The PAO Song

I was asked to share some of my most important lessons/pieces of advice from this entire journey. Since the longest portion has been for the hips, the PAOs, I’ve decided to present some of my favorite ideas in song form – The PAO Song. Thank you, Baz Luhrmann, for the template!

PRESS PLAY AND SING ALONG!

PAO patients of the year 2021.
Live in gratitude.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, gratitude would be it.
The long term benefits of gratitude have been proved by scientists, whereas
The rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…
I will dispense this advice now.

Take stock of your current mobility and abilities; oh nevermind; you will not
Understand the difference until right after surgery and everything is different.
But trust me, in a few years you’ll be healed and look back and appreciate the profundity of what has happened, grateful for it all.
You’re not doomed or unlucky.

Don’t worry about the big picture; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as climbing a tree with a hula hoop.
The real difficulties are going to be things you never thought of, save room for those.
Like how to put on pants. And socks.

Thank your body every day.

Laugh.

Be patient with yourself and others, and help others find patience with you and the process.

Shower every day.

Don’t compare yourself to other patients;
They’re on their path,
And you’re on yours.
The journey is long, and in the end, it only matters that you get there.

Celebrate each success, no matter how small; forget the setbacks.
They are inevitable – the healing path is not linear.

Document every step of your journey, throw away any expected timeline.

Do your PT work.

Don’t feel bad if the whole thing scares you.
The most successful PAO patients felt fear at some point along the way, some the entire way.

Take your supplements.

Take care of your whole self, it isn’t just your hips that need care.

Maybe you’ll heal fast, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll need more surgeries, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have incredible setbacks, maybe you’ll climb Mt. Everest next year.
Whatever you do, assign no label of success or failure.
The results are what the results are, your unique path.
Enjoy YOUR journey. Have gratitude for the gifts it brings. Don’t be afraid of embracing it. Think of it as the greatest gift you’ll ever receive.

Wiggle… somehow. Even if it just your toes.

Turn on your favorite tunes to make the wiggling even better.

Do NOT get sucked into comparing on social media. It will only make you feel terrible.

(Brother and sister together we’ll make it through 
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there 
I know you’ve been hurting, but I’ve been waiting to be there 
For you. And I’ll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can. 
Everybody’s free.)

Lean on your medical team. They all care about you and your progress.

Express gratitude to everyone who offers to help;
A person holding a door, a nurse, a neighbor, a child – they all help you get outside your self.

Understand that healing is a long process, so gratitude and patience will be your best tools.
Work hard to bring these to every step along the way because without them you’ll meet their nemeses grumpiness and frustration.

Those two aren’t invited, throw them right out;
Same thing goes for complacency and whining.

Try new things.

Use this time to your benefit, read, make something, cultivate relationships, heal your whole self. This isn’t your end but rather a new beginning to a whole new life.

Filled with gratitude.

Don’t expect anyone else to do this for you.
Maybe you have a lot of help, money, nearby family; but only you can do the actual work.

Find your courage and joy. It will make the ride awesome.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. 

But trust me on the gratitude… 

(Brother and sister together we’ll make it through 
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there 
I know you’ve been hurting, but I’ve been waiting to be there 
For you. And I’ll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can. 
Everybody’s free.)

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