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More Ouchies 10/29/2002 | 9:10 pm I was reading cosmicrayola's entry about having her stitches out. She called them ouchies! That is a perfect description of getting stitches out. I have had plenty, and I know! In my family I am known as the "Surgery Queen." Of the five of us, I, me, am the only one who has had to go under the knife time and time again. I'm not revealing this to get sympathy. Quite the reverse. I think all these experiences have made me stonger, helped me be more empathetic and understanding, and also much more cautious. I was born with a congenital hip dislocation. What that means is that one of my hip sockets wasn't formed, so they had to put my legs in casts to help the bone grow round and form a socket. It turned out pretty well, but not quite perfect. I was able to do all the normal things kids do: run, jump, dance, etc. However when I began a growth sput in 6th grade, my muscles and ligaments began to grow faster than my bones. This caused a condition that made my knees pop out of joint all the time!! Yikes...no fun. So, in Jr. High, I had both knees "surgeried." That's the word my family uses for any type of fix-up job at the "horspital." (also another family descriptive) After the knee surgeries, my friends used to all me "road map knees." I hated it! Oh yes, I also had my tonsils and appendix out too. I managed to make it through motherhood with only labor and delivery as my reason for journeying to the horspital. Poeple say you forget the pain of labor and delivery once you hold that sweet little baby in your arms. WRONG! Later down the road my knees started bothering me so I went to an orthopedist. I was prompty x-rayed and told that both knees were completely worn out- bone on bone. Oh no, how could that be? I was so young. I decided right then, I would measure my miles. They would always be important miles, so that when I finally did have to replace them, it wouldn't be because I had wasted the originals. It so wierd how my hip wore out first. I was always so careful to protect my knees, never thinking that the very first affliction would come back and grab me first. But it did. I remember the day it happened. I had been teaching first grade for about 4 years. I drove up to school, got out of the car, and OUCH! A sharp pain ripped right through my hip and upper thigh. At first I thought I had just stepped wrong, but it never let up. This happened in November,1998. It didn't take long before I realized I need to see an orthopedist again. Bad News...hip all worn out, and knees slipping fast. I thought I could make it to the end of the year, but as I hobbled around with my stylish pink cane, the days became longer and more painful. By March I decided I had to get the old thing traded in so I could recover for the next school year. I did it! When I awoke, I was nauseated, extremly sore and the proud recipient of 35 metal staples down the outside of my left leg, and a very expensive titanium hip on the inside of my left leg. By ten days out, I was so SICK of those staples, that I went into the Dr's office and demanded them OUT! They, ocourse said no. It was too soon. I replied that if they did not remove the horrid little pesky things, I would go home and do ot myself. I won! Ah...blessed relief. To take a shower without robot parts.:) Oh yes, before the hip replacement, I also had surgery for extensive ulcer repair and another for gall bladder. You see, I AM the "Surgery Queen." Recovering from a joint replacement is tuff. I hated using a walker, so I didn't use it. I just kept the pink cane around for walking. By the time school rolled around that next August, I was semi-recovered. I plunged forward and didn't look back. You just do what you gotta do. It has been four years since the last surgery. My scar has healed, and I don't dread the next replacements that I know are around the corner. You gotta do what you gotta do. so I remain...the Surgery Queen. MEOW FACT: My kitty, Polly, has always had a sixth sense about me. She always snuggles right up next to the place on my body that has been hurt. Just now she was snuggled right up to my poor broken toe..purrrr catsnapples~ in first grade and at life ___________________________________________
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