Denouement

Pain 0-2 during the day, with spikes during nap, in bed at night spikes up to 5 (five is when grunting and involuntary moaning from pain happens). 

I had the worst night of sleep in a while (I didn't take ambien).  I tried sleeping on my right side, since my IT bank on my left side hurts from always sleeping on it.  It doesn't hurt being on that side, but it HURTS to change position.  I dreamt I ran a marathon very slowly, and Sasha and that red head dude in MikeMC's picture (can't remember his name) both saw me when they were in mile 22 and I was like at mile 13 and they were trying to cheer me up ("you're doing great! total time is only 2:19 so far!"). I kept taking detours.

Day 33 withouth running

Day 22 on crutches

Day 20 on

Day 10 on bone stimulator

Pain about the same as when I got on the crutches - highly irritating.  I have an appt with Dr. McLane.  My questions for her will be:

1) Can I be healing if I feel the same as when I got on crutches?

2) Can we see the health of the cartilage in the MRI images?

3) Are we missing something?

4) Can I sleep on my right side?

5) Should I be in a full body cast?

6) Should I get off crutches even if my pain is gone?

7) What can I do to stop atrophy (mention involuntary stretches of legs)?

8) Could my hamstring be causing issues (mention increase in hamstring symptoms with no activity)?

9) Should I stay away from mild massage in my glutteal area?

10) If this is just a stress reaction, shouldn't it be healed already?

Last night was better.  Some pain but not as bad.  Pain in ham higher than SI (4 vs 3).

Some pain getting out of bed and dressed (1-2).

No pain midday.

Walked 5 minutes on treadmill barefoot at 2:30pm, holding some of my weight with my arms, though that started to hurt my hands.  Worked up to 2.2 pace.  Gait highly uneven.  Some soreness in ham during but none in SI area, neither during nor up to now.  Also no pain getting in and out of bed (except in hamstring).

Answers from Dr. McLane below:

1) Can I be healing if I feel the same as when I got on crutches? Yes, they probably weren't ask helpful as we hoped but since my spikes in pain are decreasing with each inflammation cycle there is hope that I have healed some in the last three weeks.

2) Can we see the health of the cartilage in the MRI images? Not usually, she gave me a reference to a neurological surgeon, who will give me a consult, hopefully in a month, if I still am not mending.

3) Are we missing something? There may be an unevenness in my legs, which haven't been clinically found.  She had me go to radiology and see if they can find a leg difference in imaging.  My right orthotic had a bigger heel than my left based off dynamic and static images of the pressure my feet put on a pad back in the spring of 08, then I started using the orthotics in June 08, and my hamstring and SI injuries ensued (but so did my highest training ever). I should get the results tomorrow.

4) Can I sleep on my right side? Yes, so long there's no pain I can sleep any which way.

5) Should I be in a full body cast? She laughed, though I don't see what's so funny.  I reiterated that I was ready for a full body cast if it would guarantee healing.  She said instead I need to go four weeks without any crosstraining.  So that's what I'll do.  Let the sloth and indolence continue.

6) Should I get off crutches even if my pain isn't gone? Yes, do the 5 minutes walking test to see what pain follows, then she was fine getting off the crutches cold turkey, but that sounds dangerous to me.  Since I am so conservative :) I will allow myself to go to toilet at night without crutches if I don't get a lot of pain tonight, then I'll allow myself to do short walking spells tomorrow without them.  Thursday night we have guests for dinner, so I'll do my longest stint without them during the dinner hour.

7) What can I do to stop atrophy (mention involuntary stretches of legs)? n/a will start using legs again, at least to walk around.

8) Could my hamstring be causing issues (mention increase in hamstring symptoms with no activity)? definitely, have Steve Orrock focus on trying to calm the ham down once and for all

9) Should I stay away from mild massage in my glutteal area? no, soft tissue work and even stretches should be fine, it shouldn't cause issues with healing.

10) If this is just a stress reaction, shouldn't it be healed already?I kind of knew the answer to this one already, because it's in an area of my body that is always being used (getting in and out of bed and the car, on and off the toilet).  Thus my argument for the full body cast.

So hopefully I'll be off the crutches by the end of the week, which would be a huge blessing.  To be able to carry toys, clothes, trash with me as I walk around the house.  To be able to cook and clean.  I don't like cleaning, but I will appreciate the ability to do it now (at least for a while).  Like I have said before--God has to use a big stick with me. 

No pain getting out of bed in morning, no pain in the middle of the day, with the exception of getting out of the car once, and when scooting on table when laying on my back at the PT.  No pain in bed during naptime. Pain in bed when went to bed, 3-4 level.  Dang.

PT: focused on hamstring and glute.  Discussed getting off crutches and Steve thinks I should get off gradually over the next week.  He gave me some exercises to do to help me get off my crutches since my attempts at walking demonstrate I am not ready to get rid of crutches cold turkey.   Exercises are doing a walking motion, right foot and crutches step forward and step back, gradually allowing my leg to have full weight.  Less jarring than just walking around my house.  Did each foot 15 times.  Did it again at night.  I did way too much cleaning in the afternoon, enough to make the bottom of my left foot positively ache.

last night(to/from kitchen-couch 4 times), show I am a total grampa.  My ham hurt when walking, felt stiff and like I had no power in right side. No pain in SI when walking.

No pain this morning, other than a spike of 1-2 getting out of bed (so far).  

Stepping exercises: morning, midday, evening, first set no pain in ham or anywhere else.  By evening some soreness in ham and right IT band by hip, and gluteal area (mild) but no sharp pains all day, nor at naptime, nor at night.  Encouraging.

Feeling golden.  Ham is feeling stronger.  I do little steps without crutches, have been all week, and today feels the most natural.  I will still be on crutches for all most all of the day.

Had a chat with the tens unit dealer, he guided me to program it for the best settings for my injury yesterday, so I started using it again yesterday again.

Day 37 - no running

Day 25 - Gluclosamine and calcium supplements

Day 15 Bone stimulator

Day 7 - no crosstraining

Stepping exercises: Morning and evening.

Walked to and from my printer at work 4 times, other small walking stints throughout the day. Felt some pain in my right hip area, on the outside, like an IT band issue. Able to roll in bed without pain, except soreness in IT band and right ham.

Man, I am struggling so well :)

Legs felt good when I woke up.  No pain.  Some really low level soreness in the whole area.  I hope to be off the crutches fully by Monday.