.
~My overall flexibility and range of motion is far less than it used to be. Period. This has been discussed in prior posts and is probably my biggest bummer. Like the walking, I could probably work harder on this by going to yoga every day or really working on it, but even with a lot of work I will not be where I used to be. It is what it is.
~Skating is generally not painful as long as I don't do anything challenging. My coordination and balance are not what they used to be and this prevents me from doing a lot of things that I used to do without thinking about since I learned them as a kid. It has been a strange and frustrating journey to try re-learning. Sometimes the things that were easiest are now the hardest and vice versa. It's as if my entire body has been re-wired. (Help! I'm trapped in somebody else's body and it won't listen to me!)
~The usual suspect muscles are still weaker than they were, but I am stronger than your average 48-year-old. Hip flexors, glutes and abductors are still fairly lazy -- not for a regular person, but for a figure skater. I say that because for normal activities and perhaps if I took up a different sport, this would not be an issue. Let's be honest; the surgery cut right through the most useful muscles for skating and they have not fully recovered and probably never will.
~My psoas is still very tight and causes some back pain. I am trying different stretches to alleviate this.
~I am not pain free. Now my pain is muscle fatigue, soreness and stiffness and not bone-on-bone arthritis pain. I can deal with that.
~I still don't like to stand for long periods of time or walk or stand on hard surfaces. I can do it, but I pay for it the next day with soreness.
~I still use a cane for long walks and downtown, where I work. This is for balance and also self preservation. I have been wacked too many times in the pelvis by careless people swinging bags around at hip level. Ouch. I use the cane to keep them the hell away from me. I thought about getting a hiking pole instead, but I actually prefer the geriatric look of the cane. It says, "be careful, I have something wrong with me" vs. "I am cool, I like to go hiking in the city!" I still feel vulnerable enough that I want to broadcast the "something wrong with me" part. I also don't want anyone to give me dirty looks if I have to sit down (on the bus, during a tour, whatever) and don't give up my seat. Of course, I do give up my seat to anyone worse off than I am, and that's most people. But it's my choice.

A happy Thanksgiving all. I am still thankful that medical science has come far enough to keep me mobile; in past generations I would be in a wheelchair by now.

Cha Cha, Continued ...

2011-10-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

I promise to update this blog on my two-year hippiversary for PAO#2 in November. Until then, life goes on.

Hip in Sun Valley

2011-07-26T10:30:00.001-07:00

Found time to skate a bit while judging the National Collegiate Championships in Sun Valley, Idaho

Randy Gardner Seminar

2011-07-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

I like to name drop as much as anyone else, so I can't help mentioning that I attended a seminar by 1979 World Pair Champion, world-reknowned choreographer, and all around nice guy Randy Gardner along with my ice dancing peeps on Sunday.

There were 8 of us in the "high" dance group (including some kids) and I was a bit apprehensive about attending because I don't consider myself a high-level dancer any more. But I surprised myself by keeping up. I tried all of the sequences and was able to do many of them and I wasn't way behind the rest of the group. In fact, sometimes I was ahead.

It's nice to know that I can keep up. A year ago it would not have been possible, even on two feet. It gives me confidence that I'll survive the High Dance Camp as well.

Two Year Hippiversary

2011-07-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

Today marks the two-year anniversary of my right PAO. That means my left PAO is close to a year and 8 months old. I took this opportunity to re-read some of my early posts. Oh, the drama! Not that all of this hip stuff isn't serious of course, but with the wisdom of two years of healing, I can say that I have mellowed and lost most of my anger about why this happened to me.

In the beginning, I was told that there was a two-year rehab period for this surgery. I was also told that even after two years my hips would not be normal. I would probably have continuing pain and reduced strength/ROM even at maximum recovery.

That's turned out to be quite accurate. While I am happy with the outcome of my PAOs, I am not "cured." There was no promise that I'd be pain free and I'm not. There was no promise that I'd be able to do all of the things I used to do and I can't. I still have many limitations despite what my surgeon and PT would both call a stellar recovery. Their goal was not to give me back the abilities I had before, but to give me as much ability as possible, and they did that.

I realize now how strong and fit and coordinated I used to be, which I didn't realize at the time. I have experienced an interesting progression of aging rapidly, from a sports perspective, practically overnight. By that I mean that I went from being a very fit and fearless 45-year-old, often feeling and skating like I was much younger, to being a 48-year-old with hips that feel and perform like those of a much older person. I am much more risk averse. I am no longer fearless. I don't have the same balance, strength, flexibility and especially coordination that I used to. Despite telling myself that some of this is in my head and it will get better, I know in my heart what I really don't want to admit aloud most days -- I will never get some of my abilities back.

Sounds defeatist but that doesn't mean I won't stop trying. It gives me something challenging to do and provides good exercise for me.

I don't regret my PAOs (and in any case, what choice did I have?). I think a PAO is a wonderful fix for a bad situation that nobody chooses. Truth in advertising: for athletes and dancers, realistically, a PAO may not allow you to perform at your prior level, especially if your hip capsule is opened and a lot of key muscles are severed. (A "simple" PAO where the pelvis is broken and reset but the hip capsule is not opened may be a different story.)

So. See you on the ice, where I'll be working diligently on what I can do, and trying not to think about the things I can't do.

Falling ... really?

2011-07-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Over the holiday weekend I fell on my butt twice. In the same day. In spectacular fashion.

This would not be a big deal if I did it while skating because, well, falling happens on the ice. But it happened OFF the ice, which is worse because the momentum of sliding on the ice tends to absorb the impact of a fall. Falls on gravel and wood don't have the same benefit.

Fall #1 happened while I was walking on the side of my house in the morning; a garden step broke when I stepped on it and I went straight down on my back on some gravel. The encore fall occurred in the evening when I slipped on a wood stair riser and fell down a couple of stairs in the house. And I wasn't even drinking.

I've never had a stair problem before, and even navigated stairs for several months on crutches without a single mishap.

I had been scheduled for a lesson on big ice with Coach I on the Cha Cha the next day. After fall #1 I took some Ibuprofen and felt a bit sore, but still planned to skate. After fall #2 I asked Perry to bring me the phone (as I sat in a heap at the bottom of the stairs) and called Coach from that position to explain that I would not be there in the morning.

I hit my left arm on the stair riser and it has a lovely bruise the size of a baseball. My back and hips hurt. I am trying not to whine. I had high hopes of skating a lot this week so I'll load up on Ibuprofen and I'll be at the rink tonight. Because in life, as in skating, you fall. The important thing is to get up and try again.

Cha Cha Confusado

2011-06-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

My dance coach told me Thursday he wants me to test my Cha Cha Congelado on August 20, which is close enough to my 2-year hippiversary for me to use it as a way to celebrate that event (pass or fail, doesn't matter, it's just the act of getting back out there that's important).

But wait, there's more.

We are playing musical clubs here and my club has now been told to leave the ice surface they have served for 40 years or so which is where I want to test since I practice there and the rink is large enough for the CCC (there's no way to do it in a mall rink and fit it in). Another club is moving in to that rink. The test schedule is all messed up and even the test chair of the other club doesn't know about the alleged test on the 20th at that club's new rink, which my coach seems to know about.

I wanted to let the test chair know I'm testing in advance so he could get an international-level judging panel -- not easy under the best of circumstances -- and with it being summer, and people taking vacations, and dates/rinks changing, and with one of those judges (me) skating the test and therefore totally unavailable, it's not likely this is really going to happen.

This is what happened with all of my gold and some of my pre-gold dances, BTW. I signed up for the test and it was months before a judging panel was found that didn't contain me. It occurs to me I may just have to go out of town, with coach in tow, to actually take this test anywhere close to my two-year hippiversary.

But I'm training as if it's going to happen and we'll just have to wait and see.

Apocalypse No

2011-05-31T21:47:00.000-07:00

Ho hum, looks like the world didn't end. You didn't really think I'd stop blogging, did you? Besides, I had a big BIG big BIG big BIG very BIG Humongous breakthrough tonight. I have already shown or told everyone at the rink, several times. Now I can tell the rest of the world through the magic of blogging.

Tonight Coach R and I worked on the Blues Choctaw and figured out a way to get my lazy hip to push forward. I won't go into excruciating detail (L., I will tell you privately since I'm sure you'll want to know), but suffice to say that I did about 20 Choctaws, with more speed than I have managed since surgery, and they finally felt like Choctaws. Let me say that again - THEY FINALLY FELT LIKE CHOCTAWS. !!!!!! That's big news. I've been trying everything and anything for the past year to fix that turn and this is the first time I've had success of this magnitude.

A few other turns I have not had much success with I was able to do in a very limited, developmental way today, which is still an improvement over nothing. These include the Mohawk at the end of the Paso, the Quickstep Choctaw, the Argentine Twizzle, the Westminster Mohawk, and, just barely, the Foxtrot Mohawk. If the world did actually end, I guess I'd die happy.

When Hell freezes over, can we have a patch* session?

2011-05-20T12:50:00.001-07:00

With the end of the world imminent, I wanted to put a little closure to this blog.

First, I want to apologize to my readers for many months of boring posts. This blog has morphed into a catalog of things I can and can't do on the ice which may or may not be hip related. This appeals to about 3 ice dancers who have nothing better to do because their ice is down for repair before the rapture.

And I know what you're saying. "Terri, you were so much more witty and entertaining back when you were lying in bed all day with your pelvis broken." And you're right, I was. Occasionally readers even laughed out loud, which helped them deal with the pain of their own dysplasia diagnoses and upcoming PAO surgeries.

I hear those readers who tell me that "hip dysplasia is so 2009, get over it and move on already." You're right. The details of my hip dysplasia saga are archived here for all eternity, which might end tomorrow, for anyone who wants to read them. I can still give major updates when appropriate, but there's really not that much left to say.

I also hear those readers who say "ice dancing, major yawn. While we appreciate the entertainment value when you post videos of you falling on your doubly-PAO'd ass, can you please write about some of your more interesting hobbies instead?"

Why, yes I can. My very interesting hobbies include the following:

~Blogging: I don't think a blog about blogging would gain much traction.

~Judging Figure Skating: Snore.

~My On Again, Off Again Obsession With Yoga: I'm not even interested enough to write about it.

~Bargain Shopping: While I am the queen of the bargain clothing shoppers, bargain blogs are a dime a dozen (actually a dozen costs just a nickel at The Rack). Besides, if I posted my secret source for Michael Kors cotton blouses at 90% off retail there'd be fewer bargains for me. For those of you who are not my size, contact me privately.

~Sewing: While I thought my one post about sewing was fairly entertaining, I am not sure everyone shares my view. There are many other more entertaining sewing blogs, such as The Selfish Seamstress. I admire her fashion sense, clever use of third person and, well, selfishness.

~Criticizing the Table Manners, Driving Habits, Child-Rearing Practices and Grammar of others: This idea has potential.

~Making Fun of Current Events: Ah, so much fodder for fun here. For example, the recent circumcision ban proposed in San Francisco just begs for blog attention, but I am not sure I want to blog about the politics of foreskins.

~Making Fun of Myself: Narcissistic, but this is a blog, after all.

Signing off ... for now ... must change into something more appropriate for the end of the world. You can catch me next week, probably from hell, which I hope has frozen over and is not full of hockey players.

*"Patch" - A figure skating activity during which each skater is assigned a strip of ice on which to practice school figures (figure 8s). Interestingness score for patch as a spectator sport for non-skaters is on par with watching grass grow or paint dry, thus this aspect of figure skating has been phased out to boost figure skating's TV appeal. Purists and judges lament the passing of school figures and concurrent decline in basic skating skills, but that's a topic for another post.

Breakthroughs at 1.5 years post LPAO

2011-05-10T08:58:00.001-07:00

I haven't given a hip status in a long time, so it's probably time to do so and tie that status with some breakthroughs I'm having on the ice.

I am at about a year and a half from my second PAO, which puts me at 1 year and 10 months for my first PAO. I was told at the beginning of this journey that I will continue to see improvement up to (and sometimes beyond) the two year post-surgery mark, and I'm hoping to see the progress continue.

I had a bit of a setback at the end of February when a car seat slammed into my knees, pushing my femurs back into their sockets abruptly. Before that happened I had been experiencing very little muscle pain. Now I am having more muscle pain with exertion, but Dr. Mayo thinks it could take up to 6 months to heal from that trauma. He saw me 6 weeks after the accident and noted that my abductors were very weak, and I'm working on getting that strength back - I think it was due to lack of activity right after the accident.

Hip status:
~My scars have faded into oblivion and can barely be seen.
~Certain muscles are still weak (hip flexors, abductors). When I say "weak," I mean "weak compared to what they once were." They are probably normal or better for someone my age. Skaters have strong hip flexors and mine were cut and atrophied to nothing, so building them back up so that I can do nice forward flare extensions on the ice is probably going to be impossible.
~I no longer have low back pain.
~I walk without a limp unless I'm really, really, really tired.
~I don't like to walk long distances although I can. It's not the best exercise for me as it puts the most pressure on my hip joints and can cause fatigue and soreness. For the same reason, I don't run, but I never did.
~I can sleep in any position.

Skating breakthroughs have been notable this past week. I am able to bend better and extend better. I have finally taken the training wheels (two-footing) off my FI mohawks and can push and extend on the FI edge before the turn. This is partly balance and partly strength. FI mohawks are considered an "easy" skill and it has taken me about a year to be able to stroke into them with confidence, but before this week I felt very unstable in that position solo.

I still can't do many turns that start with a FO edge (other than rockers and twizzles). The abductor weakness is probably to blame, as my legs aren't stable enough. I can't do FO counters (although I can do BO counters). I can't do the Argentine twizzle, but that's because it's really a counter. I can do the QS choctaw slowly with a touchdown but I think if I spent some time on it, it might improve. Can't do FO closed mohawks except slowly with a big touchdown but that should be no surprise! That will probably be the last thing to come back, if it comes back at all.

I can do full patterns of the Intermediate and Novice twizzle sequences and they are better than some of the kids' tests I've judged, if I do say so myself. Very happy about how those are coming along.

Cha Cha Congelado

2011-05-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is Thursday's rendition of the Cha Cha Congelado, skating with K. This was a crowded freestyle session on 2/3 ice so no way to skate it out or do full patterns, and we didn't have music. You can't really tell this is a Cha Cha, and for an international dance this isn't done very well, but considering my week-old boots I'm pretty happy with this. I suppose considering that a year ago my friends were holding me up to do the Dutch Waltz, I should be ecstatic:

My finest hour:

When the Doctor Becomes the Patient

2011-05-05T09:24:00.001-07:00

Great article on hip dysplasia from the perspective of an orthopedic surgeon who is also a bilateral PAO patient:

http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2152.full

New Boots

2011-04-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Orthotics are great, but they make boots smaller. So my feet have been killing me because they are squished into my 10-year-old custom boots, which were fit exactly to my feet.

So I felt the time was right to break in my new boots. I have a pair of Klingbeil dance boots which have been mounted on my picc frames. I've worn them a couple of times with the piccs but since they were slightly too big I didn't think I would switch them out. With the orthotics inside they fit perfectly. I have regained enough balance and stability that I feel OK about breaking in a new pair of boots.

Today was day 1 with new boots + orthotics. My feet don't hurt like they did in the old boots, but I have some different pain because the boots are new and stiff. They still felt a bit big in the heel, but I am going to wear thicker socks tomorrow. I like the higher heel and lower cut of these boots - I feel like my toe point is better. I did the MIF group class tonight and was able to do everything in the class, so I think the boots are going to be fine with some break-in time.

Tomorrow I have my second lesson with Coach I. to work on my Cha Cha Congelado. I would like to test it this summer. We started working on it again last week. We'll see how much I can do tomorrow with the new boots.

I didn't blog about my lesson with John D in San Francisco last Monday. Look for that in a future post.

See No Evil

2011-04-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Not what Dr. Mayo had in mind when he said, "return to normal activities"!

But at least I got the t-shirt!

My husband Perry came to the rink to videotape me yesterday. Part of me wanted to look, and another part of me was horrified at the thought of seeing myself on tape. (Our video recorder is ancient, so "tape" is actually the correct term.)

Perry's remark was, "you are skating so slowly." This is very true; everyone else is whizzing by me on the session and I am plodding along as if skating through sand.

I also took a pretty sick fall by catching an edge. The video never lies - it was just a dumbass "for no good reason fall" - but you can see one of the other ice dancers in the background clapping when I fell. I'm sure he had no idea my husband was directly across the rink from him filming.

It was a hard fall on my backside but I was able to get up and keep going for the rest of the session, and I feel OK today, so no harm done.

So after reviewing the film, I noticed the following:
~On the good side, I have some very nice deep edges (however, see the final two points below)
~I am skating very, very slowly and tentatively
~I have very little free leg extension
~I overuse my arms and hands and they look awkward
~I carry my arms and hands too high
~I take very short choppy strokes
~I kick up my feet behind me when I stroke instead of extending (this is because my feet hurt from the orthotics but I didn't realize it was so obvious and constant)
~I am bent over with poor posture most of the time
~I hook my edges at the end of lobes
~I tend to take edges that are TOO DEEP for my speed

Some of this I can do something about, some I can't. I find the last two things very, very interesting. I think they are causing some of the problems I have. I never thought I'd be telling myself to "try for flatter edges," but that's definitely something I need to work on. My take on this is that my body still remembers how to hold a good solid edge, but I no longer have the leg strength or velocity to use it to advantage, so it's hindering me from flowing from lobe to lobe and doing turns like I used to.

It's a theory which I'll test out in the near future.

The Great Orthotic Experiment

2011-03-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Day 2:

The progress continues. Today I was able to pad my foot enough to avoid some of the existing blister pain. I also removed the original insole to make more room for the orthotic (since my boots are custom and very tight fitting).

I was able to do some things that I hadn't even dared try since surgery (Quickstep choctaw, for example) since the outside edge had been too unsteady and it just seemed impossible.

I think I may have always had this problem but was able to muscle through in the past. Now that my muscles are not nearly as strong as they were pre-surgery, I must use good technique to do things and can't just get through them by pushing harder. My balance is also different now and my new hip alignment has exacerbated the problem.

This isn't going to fix everything, but it certainly makes it easier not to fight my own body all the time. I didn't realize how much I was doing that until today.

