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Bilateral THR Aug.18 - a success!

@Hip Hip Hooray! How exciting! Performing the opening number from "42nd Street" gives you a concrete goal to work towards, and there is a lot of time between now and this fall, so I'm sure you will get there. Everything else you are doing with the yoga and machines and hydrotherapy are all making you stronger and more limber. All in due time. You are doing amazing and are such an inspiration to many of us!
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Well, here's to our hips lasting us a good long time! :) I'm glad that your limp is gone and you're getting back to being you. The pain is awful, but the feeling 30 years older than you are part really stinks too. I recently had somebody tell me I 'glowed' and looked younger. I imagine it's because the strain of walking isn't showing on my face as much.
Your slippers and socks sound lovely. The grey tweed wool is gorgeous, I'll bet. My daughter knits and I admire the pretty things she is able to make.
I like your new avatar too. It is so cozy looking. :)
Have a terrific upcoming week!
 
Hipster Girl said:
@Hip Hip Hooray! How exciting! Performing the opening number from "42nd Street" gives you a concrete goal to work towards, and there is a lot of time between now and this fall, so I'm sure you will get there. Everything else you are doing with the yoga and machines and hydrotherapy are all making you stronger and more limber. All in due time. You are doing amazing and are such an inspiration to many of us!
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Thanks, @Hipster Girl. When I think about how I felt last year, compared to this year, it's amazing. It's just a world of difference. What a relief. At that time I was way too afraid to even consider doing this surgery. I wouldn't even discuss it with my boyfriend. He kept trying to convince me to go see a surgeon, and I wouldn't. I thought he was being controlling, but he was right.

I went to the gym again today. It felt great. I'm starting to realize that the hydrotherapy is helping me even more than I knew. If I skip it, I feel such a difference. It's a subtle thing. It really made a difference before the surgery, too.
 
Hi @Deep Breath, Yes, I bet you are glowing. Someone told me that, too. You can really see pain in a person's face. It just registers. I'm so glad that those days are behind us.

I finished the first slipper, and started knitting the second one. They cane out really well, and they fit. Yay!
 
Today was a rocky day, emotionally. I am still having trouble with Covered California. It's very hard just to get through to them. Once someone finally answers the phone, I feel like I'm talking in circles with them. Now they said that I have to contact Experian because I froze my credit reports, due to a fraud problem. I tried to lift the freeze on line, and was told that I have to mail them all kinds of documentation. I can't believe what a hassle it is just to get my health insurance reinstated. Oh well. One day at a time. I'll get there. At least my hips feel terrific. That's what really matters.

I got a lot of housecleaning done today, and I did yoga. I got the Menopause the Musical CD in the mail, so I listened to that and started working on it. Now I'm going to go over my audition songs.

I hope everyone is healing and taking care of themselves.
 
*Hugs* @Hip Hip Hooray! I have no patience with stuff like insurance rigamarole, etc. It literally infuriates me. You have a much calmer attitude than I do about it. I swear that the 'powers that be' intentionally make it harder than it needs to be. Are they inept? Are they sadists? I don't know, but they're good at making mountains out of molehills.
I'm zinging insurance reinstatement vibes your way that it is all taken care of very soon. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that.

I'm SO happy your hips feel great and that you have Menopause the Musical to work on. That just sounds like a hoot! I'm excited for you!
Hang in there, friend. :)
 
Thanks @DeepBreath. Yesterday I was able to lift the freeze on line, so that's a relief. Step by step...Thanks for the good vibes.

Yes, I've been working on all of my audition songs and learning the music from Menopause the Musical. It's fun. I'm on my way to the gym now. It's been raining like crazy here. Today the sun is out again. I had some water come in under my front door. Part of my carpet is wet. I'm walking on towels to sop it up. Have been washing and drying the towels and reapplying for the past couple of days. I spread out straw mulch all over the front yard and front porch. It stopped the flooding. I'm so glad that I can do chores like that again. Last year I would have been struggling with this.

I've started drinking green tea, and I really like the effects. It's like a natural estrogen. I'm eating lots of fruits and vegetables, too. Time for some barley and sunflower seeds for breakfast.

Hope you are all healing and doing well...
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Yaay for the end of the freeze! You'll get it tackled just like you said, step by step.
Awesome about the work on the musical. Not so awesome about the flooding. Yikes! I'm glad you're feeling so great and are able to deal with that. It's wonderful to be able to do things that not so long ago seemed so daunting, isn't it?
Good tip about the green tea. I could use a bit more estrogen myself these days.
I hope you enjoy your gym time and that the sun keeps shining! :)
 
Thanks @DeepBreath. Yes, I'm going to break it down and write down the baby steps towards fixing this with Covered CA and Blue Shield. It's another goal that I have to reach.

