tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45030544699209835142024-03-05T08:19:16.905-07:00My torn labrum - hip surgery with Dr Marc PhilipponThe saga of getting from Indianapolis to Vail, Colorado to have my left hip arthroscopically repaired and the journey after surgery to recovery.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-35668702691904732732012-12-29T10:45:00.000-07:002012-12-29T10:45:29.294-07:00Collateral damageMy hips are GREAT! In fact, I have been working out with a personal trainer for a few months now and am gaining some great muscle tone back into my legs finally!! I still have some remaining weakness in my left side that needs work but I can do anything! No hip pain, no back pain, no psoas pain . . . . . NO pain. This is the first time in my life that I am completely and totally without hip pain. I cannot even describe the feeling. It's marvelous.
HOWEVER, about a year ago, I started noticing that I had some pretty severe pain in my left foot -- especially when I tried to wear any sort of heel at all. I, of course, ignored it and simply carried on. :-) I finally went to see about it shortly before my last hip surgery. After an x-ray and a brief exam, my podiatrist announced that I was suffering from hallax rigidus (stiff big toe or turf toe) and proclaimed that I needed immediate surgery. HA!! I said. I have to have hip surgery, recover from that and then there's all the work that I will be missing. I simply don't have time. Bye. It did feel better -- I didn't walk on it after hip surgery for awhile -- and I thought he was wrong. :-) Not so! As my hip recovery progressed and I began to be more active, the foot pain came back with a vengenance. I finally caved in, scheduled surgery for December 5 and had it fixed.
Interestingly enough, the joint where my big toe joins my foot was almost unsalvageable. He ended up doing microfracture because most of the cartilage was gone. If I had waited even another month, I might have had a fusion instead of a repair. YIKES!! The good news is that the surgery was completely successful and I am currently in a very big ugly boot waiting for the bones to heal.
While he won't really speculate on the cause, he did agree that the wear pattern and the extent of the damage on my joint suggested an irregular walking pattern. Hmmmmmm . . . . let's see, I have had hip problems for all of my life, my right hip was the first to really be painful and was painful for about 15 years before I had it fixed. Think I might have shifted most of my walking to my left side?? Yep -- and it's my left foot that suffered. Ugh!
I am very glad it's over. . . . a hip surgery and a foot surgery in one year is more than any person should have to endure. I think I am happy to see 2012 end and I look forward to a new beginning in 2013 with NO surgery, good hips and good feet!!
Happy New Year to all of my fellow hippies and I wish all of you the same good hips that I now have.
aprilAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-51653520720179500952012-10-17T09:51:00.001-06:002012-10-17T09:51:24.014-06:00Freedom At Last!Ok, ok I get it. I haven't posted in a long time and those of you who have been following my progress are curious. :-)
First of all, please let me just say THANKS to all who have posted or emailed to say hi and wonder how I am doing. Your support and positive comments have meant a lot to me and I feel way more loved and supported just knowing that you are out there ---even though I wouldn't know you if I met you at Starbuck's. HA!!
And, everyone please give a little "wooohooo" because it is true - the reason I haven't been blogging about this is because I have been out living my life again -- FINALLY!!! I had another injection with Dr. Philippon on August 29 and I have felt great ever since. i kept waiting for this one to wear off and the nagging pain return but it's now mid-October and NO pain. My range of motion is improving weekly and I have been released from physical therapy. In fact, I have entered into the strength building phase of this recovery now and have hired a personal trainer to help me with that goal.
There are many, many things that I am able to do again - elliptical, biking hills, hiking for a limited time, etc. and there are other things that I am still working up to -- rowing, hiking long distances, mountain biking and golf. I finally feel like I will make it and all of my hip problems will be a distant memory!!
I went to Utah a few weeks ago and decided to try hiking in Arches National Park. I was really nervous but decided there was only one way to find out how far along I was in recovery. I did quite a bit of hiking before I had a "hip twinge" but realized the reason was due to the weak muscles in my legs and the resulting fatigue. I realized they were no longer properly supporting my hip and that was the reason for the "twinge". I rested the following day and had absolutely no lingering pain or after effects. Again -- another wooohooo moment.
Life is good! My right hip continues to be perfect and my left is working hard to catch up to it! I see no reason why it won't.
To all other hip patients who may find this blog and continue to read this blog -- keep the faith! It's been a long, long journey for me but with Dr. Philippon, Howard Head and St Vincent Sports Performance Center I am gong to be fine --- no better than fine!
I probably won't post much after this as I plan to take advantage of every single day and use these two good hips for as long as I can.
Sending positive hip energy into the universe for all who need it!!!
April
Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-16836490082391225192012-07-18T13:46:00.000-06:002012-07-18T13:46:03.461-06:00Post Philippon VisitOk for anyone heading into see Philippon, you will completely understand this - my appointment was for 11:30. I saw him at 3:00 and sat in an exam room the entire time. :-) What you love about Dr. Philippon - when he's with you he's completely and totally with you for as long as it takes to figure things out. What frustrates you about Dr. Philippon - you typically wait at least 2 hours to see him past your appointment time and many times it's longer because he is totally focused on someone else. I always try to remember that it could be me that he's focused on making someone else wait so I steel myself to wait and take a book, water and snacks. :-)
My hip was screaming by the time I got to see him. I had some adductor work done in PT on Sunday and found that it was incredibly tender and tight. I thought that might be my entire problem. It really pinches my external rotation right now and seemed to improve after some serious release work. When I say serious I should add that I am nicely bruised now.
He asked to see me walk and immediately told me that I was getting an injection. Yay I think . . . wheel in the ginormous needle. He is amazingly good at sticking a needle into a hip capsule. I am always amazed. I felt pressure but absolutely no pain. What he found, however, is scar tissue. He commented that the scar tissue was pretty thick and inhibited his getting the needle into the capsule. Yikes!!! My biggest fear realized. I tried to not burst into tears even though I could see the concern on his face. He prescribed some specific things for me to do and told me that I have to come back again next month for another injection. Wow . . . talk about a punch in the gut. There are two things that come to mind for me over and over:
1. when does this end?
