It was June 29, 2022, one year ago on this date, when I underwent bilateral hip replacement surgery.
It has been a year highlighted by relentless waves of gratitude, appreciation and disbelief.
Did my joint pain really happen? Was I really unable to do all those things I can do now and had always done before osteoarthritis? Did surgery really happen?
It wasn’t necessarily a blip when I was going through the process of surgery and recovery, but a year later, it is barely a blip.
The surgery brought a colossal improvement to my quality of life and I shall always be so grateful to Dr. Zukor and his team at the Jewish General Hospital.
Three months after surgery, I was playing ball hockey. I played once a week all winter long and into spring, with our last game on May 1st, when I had this photo snapped.
There was a time when I was certain I would not play ball hockey, ice hockey, or even ride a bicycle again. When I sat at my drums, I was not able to open my legs wide enough to put one foot on the bass drum pedal and the other foot on the hi-hat pedal at the same time.
My mind had reluctantly sunk into a cloud of bleak resignation.
Now, incredibly and so thankfully, I am playing ball hockey, enjoying long bike rides and playing drums, not to mention going up and down stairs, picking things up off the floor, walking the dogs, and sitting and standing the way I used to, as though I had gone back in time.
Words can never express my gratitude, but I hope that by resuming all the activities I love to do and the things I have always loved doing, I am somehow showing Dr. Zukor and his team how much their dedicated efforts mean to me.
I saw Dr. Zukor last week for my one-year follow-up and, after briefly studying the new x-rays, he expressed his satisfaction at the condition of my hips. I did learn during the visit that there is more physiotherapy I can, and should, do.
It certainly has been a year highlighted by waves of appreciation, gratitude and disbelief and, for as long as I am healthy, I am certain those same magnificent waves will continue crashing on the shores of my life.
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