The Great Orthotic Experiment

2011-03-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Day One:

Brief history - I have always had very flat feet but no pain and no pronation
problems with walking. I have always had the tendency of rocking over easily
to the inside edge of my skate when I don't want to, so have to really force
outside edges. I managed to do OK for many years skating freestyle and figures,
but in ice dancing always struggled and just thought it was caused by other
factors (laziness, bad hips, weak muscles, tuning out my coach).

Fast forward, two hip re-creations later, I'm still re-learning how to skate. I moved my blade over and considered shimming it several months ago, which helped slightly. But I still didn't feel secure and stable on outside edges. It occurred to me that perhaps I'm pronating in my skate even though I don't do so in shoes. On a whim I just thought I'd try orthotics in my skates even though I don't pronate.

And, Voila, today I held real outside edges with no struggle. They felt right.
They sounded right (without that scrapey, "it's about to change to an inside
edge so I have to force it" sound). Some of the things I had to muscle through
in the past just to stay vertical seemed suddenly easier. It made a HUGE
difference.

I didn't have time to try very much and the new orientation of my foot meant a
blister formed so I'll have to fix that, but ... but ... but ... well, this is
all very exciting. Wish someone had told me (or I had figured out) to do this
years and years ago. What a difference it would have made! I had heard about
orthotics but since I didn't pronate off the ice it never occurred to me I might
need to fix what was happening to my feet inside my skates.

Happy birthday to me!

Flirting with Mediocrity

2011-03-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first time on the ice since the week before the Costa Rican travel accident. Skating was mediocre as expected, but considering the time off and the fact that I'm still sore, I am OK with mediocrity.

I have an appointment with Dr. Mayo April 12th (soonest available) but I think I may end up canceling it since I am improving and there is clearly no boney damage to my hip joints. In my (haha) medical opinion it's just soft tissue damage which will resolve over time. Sara, Dr. Mayo's PA, confirmed this was her suspicion as well but said if I'm not better by April 12th I should come in, so that's the plan.

Based on yesterday's mediocrity I now have a goal to strive for on the ice. I plan to compete in the All Figures competition in the Novice Twizzle event.

Novice Twizzle Demo:

Even on days when I can barely walk I can usually do a decent twizzle, so might as well showcase that strange rotational ability somehow. I did several patterns yesterday and realized later I had done them slightly wrong, but no matter. I have several months to perfect the pattern. I am referee for the competition but see no reason why I can't make a fool of myself as well!

Post Vacay Decay

2011-03-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

Back from my Costa Rica vacation, where I did not skate but did swim, zipline, body surf, hike and drink beer without hip pain. An unfortunate accident having to do with a car seat on the last day jammed both legs into my hip sockets, leaving me sore and unable to skate or exercise at all since my return.

I've left a message with Dr. Mayo to find out if I should come in for an examination. I am finding it difficult to limp since both hips (and my back) are sore. Which leg do you favor when they both hurt? I've got the cane out but I always hate to use it ... so many questions from people who have recently seen me doing just fine without it. Crap.

Will post more later but I'm hoping it's just a matter of rest and time and ice and NSAIDS, and that it's soft tissue injury and not a fracture.

Living on the Edge

2011-02-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

I have been making good progress in my weekly moves-in-the-field lessons but I realize that in order to make real progress I need to practice more hours and do so more consistently.

So in that spirit, I am trying to skate 5 or 6 hours per week instead of 1 or 2. I skated Friday, Sunday and today (Monday) for an hour each time, and I have actually seen improvement.

Friday was my lesson and we worked on rockers, brackets, and outside edges. Sunday was social dancing and rather than work on basics I worked on the Cha Cha Congelado and Ravensburger solos. (Hey, a girl has to have some fun!)

Today I went over the turns from my lesson but spent most of the time just doing FO edges. That's right, I'm living on the edge. RFO, LFO. Foot in back, foot in front. Knee up, knee down. Knee up and down and up and down. Regular check, counter check. It's all good isometric exercise for my still-weak muscles, but they are starting to remember how to do a real outside edge instead of rocking to an inside edge when the going gets tough.

Now I need to repeat these exercises 6,000,000 times and I'll be ready to move forward.

Greensboro 2011

2011-01-31T20:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Laurie for this great shot of Maia and Alex Shibutani, Championship Free Dance, at the U.S. National Championships in Greensboro, NC. I am judge #8 (right in the middle between "AT&T" and "2011").

I consider it a privilege to serve as a judge and was honored to have the best seat in the house as our talented skaters showed their stuff. Thank you Greensboro for my new addiction to grits and sweet tea!

And down ...

2011-01-25T21:19:00.001-08:00

...as in falling down. On the judges stand, before my first event at Nationals on Sunday morning.

Last year I was just off crutches from PAO#2 and had a cane at Nationals and could barely walk a block. The year before I was pre-surgery but also had a cane. This year I am walking normally, no cane, looking like a pretty normal person, reassuring everyone that I am just fine. As we were walking out to judge the first event I missed a step on the judging stand, fell down, and land on my hands and knees in front of a pretty large audience. Of course I twisted my ankle, so I LIMPED to my seat. Good thing I know how to limp with style and panache!

Before the splat I had been reassuring people who asked that I was just fine and needed no assistance. Geez! All of the times over the past several years I judged with a cane and once even on crutches, I never came close to falling down. It's so ridiculous. Luckily the IceNetwork cameras were not turned my way and big TV is not here yet; perhaps some lucky fan caught it on video but I sure hope not.

I have been super careful on the other events because if I fall down again I will just die of embarrassment!

And up ...

2011-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

After doing some hydroblades over the past week I seem to have irritated my psoas, which is not entirely unexpected. So I'm laying off them for now and concentrating on less glamorous tricks which are in fact not even tricks, but basic skating.

I had hit a plateau on some of the formerly (pre-PAO) easy maneuvers - in particular FO rockers and stepping forward from back crossovers to the inside of the circle. I have been really concentrating on just doing these things and not jumping ahead to do the fun things like twizzles and patterns of the Rave. I've also really been working on my lazy glutes off the ice. Due to the lifelong dysplasia they have never fired correctly and now I am forcing them to work, so that my other muscles don't incorrectly take up the slack. Today I had the ice to myself and really saw improvement, although I am sore. I touch down with my free foot much less frequently as my skating muscles get stronger, although I still use training wheels when turnout doesn't happen.

Some of the things I struggled with 4 - 6 months ago I now do easily, such as LFI 3 turns and the Starlight mohawk section. I am still skating very slowly for me, but my speed has increased and I don't think I look like a slug. Maybe a turtle!

Friday is my last day of skating and lesson before 9 days at Nationals, so I hope to show Coach R a lot of improvement.

Today ...

2011-01-11T19:53:00.001-08:00

Hydroblade down AND up.

'nuff said.

Onward to 2011 ...

2010-12-29T13:19:00.000-08:00

For me, 2010 started on crutches and has ended with a hydroblade (well, half a hydroblade - I can get down and hold it but can't get back up ... yet).

2009 was a year of surgery; 2010 was a year of recovery. I hope that 2011 will be a year in which I think about my hips less and less, and eventually not at all.

For 2011 I am not planning any surgeries or trying to fit my life in around physical therapy and crutches. I don't have any looming doctor appointments. My x-rays are in storage.

I am looking forward to a front-row seat at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, NC next month. I am on the panel for all of the dance events from Novice to Championship. This will be the last competition I judge this season after a very full schedule. I am grateful that I am able to sit in the cold through an entire event without hip pain. (Some of the events at Junior Nationals went on for hours, with just one potty -- uh, Zamboni -- break.)

For those recovering from PAOs or preparing for surgery in 2011: it's going to be a long year, but when it's over you will have your own story to tell.

Happy New Year!

A holiday gift

2010-12-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

This morning the rink was almost empty, so I decided to try some things I normally don't do on crowded sessions. I've been trying to do a hydroblade on my (stronger) right leg; something I used to do pre-PAO. I just haven't had the strength to go all the way down and usually get stuck half-way down. Today I just went for it and was able to get down and hold it for about half a circle. I could not get up (no surprise, that takes a lot of quad strength) but was already practically sitting on the ice so just fell.

I have been trying to get all the way down for several months. Now that I can do it, I will work on getting back up. Perhaps that will be my birthday present in March!

If you are a skater with hip problems (FAI, dysplasia, arthritis, traumatic injury, THR, PAO, arthroscopy, resurf ... you name it) and want to connect with other Hip Skaters, I have started a Yahoo Group called, believe it or not, Hip Skaters. I have met so many people who referred others to me, and I put them in touch with other skaters with their same problem. I wanted to build a forum where everyone could connect with each other without me in the middle. Skaters have special rehabilitation needs and desires. Please join our group if you can lend your expertise or if you need support.

Hippy Holidays to All! Terri

Learning to Cheat

2010-12-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm done whining about the claw, here are some of the things I've done on the ice this past week for those skaters who are curious. I have started to compensate more with my upper body to overcome the lack of turnout and have found some new ways to cheat which are even more wonderful than what I used to do pre-PAO. I am also still compensating for some strength deficits.

Yesterday I did some hard stuff:
~FO and FI triple twizzles
~Twizzle from our old free dance (with arm overhead)
~Inside and outside rockers from Jr. MIF (RFO rocker is still the tough one as the left free leg doesn't want to come through correctly yet)
~Starlight Waltz solo (first time I have gotten through the entire thing solo; still no flair on the closed MO - thank you claw - but I was able to do the 3 turns into the MO and then the mohawks down the ice on the back end - the stepforward from LBO to RFI has been impossible until last week and now I've learned to cheat it)
~Rhumba choctaw at glacial speed
~Cha Cha Congelado solo
~Ravensburger waltz solo at slow but not glacial speed with all twizzles

And also the stuff that is easy for everyone else but hard for me:
~Alternating FO 3 turns (The 3 turns are easy, the stepforward has been difficult but I've finally learned to use timing and momentum to cheat it - still scratchy though)
~Back crossovers then stepping forward from the back inside edge onto a forward outside edge (a choctaw but one of the most basic moves in skating and something that has taken me a very long time to learn how to cheat - can now do these at about half speed)
~The three turn move from the adult pre-bronze moves test (I can finally do this; had major issues with the LFI 3 turn for a while until the strength came back in my left leg. Now the 3 turns are easy and I can now finally step forward from BI to FI with a lot of compensation in the upper body for lack of turnout)
~Blues choctaw now up to about 1/2 speed (I don't have the strength in my left leg yet to really bend the knee at the start of the LFI lobe, so it's difficult to come up from that and rebend into the turn. Instead I tend to stay down and then can't stop the rotation very well, especially with speed)
~Power pulls (getting stronger but still shows exactly where my muscles are weak)
~Stopping (almost don't have to think about it which is amazing considering I couldn't even do a snowplow stop from a crawl a few months ago)

And that's today's report.

The Claw

2010-12-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

By the way, that thing hanging down between my two hips that looks like a penis is actually a tampon. So much for modesty! Aren't x-rays fascinating?

Answer to Matt - My HO is much smaller and more localized than yours. I know yours prevented you from doing everyday things like driving so it was much more important to get it out. In my case it aches with exertion and keeps me from moving past about 70 degrees of flexion unassisted (although I can force it to 110 with my hands). I don't think mine impacts rotation per Dr. Mayo (and I have better rotation on the left, where the HO is, than on the right).

So I am not as anxious to have it removed as you were! But I have a feeling I will do it eventually. Just can't stand the thought right now.

Depressed after a visit with Dr. Mayo

2010-12-14T09:39:00.001-08:00

I am not sure whether to be upbeat about my one-year appointment or a bit less so. All is healed, all is well, all looks very good on x-ray, and I have exceeded my surgeon's expectations as an old-fart bilateral PAO'er. However, it has taken me a week to write this update because I haven't felt much like doing so. I saw him on December 6th and the x-rays show that the ectopic bone has solidified into a lovely one-inch long "claw" that hangs down right in front of my acetabulum. I will post x-rays here as soon as I have time.

This piece of bone is now causing impingement and pain with flexion past a certain point. That point isn't considered significant to a normal person, but it is to an ice dancer because it keeps me from "looking good": I can't do a nice forward flair (something that, if I do say so myself, I used to be really good at). Unfortunately most forward flairs in ice dancing occur with the left leg (think of the flairs after the rocker foxtrot mohawk, the starlight mohawk, the foxtrot mohawk, the 4-beat edge on the quickstep, the 4-beat edge on the blues, etc. All impossible. The answer? "If it hurts, don't do it."

I am tired of the assholes who tell me I can "still enjoy" skating without doing anything to make it look good. Yep, I can still skate, meaning my blades are connected to and moving on the ice. But anyone who finds doing an activity with only about 1/2 of their prior skill level and 1/3 of their prior flexibility "enjoyable" is far more jovial and accepting than I am.

My external rotation is still zero on both sides, although left is just a bit more than right ("zero plus a fraction"). Normal external rotation is about 20 degrees, and those who use their body for dancing tend to have more than normal not only due to self selection (people without natural turnout don't choose to dance because it's just too difficult and frustrating) but because over time, normal non-dysplastic/non-anteverted hips will turn out more based on stretching and activities that utilize turnout.

Anteverted post-PAO hips, not so much. Really, not at all in my case. I stretch and stretch and stretch some more and that just keeps me at parity - doesn't increase my flexibility at all. Plus I am always in pain because my body doesn't want to be stretched in these directions. However, if I didn't stretch at all my tight connective tissues would probably cause my body to collapse in on itself like a black hole.

So why didn't I self select myself into a sport that didn't require turnout way back in the dark ages? Something I could excel at like Competitive Pigeon Toed Walking? Why did I ignore all that pain for so long and assume that everyone felt as crappy as I did? What kind of a stubborn fool spends such a huge portion of their life beating their head against a wall?

I hope you all understand these questions are rhetorical.

Health Care (in response to FB)

2010-12-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

The following may be out of context as it's a continuation of a discussion on Facebook that I wanted to take off that forum.

****

I'm not sure why some people feel that insurance companies shouldn't behave rationally, mitigate their risks, and attempt to earn a fair profit just like any other business. I think it's because people feel entitled to health care because without it, you might die. The same could be said of food, but I haven't heard many people saying that grocery stores should give food away for free because we're all entitled to eat. Obviously if they did, they'd go out of business, and then nobody would eat.

Insurance companies are in the business of taking on risk. That's what insurance is for. If health insurers didn't exist, and government didn't serve in that capacity (mostly the case in the U.S. except for medicare/medicaid and similar programs until the recent reform legislation), people would have to self insure, meaning that you'd pay a full fee for service every time you went to the doctor and most would not be able to afford anything other than basic services. So in that regard, insurance companies have a very important function. Those of you who don't have insurance probably know what I mean.

No company that is fiscally responsible would take on risk without being adequately compensated. Paying for insurance doesn't seem to be an issue for things like automobiles, but for health people see it as unfair, because we've come to expect that our health care system will take care of us no matter what. I pay my car insurance premium and I don't see that as paying money for nothing, even though I haven't filed a claim. Similarly with health insurance, I pay my premiums and I try to stay healthy and I have peace of mind knowing it's there if I need it.

Nobody in their right mind would go into business to take on other people's risk unless they had a method of limiting their exposure and unless they were adequately compensated. I don't care how altruistic you are, any other business plan would be a bad idea. If you try this experiment and take on too much risk you will soon be out of business, because your pockets aren't infinitely deep. Neither are the insurance company's. Know also that the amount of profit they are allowed to generate is regulated closely by the state departments of insurance.

By contrast, the government's pockets are "infinitely" deep. So if you replace private insurance companies with government, the risk simply gets spread to ... you. If you pay taxes you will be footing the bill in some form, or your children will.

I personally don't want to pay taxes into a system that uses my money to take care of people who ride motorcycles without helmets and smoke and eat McDonalds 3 times per day. I would be happy to pay taxes into a system that uses my money to care for people who contract a serious ailment through no fault of their own, get injured in an accident that doesn't involve their own drug or alcohol abuse or stupidity, or are born with a disability. Unfortunately I don't get to choose who benefits from my tax dollars with a government system, nor do you. It is still unclear how much our taxes will increase to fund the new health care system and whether the government will be able to administer the system as efficiently as private companies. Premiums vs. taxes - we'll still be paying for health care one way or another.

This is a very basic explanation, and of course it's not really this simple. But people like to reduce the argument to its most basic terms. Many also expect that "someone" will pay for health care. They generally don't want that "someone" to be themselves.

Full disclosure: I work for an insurance company (disability and life, not health). I have had two hip surgeries costing over $200,000 and I am not in love with my own health insurer; I have bitched about Aetna on this very blog. I am damn happy that I had insurance coverage when I needed it. BTW, I am a socially liberal and fiscally conservative democrat and that is how I vote most of the time, but not always. There are tradeoffs in every decision. I value the opinion of those who educate themselves about the issues and don't simply repeat the party line.

Beware the Big Bag

2010-12-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

It’s holiday time once again, meaning that pretty much everyone in the Portland metro area is carrying a deadly weapon. The weapon of choice during the month of December is the Big Bag. This can be a shopping bag (or a multitude of same), a bulging briefcase, a humongous purse, or all of the above.

Oh yeah, and since it’s raining, people are juggling umbrellas in addition to their bags, boxes, briefcases, backpacks, and ever-present liter of Starbucks.

Some of the bags are so big they impact the carrier’s vision, so they don’t even seem to notice the other pedestrians who must either dive out of the way or risk being impaled on an umbrella/bumped by a box/blasted by a bag. Other bags seem to temporarily disable the “courtesy gene.” The December shopping frenzy has only just begun, and twice I’ve been banged in the pelvis in an enclosed space from which I cannot escape; the elevator in my parking garage at work. I don’t know what these people are carrying around, but their bags are HEAVY.

The truly dangerous shopper is sporting a backpack. The danger comes when the person slings the backpack off their back and its full weight is launched directly at my hip. I’ve had several near misses as people stand on the street corner just inches from my body and decide for no apparent reason that it’s time to sling their luggage in my direction.

It’s gotten to the point that I’m about to start carrying my cane again, just through the month of December, so I can use it fend off the morons who are determined to bang into my still healing self with nary an apology.

Better yet, I think I’ll just take the stairs at work and bring my lunch.

