The Friesen's House of Payne

I've never watched "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" and I don't think I need to.  I don't know who or what his "Payne" was but I have enough of it right here.  I don't need anyone else's.  Come to think of it though, they look like they're having fun, especially the little super girl holding up her end of the couch.  That was me when I was a kid.  Trying to hold up the rest of the family and make them happy because they seemed kind of unhappy a lot.  Family comedian and all that.  But, I digress.....

I'm really here to talk about my struggle with pain. I just re-read my November 7, 2011 post where I was also complaining about my pain.  Since then it got so bad that I went  back to the ortho surgeon.  They took X-rays and all the hardware is where he wants it to be--by the way, the rod goes down through the middle of my bone rather than sitting beside it, with a screw on the top holding it all in place.  My patella has completely fused back together and so I'm just continuing to bend it--slowly and with as much force as I can. I wonder what it will look like when the swelling goes down.  It's only 4/5 of it's original size.  I think I'm having "phantom itches" where they took out that stray piece of kneecap--weird)  The doctor even suggested that Dave push on the lower leg when I exercise.  That does not feel very nice.  I have noticed improvement though and now I'm past 90 degrees.  Doc said to go to 120 degrees and bring the knee to my chest.  Not there yet.

 

In addition to the knee discussion, my doctor also said to wait on PT for now becasue the increased activity may have aggravated my hip.  The bone has not completely healed and he's concerned about that.  In most patients it would have knit together very nicely by now, but it's being pokey--it should have knit a sweater but now but I'm stuck with just a scarf!  The pain apparently isn't "normal" for this stage of healing.  He said to go back to 50% weight bearing instead of 100% and rest the hip for a while to see what happens.  It's now 8 days later and there hasn't been an improvement.  I have been debating on what to do and have been talking about it to the Great Physician for a while and not getting a clear answer.

This morning I checked my email and got an answer.  Someone I know (older than me) has just returned home after surgery for a broken hip and is using a walker without pain.  "How could that be???" I asked myself.  "I'm almost 10 weeks post-op and can barely move my leg without pain!!!"  It didn't take me long to get my phone and put in a call to my doctor's office.  I'm waiting for a call back now. (They're one of the rare offices who does get back in a timely fashion--Yea!!)

Of course I'm second guessing (just a little) because I don't know what I'll tell them.  I just want to trouble shoot a bit.  My concern is that it may be related to the nerve involvement that I had with my back surgeries in 2004.  I haven't lost function in my leg like I did then but do have similar pain.  I just am trying to talk this out to see if it's logical and I think it is.  If this pain is still normal I will stick it out.  I can do that.  If not then it needs to get fixed.

The other day when I was praying I told God that I'm OK with everything that's happened to classify mysef as "handicapped".  I don't begrudge Him any of that and have made peace with it.  I will continue to use it as a way to get closer to Him and honor Him.  In fact, lots of good has come as a result, the most obvious one being the Assurance Support Group at church.  I did tell Him though that if at all possible, TAKE THE PAIN AWAY, please.  I've asked Him for guidance in contacting the doc and in handling the predicimant I find myself in right now. 

I'll get through this just fine, I know that without a doubt.  I always do.  It's just the here and now that is a bit unbearable.  In the meantime I broke the rules and called the dogs up on the bed with me and am Resting with a capital R!  If anyone reading this has a gift of prayer please remember this pathetic 58 year old momma.  It will come back to you in a good way; prayer for others is good for our souls!

Thank you for listening and reading.  I feel a bit better getting it all out in black and white.  Now I'll wait for the next move.