2. The movie - Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. I expect to wake up to Sonny and Cher every morning until I get this right --- whatever this is.
I take comfort in the fact that I did EVERYTHING according to plan and that I simply cannot control this. It frustrates me endlessly because I cannot control this. :-)
I felt immediately better after the shot and continue to have relief from the pain I had before. It's not perfect but I can walk short distances without pain so I'll take it.
Continuing to do my glute and T.A. exercises diligently and will see what comes with another month. In the meantime, I am sending all of my positive energy into healing myself.
I still take comfort from the fact that my right hip is perfect . . . absolutely 100% perfect so I know it can happen. I told Dr. Philippon that if another surgery becomes necessary, we are doing it in Pittsburgh not Vail since I had such good luck with my right side. He laughed.
Off to do circumduction and a round of glute exercies. Later!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-57965862190803789042012-07-16T07:41:00.000-06:002012-07-16T07:41:24.822-06:00Update10 weeks post surgery and many, many up's and down's. Ugh! It started out so easy and then changed so quickly once I started walking. My own personal theory is that I still have lots of old, bad patterns that need to be broken but it certainly is scary!
I am back in Colorado today to see Dr. Philippon and find out what's going on. I saw Brooke yesterday in PT and she could definitely see an issue with my walk. My left side is inflamed and it's higher and way more guarded than my right. She did a ton of work on my adductor and it seemed to help a bit. It's so tight that she bruised me trying to work out a knot she said was the size of a quarter. Yikes!!! Could it be that easy? I so hope so.
On a positive note, I have been working really hard on my glutes and am having some great success. I know I still have farther to go but I am starting to see and feel some actual muscle again. YAY!!!
I'll post again today after I see Dr. Philippon. I'm always buoyed by his confidence and enthusiasm and that's much needed today.
Later!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-88392791298640092142012-06-19T08:26:00.000-06:002012-06-19T08:26:58.109-06:006 weeks post opToday is 6 weeks since surgery. The time has flown and dragged at the same time. I am not sure how that is possible but it is. I have been off of crutches for the most part for about a week. I still don't feel like my walk is 100% but it gets a tiny bit better every day. I still have some tightness in my groin but I keep telling myself that is normal. Yikes! I am deathly afraid of forming more scar tissue but I am trying to send positive energy to the healing parts anyway. I don't want to prove the mind over matter theory by obsessing over scar tissue and ending up with more. Yikes!
The CPM went away yesterday and today I gained 2 more hours of my life back. Woooohooo. I am amazed at the amount of time that I spend doing "something" for my hip. Immediately after surgery it was about 10 hours a day to get everything done. Now, I feel like it's more manageable but it still does take several hours a day to concentrate on getting all of my at home exercises done.
So today I begin some minor strengthening exercises. YAY!! I will look forward to having some muscle definition in my legs once again. It's amazing how quickly muscle tone disappears while on crutches. Scary really.
Every time I get in my car, my bike calls my name. Ugh! I so want to get back on my bike and ride. Not sure when that comes in my recovery but I am already looking forward to it! And, the kayak .. . whine, whine, whine. Patience is not one of my strengths and I am seriously close to doing a bit of each. The thing that stops me -- fear of re-developing scar tissue. So, I ride the stationary bike - no resistance - for 20 minutes twice a day every day and stare longingly at my bike and kayak counting down the days until I see Dr. Philippon and can get a plan in place to get me back on/in both.
Heading back out to Vail in July. Seeing Dr. Philippon on July 16 - 4 weeks away. I sometimes wish I had stayed the full 6 weeks in Vail because I am nervous about whether I am where I should be. Deep down I think I am fine but I am so jumpy about this scar tissue thing that I would like a PT who sees hip recovery all the time tell me that everything is fine. :-)
I will sum up 6 weeks by saying that I am glad it's over and so far so good. I hope the only thing that changes is that I continue to feel stronger and better! More to come.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-58372315135968786142012-06-05T07:39:00.001-06:002012-06-05T07:39:25.401-06:004 weeks outToday I am celebrating! I got to turn in the calf pumps today and I am thrilled to not have my legs sweat through the night and the whirring sound of the motor as it pumps and deflates the cuffs. I didn't think they were too bad when I first had to wear them but I soon grew tired of them and sleeping with them for the last night was almost unbearable. :-) And, I am able to decrease my time in the cpm to just 2 hours per day. It feels like I have just gotten some of my time back. It's not much but 2 to 4 hours a day is a lot to gain right now with all of the other things I am doing. Yay!! Real progress at last.
I have been walking 50% weight bearing for almost a week now. It feels good . . still a little unstable and my hip still feels tight but it feels good enough that I have forgotten to grab my crutches a couple of times and have started to walk unassisted. This is the week that I start upping my weight on my left side until I am walking without crutches on Sunday. Scary!!! There's no real pain with any movement but I am still definitely stiff and tight and lots of muscles still don't really want to work very hard. I always forget how long it takes to get everything back into good working order after this surgery. Since I am not the most patient person in the world, I want it all now. Ugh!!!
The medical bills have started to come in. One word -- SCARY!!! And, it seems to be a full time job to review what was submitted, how it was submitted and what I am responsible for. They come fast and furious in the mail every day. It's a little overwhelming. So far insurance has paid for most. There is one large one, however, that the insurance only paid $2500 out of $17,000. I am worried about a potential $15,000 bill coming my way. Ugh! We'll see on that one. Everything else looks good though.
Ok, off to my busy day of circumduction, pt and a gelato as a reward!!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-33418129289411570952012-06-03T12:07:00.000-06:002012-06-03T12:07:27.986-06:00Surgery re-capI can't believe this is the first post since surgery. I had forgotten how miserable I am after surgery and just didn't feel like doing anything other than the prescribed have-to's. So, now almost 4 weeks out, I am starting to feel a little more normal (i say little) and thought I would do a quick post.