In other news, a shout out to DH who is undergoing knee surgery today. Here's hoping for total success, an easy recovery and quick return to the ice!

One good reason to go to the mall today ...

2010-11-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

Social dancing of course. It was worth the trip as I did my first (cheated) Foxtrot mohawk with a partner today ... with my eyes closed which somehow made it work. Tango did not go so well (couldn't do the Mohawk), nor did Blues (couldn't do the Choctaw). However, if I can consistently cheat the foxtrot mohawk I can finally say that I am able to do all dances through pre-silver with a partner socially, and throw in one silver (American). That doesn't mean they would pass the test (most would not) but at least I've already done that.

I can solo a lot more than I can do with a partner, and did Midnight Blues, Cha Cha Congelado, Viennese, and Ravensburger solos. They aren't stellar but I can slop through them mostly on one foot.

I know there was someone else having a worse day than I was today and it sucked for her. In the scheme of things, backwardass hips are only a minor inconvenience and there are others on the ice fighting more difficult battles. All we can do is keep trying.

When did "me" become obsolete?

2010-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

This post is not about hip dysplasia or skating as I think we've had enough of those. No, this post is about grammar, another favorite topic of mine.

When I was a kid and I would say, "me and Samantha are going to the mall!" my mom would yell, "Samantha and I!!!!!!" I'll bet your mom did the same thing to you. Thanks to mom, I never progressed to using the even-more-heinous expression, "me and her are going to the mall!" (My own step-kids did, and they are still suffering the consequences.)

Unfortunately, some moms didn't fully explain. As a result, "me" has suddenly become the ultimate unfashionable grammar sin, even when "me" is the correct word to use. There are so many people who are scared to misuse the word "me" that they have resorted to misusing the word "I," which somehow sounds more cultured and probably won't incur the wrath of mom.

Here are some recent examples uttered by people who should know better:

~"The report was delivered by Carol and I."

~"Hawaii was the ultimate getaway vacation for my husband and I."

~"Mom, can you drive Samantha and I to the mall?" (OK, I made this one up, but you get my point.)

I think this rebound effect started because some people had no idea why "me" was wrong in certain sentences and so they just avoided the word altogether. The rest of us, even some who were paying attention in grade school, play along because the majority now shuns "me" and we don't want to look stupid or gauche. Some people avoid controversy by sheepishly inserting the word "myself" instead of uttering the taboo "me" or the incorrect "I," as in:

"The report was delivered by Carol and myself."

Ugh.

I have noticed this widespread pronoun confusion only recently, although perhaps it's been going on for a long time and I've just tuned it out. Radio announcers, professionals and teachers (ouch) are now muddling up the English language by unnecessarily avoiding the word "me." Myself? I won't join the trend, even if people think less of I.

One Year Bilateral Hippiversary

2010-11-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the one year hippiversary for my LPAO. That makes my RPAO one year, 4 months and 10 days old. My prior post details what life is like at this stage in the PAO game. As Thanksgiving approaches it is time to become introspective and reflect on this journey and all that I am thankful for.

~I am thankful for a wonderful, supportive husband who has put up with whining, grouchiness and drug-induced side effects.
~I am thankful for my family who helped take care of me.
~I am thankful for a very skilled surgeon, Dr. Mayo, who is a perfectionist and did his best to fix me as much as medical science allows.
~I am thankful that my hip dysplasia was caught early enough so that a PAO was an option to preserve my hip joint as long as possible.
~I am thankful that medical science has progressed in this day and age so that PAOs are available and I didn't just have to live with my pain and disability and end up in a wheel chair or addicted to pain killers.
~I am thankful that my body healed quickly and well without infection despite being an older PAO patient.
~I am thankful that I can now sleep normally, sit in a chair and get up without hobbling, and skate for fun and exercise although not at my prior level.
~I am thankful that I can host a Thanksgiving dinner for 8 people at my house and handle the cooking and cleanup without having to recuperate for the next several days.
~I am thankful that I am not a turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Milestones

2010-11-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Just in case I should forget, my one-year LPAO hippiversary is coming up this month. And I may forget, since I haven't been very good about blogging lately.

So what's it like a year out from bilateral PAOs?
~I have to do a lot for my hips to hurt. Right now I am battling a pinched nerve in my neck and that's been so annoying that I haven't even noticed my hips.
~Scars are not visible unless someone is looking for them.
~I can sleep on either side for as long as I want with no hip pain.
~Walking is fine but I am still not up for a lot of big hills or long distances. Of all the exercise I do, walking is definitely the hardest on my body. Skating and elliptical are much kinder to me and while I'd like to be able to do some hiking next summer, I don't think it's in the cards for me.
~I can jog if I want to (I've tried a few steps here and there) but don't make it a regular habit and see no reason to.
~I'm done with PT. For those of you having PAOs, I highly recommend it.
~Vanity rules - I wear high heels (not stilettos, just business attire) several times per week with apparently no issues for my hips.
~Numb patches are about the same, and I get odd pinging/tingling sensations on occasion. Numb patches don't really impact my day-to-day life, they just feel a bit odd but otherwise I don't notice or care.
~I can clean my entire house without having to take the next day to recuperate.
~I don't think I've limped noticeably in a while.
~Some types of flexibility have improved slightly. Turnout still sucks. Left is actually better than right now that it has healed some more (not a surprise, it always was). I can grab my left foot and pull it up but not yet above my head as before. The saddest thing is that V sits are at about 35 degrees and remain there as if I am sitting in cement which frustrates the crap out of me. It was only a couple of years ago that I was working on them with my Pilates instructor and was at about 150 degrees. All that effort down the drain! I don't even want to work on the damn things any more, they just make me too angry.
~My typical workouts include Pilates twice per week, elliptical twice per week and skating 2-3 times per week. I'm usually not sore unless I really push myself. I skated for about 90 minutes today and while I paced myself and rested here and there, I felt fine afterwards and had no pain or soreness while I was skating (just limitation in strength and stretch). I realized as I was driving home that I didn't feel beat up as I would have only a month ago.
~FINALLY my hip flexors are starting to get stronger. They are still relatively weak, but there is definitely improvement.
~A few skating maneuvers that have eluded me for a long time have magically reappeared in my repertoire with no effort or practice on my part. These include left FI 3 turns most of the time and blues choctaws on occasion.
~Others maneuvers I have just gotten up the nerve to try recently include FO to BO closed mohawks, outside brackets both F and B, and FO rockers (I can do the BO rockers for some reason).

A friend who hadn't seen me skate since Adult Nationals (in April, when I was still mostly attached to the boards) was at the rink today. She was totally amazed to see me actually skating under my own power. She thought the progress was incredible, and really it is.

I tend to focus on what I still can't do, which is how I keep motivating myself to keep improving. It can also be frustrating to see that I've come a long way and still have a long way to go, and I may never go all that way. I get frustrated when coaches tell me what I need to do (usually the same few things over and over) but they can't tell me HOW I'm supposed to make my stupid body do them. In particular things that my body used to just do on its own, and things that they think are easy, but which don't translate to abnormal hips.

I was having a very good day today on the ice, getting through complete solos of the Cha Cha Congelado (did every step); the Blues (did every step including the choctaw); the Samba (did every step); the Paso except for the restart mohawk; the Westminster except for the end 3 turn stepforwards and with very nice RFI rockers, I might add; the Argentine except for the twizzle which for some unknown reason requires me to touch down in order to initiate and I can't do at speed; the Starlight except for the steps forward after all of the mohawks. It's the "except fors" that would make me sad if I didn't remind myself that I can do everything else in the dance.

***Addendum: my skating friend Larry reminded me in an e-mail that non-dancers will have no idea how high level the dances I am doing are and he is right, they are "quick and difficult," not that I always do them well and not that I can do all of them with a partner, which is harder since it gives me less room to cheat. Those I can't do at all and bitch about are actually considered some of the easier social dances. Since it blows Larry's mind to think of me doing the Silver Samba, I guess it's time for me to post some videos soon.***

I came back down to earth when Doug asked me to try the Rocker Foxtrot mohawk (my nemesis before surgery and certainly my sworn enemy now). We tried it at a snail's pace. The only reason I tried is because I was able to get up the courage to try FO to FO closed mohawks solo for the first time this past week. With a partner they are still, and may always be, absolutely impossible. There is just no way I can make my body turn in that position. People with real hip joints have no idea what that stuck feeling is like. It would be like walking down the street and turning your body around to look behind you, but falling down because the foot you are turning onto can only keep pointing forward. It's truly an out of body experience.

I'll try to post any important updates from my one-year follow-up with Dr. Mayo at the end of the month. Meanwhile it's off to judge Sectionals this week. Last year I had to cancel my participation as a judge for Sectionals (and Jr. Nationals) since I was having surgery which had been moved up from December. I am happy that I will be there a year later with no crutches, cane or limp; anyone who didn't know me would have no idea what last year was like and that's fine by me.

'Nuff Said

2010-10-21T13:49:00.001-07:00

Hipiphany

2010-10-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Above - great example of breaking at the waist by me (not Doug)

Non-skater alert: long, boring, technical skating rant follows … your time may be better spent elsewhere.

Notable skating coach quotes over the years:

• “Don’t break at the waist!”
• “Tuck your butt under!”
• “Don’t stick your butt out!”
• “Stand up straight!”

I have a big skater butt and it does stick out and I also have a swayback which makes it look worse than it is. The swayback probably developed by my body over time to provide additional acetabular coverage to the tops of my naked femurs. Blah blah blah, I’ve said all this before. But I never really connected all the dots in my mind until now.

Outside to outside Mohawks, especially closed Mohawks, have always been challenging for me. I would start to turn and instantly break at the waist, despite superhuman attempts not to. I was then “stuck” and couldn’t turn at all. Because what happens when you break forward at the waist? Well, your hips close up, of course. So if your hips are already closed and you break at the waist there is no way you are going to turn. But in the past somehow finally I was able to learn a way to do them just by sheer force of will and muscling through, although I did bail out a lot when with a partner because in a dance hold I couldn’t maneuver myself into a position to force the turn. I never knew if they were going to work or not.

This caused years and years of frustration for me and coaches who’ve thrown up their hands and said it’s “all in my head.” This is why it took me years to learn one step in the Rocker Foxtrot so I could finally test it, a step that a decent skater like me should be able to do in their sleep and a step that less capable skaters without hip problems can do without even thinking about. Talk about beating yourself up.

Breaking forward was the only way I could find to get my feet together before turning without extreme pain/grinding/popping/locking up in my hip. Not knowing I was dysplastic, I thought this pain was caused by being out of shape and not working hard enough; I also just blamed it on “closed hips.” Although I didn’t realize it at the time, breaking forward was my way of keeping the ball of my femur covered during the turn. If I hadn’t been bent forward the hip joint could have popped out of the socket and probably did a couple of times. This was all pre-surgery. Now post-surgery I am weaker and less able to muscle my way through things so these turns are currently impossible.

Recently Judge L and Coach John both watched me and said “your foot is plenty turned out” and they are right based on what can be seen. This apparent turnout is coming from the knee, not the hip. When I extend the free leg to the back my leg looks turned out almost normally because I fake it from the knee down. But when I bring it in to the T position to turn, the foot may look turned out, but the hip itself is actually turned in and jammed against the acetabular rim. This is painful and feels “stuck” (a word I’ve used to describe these Mohawks since I first learned them back in the dark ages, to which coaches replied, “stretch more” and “work harder” and “don’t break at the waist”).

Now that the dysplasia has been surgically corrected, bringing my free leg in with the foot turned out and not breaking forward at the waist doesn’t force the hip joint out of the socket, but it does force the ball of my hip forward against the front rim of the acetabulum and it grinds to a halt there, thus the “jammed” feeling. Post surgery it’s the same problem with a slightly different cause. It’s not lack of femoral coverage now, but impingement against the newly-oriented acetabulum. Plus, my muscles are trained to do this the “old way.” I hear and feel the crackling and the tendons snapping. My tight psoas tries to pull my pelvis forward against my will. I can feel the pain in the iliac crest, glute, adductors and hip flexors, and as a grinding within the joint itself as the ball hits the rim.

I’ve done this off the ice a lot lately trying to build up my ability. Those muscles that bring the leg in and turn it out and keep my pelvis from tipping were damaged during surgery and have never been used this way before due to years of compensation.

Armed with knowledge, will I be able to re-train my body? There’s no risk of my hip coming out of the socket now. Perhaps I won’t have to bend at the waist if I can re-train my muscles and somehow maneuver the ball of the joint to the side so it doesn’t jam up against the rim of the socket. I don’t know. We’ll see if this German Shepherd can learn a new trick.

The Good, the BAID, and the Ugly

2010-10-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

I know some of you (ahem, Larry) are waiting with baided breath to hear all about the past weekend. And so, without further delay, here goes:

I am sore. The end.

Those of you who are not ice dancers can stop reading now. Those of you who are ice dancers or masochists can read on for the gory details.

Last time I went to BAID, two years ago, I had been diagnosed with dysplasia a couple of months earlier and thought my skating life was coming to an end. I was waiting for my first appointment with Dr. Mayo which would be at the end of October, and was still thinking a PAO was out of the question. I was skating with a lot of pain. My partner Tim came to the dance weekend too and I took him through his Starlight Waltz test so that we were finally qualified to skate the Gold Dance event at Adult Nationals. For fun, I tested my Standard Silver Samba with a coach in the Bay Area (after about an hour of practice with him). It was a rather crazy idea to "throw it out there" but I was able to pass it.

Now, two years later, I am in a different body and not going to throw anything out there and my definition of crazy has changed considerably. On Friday night I was feeling very good and energetic and skated most of the three hours of social dancing while dressed as a lion tamer, complete with bullwhip, as part of the "circus" theme.

I attempted dances with partners for the first time, including a Tango (could do all but the mohawk, so frustrating), a Willow (with Coach Peter, so the "gold version" of this dance), a Viennese, a Paso, a Samba (solo), a European, a Cha Cha Congelado, and various lower dances. I skipped the usual suspects that are just plain un-doable (Fiesta, Blues, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Rocker, Kilian, Starlight, Arge). Coach John gave me a fabulous 5 minute "mini lesson" on my outside to outside forward and backward mohawks which seem impossible right now, and I had an epiphany (more on that in a future post). I skated a lot and when I went to bed that night I was surprised that I didn't have any more pain than usual. I thought I might be miraculously cured.

Fast forward to the next morning when I woke feeling beat up and run over. I went to the morning seminar which involves more standing around than skating, thank God, and did the lower level seminar (canasta and hickory) and not the higher level seminar (blues and quickstep). I rather regretted being in the lower group because it was too easy, but the higher group would have been impossible in my stiff and sore state. I was dying to work on blues and quickstep since they are two dances I can't do right now, but in any case didn't want to get in the way of the better skaters who can legitimately do them.

In the afternoon I managed 2 dances during the four-hour session, and I think one of them was a Dutch Waltz in which I could not make the pattern very big so people were passing us, and another was something like a swing dance (but I don't remember, it's all a painful blur). I was limping pretty significantly and went to the evening party, where I parked my butt in a chair to watch the ballroom dancing.

Sunday was better. I spent the first part of the morning judging the test session and getting very cold. I then sat in the sun to thaw a bit before venturing out for the last hour of skating. I was in medium pain (better than Saturday) but decided to just push through it. I did a fabulous Dutch Waltz with Mike (He didn't hold back and while I could barely hold the edges I grit my teeth and stayed on my feet) and a great European with Coach Jimmy (he didn't hold back either and I was able to stay with him). It felt good to make myself push through and I while I didn't do any difficult dances, I tried to make the easier dances look good - head up, extended free leg, edges as deep as I can do with my minimal quad strength. It was the best I could do and I was happy with it.

All in all, I did better than I thought I could on Friday, was surprised at how much it took out of me on Saturday, and surprised myself again on Sunday with how well I could do things if I used all my effort.

I am taking today off. Tomorrow I go back to the rink to work on what I learned from Coach John on Friday night. The 5 minutes he gave me were, as always, full of wisdom. I need to work hard on what he told me and perhaps there will be hope for the mohawks and choctaws. I will describe my epiphany in a future post, so stay tuned.

Pass the NSAIDs ... it's time for BAID

2010-10-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Just a few more days until the Bay Area Ice Dance Weekend. This will be my first social dance weekend since surgery, and I haven't done much partnered dancing other than with Coach I and Tim. Dancing socially can be hazardous because just like a box of chocolates, "you never know what you are going to get." There is a range of ability and you are changing partners for each dance. Everyone has different technique, so synching up is the challenge.

My goal is to dance as many dances as I can safely do with any competent partner. I will be up front about my limitations of course. There are many dances that I can do competently "except for one step" (usually the highlight step). So I will only do those with partners who either know me well or don't mind some cheating going on stepwise. Or I might solo them.

I will have to pace myself since my muscles still tire easily. There will be 3 hours of skating on Friday night and about 8 on Saturday (there is no way I can do 8hours - I will do the 2 hours of seminar which involves some standing around, and maybe 2 more hours of social dance). Saturday night is a party with ballroom dancing, and with enough Ibuprofen and/or wine I may be able to do a bit of it. Sunday I am judging their test session so not skating, or at least not skating much, and that is fine because by then my legs will be shot to hell. They will just have to prop me up in the hockey box with a clipboard and I should be OK!

If I survive this dance weekend it bodes well for trying a couple of new ones next season. I've been promising to go back to Motown for many, many years, so we'll see if that's possible.

Today's Anatomy Lesson

2010-09-28T18:52:00.001-07:00

I love this diagram. It shows major skating muscles (for hockey, but basic figure skating isn't that different).

Muscles shown above which were cut and reattached during my surgery are the Rectus Femoris (used for hip flexion) and Sartorius (used for hip flexion, abduction and rotation). Other quadriceps were moved aside when the hip capsule was opened. Iliopsoas was not cut, but is shortened due to inactivity. Adductor also stopped working when I was on crutches and had to be reactivated in physical therapy. Overall weakness and inflexibility are the result of these disturbances.

In the days and weeks following surgery, it was odd to have little control over basic movements. For example, during the first week or so I could not move my operated leg forward while standing as in taking a step. The muscles that provide that basic functionality were not working at all. Despite focusing all of my mental energy on moving my foot forward from the hip, I could not. I used my toes to "walk" my leg forward an inch or so in order to take a "step."

