The Trip to the Hip

And in the beginning……

About nine years ago I ran the 2000 LA Marathon as a way of thumbing my nose at entering my 40’s. “Ha! Age is just a number!” And now nine years later Karma said, “Yep, you’re right! And your number’s up!”

I continued running and weight training. Then a  little nagging pain in my right hip appeared, but I workout hard and am used to being sore so I figured that’s all it was.  It went away……  For many years.

Four years ago my boyfriend and I were vacationing in Hawaii.  We ran together in the mornings (He’s kind enough to patronize me and pretend my pace is exercise for him.) During these runs the pain increased enough that I would have to stop and walk a bit and then run again.  I was miserable on the plane ride home.  It hurt so much to sit in those “roomy” econo-class seats. I knew something was wrong.

It would keep me up at night shifting my body to find a position that wasn’t painful.  It didn’t bother me standing up or walking, but running was definitely OUT.

Finally went to the doctor.

1st visit to Sports Medicine - “It’s periformis syndrome” = physical therapy for several weeks

2nd follow-up visit = “Lets give you a cortisone shot into your hip joint, and maybe we should order and MRI, just to see.” = shot and trip to radiology and a LONG wait for results so I asked my doctor sister to peek. She calls saying “Oh the news isn’t good about your hip….”

3rd visit to Orthopedics = “You have AVN, You’re femur is dying,

You need hip replacement NOW!” = Huh? Why does the brochure about the procedure have grey-haired people pictured? Go take x-rays.

4th visit to second opinion = “Nah it’s not AVN. It’s osteoarthritis.

You can wait on surgery until you’re tired of the pain, but you’ll need it eventually.” = OK now who do I believe?

5th visit to first ortho doctor = Dr: looking at old x-ray “You have Osteoarthritis”

Me:”What, you told me I had AVN the last time I was here?

Dr: ” I said that?”

6th visit for third opinion = “Osteoarthritis it is, but you also have it in  your lower lumbar area so some of the pain may come from there. Let’s inject the joint with lidocain and see how much pain is left.  That would be from your back.

7th visit to x-ray for injection = a little topical numbing then a HUGE needle inserted through my thigh and into the actual joint. Pain free later? Sort-of…..

8th visit to follow up on injection = Scheduling for surgery. Summer? Nope all booked. October. Dang need a long term substitute and LOTS of logistical planning at home. Pain in the ass……. HA! little did I know.

9th visit to lab for pre-op screening= urine, blood, ekg = UTI, low potassium and a normal heart rate (like I didn’t know that) = antibiotics and potassium pills.

10th visit to Hip Class = “Here’s a tool for pulling up your pants. Here’s a tool for putting on socks. Here’s a tool for washing your legs. No bending more then 90 degrees at waist, no crossing legs, no crossing ankles, for 3 months after surgery or you can dislocate your new hip. Have a good day!”

Now all that was left was to find someone to drive my kids to and from school for 4 months, make lesson plans for the sub, stock the house with supplies, get insurance papers, advanced directive and trust fund in order (just in case) Get into the gym as much as possible before I sit on my butt for 4 months turning marshmallow…….

Finally the night before surgery…………..