It’s been two years since I had my left hip replaced. It feels like it’s time for an update. Looking back on the last year, I was surprised by the continued improvements in strength, endurance, energy, balance and flexibility. I’d thought I’d see all my healing by the end of the first year. So, I wanted all of you to know that there can still be ongoing healing and changes for more than a year after a THR.

I can now hike 3-4 miles regularly with ease, without setbacks and increased soreness and stiffness afterwards. I’ve been able to hike regularly with Scott again (and keep up). I can do trails I haven’t done in years. My yoga poses, including one-legged balances, are back. My standing stamina has improved to the point where I no longer have to sit down to rest before finishing a task or conversation. My Tai Chi and Qigong flows naturally and easily and I am back to teaching again (check out Embodying the Light in the menu at the top of this blog). I have continued to swim, though I’m taking a break due to Covid-19 right now. Based on my experience during this break, I can tell I was swimming too much and not doing enough walking and yoga. When I return to the pool, I’ll keep it to 1-2 times a week for a better overall balance.

I used to have this odd shaky feeling of not trusting my legs under me. Now I feel more connected neurologically to my legs. I credit my work with an amazing physical therapist, Kimberly Prucha, for helping me with this. Kimberly does manual and craniosacral therapy which helps realign and rebalance the whole spinal column, neurological and nerve network, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Her approach is unlike any I’ve experienced and the results were fast and long-lasting. After three 90-minute sessions, I felt like a new person. It was the final touch on my healing process. You can find out more about Kimberly at her site: http://biodynamicmt.com/kimberly-prucha/. She also gave me stretches and exercises which have helped me maintain the work she did. I so appreciate this approach which helps me help myself. Now I go back every few months for a tune-up, but otherwise I can maintain my own balance and strength. What a gift! Thank you Kimberly, you’re a blessing!

I thought you might like to see what scars look like at this point:

The left hip was my easy one, so the scar is much smaller–about 4 inches. The right hip was my problem child and the surgeon had to go on a fishing expedition down my leg to retrieve the loosened cerclage cable during my last surgery (October, 2018). So that scar is longer–about 7 inches. Both have them have healed well. I did a lot of massage with vitamin E and avocado oil to lay down the scar tissue. My massage therapist, Stephanie Wilson (https://thehealingpointe.com/), also worked hard on reducing the scarring and restoring my functioning. Thank you Stephanie for your magic hands, which I so miss during this pandemic!

People sometimes ask me how I feel about my scars. I see them as a visible symbol of my journey from dysplasia to bionic buns that are strong and capable of carrying me easily through the rest of my life. They give me an opportunity to tell my story when people ask about them. I hope my experiences will be an inspiration to others who may be afraid of joint replacement surgery. It is truly a modern medical miracle that can restore your life, strength and vitality. I am so very grateful to be able to do everything I want to do with my body again!