Something To Show For it All
On or around Thanksgiving, my right hip started bothering me. More and more each day. Until I caved and scheduled an appointment with a local orthopedist. I say local because, traditionally, I see an orthopedist in Arlington, VA for all things hip. I say traditionally because—in case you’re new here—this ain’t my first rodeo.
I had my assumptions. It felt like it’s felt before. A labral tear. That was my gut. I figured I needed an MRI and rather than drive down to Arlington to be told just that, I decided to see someone local. Someone I could get a same day appointment with.
That was 2 weeks ago.
Sure enough, he ordered an MRI. But not any MRI. An MRI arthrogram. The kind where they stick a nice long needle into the hip joint and squirt in a bunch of contrast in there before running the MRI.
Not fun.
I know because I’ve done it before.
I’ve had 2 labral repairs and 1 labral reconstruction on my left hip. 1 labral repair on my right hip.
The MRI arthrogram was this morning. I had convinced myself that it wouldn’t be that bad. That I was just remembering the worst parts of a bad experience. So I went in this morning with some anxiety, but I was able to eat a normal breakfast and not feel like I was going to puke.
Boy was I wrong. It hurt. SO BAD. I like to think that I have a pretty decent pain tolerance. But damn do I hate that procedure. It’s the worst.
I was there for THREE HOURS. First you wait. Then you get the injection. Then you wait. Then you get the MRI. Then you wait. Then you receive the CD with the images on it.
There were some other embarrassing moments that I will skip over for the benefit of my male readers.
Anyway. What a long, horrible, very bad morning.
I got home and had some lunch and decided to log into my Advanced Radiology account just for kicks. They say it takes 2 days to post results, but I just had a hunch.
And there it was. My radiology report.
Repeat labral tear confirmed.
My gut was right. It usually is with hip stuff. I’ve done the dance enough to know.
I wish I had more to tell you, but I don’t see the doctor until Friday. It’s someone new. The guy I saw 2 weeks ago doesn’t do hip arthroscopies, so he referred me to another orthopedist in the practice. He’s local. Like a 5 minute drive from my house, which is nice.
I don’t know what he’ll advise. He might want me to try physical therapy first or he might recommend surgery. I have no idea.
If he recommends surgery, I don’t know if I’ll give him a whirl or if I’ll head down to Arlington. Arlington is far, but I trust Dr. Ochiai completely. He knows my (complicated) case and makes accommodations for my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in his treatment plans. He’s familiar, kind, and talented.
But I’m also tired. God am I tired. I don’t know that I have trips to Arlington in me right now. And I don’t know that he’d even agree to operate for that matter. I’m a train wreck. I have torn every single one of his very excellent repairs. Would he be willing to cut into me for a sixth time? (I say 6 because he also removed the hardware in my left hip…most of it, at least)
So there’s a lot up in the air right now. I’m trying to bench it until Friday when I have more information to work with. Writing is my way of doing that I guess. Getting it out of my system. Out of my brain and onto paper (or my iPad in this case).
To say I’m discouraged would be an understatement. I am so so careful, yet this crap keeps happening. This is my THIRD injury requiring an MRI this YEAR. It’s ridiculous. Seriously out of control. I don’t even remember DOING anything for this to happen. We did some restorative yoga in VIOP a few weeks ago, but I used a TON of pillows so as not to overextend my joints in any way. That’s the only potential cause that I can think of.
It drives me seriously crazy.
The only good thing I can think of is this: at least I have something to show for all the pain and suffering I endured this morning. At least I have results to share at all. After all, you’ve gotta find some humor in things. Right?