It's amazing the difference I feel with the natural plant estrogen. I had intuitively felt that green tea would be good for me. I read that it helps the body absorb plant estrogen. I've been very lucky in that I don't have hot flashes, and I'm able to sleep soundly. So many women have trouble with those things at this stage of life. I think the yoga helps a lot, too. I had difficulty sleeping before the hip surgery, but that was due to the pain.

The gym was fun. I ran into a really nice lady who is going to have to have a revision on her hip in February. She had the metal on metal. She's so sweet. I hope I can help her. She said that the Aqua Fit teacher told her to make me her role model. I thought that was so funny. All of the people in that class know who I am, and have cheered me on since my surgery. I'm going to help her as much as I can. It really makes a difference just to have someone call you in the hospital, or to check up on you at home. I'll see if she needs a ride, too.

After my workout, I was talking with a man in the jacuzzi. He said, "You look the same as you did when this place opened (20 years ago,) now that you're not limping." He had noticed my decline before the surgery, but hadn't said anything. He told me that he thought I had a disease. I guess I did, osteoarthritis. I'm so glad that they are able to treat it, and remove it. We are really fortunate.

I stopped at Costco to replenish my stockpile. It feels good to have plenty of food in the house.
 
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@Hip Hip Hooray! I'll have to check out the green tea. I'm definitely noticing symptoms due to perimenopause.
Moodiness, hot flashes, etc. No sleep problems, thankfully, but I really don't want to go on HRT, so I've just determined to push though it. If I can get some relief from green tea, that would be great.
It's wonderful that you ran into the lady who's having the revision. It's very kind of you to be willing to share your experience with her and to offer to help her with a ride if she needs it. It does help a lot to have somebody to talk to and who shows an interest.
You're so right about how fortunate we are to be able to be treated for the osteoarthritis. Fantastic that you're showing such great improvement that it is definitely noticed by those who have seen you throughout the process!
It's great to feel the progress, but it's also nice to hear that it shows on the outside. It really is transformative, isn't it?

It sounds like you had a terrific day! I hope tomorrow is just as wonderful. :)
 
Hi @Hip Hip Hooray! that is really sweet of you to help the lady who is having the revision. She is so fortunate to have you to assist her with practical things she may need as well as just having someone there who has been through it like you have who understands and can listen to her as she goes through all the trials and emotions and everything that is part of this process.

I have heard similar comments from people saying I glow and look taller & younger since my surgery. I didn't realize how much the pain was showing in my face but when I see pictures of myself from the last couple of years, it really shows. It is surprising to look back and see that.

I'm sorry you are still having to deal with the insurance headache. That kind of stuff just exasperates me and I have to really gear myself up to deal with it. Sending good vibes that you get it all sorted out very soon.

That is an interesting tip on the green tea and I had no idea but I am going to give it a try. I have some perimenopause symptoms so I will give the green tea a try and see if it relieves any of the symptoms. I like to go natural whenever possible. I'm super excited about Menopause the Musical for you...I bet that is a blast!
 
Hi @DeepBreath, Yes, it is really transformative. So many of my attitudes have changed. I have such a respect for surgeons, medicine, nurses, and modern medicine now. I used to really avoid doctors. Now I realize that sometimes you need them, and that they can really help you to heal.

I also was the kind of person who never took any medicine. It was rare for me to even take an aspirin. This experience showed me that pain medications have their place. I was blown away by how well the prescriptions worked to numb the pain. It made recovery so much easier.

I've read that sage tea works for hot flashes. I have some in my herb garden. I may start drinking it myself, too. Even though I don't have hot flashes, it contains a lot of plant estrogen. I'm increasing those foods in my diet. Plus, I just love the effects of herb teas. They're so calming.
 
Hi @Hipster Girl, That's great that people are telling you that you are glowing and that you look taller. (and younger.) I think healing from this surgery really does change our aura and appearance. I know my outlook on the future is much brighter. I've noticed the same thing you mentioned in photos, too. My friend told me that the camera is like a magnifying glass...same thing for video.

This morning I'm going to get on the phone and address the health insurance issues again. I have to gear myself up. I think I need to cancel the other two credit report freezes, first. I also need to get a letter with proof of payment from my surgeon's office. I have to submit that with a claim form. I'll make a list.

Great hearing from you both. I'm glad that things are going so well.
 