Similarly, while lying on my back, it was impossible to lift my operated leg at all. Try as I might, it wouldn't move. Similarly, while sitting down with my legs stretched in front of me, it was impossible to move my leg out to the side or back in toward the center. It was very disconcerting to have absolutely no use of these muscles! Of course, through physical therapy and lots of targeted exercises I did regain this functionality over time.

Knowing that the two muscles cut are both used for hip flexion, it's clear why this is still an issue.

I recently wrote to an orthopedic surgeon who is also a skater and who recently had arthroscopic hip surgery. After I described my surgery and its aftermath, she asked me if I was "in the business" because I "speak the lingo." I am not in the healthcare field, but I have certainly learned more than I ever wanted to know about my own body!

Progress comes in small packages ...

2010-09-23T08:27:00.001-07:00

...which, over time, add up.

A back loop - no turnout required!

If I look at my progress on the ice day-to-day, I don't always see gains and sometimes I see setbacks. That's normal in skating, PAOs or no PAOs. I had a really dismal MIF lesson early in the month, but since then have been steadily progressing. I attribute this to a lot of balance work off the ice, more time on the ice, and general healing; healing won't be complete for another year so I have to keep that in mind.

If I look back one month, two months, and six months, progress is undeniable. I am not where I want to be, but I am doing more than I was a month ago, three months ago, six months ago. Since that's the way it is, I have to be happy with it, and not regret what I can't do.

Now that my muscles are stronger, I can skate longer and more frequently and I am not as sore for as long after I am done. I've religiously stretched my very tight psoas muscle and it has helped my posture and allowed me to get my hips under the rest of me so not only am I more centered, I look somewhat better.

Now that some of my balance issues are finally resolving, and my muscle memory sometimes works, it's usually a question of what my hips can do consistently. With every step I take on the ice, I concentrate on keeping my hips aligned, turning them out when necessary, using my nearby muscles (glutes, hip flexors, back muscles) appropriately, tightening my core, and balancing with my arms and free leg.

My mental concentration is enormous, especially when there is a sequence of moves required to accomplish a task on ice and the sequence is heavy on hip useage or changes directions through my core. I hsve broken down some moves into their smaller components for learning, and putting the pieces together is usually not easy or intuitive.

For example, one sequence I am working on consists of two back crossovers, step forward to FI edge, and immediately do two FI to BI mohawks, ending backward to repeat the sequence. The parts vary in difficulty for me (crossovers = easy; transition and step forward = very difficult; first mohawk = difficult; second mohawk = next to impossible). Each element within the sequence is also broken down into parts (xover to step forward = extend free leg under, change arms, change head, tighten core, move free leg, crank on hip to open up as much as it can, step while checking, strong check with arms and core afterward ... and on to the mohawk with its own set of parts). I couldn't do this at all 6 weeks ago. 4 weeks ago I could do it at a crawl with lots of scratching and cheating ("cheating" here means I did a flattish back counter before stepping forward). 2 weeks ago I could do it with a bit of flow but still lots of scratching and cheating. Yesterday I could do 3 patterns on each side, counter-clockwise better than clockwise (right hip is looser than left), still scratchy but the steps are more recognizeable.

Mental concentration allows me to do many things technically, but they aren't automatic enough for me to add any art, or dancing, into the equation yet. I often hear music I want to interpret, but I don't have the automatic vocabulary to do so any more. It's hard to string together different steps and turns that require different balance points and hip motions at this point, so doing some of the difficult dances (and a few of the easier ones) is still not possible.

On the other hand, I can do SOME of the difficult dances, sort of. Yesterday I worked on the Cha Cha Congelado solo and was able to get through a pattern of it, but not at speed or on tempo. I can do every piece of the dance, but can't put it into a cohesive unit yet, or dance it. While frustrating, I measure where I am by looking back at a time a few months ago when I couldn't even do the baby Cha Cha without major assistance. No complaints!

Frozen Cha Cha

2010-09-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

My Friday moves-in-the-field lesson with Coach R was a disaster. It was just a frustrating day and I was depressed and whining. There is so much to re-learn that it's hard to focus, but I have to get it together.

By contrast, today was my first lesson with a male dance coach. Even though I am skating at about a bronze level, I need a goal to keep me interested and push myself. So we worked on the Cha Cha Congelado, an international dance that I should have tested before surgery but I was too busy stressing out about surgery to get my act together.

The dance itself isn't really that hard, although it has a lot of steps and some tricky partnering and timing. I know the timing well so that won't be an issue; doing two patterns at test level will be. There are no steps that my hips can't do so I think it's very possible to get it together. Maybe not to pass the test, but to skate it. We worked mainly on the promenade lobe into the re-start, and then walked through the rest. The back-to-back mohawk is a bit challenging for me (just not confident in the hips working as they should) and we will spend an entire lesson on it.

I have been working on balance almost every day and it is making a big difference in my abilities on the ice. I may not be skating any better but I am more confident when it doesn't feel as if I am about to fall over with every step. I was confident enough to try to skate with a partner today other than a coach or Tim. I skated a couple of dances with Doug (Swing and Ten-Fox) and he said that I am skating at about a Bronze level as a partner. That's "on average" - some things are better and some worse. But it means I can probably partner most of the dances through bronze at BAID(and by then, I hope, pre-silver and perhaps one silver, the American).

Oh yeah, and the Cha Cha Congelado.

Countdown to BAID

2010-08-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

I sent in my application for the Bay Area Ice Dance Weekend (AKA BAID). I figured it would be a kick in the butt to get me on the ice knowing that in 6 weeks I'd be at the most high-powered dance weekend in the country. My goal is to skate all of the dances through Silver plus the Viennese and Samba, with notable exceptions (dances with outside to outside mohawks which are still only possible in my mind).

August was pretty much a washout as far as skating is concerned. I was traveling to judge, refereeing and hosting out-of-town guests. I did skate the High Dance Camp a week ago, but that's it until today.

As I've said before, lack of practice is not a foolproof method for improving your skating. However, it's working for me. After basically a month off, today was my best skate since surgery. I think the time off helped promote healing which allows better movement. Perhaps my neurons are firing better and in a more coordinated way. Perhaps my brain is talking to my damaged muscles and they are listening. I have no idea, but it was a good skate.

I am finally making progress on the FI 3 turns. I did all 3 turns (inside, outside, forward and backward) as well as alternating forward 3 turns. I had some progress on the Starlight mohawks (still have troube stepping from the RBO to the LFI and then doing a mohawk without touching down). I did all inside brackets (forward and backward). I did FI and FO takeoff double twizzles both directions. I did the blues choctaw. I did the choctaw sequence we learned at the HDC in both directions (example: RFI/LBO choctaw, cross in front, RBO/LFI choctaw). Most exciting, I did some tango stops on my left foot, even on one foot. I didn't have the strength in my quad to stop at all (not even a snowplow) a couple of months ago, and stops have been iffy until now.

My edges are not deep, but they are deeper than they were; I am not skating fast, but I am skating faster than I was. I ended the 45-minute session with the 5-step mohawk sequence, heard some edges "rip," and called it a day. I may be sore tomorrow but I think it was worth it.

High Dance Camp

2010-08-23T12:20:00.001-07:00

Tuaca Girls at the High Dance Camp (I am on the right)

A fellow bilateral hippie had a post labeled, "10 Hours of Tennis!" This post could be called, "8 Hours of Skating!" but that wouldn't be very original.

I spent the weekend at the Portland High Dance Camp, and was on the ice for most of it. I was not able to do much of it but I was able to get out of the way of those who could, and nobody seemed to mind. I can step through the Midnight Blues (certain steps on two feet of course) a bit better than I could before the clinic, but won't dare partner it.

I also judged a marathon test session (9 hours) directly after. At one point we were missing a judge, so I ran (yes, ran) from one side of the ice to another.

After all that, I assumed that I'd spend today eating ibuprofen in the recliner with various bags of ice plastered to my anatomy. But I am happy to say that my pain level is no worse than normal. I always have pain with activity no matter what I do because the damage to my hips is still there. There is no "pain free" to my recovery. But the pain is minor and I don't notice it most of the time.

Physically, I feel darn good.

My major skating limitation as I've said all along is lack of flexibility which prevents me from doing many turns and steps correctly or at all. Some turns are relatively easy (twizzles). Other turns are hard to impossible (mohawks).

The beat goes on.

Long time no blog

2010-08-18T17:32:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update since I'm busy at work, busy judging, busy traveling, and busy with family. No skating for a while; just no time.

Hips are pretty much a non-issue if I don't skate. I've been walking a lot, including on the beach, and can go for about a mile before my muscles get tired. When they tire it happens quickly and I have to stop and rest. I would like to be able to walk longer distances but right now that's it for me.

I will try some skating at the High Dance Camp this weekend, but after several weeks off I am not optimistic that it will be anything to brag about. Life goes on.

Hips 1, Progress 0

2010-07-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today is Tuesday, or "Two steps back" day as I like to call it. I always look forward to Tuesday night skating even though it is frequently lousy. Tonight was no exception. Skating Tuesday night requires me to stay late at work, eat on the run and fight traffic in order to be on the ice by 6:45, which I was.

I skated until 6:48. My entire body was in pain. Hips, upper back, lower back, ankles, even feet - excruciating. My balance was off enough to make life miserable. I could have stayed and fought through it, but coupled with being tired I just didn't want to stay out there and struggle, probably fall a couple of times, and have to deal with the laughter of the mall "audience" when that happened.

Instead I came home and had a nice glass of wine, and I'm going to bed early. That's not a training strategy I recommend for everyone but it works for me on occasion. Back at it tomorrow.

Skating Progress: One small step for a skater ...

2010-07-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

In my copious spare time, I've come up with the 5 Ps of Progress:

(1) Practice,
(2) Perspire,
(3) Persevere,
(4) have Patience with yourself, and
(5) Push yourself out of your comfort zone

Perhaps it will catch on; if so, I hope it's attributed to me and not to some famous person or high-level coach. Just remember, you saw this stroke of genius here on HipSk8 first.

I try to live by these whenever I get on the ice. Lately I've focused on #5, which is easy because just stepping on the ice is out of my comfort zone most of the time. I am trying to push myself to skate faster, turn more quickly, and bend my ankles/knees more.

Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. I don't always know what is going to happen, even when I try something I've done for years. Most things, no matter how many times I repeat them, feel "new," as if I am doing them for the first time every time. This is disconcerting. My body doesn't seem capable of learning things very well.

I still have balance issues which my PT says is a lack of proprioreception because of the new orientation of my legs in relation to my pelvis and the trauma those body parts experienced. For everyday things like walking this isn't a big issue; for an activity that relies on the body's ability to recognize and respond to subtle shifts in weight and balance such as skating, it's huge. Yoga and balancing exercises off the ice help, but I still generally feel off balance even doing formerly "easy" things.

I also never know just how far my hips will turn out (or not) when I need them to and when one or the other might lock up out of nowhere in protest. When I reach the end of my ROM mid-mohawk or my hip locks up just as I'm about to step on that leg, a stumble is bound to result. So it's always a crapshoot what is going to happen, and that makes me tentative.

What really holds me back is the fact that my muscles still tire quickly. I know if I could practice more I would improve more, because repetition is the key to muscle memory. After an hour of skating I am usually more than done, and I am too sore the next day (and sometimes the day after) to skate again and reinforce the Progress I've made. So I tend to plateau, which is one of the "Ps" that does not significy Progress.

I skated patch last night, and I was able to do all 3 turns except LFI (can do that one with a quick toe touch before, or with my free leg extended wide, but not in a controlled way). I can do all inside rockers, F and B, on one foot except LFI (same issue with turning clockwise on the left foot). I can do all four outside rockers on one foot. I can do FI counters (yes, even on the left foot - no issue with turning counter-clockwise). I did not try the other counters. I did not work on brackets. I am making progress on my FI mohawks but haven't tried open or closed FO. I did several decent (but slow) Blues choctaws. I did several decent FI takeoff double twizzles, both directions (my left used to be much better than my right but now they are about equal since the left leg is so weak). I did recognizable forward outside loops. I did all of the twizzles in the Ravensburger Waltz several times.

Yep, I said Ravensburger Waltz.

They were slow and not partnered (always easier for me) but oh yeah, those are certainly considered difficult, so I'm extremely happy about that! But twizzles have always been easy for me. I am not at all surprised that they are much easier than mohawks for me at this point. The irony is that I may be able to skate the Rave competently some day but not the Fiesta Tango. Stay tuned for more progress reports.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to "P."

One Year Hippiversary

2010-07-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that my RPAO was a year ago today. What a long, strange trip it's been.

This week we started the kitchen remodel that had to be postponed for so long due to my PAOs. I started to work on the kitchen project the day I was allowed off crutches after my second PAO. It's taken a long time to come up with a design, pick out every single thing that will go into the kitchen, order it all, and do the demolition. I couldn't have handled this project while I was concentrating on my hip "project"!

Blue the cat supervises kitchen demolition

I am very happy with my right hip's recovery at this stage, less happy with my left hip but it's still better than the alternative. I know that a full recovery takes up to two years, so it is good to know that I can expect even more from righty as time goes on.

Here is righty's status at one year post RPAO:
~The scar is almost invisible. I rarely notice it at all.
~Strength is about 80%. Stamina is about 70%. Flexibility is about 60%.
~Righty rarely hurts, and when it does it's muscle pain from overexertion. I haven't taken a pain pill or even Tylenol or ibuprofen for my hips since January (and that was for lefty, not righty).
~Righty can get tired with a lot of activity but I just need more time and training. My expectations here were low and I've exceeded them.
~However, I do need at least a day to recover from strenuous activity but that's probably true of most people my age. Well, not really, before surgery I didn't have this problem and I wasn't that much younger.
~I still get some tendon clicking when I SLR my right leg, but there is no pain associated with this. Otherwise no noise.
~There is no groin pain or any of the pre-PAO pain/radiating stiffness. I do have some stiffness after activity, but it's not the crippling joint stiffness. Now it's due to muscle weakness and tightness, IMO.
~Unless I sit for a really long time, I can get up out of a chair without groaning or walking like an 80-year-old.
~I can sleep in any position I want with no pain, turn in bed, etc.
~I can stand for fairly long periods of time, but still prefer not to, especially on a hard surface. I can feel it in my hip later if I do.
~The only improvements I'd like to see now are more strength, especially in the hip flexors, and lots more flexibility, although my flexibility now is probably what's considered "normal." I can hug my knee to my chest. Because lefty is so limited in turnout, I am trying to make up for it by getting more turnout on the right, which responds better to my stretching efforts.
~My screws don't bother me so they are staying in. Dr. Mayo countersinks them intentionally for this reason.
~Recently I've had some back issues; I suspect they are related to my hip issues but I am not sure.
~Oddly, balance is still an issue, both in yoga and skating. I thought I would have adjusted to my new alignment by now and since my balance was really good before, I'm not sure what to do about this other than allow time to work its miracles. Could be that my expectations are higher than most, and my balance is actually normal for everyday things, but not good enough for effortless skating or yoga yet.
~Skating presents its own challenges, which I have chronicled here, but in day-to-day life my right hip is generally a non-issue.

Would I do the PAO over again? If faced with the same decision, knowing what I know, yes, I would do it all over again.

Disappointment

2010-07-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

I have made so much progress skating recently that when I have a bad day it seems Really Bad. I looked forward to skating tonight, and even fought traffic to get to the rink. I was rested and hydrated and fully recovered from Sunday's Big Fall, hoping to conquer brackets on one foot today.

But from the moment I got on the ice I felt shaky and unsteady. It was as if my balance had shifted and I couldn't find my center. I tried to do figures for 30 minutes but they were scary. Right, scary. Going that slow, a fall is actually bound to be worse since there is no momentum. I didn't really want to fall again at slow speed (fast would have been better), so I left after 30 minutes of trying to find my balance.

I am sure that this was just a bad day and not the harbinger of a bad forever, but on the way home I was disappointed enough to ask myself whether I wanted to continue. Rationally, I know that I was bound for a step backward since I have been striding forward lately. I felt like I was getting to about bronze level with consistency (the Paso is an anomaly folks - it's just an easy dance for me - although today I wouldn't have been able to do any of it) and now I am back at pre-preliminary. I am back to doing 3 turns and back edges on two feet. I am really hoping this setback will be followed by more progress, but I am going to take a couple of days off to get my bearings before trying again.

What goes up, must fall down

2010-07-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to say that today I had my first major fall on the ice since surgery. I've fallen before but not hard and not directly on my backside. Today was a true "splat" fall - the kind where both legs go up in the air and you come down right on your hindquarters; the loud kind that makes everyone on the ice turn around and come skating over to ask if you're all right. Especially if they know you are recovering from a broken pelvis.

When they did look over they saw me sitting on the ice smiling. Finally! The big fall had come and gone and I was not going to the hospital. I fell on a spot very close to where I suspect the butt bone PAO cut (as I lovingly refer to it) was made. It hurt ... the same way it would have hurt before my PAO. I got up and kept skating. I'm sure I'll have a bruise and be sore tomorrow, but I didn't jar any screws loose and my pelvis didn't shatter and break into a million tiny pieces.

Of course I did fall on my right side. The left side might have been a different story!

Golden Waltz

2010-06-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

I have to learn the Golden Waltz. No, not the Golden Skaters Waltz - a very nice dance for sure, and one I couldn't do 3 months ago. I am talking about THE Golden Waltz, a la Klimova and Ponomarenko, arguably the most difficult compulsory dance known to man.

Now that I can stand up on skates without holding on to the wall I figure I'm ready for a challenge. Foolish, yes, I agree, but I've already walked through the solo, doing the difficult parts on two feet. (Remember, all of the steps are difficult, so you can picture how great that was.) And of course certain parts of the dance can't be done solo, yada yada yada, but that isn't going to stop me. I already know that twizzles are going to be some of the easiest turns for me and this dance is just full of them.

So why am I doing this crazy thing, you ask. I have to judge this dance as part of the new "Short Dance." While I've judged it before, this time I have to be very on top of things, and the best way to learn something is to do it. I've even lined up someone to dance it with me so I'll experience the partnering. This and the Finnstep are the only international dances I've never actually done on the ice. So, I'm going to do it. Slowly, on two feet, whatever it takes. I don't intend to test it or compete it or even do it well, just do it. How's that for jumping into the deep end? Yee haw!

