Public Service Announcement

Okay - allow me to get on my soapbox for a moment...but before I do, a quick Bailey update.  She is doing well.  She is "back to school" in that her homebound teacher is coming to the house now and she is getting caught up with her school work.  Her pain is manageable...it was actually much better last week but now she is starting to move her leg more and seems that seems to be cause for some complaints. 

Now, on to the soap box.  Have you ever cruised a parking lot looking for a space and wondered where all the "handicapped" parkers have "run" off to?  ME TOOO! More often than not we cannot find a handicap parking spot! We will park WAAAAAY out in the parking lot and unload and walk into the store or doctor office expecting to see a whole host of people in walkers, wheelchairs, and the like but I can't seem to find a one!  Then you see those parkers (more often than not) getting into their cars on two good legs, with two good arms...I'm not a medical professional, but in my personal observation, I could see them walking a few extra steps from regular parking in addition to their perusal of LARGE discount department stores.   Do they give these placards away like candy? THEN! Worse than that, you pull up to a restaurant or store that has a host of handicap parking and NO ACCESSIBILITY!  You can't get in the door with a wheelchair, you can't access the restroom, the aisles and more! This just burns me up!  I would really like to speak with the city/county to find out what the expectations are of public places and their accessibility. 

Last thing...I have recently learned that the general population is overall a bit on the lazy side.  I am unloading Bailey at Target for an outing (best place to kill some time and get rid of cabin fever) and this woman pushes and parks her cart right in the wheelchair lane! GRRRRR! 

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have thought alot about this before I was forced to utilize these "services"...so this is my public service message.  I cannot imagine those that are permanently disabled...how frustrating it must be for them!  Not sure how to go about making changes...but it needs to happen. 

XOXO Hip and Sassy Family

Post Op Appointment and "I Stand Corrected"

Hooray! Here we are, two weeks post op and Bailey is doing great! Dr. Rosenfeld said she is right on track and making great progress. She will start physical therapy in 6 weeks.

Dr.Rosenfeld also mentioned (after reading this blog) that the surgery that was done at Shriners is a typical step in this process so the "undoing" of said surgery is typical. I stand corrected and I am greatly relieved to know that it wasn't a futile effort several years ago.

Many of you have asked what exactly is PAO surgery. I have found several links that I will post here soon.

Blessing from the Hip and Sassy family

Outings with my Mom :)

Well this is my 4th day at home and I have already shown A WHOLE LOT of progress. I have also already had 2 outings. I went to the mall and then to target,we had a lot of fun. :) Then late yesterday, my mom and I went to get our nails done and my Dad had to come with us. My Dad is big and strong and could help me and could be sure that I didn't slip or anything...but my mom and I also went to Starbucks first and we had to go through the drive-thru. My Dad was driving so he had to order the coffee and he said that he felt like his man card disapperaed whenever he ordered the coffee. My Mom and I were laughing when he had to throw them away in the parking-lot because he looked so "manly" with the little frapacinno coffees in his hands. (lol)



So far since I have been home I have been able to control my pain and I have been doing really well. I still have trouble sleeping at night because my legs hurt and hurt and the medicine doesn't help me all the time. I dont know if my Mom has told y'all yet...but while I was in the hospital and when I had my epideral crash and then hit the wall of pain... my Mom bribed me ... and it wasn't with money... it was with....(drum roll) ... a puppy! Now anyone who knows my Dad knows that he does not like animals very well... I already have a dog and she is Miss Bevo and she is 3 years old and is only 3 and 1/2 pounds... she is kind of a little high maintnence and she is my baby so she is very, very, VERY spoiled!!! she also gets her attidue from me. :) I was thinking that when I get a dog that it would be a maltese or a chihuahua or maybe I was thinking that I would call my dog's breeder and see if she has any more puppies. When I get the dog I was going to name her Addie Jean ... I chose that name because of my great grandmother who died 4 years ago and we were like 2 peas in the pod ... and I loved her sooooo much!!! I have always loved her name!!!! when I told my grandpa that he laughed and said that it would be weird to say his mothers name to a little dog. :) ... but other then that he likes it. :)


If any of y'all know a dog breeder or a dog shelter that has dogs under 10 pounds then please leave the name and number in the comment box... thanks :) and 'till my next post everyone stay safe and happy :)


y'alls friend,


Miss Hip and Sassy (Bailey)

Some Days are Diamonds, and...

...some days are coal. 

Here we are, Monday evening.  Bailey has been home two full days.  It is certainly a process to settle in...and I can see that she is really miserable.  I can't blame her though...last Friday morning she was a very active 12 year old and then after about 7 hours in an operating room, and BOOM! No more activity.  My hope is that she will begin to settle in and develop some interests that will distract her from her current situation.