Good news...I am now officially insured for 2016! I had a rocky start this morning with Trans Union. I couldn't understand the agent, and he was asking me questions that I couldn't answer. (like how much my credit limit was for a credit card I had in 2000.) I tried a second time, and had the same problems with the next agent. She repeated that same questions and then put me on hold. I couldn't understand her because or her thick accent, either. I had a meltdown, then called Covered CA. This time, the block had been lifted, and he was able to sign me up for Blue Shield, with a PPO that will cover my surgeon. Yay! He even was able to get a supervisor to fix the dates to that it starts Jan. 1st instead of Feb. 1st. What a relief! It's done!

I called my surgeon's asst. and explained that I'm having trouble getting reimbursed for the surgeon's fee. He gave me the number for Dr. Matta's billing. He said that they will do the work for me. What a relief. I was really stressed out about that. I didn't realize that's how it works.

So...I am feeling much better. I still need to sort out getting my insurance reinstated for sept. and Oct. of 2015, but I think that will be fairly easy. Thank you for your support, @DeepBreath and @Hipster Girl. It really helped. I almost gave up again, and then I got a really sweet and helpful guy on the phone. Boy, that makes a difference!

@DeepBreath, I'm holding good thoughts that you will get the prescription refilled right away somehow...
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! I am so happy that you got the insurance straightened out! That has to be a load off your mind. It stinks you had to go through that, but awesome that you perservered and got reinstated.
So true about the meds. I dislike taking them, but sometimes you have to. I like to go natual when I can. I do think I'll try out the green tea.

Thanks for the good wishes. No word from the nurse, so it's a weekend of...we'll see.
 
Thanks @DeepBreath. Yes, it's a huge relief to have good health insurance again. He was able to make the date effective January1st. Such a load off of my mind! Next week I'll work on getting in touch with the billing dept. I left them a message yesterday. It'll be nice to put that reimbursement money for the surgical work back in my emergency fund.

Today I'm going to clean my windows and organize and tally up my receipts. I need to henna my hair, too. I hope you're doing okay this weekend with the lower dosage of Tramadol.
 
That's great news @Hip Hip Hooray! - what a heavy load lifted! Very happy to hear that! Insurance is one of the most frustrating things to work out. That and computer problems. So glad you got this straightened out. :yahoo:
 
That's so true, @Hipster Girl. Yes, I paid Blue Shield over the phone yesterday. What a relief! This plan is a very good price for a PPO. I rarely go to the doctor, but I like having this in case I need to see my surgeon. He's out of network, but they still pay 50%. It helps. It sounds like I'll get $6,500 back for my surgical fee. I talked with the woman in billing. It turns out the reason I hadn't received a refund yet was that she thought I was a cash patient. (I paid cash for my initial visit.) So, she sent in the paperwork, and it should take about three weeks. She was really on it. I like her.

Today I went to another singing audition. I was talking with one of the younger women in the waiting room, and she told me that she thought it was very courageous for me to be auditioning at my age. Too funny. I explained to her that I'm right for a whole different set of roles now. There are some excellent parts for women 40-60, especially in comedy. She commented that I was very dressed up and said that it made her feel like she was too casual. I told her that I tend to overdress for auditions, and that I thought it was generational. I was raised that it shows respect. I wear a little black dress, black stockings, and heels. It just feels right to me. People are much more casual now, but I still like to wear dresses and heels.

I sang And the Angels Sing. The director said, "Very nice." After that I heard him tell the artistic director,"I haven't hear that song in twenty years..." They were snapping their fingers and swaying to the music as I sang. I love that song. The shows they're doing this season are old fashioned shows, so I figured it was appropriate. (Hello Dolly, Cabaret, etc..) Another one down. Now it's back to practicing.

I have some busy days coming up, so I probably won't be able to post until Sunday. I hope everyone here is doing well...
 
Hi @Hip Hip Hooray! The black dress, stockings, and heels sounds like what I would wear also. I couldn't agree more on dressing to show respect. I always think it's better to be overdressed than dressed too casually.

I don't think I've heard that song "And the Angels Sing" but it sounds like it was a hit with the directors. I take that as a very encouraging sign if they were snapping their fingers & swaying to the music. Sounds like the perfect choice for an old-fashioned show. I'm impressed that you always know the right songs to sing. That in itself takes a special talent.

Yay on getting the billing lady to process the paperwork for your refund! It will be good to finally get that resolved. Every now and then, there is one in billing who "gets it". The rest of the time it is like :headbang:

Off to work now. Just wanted to pop in here real quick and see how everyone is doing. Have a great day! :)
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Yaay about the insurance and also about the audition!
I had to shake my head at the other woman's comment about you auditioning. My goodness, life doesn't just stop when we get past 30 or so (thank goodness!) and like you said, there are great roles for women our age.
It sounds like you looked absolutely lovely. I totally agree that putting in the effort to look sharp pays great dividends.
Enjoy your busy week! Sending out good thoughts for sun and fun filled days. :)
 
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