The Best Lesson Ever/Motivation

2010-06-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have a game going with a skating friend of mine to keep us both motivated. He said he'll attend yoga class at least twice per month if I will skate at least twice per month. This little game was invented by L. when I let him know that I was feeling a bit down and frustrated with my (lack of) skating progress. As a good friend, he took the necessary steps to help increase the level of motivation.

I am happy to say that today was my fourth time on the ice in the month of June. I've been busy traveling coast-to-coast both for business and to judge, so doubling my promised number of skate adventures shows some increase in my level of motivation. I'll probably skate again at Sunday's social session, so that makes 5. This is nothing compared to my pre-diagnosis 5 or 6 days per week skating habit, but I can't handle that kind of schedule right now. I need at least one day of rest after any strenuous activity.

Improvement breeds motivation, as any obsessive-compulsive skating addict knows, and I've had plenty of that lately. As I look back to the social session at Adult Nationals just over two months ago, where I hugged the wall and had to be held up to do the forward dances at a snail's pace, I am very, very happy with my progress.

This morning I had a lesson with Coach R, who works with me on moves in the field. We hadn't worked together in a few weeks due to my travel schedule, and the last time she saw me I was struggling to do three turns on one foot and couldn't check them at all. This morning she came in to see me working on the new Junior MITF straight line footwork sequence. "What's that?" she said, because of course my turns are not yet recognizeable and some are on two feet. But she had a smile on her face and made me do the entire sequence again, and said, "wow." Quite an accomplishment for someone who was holding on to the barrier a couple of months ago.

I am also more confident now that I'm more agile and can move out of the way quicker. In addition, I am finally able to stop. Stopping was almost impossible at first due to muscle weakness, but I can do a snowplow, T stop, and (shaky) tango stop on my left, and snowplow on my right.

Today we worked on one-foot turns (easier for me than two-foot turns):
~Double 3s in the field (FI/BO and FO/BI) on one foot - As of today I can do all 3 turns but the LFI 3 is still a bit difficult. It's better if I do the BO turn first and then go into the FI turn. Today was the first time I've done all of the back turns primarily on one foot instead of two.
~Brackets on two feet and occasionally on one.
~Rockers on two feet and occasionally on one
~Counters on two feet - I did the last RFO counter on one foot and lost my balance, so I put my foot down. I glanced over at Coach R. who looked concerned, and said, "hey, you know that I'm going to fall at some point ..." and she answered, "yeah, but I'm not ready for it yet!"
~FI double twizzles - these were "impressive" she said. Of course, twizzles are and always have been easy because they require no turnout
~FO double twizzles
~Alternating 3 turns to the center (the stepforward is still really difficult)

Overall I need to work on "glute involvement." Lazy glutes, go figure!

As I was taking off my skates I was smiling, and told Coach R. that this was "the best lesson ever." She had pushed me to do things I hadn't really tried yet (twizzles, back three turns on one foot), and I was able to do them. Now I'm motivated to do them better.

I am confident that I will get all of my one-foot turns (threes, twizzles, rockers, counters, brackets, loops) back. Two-foot turns (choctaws, mohawks) will be an ongoing challenge as they were before surgery. I learned to compensate before, and now I need to learn to compensate differently. It might take some time.

And now, some motivation for fellow hippies - my post-bilateral PAO Paso Doble solo video (6/15/2010):

Small Correction to SKATING Magazine's Article

2010-06-15T21:16:00.001-07:00

I was honored that HipSk8 was featured in SKATING magazine's "Adult Corner" this month. I need to make one slight correction though; the article reads, "Before her diagnosis, Levine was unaware faulty anatomy was the cause of her inability to perform "easy" moves such as mohawks and twizzles."

Before my diagnosis I had a lot of difficulty with easy moves such as mohawks which require hip involvement. However, twizzles, which are not considered easy, were easy for me since they do not require hip involvement. So in actuality, I always wondered why I couldn't do the "easy" moves without a lot of pain and difficulty, but had no problem with some of the really difficult moves, such as twizzles. Finding out that my hips were faulty cleared up the mystery.

Thanks Lexi for including me in the article!

Terri

T'nT Sk8

2010-06-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a rare opportunity to skate with Tim. We don't have any goals right now and so we don't always have an agenda, or know what to work on. Considering everything we should work on basics, but we always seem to start with difficult things. Like today, the first thing we did was the Viennese Waltz. Followed by the Starlight. Followed by the Samba. Sloooooooooowly. Followed by parts of our free dance and some dance spins. Then we improvised some new choreography. All things way above my current ability level considering I still can't walk without limping, and yet I did them and he didn't complain.

I am always amazed at what we can do together. The whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. We somehow give each other stability and fearlessness so that we are better skaters together than we are alone.

I am weak enough technically right now that I have to trust him to lead and that's been good for us as a team. I've always back-led since I taught him to skate from the ground up. Now he has to do it, and I have to let him, and that's as it should be and should have always been. So that's the silver lining. Not to mention how much fun we have.

After we got off the ice we decided a goal would be helpful. Compete? I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Work on his remaining pre-gold dances to test? Maybe. Work on the Midnight Blues so we can skate at the Portland Adult High Dance Camp in August? Probably. Pick some music and play with some of our own choreography? Definitely.

YogaLicious

2010-06-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on last night's yoga class:

~I can now sit crosslegged for about 3 minutes before I can't take the pain any more. This is better than a month ago, when I couldn't do it at all. My left leg is still sticking up but it's better.
~I can do tree pose with my knees turned sort of out, instead of pointing forward. This means my turnout is slowly improving.
~My balance while standing on one foot is much better I've found when I stand on the floor and not on my cushy (but unstable) mat. I was having so much trouble balancing on one foot which for a skater is, um, embarrassing. It's much better when I am standing on a stable wood floor and not on half an inch of foam. And it took me how long to figure this out??? Duh.
~My teacher comments on my "great turn-in" when I sit or lie in hero's pose.
~I am working on doing a full backbend because my back is still very flexible. Now it's just a question of strength in my arms and shoulders. I'm almost there.
~Crane pose is still my big "aha moment" in class.
~Lunges on my right leg are pretty good; on the left leg I only do modified since it is still weak and thus painful.
~Warrior 2 poses are difficult since my hips twist forward vs. to the side; I am better with the right leg in front than the left leg in front due to better turnout on that side. Lack of turnout really does make these positions painful and unnatural. The undysplastic have no idea what this is like. I look very awkward doing these with my butt sticking out but persevere I must.
~I can bring my left leg somewhat closer to my chest, but it is still not flexing like it should (due to ectopic bone growth, I think). Right has full flex in this direction.
~Stretching every night, in addition to twice weekly yoga, is starting to make some small difference in my flexibility. I'm still miles away from where I was.

All in all I've made noticeable progress.

Six Months LPAO

2010-05-19T17:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I hit the six month mark for my second PAO. The first PAO is just over 10 months old. I had totally forgotten about the six-month milestone until I wrote the date of my surgery elsewhere, and realized what day it was.

I am no longer thinking in hip milestones. I am also not thinking ahead to the next hip surgery, which is nice. I am having more and more pain on flexion with my left hip and my thought is that there is more ectopic bone growing. It also sometimes hurts when I am not flexing. This could also be normal healing pains of course; I have no way to tell yet.

I may need a final surgery to remove the ectopic bone some time in 2011, or I could just choose to live with my limitations, whatever they end up being, once all of the extra bone is done growing. Right now I am leaning toward living with it unless I am in constant pain and Dr. Mayo can assure me the surgery will correct that.

But right now I am not worrying about or planning for a future surgery, and that means I can go on with my life.

For those who are facing their own PAO recoveries, here is what 6 months feels like after bilateral PAOs. Note that healing is slower overall with bilateral PAOs so close together.

~My right hip almost never bothers me. Hip flexors are still weak, but getting better. If I walk a long way, or skate more than 45 minutes, or do any other type of physical activity that is strenuous, it might hurt or be sore the next day. This is muscle pain, not bone or joint pain, and tells me that I'm not fully recovered yet. ROM is better, although not what it used to be. All in all, I am happy with my RPAO outcome.
~My left hip has started to bother me more, as discussed above. ROM is very limited, and there is more pain now than there was 3 months ago. I still have a very slight limp on the left side - not all the time, but it comes and goes. I don't think my gait is ever entirely normal even if I'm not limping. Some days I don't think I am limping but Perry tells me that I am.
~Although I have lost weight since before my first surgery, I carry my weight differently now. Interestingly, I seem to carry excess weight in my hips more than before. Actually, it's just below my hips, not at the iliac crest but significantly below that. The technical term is, I believe, "saddle bags." Ugh.
~I am flabby all over due to lack of training and it is hard to create or maintain any muscle tone, especially in my legs.
~Working out is a double-edged sword. I know to build up muscles I have to work them, but if I work too hard I have to rest for a day or two (or three). So I have to ration my activity, and it never seems like I can really ramp up to any kind of "training" which will create true fitness.
~Some days my yoga class is so difficult I can barely get through it. Other days I do pretty well. I try to do yoga twice per week.
~I would like to skate 3 times per week, but right now I'm lucky if I can handle an hour once per week. It's just too taxing.
~Walking is something I do, but not as exercise. I should start walking on a track or other soft surface and work up to longer distances. Right now I am just not that interested in doing so. Elliptical trainer seems to cause less trauma to the hip, although I am not supposed to use any incline and it is hard to feel like I am getting a good workout. Too much resistance and I pay for it the next day, so I keep that low as well. Dr. Mayo cautioned me to move my legs fast with little resistance and it would be better on my joints.
~I still lift my left leg into the car and over barriers with my hands. I don't think this is normal at 6 months. I can do it without hands, but it hurts.
~I would love to try Body Pump or Zumba or Spinning - but right now I'm afraid of what that would feel like the next day!

:)

2010-05-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

One thing I am sick of ... people who say things like, "Aren't you glad you had your surgery, no more pain now!!!" Some people had the nerve to say this when I was still on crutches.

If I do any kind of physical activity I know I am going to pay for it during and after with pain. It's a different kind of pain on my right than I had pre-PAO, but it still hurts. And, my left hip barely hurt pre-PAO, and now it hurts a lot, so that's hardly an improvement.

I wish I lived on Planet Pollyanna where there were magical quick fixes for everything. Some day in the future when I'm fully recovered I may not have any pain with activity; right now I'm still in the recovery phase and pain is expected. At least, it's expected by me; almost everyone else expects I'm "cured." Sometimes I vow that the next person who gives me the big smiley face and tells me how great I must feel is going to get a piece of my mind.

Then again, why bother. Let them live on Planet Pollyanna.

Hike Hangover

2010-05-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

It has taken me a week to get over my 3.3 mile hiking adventure. I am not sure if I'm fully recovered yet, but after some horrible skating and awful yoga-ing this past week, I am feeling a bit better.

I've found that I can do a lot on two feet at the rink. In fact, yesterday at social dancing I two-footed my way through the entire Westminster Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Midnight Blues. All of these can actually be solo'd on two feet, which could mean we need a new event at Adult Nationals: Two-Footed Gold and International Solo Dancing (on half ice). In lieu of regular skating costume, competitors may wear butt or other padding; there are no test requirements but all competitors must have some sort of metal or artificial part in their body. X-rays will be taken. I'd rock that event.

Granted, I am doing tiny patterns and no pushing or edges, so pretty much just dinking around on two feet and turning now and then, so these are not recognizeable as the dances I want them to be. But I can pretend, and thanks to mothers' day there weren't enough people on the dance session to care that I was trying them.

It's Midnight Blues madness right now anyway, and so I was about the only one attempting the West when it came on. Everyone is learning the steps to the MB in anticipation of the High Dance Camp in August. Since I know the steps, I've been teaching them. I can demonstrate a lot of things on two feet and holding on to the wall, and since these are really good skaters and they've watched the videos they are able to translate my feeble attempts into actual skating.

It would really be nice if I could actually skate in time for the dance camp, but that remains to be seen. There are good days and bad days and I never know when I wake up in the morning which it will be.

Yoga Dropout

2010-05-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

I am really regreting that 3.3 mile hike last Sunday. I didn't think 3.3 miles was very much, but evidently my hips disagree. They've been sore and cranky ever since.

I figured it was time to go to yoga class and stretch them out; maybe they'd behave. How wrong I was! After only 10 minutes of class, I was ready to leave. Another 10 minutes, and I was barely moving (much to the annoyance of Flexy Freddy, the guy to my left). I could not do "crescent lunge," "low lunge," "warrior 1" or "warrior 2." I couldn't even touch my toes. So slowly, carefully, I gathered my things and crept out the back door.

I have never left a yoga class in the middle, even when I just started back after surgery. I can usually modify the poses enough so that I can get through class even if I am having a bad hip day. And a week ago at yoga class I really thought I'd had a breakthrough, since I did almost all of the poses unmodified. But today there was no point in staying because everything hurt.

I know it's still early in my recovery, but I want to be able to do more than one activity per week. I want to be able to walk on Sunday, skate on Tuesday and Friday, and yoga on Thursday. But I am just not there yet. I still have to be careful and take it easy when it comes to physical activity. I am not good at doing that!

Tomorrow I have a lesson with Coach R and I AM NOT CANCELING. I plan to go to Sunday social dancing and I AM NOT CANCELING. Yoga I can live without, but skating is non-negotiable.

Dysplastics Take Over The Ice

2010-05-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

Watch out! Two post-PAO gals took the ice this morning at Lloyd Center Ice Arena and rocked it. It was good to finally meet Sarah, the "other" post-PAO Portland ice dancer I've heard so much about. She looked great and even did some jumps near the end of the session. I hope some day I am recovered enough to skate that well, although I am banned from doing jumps for life and I plan to honor that so my hips will last longer.

Today was a pretty good day on the ice. I led some of the High Dance Camp ladies through the steps of the Midnight Blues. I can slop my way through them without pushing and what I can't do, I can describe. Despite that, I can't do the Swing Dance solo at speed because I chicken out on the mohawk. I just am not sure if my hip will work or not when I do it. Checking three turns is still dicey as well.

Dichotomy: I can't do the "easy" Swing Dance without bailing, but I can step through a slow and very sloppy Westminster Waltz (including rocker turn); none of the turns or edges are distinct and some are on two feet but I don't chicken out. I did a horrid European Waltz to practice my 3 turns; the step forwards are just as challenging as the three turns. I can step through a lot of dances but when I try to do the steps correctly or at speed I run into a problem and it doesn't work. So right now, slow and sloppy rules the day. The turns may be unrecognizeable but at least I can "do" some of my favorite dances. My hope is that with time and practice things will become faster and more correct.

I can do, at glacial speed, the Blues choctaw. I didn't think I could do the Rhumba choctaw, but when the music came on I tried an itty bitty slow one in the corner, and made it through "on the correct edges" per my friends. I was so thrilled that I did a bunch more, and made several people watch them. It was like the little kid who lands her first axel and makes everyone watch it: "OMG, look what I can do!" Coach R was there to witness this exciting milestone. Granted there's no way I can do it at speed, but for something I thought would not be possible yet, it's way cool.

So overall this was a good day. Still frustrating that I can't do so many of the things I never gave any thought to like stepping from backward to forward, making the easy stuff difficult; but interesting that I can do some difficult things here and there without too much worry.

I'm thinking about ditching the butt pads. They are just too distracting and if I fall, I fall. I'll live.

ADDENDUM: After skating for an hour today (although to be honest, I spent much of the hour socializing), Perry and I walked around the Fairmount Loop hiking trail above our house. It is 3.3 miles and we did it in an hour and 15 minutes. When I was home recovering from surgery #1 last summer I would watch hikers go up our street toward the loop, and couldn't wait for the day when I could do it too. Today was the first attempt. I was limping by the end, but now I am in the recliner and feeling OK.

Memory Jogging

2010-04-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

A shout out to Matt, who yesterday underwent surgery to remove ectopic bone which had formed after his PAO. According to his blog he is up and about and doing very well today. Hope you are on your way home from the hospital soon Matt!!

I skated this morning for the first time since Adult Nationals. A week and a half of healing made some noticeable difference. I felt more balanced and at ease over my skates today. Coach R. worked with me and even though I hadn't practiced since our last lesson 3 weeks ago, I had improved. Note that I am not advocating that skaters forego practice in order to improve! Generally it doesn't work very well.

Despite the improvement, I fell on a 3 turn. That's right, a 3 turn, and a slow one at that. I just didn't get all the way around (because half a rotation is a long way to go, I guess). But I didn't fall anywhere near my hips so didn't get a chance to test out the butt pads. My right hip hurts a bit now since it was twisted, but it's clearly nothing to worry about. I should be fine tomorrow.

It's amazing which things are still in my muscle memory and which have departed. Interestingly I was able to do pretty good cross rolls both forward and backward but (***lightbulb goes on***) those don't require any turnout, and actually require some pigeon toeing. Holding edges after 3 turns is difficult because my toe turns in; forcing the hip to open is something I have to re-learn. When I do it, the turn improves. My glutes don't seem to be firing when they should, so I have to actively think about using them. I'm not always sure where to put my weight on the blade, even on maneuvers I've done most of my life. Once Coach R. corrects me it makes sense and feels right, but left to their own devices my muscles have lousy memories.

We did mohawks with swing rolls a la Starlight Waltz. The mohawks I can get through somehow (though they aren't pretty), but the step forward from BO edge to FI edge is difficult, especially on my weaker side. I did say "a la" Starlight Waltz, but what I am doing right now no more resembles a waltz than Buzz Aldrin resembles a dancer. Like Buzz, I can only earn points for trying.

Five Month Hipiversary

2010-04-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

My five-month goal was to skate the social dance session at Adult Nationals this morning. Today is exactly five months after my LPAO (9+ months after my RPAO) and I met my goal.

I was judging at the Adult National Figure Skating Championships all week, and brought my skates for this morning's social dance session. I was stiff and sore (it was colder than I was used to and I had not done much exercise during the week). I did a Dutch Waltz, Rhythm Blues, 2 Canasta Tangos, and 2 Cha Chas - all forward dances - with six different partners. Three were friends (thanks L, K and JB for bravely holding me up), one was a fellow judge, another was someone I knew informally but had never danced with, and the last was a stranger. "Nobody fell down and nobody threw up, so it was a success," as my friend Marilu likes to say.