Just when I think things are on the up-swing, we have some sort of set back.  We are looking forward to some consecutive GOOD days.  I have been keeping a mental tally of our "diamonds" and our "coal".  I try to keep her focused on the "diamonds".  Here's the tally from the last couple of days:

DIAMONDS:

• full control of the TV and DVD player in Mom's room
• got some mall air
• VERY close to being able to move her leg on her own
• figured out how to get in and out of car
• building strength and better able to move around house
• removed bandages for faster healing

COAL:

• removed bandages and upset with what she saw
• muscle spasms so unable to sleep or get comfortable despite all the medication
• completely dependent upon Mom and hating every minute of it!

We will begin her homebound schooling this week so before we start that,  I think I will set up the computer for her tomorrow and let her type on the blog, so stay tuned.  I am sure she has some different thoughts than I do!  LOL

XOXOXO
The Hip and Sassys!

Home Sweet Home

Well, we made it home late yesterday.  I'm not sure who was more excited, Bailey or Miss Bevo.  I think that little dog grew some velcro while we were gone because everytime I turn around, she is stuck to Bailey.

Yesterday and last night were scary for Bailey and me.  You forget how much you take your working limbs for granted.  Getting in and out the car was a BIG issue and then figuring out how to move in the house, how to get from room to room, and more.  Today was a really good day.  She is moving around much better and seems to be in better spirits.  Keeping our fingers crossed for another good day tomorrow!

My talented friend Rene of "The Personalized Touch" worked with Bailey before her surgery to "pimp her ride".  Rene delivered a slip cover, hip pillow and seat cushion today, all custom made and full of pink, turquoise and zebra.  The slip cover needs a few adjustments so as soon as we get that, I will post some pictures. 

She is still not able to do much on her own, so I am her right hand, left hand and overall "go to gal" for EVERYTHING!  We are having a slumber party in my room for a while until she is able to be more independent...plus, we have to wake up every few hours for various medicines.

Not sure that Hayden is enjoying her new role...but she is doing a GREAT job of helping me when I need it.  Such special little girls I have been blessed with...I love them so much it make my heart swell.

Blessings to you and yours from me and mine!

XOXOXO

I AM COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am coming home tomorow!!! Last night was a rough night for me... I had both of my IV'S out and I was a free woman!!! (lol) ...but then we found out that I was slowly losing blood and that I had to have another IV because they had to give me a blood transfusion... well then after that I got news that my doctor thought that my left leg had a blood clot and that I needed an ultra sound... well when I did that it was painful because she had to push really hard to see deep down in the veins... well that test failed so this morning I had to have another Ultra Sound... when we did that it was a little easier because they took off my band-aid that was from my knee to the bottoms of the ribs... but anyway today I woke up and I felt better and stronger and just like a different person! :) Later this afernoon physical therpy came and I got up and the lady told me what to do...I was scared because I haven't trusted myself this whole week...but when I stood up and put my bad heel on my good foot and used my arms to push up and hop... then when I did it I felt so good and I was sooo proud!!! So now if I can do that in the morning then I can go home :)
Well when I get home I will blog some more and then I will post pics to keep all of y'all posted! :)
your friend,
Miss Hip and Sassy (Bailey) :):):):) see y'all soon :)

If life is a carnival ride...

....we need more cotton candy!

After such a turn around with the bribery of a new dog, yesterday was a different story.

Despite her best efforts, and winning attitude it just didn't seem that she could do much at all. She was very lethargic and miserable. Insult was added to injury when she was told she may have a blood clot. We had a VERY big cry, and a call to Daddy to come up and help us. We did some very late night (painful) tests and again this morning and got good news...no clot! She did receive a transfusion last night and looks better today. She has alot more energy and a little color in her face.

She worked with physical therapy and made great strides in re-learning her walking today. SOOOOOOOOOOO......drum roll please....if we can manage her pain tonight and she can walk well with her therapist tomorrow, we can go home!!!! Yay!

Xoxoxo

Blessings from us to you!

What A Difference A Day Makes!

PHEEWW! What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was a day that shouldn't EVER be repeated!  In short, physical therapy had her in the wheelchair and out in the hall so her bedding could be changed.  The battery in her epidural machine went out and when the nurse replaced it, something happened (or didn't happen) and the medicine was never restarted! SO! Bailey hit the wall of pain and hit it HARD! The pain overtook her and she really wrestled with it for HOURS! We called in reinforcements (AKA Granna) and between the three of us, we made it through the night and she was able to rest for a few hours.  

This morning started off pretty much the same...UNTIL...!!!! Momma pulled out a little bribery involving a potential new pet.  This was all she needed...something to look forward to and focus on.  From that moment on, she ate, took her meds and worked really hard to get up and do all that was asked of her. 

AHHHH-MAAAZING!!! 