So, first the surgery - ugh!!! Lots of scar tissue. It had adhered to my labrum and was pulling the labrum in half every time I took a step. Yes, no wonder I was miserable. In some way sick way, it is good to know that I wasn't crazy. :-) He had to replace anchors in my labrum and I am now the proud owner of 4 new anchors. He also shaved down a little more bone and released my very tight and very angry psoas. He told me when he did the release that it sprung like a guitar string because it was that tight. Hmmmmmm . . . am I surprised????
The good - I woke up from surgery and immediately felt relief from my constant, nagging, excrutiating back pain that has plagued me for the past 3 years. It has not returned in the 4 weeks post surgery so I am somewhat excited by the prospect that I may be ok. Shhhhhhh . . . I don't want to jinx anything here. So far so good though on the back pain. Dr. P also told me that my hip surfaces look better now than they did 3 years ago so I have actually had improvement in my hip. Wow!!! That is huge!!! And, lastly, he told me that once I get through all of my rehab that I will not have any restrictions. OMG!!!! Watch out world. :-)
The bad -- Recovery is very different this time. I stayed in Vail for 6 weeks last time and when I came home, I was in rockin shape and doing pretty much what I wanted as far as exercise. I was lifting weights, doing leg presses and really building lots of strength. At 6 weeks this time, I will just be coming off crutches and starting to do my major strengthening. I am on crutches for almost 6 weeks as opposed to 3 last time. The CPM will go for 6 weeks instead of 3. It's a much longer and slower process this time. Dr Philippon told me that he has found scar tissue to be much more common in women so he has changed the protocol for post surgery to try to mitigate that.
The ugly - Having never thrown up after surgery, I broke my winning streak. It was bad!!! I had to wear an anti-nausea patch behind my ear for several days as I just couldn't shake it. I spent the couple of weeks after surgery barely able to eat and hold anything down. (the good - I lost 13 lbs; the bad - I don't own any size 4 clothes). And, having made fun of someone last time out there for his record setting bruise, I was the proud receipient of the largest bruise this time. It literally went from my knee all the way up past where most people were allowed to see. It's still faint but going away.
So, Tuesday will make 4 weeks out from surgery. The hip still feels marvelous. The muscles surrounding the hip are still very spotty. My IT band is tight, tight, tight. At one point, at PT told me that it felt like I had a golf ball in my IT band. My quad is tight especially where it and my IT band are friends. And, I have officially lost every muscle in my left leg - my calf is flabby and where in fact did the quad go? It's really hard to watch and especially hard to feel what has become a gelatinous mass of goo that once was a leg. ugh!!!
I gain a teeny, tiny bit of mobility every day and am diligently doing all of my exercises hoping to make a dent in the muscle tone. My glute work is coming along and it's the only thing that seems to be responding to the exercises currently. J-LO watch out.
I feel best in the pool and wish I could do it every day. There is a sense of freedom in walking without crutches and being able to get around. I look forward to the day I can do that on land.
Overall, I am HAPPY to have this behind me and am looking forward to getting back. I promise to be more diligent about posting since I am home and feeling a bit better.
For anyone planning a fun surgery visit to Vail - I found a condo that I would highly recommend. It's on VRBO.com and here is the link:
http://www.vrbo.com/44689
Lorna was GREAT to work with and the condo was convenient and comfortable for a hip patient!
More later!!<strike><strike></strike></strike>Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-59666295619676894132012-05-06T14:07:00.000-06:002012-05-06T14:07:39.318-06:00Vail boundOk so not a perfect start to the trip. Got to the airport and found out that my flight is delayed 2 hours. Boo!! Instead of getting to Denver at 4:30, it will be 6:30 now and then a 2 hour drive to Vail. I am hoping that's the only trip snafu. As long as I am in Vail by 1:30 tomorrow I am good. :-) Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.
An interesting development for me -- I was absolutely dreading the thought of general anesthesia -- I hate it and have a difficult time coming out of it plus I am always extremely nauseous. So, when the Vail Valley Surgery Center nurse called me on Friday to go over some details, I was shocked to hear her say that I would most likely have an epidural. After I got over the shock of that, i asked if I would be conscious for the surgery (not relishing the thought of even knowing that my hip would be dislocated) and she informed me that I "might be" but I wouldn't remember anything. Is that supposed to be comforting? Even if I don't remember it, I don't want to even see the thing that they will use to dislocate my hip. In fact, now i am starting to think that I might be better off completely knocked out. :-) Kidding but I am planning to beg for some sort of drug that will just make me sleepy enough to provide a gentle snooze while Dr. P does his magic.
I am strangely calm about this surgery. I have a tendency to be somewhat high strung - especially when I have no control over what is about to happen to me. Maybe it's knowing what's coming or maybe it's because I am anxious to get on the road to recovery and going through surgery is the ONLY way to get there. I don't know. If I could snap my fingers like Samantha from Bewitched and make it Tuesday, I would.
i'll continue to post each day. Hi to all of my friends and family and thanks for everything you have done or will do for me. I appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers, good deeds and general support. And a BIG thanks to all of my hip patient family. You all have been great!!