Not that I have an ego, but of course I do, and it was hard to be the worst skater on the ice and wearing crash pads. It looked like I had wandered over and accidentally got on the dance ice from a nearby public session. (The only worse scenario would be if I showed up wearing a helmet too.) The person who partnered me on the Canasta Tango (the easiest compulsory dance of all) did not know me, and counted every beat out loud (really loud! 1-2-3-4!) for two patterns as well as calling the steps for me which I didn't ask him to do (I did ask him to please go slowly and told him my edges were pretty weak) ... of course I know the steps (and I was actually on time) but some of the steps are difficult for me so I was on two feet a lot. I am sure he thought I just didn't know the dance.

I had help staying vertical!

Another person asked me if I had ever taken any dance tests, and I said the last test I took was the Silver Samba. He laughed, thinking I was making a joke. I explained about the surgery but it was kind of awkward.

I later told another skater that I had been a judge on her panel and enjoyed the performance she and her partner did. She paused, looked at me funny, and then said, "but you are not an ice dancer!" I explained about the surgery but again, kind of awkward.

I turned down a Fiesta because I'm pretty sure I can't do the step forward. I wanted to try a Swing Dance, but nobody asked me and none of the guys really made eye contact as I skated toward them. The one I was able to corner said he "hated the dance." They probably thought I was too scary to skate with on a dance with backward skating, although I actually skate better backwards.

I really shouldn't be so sensitive, but the comments (all innocent and none malicious) were still hard to take. They tell me I really look scary out there. I could say I don't care but I'd be lying.

4.5 Month Check

2010-04-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today was my checkup with Dr. Mayo. I posted the following on Hip Women today:

Has anyone had post-PAO ectopic bone removed? Just went for my 5 month/9 month
checkup with Dr. Mayo. On my left side, there is some bone growing over the
screw head on the front of my hip, which is why I am having trouble with flexion
on that side. He wants to let it heal for a full year then re-visit to see how
bad it is; at that point he said one option is to go back in and remove the
ectopic bone. While he's in there he'd also remove the screws on the left.
Normally he doesn't remove screws unless there is a problem so we'd probably
leave them in on the right.

He said this would entail 3 days in the hospital, and while they wouldn't detach
my muscles, "soft tissues" would be moved, so it would take some time to get the
strength back again. I would not have to be non-weight bearing so muscle
atrophy shouldn't be a big issue.

Just curious if anyone else has had this happen and if it really means 3 days in
the hospital. I know scew removal by itself can be outpatient so I am wondering
why this would be so much worse.

The thought of spending three more days in the hospital followed by more rehab
does not thrill me ... this was NOT something I was envisioning! I was hoping
today would be more along the lines of, "You're doing great, we don't ever need
to see you again, good-bye!"

Thanks, Terri

Reunion

2010-04-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

On July 6, 2009, Tim and I skated together for the last time two days before my first hip surgery. Today, almost 9 months to the day later, we had our first reunion.

He has only skated a couple of times since then, and obviously I am not at my best. I have only skated solo until today, and was a little hesitant to subject anyone to my bad balance and lack of edge quality. I told him not to have high expectations, and mine were low as well.

But interestingly, when I'm holding on to Tim, I am able to do far more than I can alone. We started out just doing hand in hand stroking and moved on to a Dutch Waltz and Cha Cha. We did a Ten-Fox and I was thrilled that I could do a decent three turn and mohawk (things I can't do if I am not holding on to him). We then did part of a European Waltz, with 4 three turns in a row on my left (weaker) leg.

When the Viennese Waltz came on I was resting by the wall, and when Tim wanted to try it I figured he was joking. This is the competition dance we practiced for a year and it's good to know all that practice time still has some positive effect a year and a half later. The dance was slow, the edges were shallow and the pattern was small, but it felt comfortable. We did two more patterns just for fun.

I know that I could not do any part of the Viennese without holding on to my partner, but it's good to know how much confidence I have just holding on to his hand. We're still a team, and there is still nobody I'd rather skate with.

19 Weeks; Skating Lesson

2010-03-31T08:58:00.000-07:00

Had my first post-PAO session with a coach. This is more to document my progress and probably not going to be interesting to very many of you. Hippies will laugh when they hear that the first thing she commented about was "lack of psoas (hip flexor) involvement." Isn't that just the way it is with us? Hip flexors are always a problem. When I explained what was cut during surgery her face went white. "I can't even believe you're out here," she said. I told her not to go easy on me; if there's anything that hurts I'll tell her. I need someone to push me and give me confidence.

We did FO, FI, BI, and BO edges on half circles. Back edges were easier than forward edges - despite surgery, I have always spent more time skating backward than forward in my many years of skating. Once I got over the fear of not being able to see people coming, backward was easier. Need to remember to lift up the upper body when I push (not collapse forward) and bend skating knee for the push before rocking over. Swing free leg through turned out and straight (yeah, right ... but I'll try). On FI push, rock back to the heel.

Two-foot slaloms forward and backward. Need to bend knees and get a good upper body twist. This hurt my left hip flexor going forward, but not intolerable. It will be sore later.

Double 3s on two feet, both directions. On the left I tend to stick the skating hip out. Need to get up and over it. Twist and check with the arms. Down, up, down with the knees.

Coach R was impressed with how much I could do, and actually I was too. This all seems so remedial but of course I have to crawl before I can walk, and walk before I can run. Watching Barb do beautiful Westminster Waltz patterns this morning inspires me to try harder.

Not all PAOs are created equal, part 2 ...

2010-03-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

A skater at the rink asked me to do a high-level dance on Sunday. I told him that (obviously) I couldn't do it, and that I might never recover enough to do it. He was partly joking, but then he said that I should be able to do it some day, because he knew another ice dancer who had the same surgery I had who could now skate just as well as she could before.

This shouldn't bother me, but it did. To compare two people's recovery is really unfair. I am only 4 months out from my second PAO, and while I have never met the other skater, I understand hers was many years ago. I don't know if she had bilateral PAOs or just one. I don't know if her skating muscles were cut or not. I don't know her age or fitness level.

The person who asked me to dance seemed to think that I was pretty full of shit and that I was making a big deal out of nothing - and that I should be just fine soon. I certainly hope he is right, because I would really like to be just fine some day. But realistically, I know my body. It is going to take a long time, and a lot of work, to make progress in my flexibility, which is greatly limited despite yoga twice a week and daily stretching. Strengh I am more optimistic about, but after hearing other PAO patients' experiences I know that our muscles still tend to fatigue more quickly than pre-surgery, even many years post PAO.

The goal of the PAO was to give me everyday functionality, not to make me a great athlete. The likelihood of getting back to my prior level of function is between slim and none. I am 47 years old, and I don't have hours to spend working out every day. This is a reality I accept. I wish others would accept it too.

Not all PAOs are created equal

2010-03-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

I recently compared my x-ray with another hip chick's x-ray. Granted, all bodies are different and all surgeries are different too. People recover at different rates and have different reactions to medications and procedures. Surgeons use different protocols and techniques.

Her x-rays looked really different from mine. She only had 3 screws, and by the angle it looked like they were all holding the acetabular bone fragment in place and none were holding detached muscles. Her three small screws were all lined up neatly in a row, all pointing the same way. My 13 screws are much larger, in different places, and at various angles.

When she told me her surgery only lasted an hour, and that she was going to be off crutches and back in spinning class 4 weeks after surgery and back to work in less than 2, I started to wonder, did we have the same surgery? If I'm healing so darn fast (by all accounts), and I'm at 8 and 4 months respectively for dumb and dumber, then why does the thought of a spinning class even now make me shudder, knowing I wouldn't be able to walk at all the next day? And why did my surgeries, performed by an equally competent and well-regarded surgeon, take OVER SEVEN HOURS??

Why such a difference? In a relatively simple PAO, the acetabular bone is cut and reoriented and then screwed back in place. The quad muscles are not cut, and the hip capsule is not opened. In a not-so simple PAO like mine, the quad muscles are cut to access the hip capsule; the hip capsule is opened; and various things are done in there (from shaving impinging bone to re-shaping the femur to repairing a damaged labrum, all of which happened to me). All of this additional trauma makes for a longer recovery.

Broken bones usually heal much faster than traumatized muscles and soft tissues, so this all makes sense. It explains why, all other things being equal, some people heal much faster from their PAOs and are able to regain more function. Mystery solved!

Subcurves...

2010-03-24T20:36:00.001-07:00

In compulsory figures, a wobble was also known as a subcurve. In skating, all movements (with a few exceptions such as the slides on the Paso Doble) are done on curves, or edges. Skaters are judged on how well they skate these curves, meaning they should be continuous, deep and round. If the edges contain subcurves, the skater is not securely balanced over the blade, causing it to wobble.

I don't yet have the leg strength or control to push down through my hip, knee and ankle to make the blade contact the ice securely. This means that my blade does not grip the ice well, I don't get "into" the ice, and I skate on insecure edges. In other words, I wobble all over the place.

Remember Weebles? They were toys from my childhood, and as the jingle goes, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down."

Well, so far, I am a Weeble ... I'm wobbling but I haven't fallen down yet. Which is a good thing because, as another famous slogan goes ... "I've fallen, and I can't get up." It's only a matter of time.

But back to today's skating saga. I went to the group moves in the field class taught by coach R., who used to work with me privately. She knows me and is also very motivating, so I figured this was a good place to start.

We started doing swizzles. I was way behind the rest of the class speedwise, but did two laps eventually and these didn't hurt my hips too much. We then did 3 turns. I started on two feet, but eventually was able to do them on one foot. I am still not into the ice so they aren't secure. I actually wish I could use more speed since that would help, but I am not there yet.

I did alternating 3s to the center on half circles. I had to put my foot down on the BI edge back to center most of the time, but did manage a few where I didn't. And doing the choctaw step forward from BI edge to FO edge was next to impossible due to my lack of turnout. I was able to force a couple from my better hip ("dumb") but none from my less better hip ("dumber").

Speaking of dumb and dumber, I could really tell the difference between my 8 month old right hip and my 4 month old left hip in strength, balance and flexibility.

So tonight there was incremental progress - a good thing.

Not so much

2010-03-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

I went to the Sunday social dance session today. Perhaps due to my heavy workout on the elliptical trainer yesterday, my legs just wouldn't move today. It was a rather depressing skate, made even more depressing by the ugly butt pads I am sporting. Even though I've lost weight, they make me look huge and feel fat and ungainly.

It's totally normal post PAO to work out one day and be totally knackered the next, so this is not unexpected. That doesn't make me like it any better.

Again, I did just the forward dances, but could barely pick up my feet or hold an edge on one leg. Knees did not bend. The thought of 3 turns is depressing, although I tried a few, using my upper body and free foot to force the turn. I can not stop. I can't get out of the way. I can't push. Worst, I critiqued the local solo dancers who are competing at Adult Nationals next month. They will be skating Westminster Waltz and Kilian. Those dances look so difficult and impossible to me right now. I can't even imagine skating like that again. The solo dancers are so carefree and light on the ice. I am so ponderous and plodding.

Lots of self pity going on here today, but again, that's expected. I don't need cheering up, or to be told it will get better, or to be told I'm doing as well as anyone could expect. I just need to say how much this sucks.

Sk8 Post 1: APBM

2010-03-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

I think this blog is about to change from a hip surgery blog to a skating blog. It may only be valuable to me, as a record of my skating progress, since I am starting over with zero ability. In that regard, it could be a private journal. But making it public keeps me honest and perhaps inspires (or annoys) others. It means I have to follow through. Right now motivation is a problem, so that's a good thing. Knowing someone may be reading this might mean the difference between going to the rink or sleeping in.

I didn't have any realistic skating goals until today, which meant I wasn't motivated to go to the rink. My pre-PAO goals were to pass my Novice moves and a few more international dance tests, but those goals are plain impossible right now. So my new, post-PAO goal is to pass my adult pre-bronze moves. Now, granted, I have already passed that test, along with all of the other adult moves tests. I have my adult moves-in-the-field gold medal and in fact was the first person in the country to earn it. But that was a couple of surgeries ago. After looking at the patterns I realized that going through all of the adult moves tests really will give me a good fundamental grasp of the skills I've lost.

Today was day 1 of my "training." I ran through the APBM test and, let's just say, I would not have passed the test even with a drunken panel of judges. I put my free foot down several times, and just plain couldn't do a lot of things. For example, a Waltz 8, something I passed when it was a preliminary figure back in 1976, is scary and impossible right now. The FI three turns on the last move are impossible, not to mention the FO three turns that are only slightly less impossible. Oh yeah, and backward crossovers? Give me a break! Working on these things until I master them will be a true test of what I can accomplish.

My goal is to test the APBM May 24th at Sherwood. That gives me just over two months to master them. It should be a nice quiet test session where nobody knows me so when I fail the test I can slink out the back door quietly. Or, more likely, take off my skates and judge the rest of the test session.

The plan really is perfect ... a timeline which may culminate in total embarrassment if I don't get my butt out there. Instant motivation!

Adventures in Yoga

2010-03-11T20:21:00.001-08:00

I suck at post-PAO yoga as previously mentioned on this blog. But there are a few things I can do. Revenge of the anteverted: today our instructor had us try Crane Pose

Note - this is not me!

for the first time, and I was able to do it. Nobody else could do it, despite all their fancy shmancy open-hipped abilities. Nyah nyah nyah.

(I know, I am missing the entire point of yoga class but it sure felt good to finally be able to do something!)

I held the pose for a full 10 seconds and then ... thunk ... fell forward right onto my forehead which made a loud noise on the wooden floor. I didn't care at the time as I was just so proud of doing the pose. I have certainly learned to be sure my head is over the mat before doing crane pose in the future.

Just to prove it wasn't a fluke, I did the pose again when I got home. Nobody is home to take a photo of this amazing event but eventually I'll replace the stock photo.

8 Months RPAO

2010-03-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Why we chase the zamboni ... from a distance!

My RPAO is 8 months old today. It's easy to assume that 8 months after an orthopedic surgery the patient should be all better and have nothing left to say. Not so with periacetabular osteotomy, which my physical therapist is quick to let me know takes a full two years to recover from, and even then I will never be as strong or flexible as I was before. So chronologically I am really only one-third recovered from the first PAO. Plus the fact that the right side wasn't anywhere near recovered when I had the left side done, and the recovery has been more challenging.

Despite all that, I am happy with my right PAO. Compared to pre-surgery, I no longer get the crippling stiffness and pain after walking. I no longer have the stabbing groin pain or difficulty sleeping on my right side. I don't have lower back pain unless I really exert myself. I don't have knee pain.

In fact, I rarely have pain at all, except in the hip flexors which get sore. I do have weakness though. I still have some stiffness after exertion or sitting for a long period of time. It takes me a few steps to hit my stride when I start walking (and since I'm still limping on the left side, it's hard to tell how good the right side really is). I can do most housework, although I do get sore or tired if I do too much vacuuming or kneeling to clean or garden. Getting up from the floor is not as easy as it used to be, but I can do it. I still have to use my hands. (I think this is more a limitation on my left side than my right.)

For most of my day-to-day existence I don't think about my right hip because it functions just fine. For that matter I rarely think about my left hip because it functions close enough to fine not to limit me. It's only in the gym, in the yoga studio, or on the ice that I feel as if I am living inside someone else's body.

My hip flexors are weak despite working out like a mad dog in the gym. Every PAO patient is probably in the same boat. They tell me to be patient and this gets better. My other leg muscles are still weak, but less noticeably so than the hip flexors.

Some flexibility has returned, but despite regular stretching and yoga class I seem to have hit a plateau. I hope this is not as good as it gets. I can no longer do a nice leg extension or attitude position even with assistance. I have some turnout, but not as much as what I had before (which was less than normal). I know there has been improvement because my right is much better than my left and again I must be patient. Ah, my lovely spirals on the ice -- wish I had those on video!

I am religious about doing my PT exercises, hitting the gym, and stretching and yet progress is very slow. This is the reality of what a very slow recovery is like.

Just tellin' it like it is!

Finally, butt pad fashion photo shoot

2010-03-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

Due to high demand for photos of the now infamous butt pads, I had my rink friends memorialize today's skating session in the photos below. I am sorry to say that you really can't see the pads that well because I am wearing all black and they just sort of blend in. However, I think you can tell by the shape -- that is not my real butt! (Click on photos for higher resolution images if you want better detail on what is me and what is pad ...)

As for today's skating - I skated only 30 minutes but didn't stop much to rest. I actually broke a sweat. Worked on forward and backward stroking and turning from front to back (3 turns and mohawks only). Amazing how something I've done since I was 10 can be so very foreign to me.

They're sleek ... they're chic ... and they're only $49.95!

I know, I know, everyone wants their own pair.

The World is Full of Morons

2010-03-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing on the Yahoo HipWomen group that well-meaning friends of newly-diagnosed dysplastics, upon hearing their diagnosis, tell them things like "it's impossible for adult humans to have hip dysplasia," or "it's impossible that bilateral hip dysplasia would not be caught at birth."

These same "friends" then question the diagnosis and treatment plan, making the poor recently-diagnosed patient question everything themselves. Believe me, the diagnosis is confusing and upsetting enough without the "well-meaning" buttinski commentary.

Now, I realize that I have been living in hip-dysplasia fantasyland for about a year and a half. Based on the blogs I follow and the online Yahoo groups to which I belong, it would seem the world is amply populated with adults diagnosed with hip dysplasia. They are everywhere -- soon to take over the world!

But of course, the reality is that we are a very tiny population in a world that hears the term hip dysplasia and says, "woof."

The truly unfortunate part of this is that some of these "friends" are also professionals who are entrusted with people's health issues: Physical therapists, sports trainers, and (gulp) I am sure some physicians. It's scary how much misinformation exists.

Granted, PAOs are a fairly new invention and in 20 years there will probably be a much better way to correct this problem. Or perhaps screening methods will improve so that all cases actually WILL be caught at birth and corrected. Meanwhile, I'm here to say that we adult dysplastics exist and our dysplasia didn't come about due to poor nutrition, sitting in "W" position, or child abuse; we were born with it. The evidence is overwhelming - it runs in my family and I am a first-born female. Can you say, "the genes were stacked against me?"

