Baby Aftermath, Part Three

OK--this is the last blog about this topic!!  

Also, the more I think about it, the more I think that personal medical experiences are so intriguing. We all have them or will at some point in our lives--childbirth, a broken bone, an illness, getting your gallbladder removed. They cause us such discomfort and disruption and the stories themselves are filled with gnarly, sometimes unbelievable details.  And then, for most of us, they heal and then we forget.  Anyways...      

Part Three

I made steady improvements in short amounts of time, even though I often didn’t notice until Brandon or my mom pointed out a new accomplishment that I wasn’t able to do the day before. The first 48 hours were the worst and then the first week was a close second. By the end of the second week, however, I was able to do most everything without Brandon's help. A month later, my family still noticed that I hobbled everywhere. I was able to take short walks in my neighborhood, although I was usually pretty sore the next day. 

During those first few weeks, I tried not to use the internet as my doctor (I didn’t want to get lured into forums of people trying to freak each other out with their grizzly physical ailments). Yet in a fit of despair, I couldn't resist the pull of the world wide web and ended up Googling my symptoms.  I ended up in some panic-inducing forums but I also found descriptions for Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction and Pelvic Girdle Pain. Each accurately summed up my experience and helped me to know I was not the only one with postpartum back and hip issues. 

When my six week OB follow-up appointment rolled around, I was adamant that I see my doctor rather than the nurse practitioner,as was standard. I went in, hoping that I would explain my symptoms to her and she would say, "Hmm...it sounds like you have a classic case of Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction" and then tell me how crucial it was for me to do XY&Z.  But instead, she just nodded her head over and over. She was sympathetic but just explained that sacroiliac issues are fairly common. She also recommended a physical therapist but her reaction made me realize that I wasn't going to die or be permanently maimed.  I decided to push myself in my walks and give it more time.  I also decided that if I was still pretty hindered after 6 months, then I might take her up on the physical therapy recommendation.  

And that was exactly the right approach.  After about two months, the waddle was gone and I was no longer as sore after my walks, even the longer ones.  I even took Russell on his first hike, carrying him in a Bjorn.  Now, I have only small remnants of those crazy sacroiliac issues. I have some days where my right hip is achy, mornings where my lower back hurts when I wake up, and instances where my back and hips tighten if I've been in a certain position for too long and I wince and groan as I straighten myself out again. I don't know how ready I am to do any major hikes but I've been able to incorporate some running into my walks without any major consequence (other than being short of breath!). The small bits of pain I still have pales in comparison to the daily aches that many have all the time. Chronic pain is something I hope to never experience.  It really is debilitating both in body and in spirit.

  

In other words, the tincture of time really was really the trick. When I was in the thick of my discomfort, time moved so slowly. In hindsight, I can clearly see how quickly I healed although it certainly didn’t feel like that was happening. While I may have had something like Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction or Pelvic Girdle Pain, it didn't really change what I needed to do--give it time and gradually push myself.   

Fortunately, I look back on those first few weeks of Russell's life with fondness. We made the most of getting to know our new baby and relished in the fact that we had a beautiful and perfect little son. Nothing, not even some discomfort, was going to change that.