The Harmonious Hip: March 2013

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Eye of the Tiger

Cue it up, and blast it y'all!

I think we can make it official. I'm a runner! Woohoo! Still going through the "Couch to 5K" program....and hating, errr I mean LOVING it! *big smiles, BIG smiles* As (prayerfully) anticipated, each run gets a little easier. The rhythm gets more in sync, I get a little faster and go a little further. I've seen parts of our beautiful neighborhood I've never seen before! Now, I know I've mentioned how much I LOOOVE not only our gorgeous neighborhood, but our fabulous little town...well, get ready to hear more about it! I'm gonna shake this 'ol blog up a bit and start talking about things other than these crazy hips. The good Lord-willing, I'm done with surgeries and it looks to be I'm on the road to "normalcy" *what's THAT??* so I want to start chatting about other things, in addition to hip stuff of course! I mean, the title states "The Harmonious Hip", so of course I'll always be up for a good acetabulum discussion. But, it's also "Harmonious"....which would suggest "all encompassing" and "balanced", right? Of course right! So, expect some Mom-talk, some fitness-talk, some nurse-talk, some Texas-talk, some discussions about my favorite things in life, etcetera...etcetera...etcetera.... Bonus points if you can name that musical!!

So, howdy y'all and welcome aboard! I'm so happy y'all are here!! Got a question/comment? Give me a shout! I'd love to hear from you!!

A pic of my post-workout shenanigans...still loving me some ice packs! Owwwch!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Knock knock! Who's there?

Opportunities are a funny thing. They come and they go....and just when you least expect it, a really BIG one comes knocking at your door!

So, just the other week, I received an email from a friend with such an opportunity....it was an audition for a very big event featuring some of Broadway's greatest producers, directors and performers who had collaborated to bring all of the different "Phantom Of The Opera" stories together in one musical concert. Apparently they were seeking some local talent to fill in some of the solo parts. And they picked me. Me!!! What? Really?? Me??? Yes, I'm still pinching myself! We had our first rehearsal last week and I met the director and worked with some of the Texas A & M chorus. I won't "name drop", buuuut let's just say, this particular director is also a famous Broadway performer who happens to be in my personal playlist. I literally listen to this guy while I'm working out...and here he was right next to me, giving me blocking!!! Surreal, y'all. So anyways, my part...small, but actually pretty important in the storyline of the Phantom. I feel I've been given this baby and I'm going to accidentally drop it on it's head or something! I've never been so nervous in all my life! Such an honor, I can't even begin to express my gratitude for this incredible, once in a lifetime experience! For those of you locals wanting ticket information, here's the link! http://opas.tamu.edu/phantoms.html It's April 4th and 5th at Rudder Auditorium at Texas A & M University.

p.s. Hips are doing amazingly well...now we'll just see if they can hold up in my 4 inch heels! Yikes!!

What is Hip Dysplasia?

You may hear about babies or pets with hip dysplasia, but it can affect adults, especially young women. Hip dysplasia is an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, oracetabulum, and the thighbone, or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Doctors check for hip dysplasia in babies before sending them home from the hospital -- it's an easily treatable condition in newborns. But if hip dysplasia isn't detected and corrected at an early age, the health of the hip will deteriorate over time because of its misalignment. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or an inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. It's not just dogs and babies, y'all!

Periacetabular Osteotomy (or PAO)

PAO: The Mother of All Hip Surgeries... A procedure that cuts the hip socket out of the pelvis to allow the socket to be repositioned and then screwed back into place. This allows the ball & socket to move fluidly, preventing further cartilage damage and preserving the joint in patients with faulty hips. The PAO preserves and enhances the patient's own hip, NOT replacing it with artificial parts like a hip replacement. The hip may still develop arthritis over time, even when the operation is successful. However, PAO is still the preferred treatment in young adults to postpone the need for hip replacement as long as possible.