More tomorrow after I see Dr. Philippon and hear the plan. <strike></strike>Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-17094213346253981172012-04-10T13:13:00.002-06:002012-04-10T13:25:35.714-06:00Third time's a charm?I just got off the phone with Dr. Philippon's office. I have my appointment times for the day before surgery and am getting all of my pre-op testing information mailed to me. Suddenly, 7 months have gone by and surgery is real again. Wow! I don't know what else to say. I am scheduled for a psoas release and scar tissue removal but am prepared for everything up to and including micro-fracture. (she says so cavalierly as a bead of sweat appears on her forehead).<br /><br />In some ways I can't wait to get this done and over. In other ways, I am scared to death and want to put it off as long as possible. I am a BIG baby when it comes to anesthesia and pain and I know I am about to look both of them squarely in the eye. Ugh! <br /><br />HOWEVER, we have had an abnormally warm spring here so I decided to work in my yard one weekend. I felt so great about all of my accomplishments -- cleaned out flower beds, dug up an old bush and planted a new one, picked up sticks, etc. I paid for it dearly!!! In fact, I had to walk with a crutch for 4 days because I had a muscle spasm or something that wouldn't allow me to bear weight or really even stand up straight on my left side. I was miserable and if I could have had surgery at that very moment, I would have. So, I am probably a bit more motivated than I was a month ago. <br /><br />In preparation for my trip I have most everything done. Since I am only spending 3 weeks this time and flying out and back, the prep doesn't seem nearly as overwhelming. Maybe I'm just experienced this time and it's not so scary. I have some work details to finish up and then my focus is going to be getting back to 100% so I really can live my life again. <br /><br />I found out this week that the PT I saw most at Howard Head is leaving and that sent me for a loop but I am just as confident that someone else will take good care of me. Since I have been struggling with this crazy hip for so long, my fitness level has suffered. It makes me very sad to have watched those beautiful strong muscles slowly fade but I am looking forward to building them up again and getting back on my bike!<br /><br />So, here I go again. Let's hope that third time's a charm!!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-57192250203275041402011-11-29T12:28:00.002-07:002011-11-29T13:08:24.516-07:00Let the freaking out beginI realized the other day that I am 6 months away from yet another hip surgery. When I was 8months, it seemed light years away but I know how quickly 6 months will fly by. As I was having a moment of quiet reflection today, I realized I was freaking out about waking up from anesthesia -- the part I hate the most. I seem to be fine with the hip rehab part and the getting to and from Vail but the anesthesia is really weighing me down. Weird, huh?<br /><br />I have been having a very bad bout of muscle pain, stiffness and spasm lately. I traveled for 3 weeks straight and between walking, lugging briefcases and luggage and sleeping on too hard beds, it threw my psoas, it band and adductor into a tizzy. For the past 2 days, my glute med has chimed right in along with the others to make my life a living hell. I should also say that I have started a new regimen to see if I can get any relief from my back pain -- The Foundation by Dr. Eric Goodman & Peter Park. It was recommended to me by a therapist that I see and I started to do some of the exercises in it. My body strongly resists any change and this time was no exception. Ugh!!! <br /><br />Still hanging in there trying to find the balance between doing enough and not too much. I want to be "ready" for surgery to make my rehab less painful and time consuming but, of course, I never feel like I am doing enough. <br /><br />Thanks again for all of the comments left on my blog and the emails from hip patients, potential hip patients and others. It's always nice to know that I am not alone and I love the encouraging words!! I feel like all of you are part of my extended family so keep it coming.<br /><br />I'll post again with my progress on the new exercises -- especially if they help me. Six months and counting!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-76284103722544627452011-09-12T11:24:00.003-06:002011-09-12T11:32:29.464-06:00Answers to questionsFrom comments posted on my blog -<br /><br />Is it worth it to travel to see Dr. Philippon - YES! I have seen the aftermath of surgery done by other "experts". Dr. Philippon becomes the last hope for many of those patients to fix the repairs done by others. There is a reason that pro athletes go to see him for hip problems. It's the same reason you should -- he sees more of these types of problems than any other hip surgeon in the united states - he is the expert and he is SMART!! I have 100% confidence in him and wouldn't let anyone else deal with my hip issues.<br /><br />Accommodations in Vail - Expensive!! ugh!! Steadman Hawkins used to have some deals with some places in Vail -- not that you are going to get 50% off or anything like that but it should help somewhat. I would also check VRBO.com. People list condos and homes for rent and it turns out to be much more pleasant than staying in a hotel. <br /><br />Me give up hope? -- NEVER!!! I will conquer this and I know Dr. Philippon won't stop until I am back to where I want to be. We are a team and I will be backpacking, hiking, canyoneering and causing all sorts of trouble before long. It's another year in a whole lifetime. I am good with that.<br /><br />Always happy to answer questions as I hope you all know. If you want to email me directly -- almcz@aol.com. <br /><br />And, my last piece of advice -- stay in Vail and do PT as long as you possibly can with the therapists at Howard Head. They are incredible and you will be way ahead in recovery by the time you leave. I have done it both ways and my strength on my left side still exceeds my right even though I am having issues with my left. Just like with Dr. Philippon, these are people who work with pro athletes and see LOTS of hip patients every day. They know what to look for, when to push and when to stop something before you do damage. Love, love them!!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-88147866987633828442011-09-12T11:02:00.002-06:002011-09-12T11:11:55.952-06:00May 8, 2012Is the next surgery date. An 8 month waiting list. Wow . . . in 2003 when I first went to him it was 5 months and I thought that was a long time. :-) Is he worth the wait? Every bit of it!!!<br /><br />Thanks to all who have left comments for me. I will say it again -- Dr. Philippon is the BEST and I wouldn't even consider letting someone else do anything to my hip. Is it worth it to see him -- YES!!! GO! If he can't fix it, NO ONE can. In fact, if I didn't have my right hip to base everything on, I would be freaked out with my left. BUT, my right hip is still perfect after 8 years. No problems, no twinges, no tightness, nothing. My right hip is what my left hip wants to grow up to be.<br /><br />For now, however, it's the same story. Lower back problems, adductor tightness, major psoas tightness, etc. You all know the drill. A daily balance between living my life and crippling pain. I know it will get better and am just in the waiting it out period. <br /><br />At the risk of wishing my life away, I have May 8 marked in big bold letters on my calendar and am counting down the days already. I don't feel the need to start my logistical planning yet so am just chilled out trying to figure out how much is enough and not too much when it comes to activity. Still don't have that right and am realizing that I probably never will but that's ok too.<br /><br />May 8, 2012 . . . . should I plan a canyoneering trip for Fall, 2012? Am I that confident? :-)Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-50751982261530737202011-08-09T07:44:00.003-06:002011-08-09T08:01:19.174-06:00Deja VuThird time's a charm? I haven't posted for awhile because it's same thing over and over again. Lower back pain, adductor pain, IT band pain and a seriously tight psoas. It has become a management process to relieve the tightness and pain in one and observe as it simply transfers to another spot. I have tried PT, deep tissue massage, isolated stretching, myofascial release, pilates, yoga and doing nothing. Everything works for about 3 hours and then I am right back where I started. I am tired! I am tired of saying no to everyone who asks me to do something fun that might involve too much walking or bending or sitting or whatever. I am living my life on eggshells and I hate it! If I dare over do anything, I am likely to pay with crippling back spasms or pain shooting down my inner thigh that makes me unable to walk.
