That is really the only relevant question at this point. After this last flare up in which I was literally bed-ridden for 36hours while my family was visiting I have just flat-out had it with my right hip (and possibly my left if it doesn't start behaving again). I had been doing decently well for close to three weeks and then just as soon as I resumed some PT and strengthening of my pathetic atrophied glute muscles I got slammed with a massive flare-up the started on Wednesday around 4pm and didn't let up until Saturday afternoon. Consequently, I missed my sister's college graduation and dinner and was hopped up on pain killers for most of the time my family was in town. This is the situation that I cannot live with anymore -- not being able to plan even a week in advance because I don't know how my hip will respond and whether it will freak out on me. In two years I've yet to have a visit with my family in which I wasn't gimping around in pain. I'm really not asking for alot here -- just some consistency and the ability to plan a weekend trip or a vacation without worrying about trip insurance and change fees. I had a moment of clarity while I was sobering up from my 48-hrs of Tramadol-induced haze and I decided that I am DONE with this situation - I need a permanent solution and not a temporary patch. This isn't any way to live popping painkillers and anti-inflammatories like candy on a daily basis. Not when there is a solution out there that is much more reliable than my native hip. I don't care if I feel marginally better in 3 months. I don't care if I can ride a bike or snowshoe for an hour or swim. I don't care if I have days that are relatively pain free here and there. And I really don't care if I am in my 30s and setting off metal detectors. I won't ever be able to return to any real level of activity on my current hip not to mention have a child and live a comfortable, engaging life and I see no reason to prolong the inevitable and wait it out until I am older and even less active.
And so I am gearing up for Round Number 3. I've thought seriously about going abroad given the cost and experience of the surgeons. Traveling 12 hours to Belgium or even 24 to Chennai, India to get my life back and be out of pain seems entirely worth it at this point in this saga. April will be the two-year anniversary of this ordeal -- what started out as a sports injury and is now a full-blown disability - and let's hope that April 2010 becomes a new kind of anniversary.
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2 comments:
Sorry to hear all this.... what you say makes complete sense-- you're still young, you need to take it to the next level, get this shit taken care of.
The arthritis issue for hip resurfacing is only a slight concern I have found out--- it should not preclude you from getting a BHR.
You should also check out Rogerson in Madison WI. According to Cory Foulk, he's the best in the US. Incidentally, you should email Cory-- he's full of good info. Let me know and I'll get his email to you.
Hang in there Amy!
I read your comments in the runnersworld forum, and happened across this blog, which seemed really familiar, then I pieced it together. What a nightmare. :(
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