Life is funny isn’t it?  I have been thinking about this blog for months – in fact years, to be exact it’s been since 2010! Sixteen years after the very first blog was ever written by a guy named Justin Hall, damn him!  Really…blogs have been around that long? Authoring seven health and fitness books didn’t pose an issue, I wonder why writing this blog has caused me such torture?  Surfing the net for hours and starring at glossy, glamorous exposes of food, fashion, fitness, mommy hood, dating, travel – they all were pushing me deeper and deeper into a trance of not writing… not doing anything.  I googled how to start a blog and it said choose a platform, I had that.  Design your blog, check.  Select the best plugins, what the hell are those?  That’s when I started to panic.  Write compelling content.  ARGH!!!!  Please make it stop.

My “platform” is health and fitness, always has been.  I dabbled in teaching people how to eat better by setting up healthy food choices at the top of the week, I called it Sunday Set-Up™.  ( by people I mean celebrities – FYI that’s another blog idea, Kathy)  Nonetheless, spending all my time looking at these successful blogs and what the authors were accomplishing with them, I found myself more and more frustrated.  I kept myself distracted while digging in my junk drawers, my closet, my garage, having yard sales doing anything that would divert me from writing this blog.  Is that writer’s block?  Why do I even have to write a blog?  My husband gave me a straight answer, if you want your business to continue to grow you have to write content.  You must be open and learn how this content is being put out there and it is imperative that you are consistent.  The world of broadcast and print media has changed.  You need to get on board with the new trend of social media.  Then he dropped the mic with this, “You have had an incredible career with books, videos, personal training celebrities, TV shows, spokesperson positions and your list goes on and on so just because you turned 50, started menopause and your body fell apart doesn’t mean you can’t still help people”.  Hmmm… that was three years ago and as much as I hate to admit it he was right.  I just needed to get going.

So that’s what happened?  SHIT happened!  (sorry for the swear word) I got old,  parts stopped working, my body changed, spent most days in pain and I was just pissed off.  I guess that is why I haven’t been able to write.  When your body has been your career and suddenly you don’t even recognize what is below your neck – oh wait neck included, what’s below your chin, let’s just say things have been a little rough and definitely tough.

With this blog I am going to take you back a handful of years to let you see where I have been, but before I do that the photos below will show you where I am today.  By the way, no one except my close friends and family have seen these pics.  They were taken right after surgery and during my recovery.

  • Six hours after hip surgery.
  • In the hospital I couldn't look to see the scar but was shocked as you are looking at it for the first time.
  • SWELLING
  • I was finally able to look at the scar in the mirror.
  • The amount of swelling was incredible but look at my red toe to indicate which hip to operate on.
  • I know I am in my underwear but this was the first time seeing my legs even.
  • Moving my leg in the second week post surgery. It's amazing how much we take for granted just bending your knee!
  • Before and after. On the left side that pin was implanted in 1968. The one on the right 2015.
  • Here is my pin that I have thought about all my life and wondered what it looked like and what it felt like out of my body. WOW!
  • I had to walk two miles by the first post op visit and I did it with a little help from a friend. xo

You can breathe now.  I was born with congenital hip dysplasia in both my right hip and my left.  When I was five (sure go ahead find out my exact age, I’m starting to be OK with it) I had an operation where the plate and screws in the photo above were put into my leg.  My femur grew completely around the plate and once the cast was off I took off running, literally.  In fact, I still hold my records at Avondale High School in Auburn Heights, Michigan for the 440 relay, 880 relay and the high jump.  Let’s just say the operation worked.  I graduated with a degree in Exercise Science and Dance Education from Hope College.  I worked as an intern at Coors Wellness Center in Golden, Colorado.  I created fitness programs for Jane Fonda on her private property in Santa Barbara, California where she ran a spa retreat for her entertainment friends.  I then started my own celebrity personal training business with Melanie Griffith and Pamela Des Barres as my first private clients.  I got myself on the NBC Today Show by writing a letter and landed a contract doing fitness segments with my pal Katie Couric for twelve years.  Choreographed and starred in two supermodel fitness videos, one for Cindy Crawford and the other for Claudia Schiffer.  I found myself on a cereal box, not Wheaties but Special “K”, how appropriate.  Dated Warren Beatty oops… that’s not part of my career, except that I did teach him a step class.  Did two infomercials that tanked.  Had a cameo appearance on “Days of Our Lives” and another on “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”.  Thank goodness my hips were working splendidly while I was building  my career however, I knew my hips mileage would come to an end one day.  That day came sooner than I thought.  While writing my last book in 2010 the annoying aches and pains and other physical changes that I thought were going to go away decided to stay for good!

It was  2008 when I had my last period and my right hip started to bite me.  When I say bite me, it’s like getting a needle shoved into your hip and then yanked out.  When I say my last period,  it was my last one, here one day gone the next.   Menopause knocked on the door and there stood that uninvited guest that NEVER left.  Between weight gain, mood swings, hot flashes, achy joints, biting hip and watching my existence from above wondering, is that me down there? I was starting a new chapter, one I didn’t want to read.

I’m going to stop for now.  I will continue to share my story of going through menopause and the unbearable pain in my legs; getting ready for the surgery;  dealing with losing my physical capabilities; recovering from the surgery and getting ready for my next one.  Yup you read that right – I go under the knife again at the end of this month for a new “left hip”.

Hey, I actually have a lot to write about.  Thanks Justin!

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