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<br />Dr. Philippon had suggested that I come back for another shot into my hip. I politely declined this particular brand of torture :-) since I had no measurable results from the last one. I am working on scheduling a date for surgery. Psoas release, cleaning out of scar tissue and a clean up of a cyst that has formed in my hip bone. Ugh!!!
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<br />Sometimes I feel like the movie - Groundhog Day - where I am doomed to live each day over and over again until I get it right. Will try to schedule surgery for next April after ski season so I can find a place to stay but have already decided that I am not staying away from home for 6 weeks again.
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<br />I am following the recovery of a fellow hip patient who just had a similar surgery with Dr Philippon and am hoping for great success for both him and me! HA!
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<br />Let the countdown begin . . . 8 months and counting. I know it sounds like a long time right now but I know it will be here before I know it. Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-65652324650748421752011-05-05T13:23:00.002-06:002011-05-05T13:50:07.015-06:00Two weeks since shotIt's been two weeks since "the needle" and I was hoping to feel on top of the world by now. Not to be. I still have pain and stiffness in my left hip which is made much worse by doing any sort of walking. :-( Since my travel schedule is unusually amped up right now and I can't get anywhere without first going through Atlanta it seems, my hip is protesting as loudly as it can about all of the walking. I got a little relief at first but that seems to have worn off. Boo!!! <br /><br />I have also started to wonder about the simple body mechanics of having a psoas release done on one side and not the other. Since it is not equal on each side of the body, wouldn't that be likely to cause problems? Seems logical to me but I have absolutely no facts to base that on. <br /><br />I have also been really down thinking about how limited my activities and life has been since surgery -- 2 years ago. And, since I can't get it fixed this year, it is likely to be 3 years before I have any real quality of life back. If I think about it for too long, I can reach a state of extreme sadness. And, since the magical shot doesn't seem to be providing much relief, I am even more pessimistic about my limited activities until I can get it fixed. Grrrrrrrr!!! Too much life passing me by without my full participation. My brain screams for me to just do what I want but my body punishes me when I do. What's a girl to do?<br /><br />Dreaming about the days when I am without pain!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-27955435155930024832011-04-20T23:09:00.002-06:002011-04-20T23:30:41.641-06:00Vail - My happy placeArrived in Denver on Monday night and stayed at a lovely hotel downtown - the Curtis. Very hip, funky and fun with a great martini bar. It was a great way to start the trip. My friend, Lisa, decided to come with me as she has never been to Colorado and wanted to see what all the fuss is about (more on that later). We did a little exploring downtown Denver on Tuesday morning and then hit the road for Vail. <br /><br />Did I mention snow? It was raining cats and dogs in Denver and never occurred to me that it would be snowing cats and dogs in the mountains. We got to Silverthorne and, of course, had to stop at the outlet mall (we are 2 girls you know). It was snowing so hard that you had to use am umbrella to stay dry. Unreal. The roads were decent. Some slick spots but for the most part they were good. It's also a joy to drive in Colorado where people actually know how to drive in snow. Yay!<br /><br />We rented a beautiful house right outside of Edwards along the Eagle River and arrived here around dinner time on Tuesday evening. Our first stop was the Gore Range Brewery for some of their very yummy beer and food. I had forgotten how much I missed being out here. Home for a nice night's sleep to prepare for my big day at Vail Valley, Howard Head and Steadman Hawkins today. <br /><br />I was a little nervous today to see Dr. Philippon. I can't really explain it . . maybe I felt like there was a lot on the line today. I have been pushing my hip hard for the past several weeks in anticipation of seeing him today. I started doing both mat and reformer pilates and spent last week walking miles and miles at Disney. By yesterday afternoon, I could barely walk because my hip hurt so bad. Perfect time to see him I figure.<br /><br />I started with an MRI followed with some strength measurements at Howard Head and then upstairs to see Dr. Philippon. I know I have mentioned this before but at the risk of repeating myself, I will say it again - I LOVE Dr. Philippon. <br /><br />So, here's the bottom line - i have developed a cyst in the bone of my hip (ugh), i have developed scar tissue and i have an extremely tight psoas. I felt a pit begin to form in my stomach because I knew he was about to say the "s" word. <br /><br />Now let's add to this that he is now "out of network" for my health insurance until January, 2012. A deepening pit. So I ask if there is any way to manage this until my health insurance changes in 2012 and I can have surgery with him "in network". He says yes, I can have an injection today, another in 4 months and then surgery. Great I think. Problem solved. <br /><br />Lie back he says, I'm going to give you a shot that should help with the pain. Awesome I think. I love Dr. Philippon. :-) My friend Lisa is in the room with me I should add. I'm lying back thinking good thoughts and Dr. P tells me that I will feel a pinch and then some pressure. Ok, I can handle that. Then I look at Lisa's face who is looking at the needle and there is a look of shock and horror which causes ME to look at the needle. BAD idea! I swear the thing was 3 feet long and an inch around. :-) It was a fairly intense but short experience and I am anxiously awaiting the full benefit of it. <br /><br />So, I have a plan for the hip. I once again feel 100% better being in Dr. Philippon's care and am optimistic. YAY!!! I had a lovely dinner at Montauck's tonite with Lisa, Lindsey and Mike and a friend of theirs who is now a friend of mine. It's one of the things that I truly love about Vail!<br /><br />And, about Vail - Lisa has fallen in love with it just like me. There is something about this place that brings a tremendous sense of peace for me. I just love it here. Maybe it's the scenery; maybe it's the people; maybe it's Dr. Philippon. I don't know what it is but I am enjoying it for as long as it lasts!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-52396504029669440262011-03-29T12:31:00.003-06:002011-03-29T12:35:47.889-06:00April 20 - VailEver watch the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. At any moment, I expect to wake up to the same Sonny & Cher song as I continue to try to get this hip thing figured out.