What's up with this blog?

About six weeks ago, I went to the doctor for pain in my right hip.  I skipped the formalities and went right to an orthopedic doctor.  I expected to be sent home with a prescription for physical therapy.  What I got instead was a diagnosis of hip dysplasia (probably a birth defect) and severe arthritis in my right hip.  I needed a total hip replacement.  Did I mention that I haven't yet turned 30?

I was sent home with a recommendation to see another doctor, this time at the University of Utah Orthopedic Center.  Dr. Christopher Peters sees "younger" patients because he's the only surgeon in the state of Utah that does reconstructive surgeries on joints, if applicable.  So I was sent to him to see if that might be an option for me.

It's not.  He also recommended a total hip replacement on the right hip, with another one on the left at some point in the future.  So I had a decision to make...when?

I've had limited mobility in my hips for about ten years.  I remember being a camp counselor and not being able to sit cross-legged on the floor with the kids.  My right hip didn't start causing me pain, however, until about three years ago.  Because of my job, the pain got progressively worse.  I'm at the point now where it's difficult to put on my sock and tie my shoe on my right foot.  I can barely get through a work day anymore.  That's the reason I broke down and went to the doctor in the first place.

So I could, theoretically, wait to get the surgery.  But if I'm already in pain all day at work, how much longer do I want to wait?  And I'm getting married in September...I'd rather not limp down the aisle, or sit out all the fun dances because it hurts too much.

So I've made a decision to have the surgery before the wedding.  Specifically, May 31st.  This is a Thursday.  I chose this date because it's the start of my two three-day weekends in a row.  I can take six days of sick time and be out of work for 12 days.  After that, I'll go back to work on light-duty for four weeks and hopefully be back at full steam at six weeks post surgery.  Let's hope!

The purpose of this blog is to document this whole damn thing, from now, two months pre-surgery, to....well, whenever I feel like I have nothing else to say.  I've been scouring the interwebs, and there is a distinct lack of first-person accounts of this surgery from the point of view of a non-retiree.  I'm going to have a fake hip....and give birth.  I'm going to have a fake hip.....and get tattoos.  I'm going to have a fake hip.....and get married.

So, here goes.