We veteran hip chicks (and dudes) can only continue to educate and encourage the newly-diagnosed, steering them to expert surgeons who understand the condition and away from those who don't. I guess that is why I continue this blog, despite being at the point where people probably think I should move on and get a life!

Next day ...

2010-03-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Pretty sore today, but not unhappy about it. I could not even get my shoes on today and finally switched from a shoe with buckle to a slip on after trying unsucessfully to reach the buckle for 5 minutes!

On the way in to work I was limping worse than usual and when I went up the ramp from the parking lot I slowed down and put my hand on my right hip. A well-dressed woman behind me said a bit sarcastically, "what's the matter, do you have a hip problem?" She looked really sheepish when I replied, "Yes, I have had two recent surgeries to correct congenital hip deformities. My pelvis was broken and screwed back together in November and July." I mean really, why do people ask these questions? Did she think I was just faking it? Puhleeeeze.

FirstSk8 ...

2010-02-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Addendum: Forgot to take the camera to the rink, so this photo of spring in Portland will have to do ...

After skating, a two-hour nap ...

I feel like today was my first real skate since my first surgery in July. Although I did skate several times between the two PAOs, I never really pushed myself because I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be having the second PAO, so why bother?

I waited 3.5 months this time (vs. 3 months, not to mention my ill-advised foray at 8 weeks) to be sure things were healed and so I wouldn't have to worry about falling. It was very different from that 8-week attempt back in September -- I could actually take a proper push, glide on one foot without falling over, and skate without being propped up.

I was able to solo all of the forward dances (Dutch, Canasta, Rhythm Blues, Cha Cha; also the forward parts of the Fiesta and Swing Dance). I could do them at about 2/3 speed and pattern size (note that patterns are already small since we skate in a small rink, so it was perfect for me) and was able to get through an entire 2 minute social dance tune for each. Edges were shallow, extension was non-existent and I felt really slow and somewhat off balance.

Skating backwards is challenging because I don't have the muscle control to point my free toe down consistently, so catching my heel is a likely possibility. Doing so would pitch me right onto one of my hips, so I am a little bit freaked out by it. However, I did do some three turns (first on two feet, then on one, slowly) and some backward Russian stroking (slow!). Mohawks are still seemingly impossible because of the turnout required. I did one very slow kilian choctaw and a very slow blues choctaw. My hips hurt during and after but I was able to do them. I was able to do some darn good forward outside loops, but not forward inside.

I skated the full hour (with liberal breaks to socialize and rest) and feel like I got something of a workout. I am surprised by my stamina - much better than I expected, although nowhere near what it used to be. I was able to get through several patterns of the dances I attempted. Pain didn't start until halfway through the session, and it was tolerable. My hip flexors now hurt - both of them - the right more than the left actually even though it is more healed. That may be because I use my right leg more - I am pretty sure I am favoring my left leg.

For a first attempt it was surprisingly good. The hard part was not doing the Westminster Waltz and Paso Doble and Quickstep when they were played -- dances I love to do - but they are way above my current skill level and will be for some time. I had to stand at the wall during my favorite dances and it killed me. That's one good reason to skip the dance sessions for a while and just work on basic skills at public sessions. I have a couple of months until school is out, so the daytime public sessions will be empty. By the time school is out I may be able to attempt some mid-level dances.

Patience is a virtue. Repeat. Patience is a virtue. Repeat.

P.S. - Doug and Patti - I really missed you today! Healing thoughts...

Normaler and normaler

2010-02-27T06:33:00.000-08:00

I had not seen my physical therapist in almost two weeks until yesterday. She is concentrating on my back and abs more than my hips. Abs in particular are weak (to be expected, she says, with this type of surgery). But the old hip joints themselves are doing OK on their own.

Last night I walked around the Portland Home and Garden Show for two hours before getting tired. Mostly it was my back that hurt and I blame the heavy bag I was carrying. Hips were OK.

I have not been doing my exercises very religiously the past two weeks and need to get going again. Life has just been too busy.

All this is leading up to my plan to get on the ice tomorrow at the social dance session. It will be safe - everyone knows me and everyone is skilled so they won't be running into me. It won't be crowded. The mall rink is warm. I have no idea what to expect from myself other than "not much."

I plan to skate the social session at Adult Nationals in mid-April so this will give me an idea of how that will go. The A.N. session will be more crowded and full of people who don't know me or my limitations, so I will need to feel less vulnerable and more confident by then. While there will be a couple of friends at A.N. who have volunteered to help hold me up (namely L and K), I would like to be able to do the easier dances with any competent dancer by then. I'll be wearing the butt pads and it will be obvious that I'm a beginner, so I'm sure they'll all be nice to me. It's a goal anyway - the 5-month post-LPAO goal many of the hip chicks try to achieve.

Thoughts on the Olympic free dance

2010-02-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

In the stands ...

A beautiful day in Canada ... after walking half a mile uphill to the venue, my hips were OK!

Before reading this post, please read the prior post.

There have been a lot of sour grapes and displays of poor sportsmanship recently from certain competitors in the men's and ice dance events. The following is one judge's humble opinion; note that I was a spectator and that my view was from a vantage point much different from the judges'. Perhaps they saw things I did not see. Being in the arena live, I certainly saw things that TV viewers did not see.

Keep in mind that it is nearly impossible to "judge" figure skating while watching on TV. You can not see the differences in speed, and you often have no way to tell where in the rink the skaters are. Without this perspective it is difficult to comment on skating, in particular ice dancing, which is judged on subtleties that just can't be seen on TV.

Lucky enough, I was in the arena live for the free dance final. Here are my thoughts.

Live, the Canadians were mesmerizing and skated perfectly. You couldn't help but love their program. However, to an ice dance purist, both this program and their "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" program from two seasons ago lacked music with a continuous and distinct rhythmic beat. They often skated to the melody. They did it so well, however, that only someone expressing sour grapes would use it to conclude they "did not dance" and did not deserve the marks they got (as stated by the Italian team). This is a new age for ice dancing at the elite levels, and the sport is progressing past the old ways of thinking. Stay tuned for still more changes next year as the CD and OD merge. While I don't like that decision, I realize that to progress, ice dancing can't stay stuck in the past just for the sake of tradition.

I also think Charlie and Meryl could have been first in the free dance, if not overall. This is not nationalistic bias, because I was happy that the Canadians won. Meryl and Charlie have different strengths than the Canadians (more technically demanding program and more intricate and difficult transitions vs. better unison and amazing chemistry). So while I would have "placed" the top two teams opposite the outcome (if I were placing them, which I would not be if I were judging), either outcome was fine with me. The top two teams were in the top two spots and it could go either way. It was wonderful to see the Canadians win gold on their home ice. Both teams should be proud of pushing the sport to a new level of excellence.

The Russians' footwork was sloppy and shallow, their spin was slow and traveled, and his twizzles turned into a spin, among other problems. Their lifts were assisted by cords on her costume. Their transitions were slow and unoriginal. Their musical interpretation was robotic. The were substantially overmarked, in my opinion. They should have been fourth, or even fifth.

It was Ben and Tanith who got screwed last night, and they were as gracious about it as they could have been, a refreshing change after the poor sportsmanship we've seen from others during these Olympic games. They should have been third in the free dance in my opinion, and that should have translated to a bronze medal.

Just one humble dance judge's opinion ... Terri, reporting live from Vancouver

24 Hours at the Olympics ...

2010-02-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

A standing ovation for our skaters ...

My hips survived 24 hours in Vancouver -- tons of walking, stair climbing, standing, and sleeping on a hard couch at a friend's house. Well worth it for the experience of a lifetime - seeing the Canadians win gold in ice dance for the first time with a beautiful performance.

I have to say kudos to Vancouver and to Canada for hosting a calm, organized and friendly Olympics. Everyone in Canada was helpful and happy to have us visit their country, if only for a day. We had gorgeous weather as well for our 24 hours in Vancouver - crystal clear blue skies and warm temperatures. We purchased a few souvenirs, and I have to say, I love the color scheme of these olympics. The various greens and blues in the jackets worn by the volunteers (and purchased by us as t-shirts and jackets) were gorgeous and showcased the natural beauty of the host country.

As for the ice dance competition, well, as you know I am an ice dancer and a judge of ice dancing. As a figure skating judge, I am forbidden from commenting in an online forum about an event that I have judged. Lucky enough, however, I was not judging the Olympics, but merely a spectator. So I can share with you my thoughts on the ice dance event, and will do so in my next post.

It's hard for many casual observers to understand figure skating, the new judging system, and in particular the esoteric ice dance event. Whether or not you believe ice dancing is a legitimate sport (and this is something I could write an entire post about, but will save that for later), it is a combination of art and athleticism which can be judged. Yes, judging is subjective, but all sports have a component of subjectivity. Officials are human beings, not robots.

Figure skating, with its off-ice drama, sometimes gaudy costuming, and musical component, is often criticized more harshly than other sports for its "subjectivity." Often those criticizing don't realize that athletic technique is involved, and there are a plethora of rules. The average fan may not understand them but the judges do. Sometimes judges don't agree with the rules set by the ISU, but our job is to enforce the rules of the sport as they are written, not as we wish they were written. Often outcomes that fans don't understand make perfect sense to skaters, coaches and officials based on the rules of the sport.

An element might look good to the untrained eye, but might still be done with incorrect technique or may not be what the rules require. Judges following the rules are sometimes booed by spectators who don't realize that the skater has done the wrong elements, or has done elements with poor technique.

I think overall with the advent of the new judging system we have seen fairer outcomes but of course it is still possible for judges to mark their favorites high and the others lower. That doesn't necessarily change the outcome, since the score is not solely attributable to the judging panel -- the technical panel also impacts the score -- but it might.

Yes, sometimes there is nationalistic bias in figure skating. Less so than in years past with the new judging system. Sometimes judges make honest mistakes. For example, in the men's short program one judge gave Jeremy Abbot's single axel (which was meant to be a triple axel) a GOE of +1. Judges are required to give a -3 in this case because a double or triple axel is required in the short program. Bias? I doubt it. This was an honest mistake, but it happened and can be seen in the event protocol.

Judges in the United States go through intensive training to learn the intricate rules of the sport. Judges are not paid and most pay for their own training, which can run in the thousands of dollars. Most fans are not aware of this.

Bias and poor calls/refereeing/judging can happen in other sports as well. How many times has a football, basketball, or hockey game outcome hinged on the calls of the officials? How many fans have cursed the "unfair" calls of the referee/umpire in these unquestionably "real" sports when the outcome did not go the way of their favorite team?

Then there is figure skating. It features by necessity the same "subjective" officiating as most other sports, along with rules that are poorly understood, a scoring system that is new and complex, and subtleties of technique that those who have never skated can't really compreheand. Add in makeup, sequins, music, and the off-ice drama of some of skating's more interesting personalities. Stir in the sour grapes, public poor sportsmanship and accusations of "cheating" by those who did not get a medal in the color they felt they deserved. It's a recipe for the average viewer to be at once fascinated and disgusted with figure skating.

Those of us who judge skating take it seriously. We want to judge our best for the benefit of the skaters. We are human beings with opinions and preferences and not computers, but we want the outcome to be correct. We go to schools and seminars during our free time to educate ourselves on the new rules and spend our weekends and vacations in cold and dirty ice rinks located hours from our homes, often getting up at ungodly hours and driving there in the dark, judging 7-year-old Michelle Kwan wannabes and young dance teams who can barely keep time to the music. We occasionally get to judge something glamorous such as a national championship, but mostly we are in the trenches with the skaters and see the reality of the grueling training and potential for injury; the repeated falls, bruises, blood, sweat, and hours of repetition to learn new skills. We judge because most of us skated too, and we know that skating combines art, athleticism, music, and theater into a sport that is unlike any other. We love it and want to judge it fairly.

Comments on the Olympic Compulsory Dance

2010-02-21T19:56:00.001-08:00

Some of the hip chicks have asked me to comment on the Olympics, since I judge ice dancing, singles and pairs. While this has nothing to do with hip dysplasia, it is timely since I leave tomorrow morning to fly to Vancouver in order to watch the ice dance final. I just finished watching the original dance.

First a caveat - TV makes it very difficult to see the subtle differences between the top teams, especially during compulsory dance, even for someone trained to judge ice dancing. So I am basing my comments on what could be seen on television. Seeing it live would make the analysis much more detailed, but unfortunately I was not there!

The following was written after the compulsory dance, before tonight's (amazing) original dance. Shelley asked me why Tanith and Ben were scored so low, and how the top teams differed.

"The top 4 teams are within a few points of each other, so really it's very close. None of them were scored low - these were all really high scores for compulsories. None of the top teams made (major) mistakes, so it was a matter of speed and pattern size (which you really can't see on TV), depth of edge, and expression of the tango.

My opinion, as an ice dance judge: I think the Russians and Canadians did all of those things best (they are and should be essentially tied). Meryl and Charlie in third didn't have as much tango expression - in particular, the relationship between the two of them. Tanith and Ben in fourth looked a bit less secure during the first pattern and didn't show as much tango expression. I thought also they had a few timing issues, but it's hard to tell on TV."

That's about as much as I can say without seeing it live. I think the judging was fair based on the detailed results and what I could see on TV. I definitely think the original dance tonight was judged fairly.

Don't miss the free dance tomorrow!
Terri

3 Months (LPAO)

2010-02-16T16:20:00.000-08:00

I just realized that my handicapped parking sticker expires March 1. Lucky thing I no longer need it.

I am at 3 months post LPAO and 7+ months post RPAO. I had a breakthrough the past week after spending 4 days in the desert. Lots of warm weather, swimming, stretching and walking. I can walk a mile (probably farther but did not try). I was not race walking, mind you, but strolling. Still, it's improvement. Oh, almost forgot ... on Valentine's day I went to a club and danced. Wearing high heels.

My left leg's stiffness is better, but ROM is still limited. There isn't really pain, but there is weakness and lack of flexibility. I still need a few steps to get going when I first stand up from a chair. My limp is about a 3 most days on a scale from 1 to 10, but I can walk pretty darn fast despite the strange gait. Some days my limp is a 1, and other days it's a 5. It just depends.

My right leg is better too. I can stand up from a low chair using only my right leg and no arms, and I can repeat this about 5 times in a row. I don't think most normal people (meaning those who have not had PAOs) can do this ... so my skater quads must be waking up from their muscle amnesia.

Friends who haven't seen me since late January (at Nationals, when I was just off crutches and using a cane) will be seeing me next week when Perry and I go on our Whirlwind 24-hour Olympic Extravaganza trip. They told me that I would have to walk about 300 yards to get from the bus stop through security at the arena, and perhaps I should arrange for a wheelchair. A wheelchair?! Ah, how far I have come! They will be amazed when they see me walking on my own, and able to walk pretty darn fast too.

And now a word from our sponsor: Go Team USA!!!

At least I know how to fall ...

2010-02-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my ice dancing partner the other day about getting back out on the ice (still a month away) and he asked me if I was going to freak out the first time I fall. "Nah! I'm tough!" I thought.

Well, today I got a sneak preview when I took a spectacular fall on the wet sidewalk in the rain. I was just walking along when my heel slid out from under me (unknown to me, the heel of my shoe was dangerously worn out). Up went both my legs and down went I, squarely onto my butt, but with the presence of mind to break my fall with my arms and avoid a direct hit to my hips.

Other than the embarrassment, it wasn't too bad. I got up immediately (as skaters do to avoid getting run over), picked up my purse, took stock of my aches and pains (knowing they will be far worse tomorrow), and kept right on walking, to the amazement of onlookers who didn't even have time to rush over and help. I was limping when I got up, of course, but no worse than I had been before I fell down! I am not sure if the onlookers knew that, or if they figured the fall caused the limp.

Truth be told, it wasn't a big deal for my hips. I now have an ice pack on my right shoulder, which broke the fall. My back twisted and is a little sore. My hips feel absolutely fine, even though my legs did kind of get pulled - I figure I will have more pain tomorrow somewhere in the hip region.

In some ways I am relieved to know that I can take a hard fall and get up and walk away from it without a trip to the emergency room. It did not jar any screws loose or necessitate finding my crutches in the garage.

Tomorrow I will probably be sore all over, but that would happen regardless of prior hip surgeries. In any case, I survived this little bump in the road. The offending shoes are in the trash!

The Gluteus Medius is connected to the Piriformis ...

2010-02-08T10:56:00.001-08:00

Today is the actual 7 month anniversary of my RPAO.

On Friday my PT watched me walk up the stairs with a smile on her face, then frowned when I got to the top and started walking down the hallway. I did the stairs just fine without holding the handrail and had no observable limp, then limped noticeably when walking on a flat surface. By the way my body was moving, she diagnosed that my left Gluteus Medius is weak. This is all consistent with the piriformis/hamstring/sciatic nerve issue I have been having as "it's all connected in there" and "it was all significantly disturbed during surgery."

She is having me build up the gluteus medius using a variation of the forward straight leg raise exercise shown here:

http://www.bodyresults.com/E2gluteusMedius.asp

I am supposed to do 3 sets of 20 with no weight other than my body weight every other day. I did that and could not walk the rest of the day or the next day, so clearly I am very weak! This exercise was much easier on my right side at this stage in my recovery so evidently that gluteus medius was not as compromised by the first surgery.

When I was skating (up to just before surgery in July) I used to have huge, clearly visible muscles on the side of my iliac crest (which is exactly where the GM should be). There is nothing there now at all, not even a bump, so clearly the muscle has atrophied. Not sure why it's only a problem on my left and not my right, since both used to be huge and now both are invisible. Hmmmmm.

Eleven Weeks (LPAO)/Seven Months (RPAO)

2010-02-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to my dear husband Perry, who is eligible for sainthood after being married to me before, during and after two PAOs in one year. Believe it or not, I haven't always been so pleasant to be around during this odyssey.

On that note, today's update will discuss the not-so-positive side of things, because sometimes I get sick and tired of being "in recovery" since last July.

Overall I have had very positive results, but there are still things I can not do. I originally made progress quickly but I have not yet progressed beyond a certain point. I am lucky to not have any major complications, but my lifestyle and abilities have definitely changed since a year ago. I still have to make compromises in order to make it through the day. I get tired and sore and cranky. I avoid certain things - like walking more than a couple of blocks and carrying things and standing for long periods and bending over.