<br /><br />Since my last post, I have grown sick and tired of being infirmed. I am NOT infirmed and refuse to be so. No more feeling sorry for myself. No more denial. No more!! <br /><br />I have an appointment with Dr. Philippon on April 20. Physical therapy no longer does anything for me other than allow me to walk short distances more comfortably. It's time. I have a list of complaints and won't leave without a real, solid action plan to get me back to where I belong -- biking, hiking, backpacking -- without any trepidation or hesitation. <br /><br />So, stay tuned my fellow hipsters. Life begins again very soon!<br /><br />aprilAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-64194545454489993142011-01-20T11:57:00.003-07:002011-01-20T12:20:19.517-07:00Seriously? Like I need something else!Happy 2011! My year started off with a strange pain in my neck. You know, one of those I must have slept wrong last night and now I have a stiff neck pain. So, I managed through day 1 thinking that all would be resolved soon. Well, it didn't. In fact, it got worse day by day. On New Year's Day, the pain had progressed from just my neck to my neck and down my right arm. Throbbing, keep me awake at night pain made me actually call and make an appointment with my doctor. <br /><br />She suspected a pinched nerve in my neck and was concerned about the cause of it and sent me for x-rays. She called with the really great (can you hear the sarcasm?) news that I have "narrowing disc space between c-5 and c-6 in my spine. Talk about a punch in the gut!!!! Narrowing disc space . . . pain in my neck (literally) and down my arm . . . am i feeling old or what??????<br /><br />Still the rotating pain and stiffness between my psoas, adductor and IT band resulting in a very tender and painful back and now this. Ugh!!! Does it ever end?<br /><br />I haven't done anything yet to call Dr. Philippon's office and schedule surgery. There is something about the thought of dislocating my hip again that makes me queasy and makes it darn near impossible to pick up the phone and voluntarily schedule myself for that. I know it has to be done and I know it's probably inevitable but I am just not ready to deal with it yet. I was originally thinking that I might try for another April surgery but I don't know. Why am I having such a difficult time getting this scheduled? I really want some relief in this back pain and I would think that would be a major motivating factor but it's not. Living on muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories and vicodin doesn't seem like a good long-term solution, huh? <br /><br />Anyone care to give me words that will motivate me?Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-53851817354266617052010-12-28T08:35:00.002-07:002010-12-28T08:43:46.798-07:00More of the sameSeptember was my last post and I wish I could say that I found a magical cure and all is well. It's not. I continue to have a psoas that simply will NOT release through physical therapy. My glutes have all but shut down again and I struggle to remain pain-free. I have good days and bad but mostly have limited my activities to ensure more good days than bad. <br /><br />I am still seeing a physical therapist once a week who does a psoas release. An interesting discovery - when we can get my psoas to calm down, my adductor immediately flares up and vice versa. Frustrating! And, I am still seeing my active isolated stretching guru who just looks at me and says - you need a psoas release. :-) Thank goodness for both of these people. I am sure I would not be walking if it weren't for both of them! <br /><br />And, to add insult to injury, my health insurance PPO is changing as of January 1 so that Dr. P and the entire system in Vail will be out of network for me. Lovely, huh? It won't stop me from heading back out to see him but I will need to put some extra cash in the bank to finance it. I am also working on a potential plan to visit someone in Vancouver who I have on good authority has helped another hip patient who was struggling a bit. I'll keep you posted on that one - thanks Kelly!!<br /><br />The recovery continues. I remain hopeful that my left will match my right sometime very soon!!<br /><br />Stay tuned.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-84951720323024574732010-09-05T13:25:00.004-06:002010-09-14T13:35:16.557-06:00What is "normal"?Status update -- it's been a little over a month since the shot in my left hip flexor and I am back in physical therapy once a week and i have been doing all of my assigned exercises as instructed. My lower back is still KILLING me. I have a hard knot in my lower left back that seems to get much worse when my psoas is tight (ok so almost always) and I still don't feel like I can live "normally". Normally to me means being able to get out and walk and do the things that I want. I avoid situations now that will require any sort of distance walking since that will almost always cause a flare up. I rode my bike last week and I really tried to go slowly. It's just that, it's impossible for me to do anything halfway. I love speed and I love to push myself so I was not the best when I got off of the bike. Lower back was tight and my hip flexor was a little wound up too. Then over the weekend, I did lots of walking and again, my lower back screamed. In fact, the screaming was so loud that it required a night of Vicodin to quiet it. Ugh!! I thought for sure I was headed to full blown muscle spasms but somehow I managed to thwart them. My hip flexor is not nearly as painful but I still seem to be suffering from lower back issues. <br /><br />Which leads me to the title of this post -- will i ever really be able to do things without limitation? I was born with bad hips and I am 51 years old. It seems that there just simply HAS to be consequences with other body parts from 50 years of walking incorrectly. As I have been talking to numerous people (doing my own informal research), I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that, even though my hip is fixed, I may not be. I suspect that years of walking incorrectly have taken a toll on my spine and the muscles may indeed be tightening to try to help some discs that aren't quite right anymore. It scares me!!<br /><br />I am going to try to head back out to Vail before the end of the year and see Dr. Philippon again. It's definitely a question that I want to discuss with him. I hear from more and more patients that don't seem to have 100% success with their hips. Athletes bounce back quickly but the chronic sufferers seem to have slower or lesser results. Is this because there are other factors at work? Did my right hip surgery feel so successful because I was younger? Did I let my left hip go to long thereby exacerbating what was already being injured from a bum hip? More questions than answers really but it's been on my mind a lot these days. <br /><br />I seem to be fine and feel better when I limit my physical activities. Can I tell you how much I hate that and just how much that scares me??? I had big plans to schedule a canyoneering trip and plan a great backpacking adventure. If I thought about this too long, I might burst into tears so I keep hope alive and remain thinking positively. Ugh!!!