Adventures in Yoga

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

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

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

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 ...

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 ...

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

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.