Going With The Flow

Well, I figured that I should put up an update. Unfortunately my hip is not doing well. I've restricted my activities to a mere 30 minute leisure bike ride every day and one ski day a week. No walking, no running, no other activities from the core down. It's very frustrating and it seems like surgery is becoming a real possibility.

I have contacted the top hip doctors in the nation that accept my insurance and currently have appointments in NY, CA, IL, and almost TN. I am waiting on a couple more doctors to get back to me, and my plan is to go to the doctor that has an opening the soonest. Right now I'm at April 30 just for an appointment (then another 4-6 weeks of waiting if surgery is recommended). This is so frustrating because I might be in the same situation for another 2-3 months. Obviously I'm calling most days to see if anything has opened up and trying to play every card in the books. We'll see...I know two months doesn't seem like a long time, but it seems like forever when you've already been hurt for 8 months and only need 20 minutes with one of these doctors. I will be so relieved when this is all over!

Well, I officially have an appointment with Dr. Byrd in Nashville on April 29th. I had to make quite a few phone calls and emails, but I finally got an appointment with him within a reasonable amount of time. He is considered one of the best hip doctors in the nation, so I have high hopes the he can at least give me a diagnosis and direction. The day will consist of an evaluation with him, new MRI, discuss the MRI and options with him, and physical therapy. That weekend is also the Country Music Half + Full Marathon, Jimmy Buffet concert, and I'll get to see my family. So it'll be good no matter what happens with the doctor!

I did talk to Dr. Eric Smith today (top diagnostic radiologist) who was willing to look at my current images because a friend called in a favor on my behalf. He talked to me for about 15 minutes and basically said that everything looked good, if not great. My hip joint looked good - no signs of damage in the labrum, cartilage, surrounding tissue. No indications of nerve entrapments or abdominal tears, no damage on the iliopsoas tendon, no signs of any type of hernia. So good news, bad news. It doesn't seem like I have any damage, but it's all still a mystery. The huge caveat is that these images were taken in September and it's now April. Has something changed? I guess the new MRI with Dr. Byrd might give me that answer.

What a crazy mess! Does anyone have magic healing potion?!

For those that are running and want to get faster - start doing uphill sprints!! 2% improvement in a 5K over 6 weeks based on this study.

Got so pumped up watching the Boston Marathon this morning and am so proud of all those than ran today! Congrats to everyone :)

I can't wait to be able to run again...it'll be so much fun and I'm looking forward to it so much. It's hard to give up your passion for a while. I need to get back at it soon or else Jake is going to kill me for getting too involved in his training! Two weeks until I see the doctor, and I'm not leaving until he figures out what's wrong!!!

One week until I see the hip specialist in Nashville.

I'm feeling better and worse at the same time. Since I stopped walking/running almost completely, many of my symptoms have settled down. However, the groin pain and the deep gluteal pain seem to have intensified. Thankfully, I have been able to bike at an easy pace which has been a mental life-saver as of lately.

I am very nervous that this doctor won't find anything wrong. It's a valid concern, considering the number of doctors I have been to in the last 9 months now. I just hope he's as good as his reputation is. I would really love to do some fun trips this summer/fall where I can hike, bike, run...get back to the good 'ol days when I would go for a early morning run, ski all day, go mountain biking, then finish off with another run and collapse from exhaustion. So fun. I would take just a 4 mile horsepark comfort run too :)