Jumping ahead to let you know that I am now dancing around with my new HIP. However, as the long journey continued to being “ready” to replace my “out of warranty” part, I began to have several interesting revelations and experiences.
What would it take for me to say “NOW PLEASE?”
1) Extreme pain…it’s amazing how this did the trick for me. As I continued to demonstrate exercises for my clients, I found myself sitting down, than bouncing up from a stability ball, then sitting back down. Something in my hip went “POW” and I could not longer stand up. Still trying to figure this out myself, I had my client jerk on my leg to see if the joint could be put back into place. No Luck! Ok, time to call the doctor. As an independent woman, I found my inability to walk frightfully overwhelming.
2) In retrospect, I also realized emotionally I had to travel through Kubler Ross’s 5 Stages of Grief .
Denial…It’s not happening and the pain will go away (like all the other pain in my body, eventually).
Anger…It’s not going away, so I have to find something or someone who can help the pain go away.
Bargaining…I will do anything, go to anyone and spend any amount of money so the pain will go away.
Depression…I am starting to “get it” that I MIGHT have to have a hip replacement and I feel sad.
Acceptance…Ok, pain and not being able to walk drove me on into acceptance. I quickly got over the revolting idea of losing a part of me that I had lived with for 63 years and having something “fake” put into my body. Stop the whining and get it done now!
Here in Mexico, it is possible to get a hip replacement with an excellent doctor in a few days. Thank you Dr. Michael Schmidt, who was caring, available through his cell and gave me medication to take away most of the pain as I waited a few days (to get my life in order).
My hip replacement surgery was the most amazing journey yet. Dr. Schmidt gave me a new wonderful hip in 1 1/2 hours. For those of you (like me, that think information is power), here is an animated video.