Righty is now at 7 months and still not back to normal. Granted I didn't really work very hard at rehabilitation while in the early recovery stages from Lefty, but now I have to get back to it. Hip flexors are still very weak despite working them in the gym. I can do most everyday things without pain or limitation, but my flexibility is still very poor so skating will be a challenge. I can climb stairs just fine, but if I have to take a big step up I can not do it without using my hands to help my right leg (and I don't even try with my left). I haven't been able to walk very far to test Righty since Lefty can't go the distance. So Righty is definitely behind where a 7-month-post-PAO hip would normally be due to all this "waiting for Lefty."

Lefty is now at 11 weeks and doing about as well as I would expect. My PT confirms that Lefty is weaker than Righty was at this point and will take longer to rehab. It's really too early to tell if there will be any long-term limitations and how it will all shake out.

I want to start yoga in the next few weeks to work on flexibility for both hips as well as balance. As I predicted, it is more difficult to do things with two bad legs than it was after my right PAO, when I had one bad and one good leg. I felt pretty confident then. Now Righty is my "good" leg and it's just not all that good. I am therefore a lot more risk averse during this recovery. The thought of skating at 8 weeks scares the crap out of me, although I thought nothing of it during the first PAO recovery.

All of this is just as expected. What I didn't expect was how tired I would be of all of this some days, while full of optimism on others. For example, the other day I was able to put my pants on while standing up for the first time. I've had to sit down to get dressed before now. This tells me my strength, balance and flexibility are improving on my left leg. But it doesn't get me much closer to doing the Cha Cha Congelado -- or even the Dutch Waltz.

Ten Weeks

2010-01-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

My physical therapist works wonders. I mean that. Even though I spent part of today wallowing in depression because I couldn't lift my left leg high enough to step on the flush handle of a public toilet (oh come on, everybody does it), I know that I am making (slow) progress.

My PT, Kellie, has me working with very low weights and doing many reps. I am amazed at how little weight she uses but if I do the exercises correctly my muscles fatigue quickly. She hooked me up with this genius home pulley system so I can torture myself at home, since the least amount of weight I can use in my home gym is 10 pounds:

You can put whatever kind of weight you want in the bag, down to just a few ounces. She started me at half a pound, for which I used 2 boxes of jello. As I have increased the weight I am using, I have added various items that were readily available next door in the home office. So how much weight am I lifting now? See for yourself what's in that bag:

That's right, I am up to 3 boxes of jello, a deck of cards, an old cell phone, a walkman (a walkman?) and a metal tape measure. Clearly a lot of weight and a good use for a bunch of crap. Genius!

Nine and a Half Weeks

2010-01-23T23:15:00.000-08:00

Note for the curious: thirteen stainless steel screws do not set off the TSA metal detectors. I am coming home from 10 days in Spokane tomorrow. My hip has gotten progressively better and now, at 9.5 weeks, I can say that I barely thought about my hip(s) today or yesterday. Here is the straight skinny:

~Sitting for more than a couple of hours is difficult. I am sore when I get up but feel OK when I start moving.
~Can't wait to sleep in my own (comfortable) bed, although I haven't had much trouble sleeping in the hotel bed.
~I haven't taken any pain meds since the first day when I took two ibuprofen, more for a headache than for hip pain.
~The pain in my buttock is basically gone.
~I have been wearing heels for the past week with no detrimental effects.
~I have been using the cane more to keep crowds away from me than to help me walk.
~I can go up and down stairs OK, but I do generally hold the hand rail. I feel it in my legs, but it's not painful. The muscles are pretty weak (weaker than my right was at this point).
~I can balance on my left leg for about a minute.
~The first day I was here I could barely walk a block without having to stop and rest, and I was pretty slow. Today I can walk about half a mile without much worry, and have trotted a few times to keep up with people. I can probably go farther but haven't tried.
~Getting in and out of cars is still a bit challenging.
~Friends have told me I barely appear to be limping (I can definitely still tell that I am limping, especially if I exert myself).
~Scar looks darn good - almost invisible (although I can still see the two "drain hole" scars.
~I gave up my seat on the arena shuttle because there were so many other people with canes who seemed far more disabled than I am.

Update from Spokane

2010-01-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

Evidently the best way to rehabilitate a broken pelvis is to judge a skating event. I refereed an event at 10 weeks after PAO#1, and here I am in Spokane at 8.5 weeks, spending my days in a huge arena, walking all over the place, going up and down stairs, and sitting on not-so-comfortable chairs for hours at a time.

I keep forgetting my cane (in the hotel room, in restaurants, in the offices we are using for a home base) so obviously my hip is an afterthought right now. It could be that yes, I really am that busy, but I also think I am getting stronger just because of all the activity. The pain in the butt(ock) is still there but diminishing each day, and I rarely think about my hip except at night (the hotel bed is not that comfortable).

Not that I am magically cured. I am still limping quite noticeably, have to rest frequently, and have a lot of muscle weakness. But I feel like I am doing phenomenally well at this point in my recovery compared to where I thought I'd be. I was a little nervous about coming to Spokane at 8 weeks post PAO, but I am relieved that it is not a problem. It is conceivable that I really will be back on the ice around the time of my birthday in March.

8 Weeks and 1 day (PAO #2)

2010-01-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

Talk about one-upmanship. At 8 weeks and 1 day post PAO #1 I actually went skating, which it turns out was foolish since I could have done some damage. For this iteration, 8 weeks and 1 day means I am on an airplane to the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in Spokane for 10 days, where I will be trial judging singles and pairs for the first half and then just being a spectator for the second half. It has been a long time since I've been able to just be a spectator at a skating competition, so I am looking forward to the second half.

Trial judging is tiring and stressful even for those who are not on crutches. There will be a lot of walking involved (from the arena to the critique room, up and down narrow steps inside the arena, outside in snow/ice) as well as a lot of sitting on not-so-comfortable arena chairs. I sometimes think I might be a fool to be doing this. I know some of my fellow hippies would call me crazy, but I think I am ready for it.

I am taking both crutches and a cane. By this time in the healing process for PAO #1 I was down to just a cane and I hope that is mostly the case, but I want those crutches for backup this time. The hotel has an indoor pool and a fitness room so I am hoping to carve out enough time to exercise. There isn't much time to leave the arena during the day so trial judges often subsist on candy, hot dogs and pretzels - arena food. As a vegetarian, the options are even more limited. I've packed protein bars and trail mix.

In any case, it promises to be an exhausting 10 days, but I am happy to do it. My judging schedule for the rest of the year will all be sans crutches: Adult Sectionals in March, Adult Nationals in April, several non-quals over the summer, and then whichever qualifying competitions I'm assigned to in the fall. It will be nice for my judging peers to finally see me at a competition without a cane or crutches this season!

Eight Weeks (LPAO)

2010-01-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

After last week's appointment with Dr. Mayo, I have pretty much abandoned the crutches. I am using a cane sometimes, and just walking a lot of the time. I am still doing the Post-PAO "dip-waddle" penguin walk, but I must be walking OK because today, after I parked my car at work (in a handicapped spot) and started walking to the elevator, an irate driver rolled down her window and yelled to me, "You can't park there B#$%@! I hope you get a ticket!!!" Then she gunned her motor and sped on up the parking ramp.

I have a handicapped parking pass (valid through March 1) and I was carrying, but not using, my cane. I am not sure if the irate driver had a handicapped pass as well and was angry because I took one of the last spots on the lot. In any case, I am hoping that my car will not be vandalized when I leave the office this evening.

PT Post PAO

2010-01-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to a dinner party where I unveiled my new party trick - sitting down on the floor and getting up again all by myself. Everyone thought this was just amazing, especially when they saw me lurching/walking.

As a resource for readers who may not have access to a physical therapist I am publishing some great exercises thanks to fellow PAO patient and blogger Frankenhip. She has some great diagrams on her blog which I will copy here when I have more time (meanwhile you can access them there). I have added a few exercises and additional comments that my PT has given me as well.

My limitations are similar to hers:

o No squats (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No lunges (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No forward leg lifts (my OS waffles on whether this is a lifetime restriction or not)
o No running (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No jumping - anything with both legs off the ground (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No stairmaster (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No incline on the elliptical (this is a lifetime restriction)
o No resistance on the elliptical (this is just until I build up strength, then I can add resistance as tolerated)
o Leg press can only be done to 70 degrees and with low weight/high rep (this is a lifetime restriction)

Exercises:
Do the following at home every day:

1.Bridging – 10 times holding for 10 seconds
2.Isometric Hip Adduction (with pillow or soccer ball as resistance)- 10 times holding for 10 seconds
3.Standing Bilateral Heel Rise (stand on my toes) – 3 sets of 15 reps (progress to doing on one foot at a time)
4.Clam Shells (laying on your side with bent knees and raising the knee to the side) – 3 sets of 15
5.One Foot Balance – Hold for 30 seconds, three sets, both legs. Once I can do 30 seconds, do this with my eyes closed
6. Sliding abduction/adduction - Sit on a floor (not carpet) with both legs out in front of you. Put operated foot on a towel so it slides easily. Slide foot out to the side, then slide back so both legs are together - 3 sets of 15 reps
7. Side leg raises (to activate the gluteus medius) - Lie on your side and raise the upper leg slowly, then lower, with the toe turned slightly in - 3 sets of 15 reps.

Gym Routine (2-3 times per week):

1.Stationary Bike: 10-30 minutes. My OS says that a recumbent bike is better for me than a regular bike. For any bike riding in the future I am not supposed to have a bike that puts me very low on the handlebars, but a more upright position puts less stress on the hip.
2.Pool: forward walk, backward walk, side stepping, total time of 15 minutes. Can do on different days from the bike until endurance builds up.
3.Leg press: < 70 degree hip angle, 50 pounds, 3 sets of fifteen
4.Seated Hip Adbuction: 30 pounds, 3 sets of fifteen (I don't have a seated machine for this so used a pulley while standing but either would work)
5.Seated Hip Adduction: 20 pounds, 3 sets of fifteen (I don't have a seated machine for this so used a pulley while standing but either would work)

It's the piriformis, silly!

2010-01-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

PT went well, and we discovered that my buttock pain was sciatic nerve irritation caused by piriformis syndrome. The piriformis muscle can compress the sciatic nerve for many reasons, hip surgery being one of them.

If anyone knows the magic "piriformis syndrome stretches," please comment so I can contact you! My PT and I got sidetracked on other things and she didn't give me anything but I know they exist. I don't see her again until next week.

Update: Here are some stretches I found on the Internet; most are not easy to do with a hip that is 7 weeks post PAO!

1. Stretching the muscle often duplicates the pain. To do the piriformis stretch, lie on your back, and flex the right hip and knee. Now, while grasping the right knee with your left hand, pull the knee towards your left shoulder. This adducts and flexes the hip. In this position, grasp just above the right ankle with the right hand, and rotate the ankle outwards. This applies internal rotation to the hip and completes the stretch.
2. Another way to do this stretch is to stand on your left foot and place the right foot on a chair, such that the right knee and hip are flexed at about 90 degrees. Now, using the right hand, press the right knee across towards the left side of the body while keeping the ball of the right foot on the same spot on the chair.
3. Place the right knee on the ground roughly in line with your left shoulder
The right foot should be just in front of the left knee
Press your hips towards the ground so that your bodyweight is on your right leg.
As you move down the right knee comes closer to the left shoulder.
You should feel a gentle pull deep in the right hip / buttocks. ((Note - this is not possible with a post-PAO hip!!):

4. To stretch your RIGHT Piriformis, start off by lying on your back. Bend your knees and cross your right leg over your left so your right ankle rests on your left knee in a figure four position. Now, bring your left leg towards your chest by bending at the hip. Reach through and grab your left thigh to help pull things towards your chest:

5. Sit with one leg bent. Cross the other leg over the bent leg. Try to press the hip of the crossed leg down to the ground. (Not gonna happen any time soon with my hip!):

6. Sit with one leg straight out in front. Hold onto the ankle of your other leg and pull it directly towards your chest:

7. Lie face down and bend one leg under your stomach, then lean towards the ground:

8. More stretches: http://jaxmed.com/massage/pirformis_stretches.htm

Happy Hipiversary

2010-01-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Today marks exactly 6 months from my RPAO, which was July 8. My right hip is doing very well. If I had not done the LPAO I think I would have scheduled something monumental for this occasion - a five mile hike or a long bike ride was what I originally had in mind. Perhaps even cross-country skiing. Skate skiing looks like a ton of fun.

Since my left hip can't participate, I will be doing none of those things. Instead I will celebrate my right hipiversary by starting physical therapy on my left hip. This is fine with me -- I will save the hike/bike ride (not skiing since it will be mid-May) to celebrate my left hipiversary. Perry and I and my parents are also planning an Alaska cruise to celebrate our fifth anniversary and my parents' 50th anniversary. This will be in July, so can also be used to celebrate the right hip's one-year hipiversary. Lots to celebrate. By then I think both PAOs will be doing quite well.

Since about 4 weeks post LPAO I have been lifting weights in the gym with my arms and right leg. Other than hip flexors, my right leg is coming along well in the weight room. I am not nearly as strong as I once was, but strength and range of motion are both improving.

I just read the LPAO surgical report and discovered that in addition to severe dysplasia I had mild cam acetabular impingement on the left (but not on the right), which was corrected during the surgery. I had no idea, but this is not surprising, and would explain why the left hip was always weaker than the right. However, it was also more flexible, which is a bit odd with impingement. In any case, I am still having more pain on the left than the right but it's mostly my buttock/hamstring. This leg is also weaker and has less ROM than my right did at this point in my recovery. I'm not very concerned at this point - I think it will heal at its own pace and may take longer but eventually it will be fine.

I have been walking with crutches for long distances but have dropped the crutches in the house and for short distances at work. I am doing the dysplasia waddle/lurch, but I can waddle pretty fast. My walking has improved even since Tuesday. I will let y'all know how the PT goes today.

Adventures on One Crutch ...

2010-01-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

Just a short note to say that I walked across the street from work using just one crutch this morning to get a cup of coffee, which I carried back to the office myself. And I even used the escalator! Ah, the little things in life we sometimes take for granted!

As I was waiting for my beverage I realized that my Tango Original Dance music, which Tim and I used for competition in 2007, was playing over the speakers in the coffee shop. It's a pretty esoteric piece of music (it took us a really long time to find it) so it's not something you hear every day.

Coincidence? A sign from God that I will be able to compete again some day? You be the judge.

Seven Weeks

2010-01-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

The new hardware

Today I went back to Dr. Mayo for my first post-op appointment. My parents accompanied me because even though I can drive, it is a long way and they had nothing else to do today. We stopped for a latte on the way up and had lunch after the appointment at The Hub in Tacoma. I had to take this photo at The Hub (note signage behind me):

"No exceptions!"

THE GOOD NEWS:
Everything looks OK. I've been cleared to start weight bearing (on crutches - first 2 crutches, then 1) and go to physical therapy. Of course I tried walking with no crutches at all; just a few steps to see if I could. Yes, I can, but just like last time it's all very weak and the muscles need time to build back up.

THE BAD NEWS:
Before seeing the x-rays today I thought I had 14 screws, but it turns out that I have THIRTEEN (13!) screws. It's a good thing I am not superstitious. Thirteen screws in my pelvis for the rest of my life could be unlucky. However, I am hoping that my luck has turned around and that 13 is just a number. I guess it might just be my lucky number now.

Thirteen, count 'em, THIRTEEN!!

OTHER NEWS:
I went back to work full-time yesterday and will be back in the office again tomorrow. I feel pretty good after sitting in a chair all day yesterday and the 5-hour car ride today.

I ran into fellow PAO patient and blogger Matt and his wife. Last time I saw them I was there for my pre-op appointments; at the time I was walking with a slight limp and he was 8 weeks post-op and on crutches. This time I was 7 weeks post-op and on crutches and he was walking with just a slight limp. It's good to see the progress we and our fellow hippies make. As long as the general direction is forward, it's all good.

Thoughts as 2009 comes to a close

2009-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

For me, 2009 has been "the year of the hips." I am happy to see it go, because I am confident that 2010 will be a more mobile - and productive - year for me. However, 2009 has not been a total waste of time.

What I've learned:
~How to do the one-footed twist walk in order to carry things a short distance without bearing weight on my operated leg or using crutches.
~Resourcefulness (see above)
~Patience
~Just because you have crutches or a cane, don't think that people are going to move out of your way, open doors for you, or not run you over.
~However, some people are very helpful.

What I've lost:
~Most of my flexibility
~A lot of leg strength
~Any muscle tone I ever had in my legs
~Several thousand dollars in co-pays/deductibles
~I am no longer a "hospital virgin"
~I am not allowed to run, jump, or do "impact sports" for the rest of my life.
~I am not allowed to do stairmaster, lunges or squats for the rest of my life.

What I've gained:
~Two groovy new hip sockets. My hips are not and will never be normal, because the hip sockets are manufactured from my pelvis and not God-given, but they are "normal-er" than they were before.
~Two 7" scars
~14 stainless steel screws in my pelvis
~The ability to walk without pain (don't have this ability yet, but once I am off crutches and rehabbed, I hope this is the case).
~A new appreciation for those who are Disabled.
~Bunches of new friends from the Hipwomen group who have gone through this same dysplastic journey.
~Bulging arm muscles from more than 4 months spent on crutches.
~A closet full of mobility and other aids (walker, crutches, grabber, toilet seat riser, shower chair, bedside commode). I hope not to use these again until I need my hips replaced which will be, if all goes well, at least 10 years hence.

********************************************

Happy new year everyone.

Six Weeks

2009-12-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

Snowy Day ...

Spent by the fire ...

I am counting the hours until I return to Dr. Mayo a week from today for my first follow-up appointment. I must get off these crutches! I had a couple of weeks of interesting pain, in particular at night, which seemed to be related to either hamstring or abductor weakness. The pain is still there when I move around at night, but much improved. Everything else is feeling good and normal and I am more than ready to start walking again.

I am still more tired than normal, but capable of getting through the day without a nap. Sitting in an office chair all day is difficult, but I am returning to work full-time on Monday. It has been difficult to be home longer this time, but I didn't feel ready to go in to the office until now. Being home and seeing so many projects which need to be done, but being unable to tackle them because I am on crutches and can't lift or carry anything, has been frustrating.

Not much more to report until Tuesday.