Her hemo-vac was removed and so was her epidural.  We still need to have bandages changed and shower.  Bailey still needs to work hard to learn how to walk with her walker.  She will spend most of her time in the wheelchair, but needs to know how to walk for short distances.  She may still require a blood transfusion, we are waiting to hear.



Here's hoping tomorrow is even better than today!  Thanks again to everyone...much love!

Miss Hip & Sassy and Hip & Sassy Momma

No Words.... Post op day 3

I have only had a moment to think about a posting. I really have no words that are a PG rating...yesterday was a nightmare. She is resting a little now...more updates to follow.

Thank you for your calls, texts, comments, etc. and thanks for understanding that I'm not always able to return your calls.

XOXO

Only rainbows after rain... Post Op Day 2

So I dozed off for about 30 minutes last night and when I woke up all I could think of was the song by Andy Grammer "Keep Your Head Up"; but more specifically I just kept repeating the line, "...only rainbows after rain..."

I keep telling Bailey that when she was admitted to the hospital, she had a bunch of hurdles set up in front of her. With each effort, she is knocking them down...one at a time.

Hurdle 1: surgery
Hurdle 2: recovery
Hurdle 3: sitting on the side of the bed
Hurdle 4: getting into a wheelchair and seeing the other side of her hospital door

Neither of us are really sure how many hurdles are set up in front of her. Both of us (for only fleeting moments) question if we are up for the task...me for very different reasons...I just wish I could turn back the clock, do things differently, or at least take the pain for her. Bailey's reasons are because she is anxious because she hates to be confined, anticipates the pain, and she is REALLY missing her lil Miss Bevo. BUT! As the song goes, "only rainbows after rain". We are looking forward to better days full of nail appointments and Starbucks caramel frapacinnos.

Last night was a fairly pain-free night so she was able to sleep. Today, however, has been a completely different story. They turned down her epidural and she is certainly feeling it. She had lots of visitors today and felt like a princess. She is certainly getting her appetite back which is a great sign! I know with her renewed appetite and her amazing tenacity she will be tooling around in her wheelchair sans momma in no time!

Xoxo from Hip and Sassy Momma & Miss Hip and Sassy

Post Op Day 1

Bailey was in surgery for nearly 7 hours. While Dr. Rosenfeld indicated that she would never have a normal hip, and will more than likely require a hip replacement at some point in her life...he is pleased with what they were able to accomplish. She has more coverage for the femur.

There was considerable scar tissue to battle and tame before he could manipulate and cut the bones. With all said and done, she has a plate and 4 screws in her pelvis and a plate and 7 screws in her femur. As long as the hardware isn't bothering her, it can stay in.

Last night was rough, to say the least. The good news is that she isn't in any pain. The bad news is that with the epidural and the amount of time spent in surgery, the anesthesia and other meds are really reeking havoc. (I will spare some of the the details here.) She is experiencing vertigo and has only been able to drink some Gatorade this morning.

Today, she is trying to rest. As soon as she gets some feeling back in her legs, they will get her up and moving around. We are supposed to have her sitting up by lunch time today...fingers crossed.

She is a trooper....and winning the hearts of her caregivers. She is truly my hero, experiencing so much at such a young age and maintaining her poise and grace throughout.

Love from the Hip and Sassy family. Xoxoxo

Surgery day

Well, it is 12:30 and they have just taken her back for surgery. It will be between 5-7 hours.

Bailey has done so well this morning, only crying when the surgeon made his appearance...that was just all too real for her. We opted for the epidural since she has so many problems with anesthesia and with her allergy to morphine. They still say they will get her up and moving tomorrow.

Thank you all for your messages today and your prayers. This surgery is pretty big...cutting several bones...I pray for a steady hand for the surgeon, having to work around some major nerves in the pelvic and femoral area.

She is set on getting out of her room tomorrow and going to the food court for Chick Fil A...I told her she could have Chick Fil A 8 times a day if she was up for it! She is going to see how close she can get to that number...

More updates to follow...xoxo The Hip and Sassy family.

The Countdown

Wheelchair? Check! Pajamas? Check! Snacks and things to keep a 12 yr old busy? Check! Momma's sanity? Momma's sanity? Where oh where is Momma's sanity?  :0

First, a HUGE thank you to all that supported Bailey at the blood drive last Friday.  I heard that it was the most successful blood drive in HPD NW history.  The wait time was over an hour for most...we are truly touched by your generosity.

The countdown has begun.  Bailey is in good spirits.  She has been staying with her Oma while I work this week, doing her hair and nails.  (Oma has never looked so pretty.)  She will stay home with Daddy tomorrow as we await the call from the hospital to tell us when to arrive. 

Hayden is spending time loving on her sister...it may look to the average person like she is arguing and picking a fight with her...but I know it's love!  LOL 

Thank you to you all for your continued prayers and thoughts.  I will update with regard to her progress via this blog.

Blessings to you and yours from me and mine!

XOXO
Hip and Sassy Momma