<br /><br />Sorry for the downer post today and I really promise to post again the next time I have a good day and feel great! :-)Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-52888414303360117062010-08-11T07:53:00.002-06:002010-08-11T08:39:00.325-06:00One Week AP (after Philippon)It's been one week since I saw Dr. Philippon and got the shot. I guess in some ways, I think Dr. Philippon is capable of nothing short of a miracle. :-) If I had to admit it, deep down inside I always think that my hip will be better just by the fact that Dr. Philippon looked at it. <br /><br />So, I have been diligently doing all of my assigned PT exercises - 2 times per day in fact. I think I can feel my gluteus medius getting stronger as I write this. HA!! Maybe it's the placebo effect of being at Howard Head and having the physical therapy team tell me that they think I can solve this through exercise and stretching but I actually do feel the tiniest bit better. I went for a walk last night and worked in my garden a little and wasn't in excruciating pain so I think that's an improvement. I am cautiously optimistic I will say. I am still having lower back pain but that could be from what I found out last week is, "narrowing joint space in my lower spine". Ugh!!! <br /><br />And, under the category of, "when it rains; it pours", I came home from Colorado to find my toilet in my 1/2 bath leaking. The plumber was out yesterday and reported that, when the previous owners put in the hardwood floors, the toilet was not set properly and that is has been leaking for some time. I need to call a contractor to check my subfloor and get my hardwood floor replaced. That, of course, after I call my insurance agent. Ugh!!! And, on top of everything else, I am starting a pretty intense travel schedule for work. Great!! There may not be a toilet in there for some time to come. <br /><br />And, lastly, for all of my fellow hip pain sufferers - I bought a memory foam mattress topper for my bed - 3" thick - because I was having so much trouble getting comfortable at night to sleep. I found that if I stayed in one place too long, I would wake up from the pain. I am pleased to report - NO MORE! I love this thing. No more waking up and I am pretty sure that I don't move much at all during the night. It is marvelous. It provides a perfect cushion and I no longer feel the pressure of lying on a hip or a stiff back from lying too long on my back. I can highly recommend it. I bought mine at Sam's Club but I have seen them at Costco and online at Overstock.com. If you are having trouble sleeping, it could be the best $150 you ever spent.<br /><br />On a completely different note, it's going to be 96 here today with another day of a heat advisory. I am so over this!!! It's so humid that the windows are wet on my house. There is no end in sight and it's making me more than a bit crabby. I looked at the calendar today and instead of lamenting the fact that summer is almost over, I considered doing my happy dance. Bring on fall!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-13047492945262481082010-08-04T17:25:00.002-06:002010-08-04T18:06:19.364-06:00My Day in VailSo here it was - THE day. I arrived at Howard Head to have LJ do my strength assessment. She didn't make any significant comments to me but I could definitely feel that I had some weak areas. Then off to Lindsay for physical therapy. Weak (very weak) gluteus medius. Yikes -- I was in big trouble for that. She prescribed two specific exercises to strengthen those. Also found that my hip flexors are inflamed! Painfully inflamed. Adductors a little tight and grouchy but Lindsay attributes both of those to the fact that I have weak glute meds. Ok, ok. . . i'm on the program!<br /><br />Next it was off to the Steadman Hawkins mri. I have never done an mri in my life without valium. I hate, dread, abhor, freak out at and generally dislike being enclosed. MRI's are especially bad for me. But there I was lying down on the slider without any artificial courage. I asked for some reggae music to be played thinking that would send me to my Jamaica vacation memories. What I had forgotten is that the MRI is so loud it's hard to hear anything let alone music. I had a slight panic attack when they slid me in but then I opened my eyes and realized that my head was actually almost out the other end. I love being 5'10"!! I was able to relax and calm down and it was over before i knew it. Whew!<br /><br />Now, my favorite part - I had about an hour and a half before my dr appointment so I headed into Vail village and had a fabulous lunch at La Bottega. Sat outside on the patio and enjoyed a perfectly beautiful day in the village. A little shoe shopping after lunch made my walk back to Vail Valley Medical all the more pleasant. <br /><br />Now for the scary but much anticipated piece - seeing Dr. Philippon. I don't think I have said this for awhile - I LOVE Dr. Philippon - not in the freaky stalker way but in the he is one of the coolest people I know way. He is truly interested in listening and figuring out what works well and what doesn't work and how to constantly improve. I trust him completely, 100% and can't imagine what my life would be like if I had never found him. I am eternally grateful to my hip dr in Indy who sent me to him in 2003. <br /><br />Anyway, I digress. Dr. Philippon looked at my MRI and was relieved to see that there are no adhesions (scar tissue) impeding my recovery. Everything looked good but there was indication of inflammation in my hip flexors. We discussed my psoas and I told him of my trials and tribulations with it over the winter. Time for examination - up on the table and poking on the hip flexors. VERY TENDER . . .OUCH!!! So, to make a very long story short - he decided that the best course for me was a shot of Kenalog directly into the hip flexor, wait 3 months and if no improvement, back to surgery to do a psoas release. He explained that he just completed a new study over the weekend and found a correlation between the angle of the femoral head in the socket and the psoas. Apparently I am one of the lucky ones that is not "normal" and could have an issue with it. And, the best part, apparently he is well versed in the art of giving shots. No pain, no wincing, no wailing and no cursing. I barely noticed that he had given me a shot. Whew!! The part I was dreading most was nothing!<br /><br />So, what do I feel? Relief and nervous anticipation of what the next 3 months bring. I am headed to physical therapy tomorrow for a new regimen which will include lots of pool time. I am 100% committed to doing everything I can to avoid surgery although I think Dr. Philippon believes that will be the eventual outcome. Ugh!!! Third time's a charm??? <br /><br />Dinner at Montauk's tonite - 1/2 price martini and raw bar. I'll drown my sorrows, adjust my attitude and forge on. Apparently this journey is not over yet.<br /><br />But, if I have to be on this journey, there is no place I would rather be than Vail, Colorado and NO ONE that I would trust my recovery to than Dr. Philippon!!<br /><br />Cheers!