How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery
How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery | Outfit Details
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How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery | 2 Years Post Op
On January 10, it was 2 years since my PAO surgery on my right hip. This surgery was something I was waiting for. I knew that a doctor would tell me sooner rather than later that I would need to have major surgery on my hip. The pain was too great before the surgery, years before, for me to think otherwise. You can read more about that here.
This is a very reflective time for me, because this was such a major surgery and recovery. Jackie was 10 months old. She and I had to stay with my parents for 3 months because The Husband had to work full time and I wasn't able to take care of Jackie, at all. I couldn't pick her up. I could hardly hold her sitting down. In order to get around, I had to use a walker for 6 weeks and then moved onto a cane. I was on HEAVY pain medications. There were a lot of sacrifices made by a lot of people to help my little family get past this surgery. You can read more about recovery here, here and here.
How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery | How I Am Feeling Now
2 years post op, I feel AMAZING! During the original surgery, they placed 3 screws to keep the new hip in place. In October, 2019 those 3 screws were removed. You can read about that here. After all of the swelling from the original surgery went down, two of those screws were visible through my skin. I could feel them through my clothes. So to say that I was excited to have them out, would be an understatement!
Now that the screws are out, I can confidently say that having this surgery was the best thing I could have done for my health. I was in so much pain before this surgery. Standing, sitting, laying down. Everything hurt. Sleeping was hard. It impacted every minute of my life. I used to be very athletic but the pain from my hip kept me from doing the things I loved. My hip would cramp up when it was cold outside. I could feel storms coming. That's all different now.
Jackie is a big toddler. She is off the charts size wise and has been since she was about 6 months old. So I had a goal during my recovery to pick her up over my head. This was the last thing I needed to be able to get in order to graduate from physical therapy. I was able to do it after almost 4 months. And it got easier over time. But before the surgery, I could hardly hold her I was in so much pain. I don't think I would have been able to continue to carry Jackie if I didn't have the surgery.
How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery | Would I Do It Again
100% yes. I don't know if we could do the surgery now because of how old Jackie is and the other things we are dealign with. But it 100% changed my life for the better.
When I first had the surgery, I was really self conscious about my scars. There is one 10 inch long scar and two 1 inch scars. I was considering having them laser removed once I had the screw removed. Recently I decided that these scars are a part of me. This surgery was a MAJOR part of my life. While 4 months doesn't seem like a long time in the grand scheme of things, the entire experience changed me. And my scars are a reminder of that. They are a reminder of how strong I am. That doctors said it would take me a full year to recover and I did it in 4 months. That I was walking the day after my surgery and continued to go up and down stairs EVERY SINGLE DAY until I went home. They are a reminder that I am strong and I can do anything.
How I Am Feeling 2 Years Post Op After PAO Surgery | Other PAO Posts
Update on My Hip Dysplasia & Surgery
Hip Dysplasia Post Op
7 Weeks Post Op
PAO Surgery Recovery Update- 6 Months Later
One Year Post PAO Surgery