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-37550450167568073302010-08-02T09:13:00.003-06:002010-08-02T09:23:27.569-06:00My happy placeFt Collins, Colorado. Maybe a little too touristy, college(y) and busy but a fabulous place nonetheless. Had a fantastic steak dinner in Loveland last night, brewery tours on tap (no pun intended) today and no big plans for the evening. I am amazed at the peaceful feeling that comes over me as soon as I see the big sky and the mountains. I absolutely love it here and must figure out a way to live here someday. It's definitely my happy place. <br /><br />I usually get an altitude headache the moment I arrive in Colorado. Thankfully (knock on wood) I have escaped so far. I am hoping that I can spend a few days at 5,000 feet, acclimatize and then head to higher country in Vail with no ill effects. <br /><br />I am dying to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park but know that is not to be on this trip. Grrrrrrr<br /><br />Feeling rested, relaxed and ready to tackle whatever comes on Wednesday. Of course, it's Monday and I am only faced with which beer to taste and whether to plan a light dinner so I can have ice cream later. I love this!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-51579710636760721442010-07-29T13:11:00.002-06:002010-07-29T13:29:50.965-06:00Countdown to ColoradoTwo days until I leave. As I was packing some items earlier today, I thought back to last year when I was trying to pack to leave home for 7 weeks. It's so much easier to pack for only a week!! :-) It also brought back lots of memories of my time in Vail after surgery and I cannot wait to get back there!! Looking forward to dinner at Sweet Basil and/or Montauk's and wandering through Vail village. And, of course, I am going to have to spend some time at my favorite brewpub in Edwards. Funny how the bad memories fade and we are left with only the good ones, huh? I have almost completely forgotten about sleeping with my feet bound together, the foot pumps and the hip brace. <br /><br />A little time in Ft Collins, Rocky Mountain National Park and then Vail. The mountains in the summer - the only place to be. Can't wait!!! I will really look forward to the day when this hip issue is completely resolved and I am writing about the backpacking trip out of Durango that I am planning or the canyoneering trip to Utah or the million other things that I want to do.<br /><br />As I write, the sound of Willie Nelson singing, "on the road again" is playing in my head. It's for a week; it doesn't seem nearly long enough. Seven weeks may sound like too long but 1 week surely isn't long enough.<br /><br />Looking forward to seeing my "second family" at Howard Head and catching up on their lives. <br /><br />NOT looking forward to the shots. <br /><br />Looking forward to seeing Dr. Philippon and finding out his expert opinion on this whole hip thing. And, looking forward to putting together an action plan. I am tired of sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to get better.<br /><br />Will continue to post on my progress . . . the good, the bad and the ugly. I am hoping for more good, less bad and absolutely no ugly. We'll see how that works out for me.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-45678540138005782062010-07-26T20:23:00.002-06:002010-07-26T20:33:30.815-06:00Groundhog DayEver see the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. He has to repeat every day until he "gets it right". I'm pretty sure I am stuck in the same movie. Every day, I get up and diligently perform my psoas stretches and think that back pain will magically disappear. It doesn't. In fact, I was on the verge of more back spasms this week because I had the nerve to take a walk and work in my garden. Ugh!! <br /><br />So, just about 1 week until I see Dr. Philippon. I was texting today with physical therapy and getting my "team" in place for next week. I am excited and anxious all at the same time. Can't wait to see Dr. P and hear his assessment of my hip situation. Nervous about the shot(s) but anxious to get on with it so I can get back to my regularly scheduled life. :-)<br /><br />Have steeled myself for the potential of a third surgery but remain optimistic that the shots and physical therapy will be able to remedy the situation. Am anxious to get back to my workouts without pain. <br /><br />Looking so forward to Vail in the summer!! Want to have dinner at Sweet Basil or Montauk's and walk through the village without wincing or feeling hip instability. Hoping that Lindsay and i can hook up for dinner and catch up on each other's lives and enjoy a little of what Vail has to offer in the summer. <br /><br />Feeling terribly optimistic tonite and looking forward to seeing Dr. Philippon and his staff. I know I am in the best hands possible and will be back on track to living my life again. <br /><br />Let the journey begin!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503054469920983514.post-11063948435364812842010-07-06T11:41:00.002-06:002010-07-06T11:56:32.873-06:00Independence DayBut not for me. I was feeling pretty good this weekend. No hip pain and things seemed normal. I was so confident that I even went for a long walk. Wow, I thought, no hip pain, a little lower back pain but maybe that's because I haven't been walking for awhile. So, I turned to head back home and was actually fantasizing about how I might have been working out too much which contributed to my earlier hip pain and now that I had actually taken some time off maybe it had healed itself. In fact, I went so far as to think if maybe I should call Dr. Philippon's office and talk to them about cancelling or postponing my August appointment. And, while I was off in la-la land, I even thought about not cancelling my appointment and simply going to Colorado to do a little hiking. <br /><br />Wake-up call for April. . . yes, it's your hip and you aren't doing any such thing. No go . . . by the time I got home, the pain was back in full force including the pain down the inside of my left thigh and the lower back tightness and tenderness. Ugh!!! Even as I tried to sleep last night, it kept reminding me how foolish I had been for even thinking that I had self-cured. Nope!!! <br /><br />Today - still tenderness in my inside thigh and my back is killing me. Back to the psoas stretch twice a day instead of once and limiting my activity. Do you know how much it pains me to write, "limiting my activity"? This was supposed to be my independence year -- no more hip pain allowing me to plan one adventure after another. ugh!! My adventure this summer is a trip to Colorado to see Dr. Philippon for a diagnosis on my hip. :-(<br /><br />I am not feeling especially optimistic today and hate to wish my life away but am anxiously awaiting August 4 to hear the plan of attack. I do, however, know in my heart of hearts that if anyone can figure this out and make it work, it's Dr. Philippon. And, spending some time in the mountains in August isn't the worst thing in the world. I just wish it were sooner rather than later. I am not the most patient person in the world. <br /><br />So, it's back to my summer reading list instead of the mountain bike or road bike. Limited amounts of time in the kayak and wishing for August 4.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18071202151997134932noreply@blogger.com6