2500 pounds of shingles….

Let me start by saying I HAVE AMAZING PARENTS!!!!

I’ve lived in my house for 8 years….and when I bought it my dad and I discussed how it needed a new roof.  Well, my dad decided that last week was a good week to take off work and get started on putting a new roof on my house!  Don’t get me wrong, I am SO THANKFUL that he is, but moving 2500 pounds of shingles to the dump definitely put a strain on my hip!

(this is what I came home from work to on Friday….and this is just half of it!)

So, with my moms help we moved all of these shingles into a wheel barrow, into the truck, and then to the dump!  It took 3 loads (and we have one more load, but the dump closes at 3pm on Saturday) and 2500 pounds later, but we got it all cleaned up.  My dad is still finishing the roof (or at least the half that he’s doing this weekend), but it was a very full weekend!!!  Let’s just say I’m happy that I have a dry needling appointment on Tuesday!!

5 month follow-up….Repeat CT results!

My 3D CT scan was October 5th and Thursday I had my follow-up with Dr. Ellis to discuss the results.  My appointment was at 8am, so I had to leave home by 6:45am….it was an EARLY day for me (but I was able to make it in to work by 10am).

Dr. Ellis came into my exam room around 8:30am.  He apologized for being late, but he said he was comparing all of my scans and images.  He asked me how I was doing and what my current symptoms were.  He had me get up on the exam table and moved my leg through ROM.  He asked a few very specific questions about my leg in flexion.  Yep, that’s were my problem is (especially sitting)!  He then took me out to look at my scans (I wish I would’ve taken a picture of my 3D images, but my mind was elsewhere!).  He explained what he thought was going on.

He feels that I have an extra-articular impingement.  That means my Iliac Spine is sticking out further than it should be and it’s getting in the way during flexion.  He also thinks that there is likely some scar tissue and adhesions that are causing problems.  We went back in to the exam room and he broke the news to me that he feels I need a revision to remove the excess bone and clean up the scar tissue/adhesions.  So, my revision is scheduled for December 22nd!

(not my scans….I took this from a powerpoint presentation on AIIS)

So, for the next 66 days I am going to allow myself to do what I can tolerate because I’ll be down for the count again come December!

How I Got Here…

My hip journey started back in April of 2015.

I mowed my lawn for the first time this past spring and I could barely walk the next day.  I saw my trusted PT (who I’ve seen off and on for the last 6 years for back issues) who thought it could all be related to a labral tear.  He referred me to a local Orthopedic Surgeon.  He did the same tests my PT did and agreed that there was possibly a labral tear and he ordered a MRA.  The MRA said it was suspicious for a nondetached labral tear.  My follow-up with the local OS ended with him referring me to a Hip Preservationist in Columbus, Dr. Thomas Ellis.

I saw Dr. Ellis on May 6th.  We discussed my symptoms, he checked my hip ROM/strength/etc, and looked at my images (MRA and x-rays) and determined that I had Femoracetabular impingement (CAM) and labral tear.  He felt I needed a hip arthoroscopy to repair the tear and shave off the bone spur.  I had this done on May 28th.  I did relatively well post op until my 6 week follow up when I had a significant flare up in my adductors.  Dr. Ellis kept me off work an additional 4 weeks and backed off my PT program to see if we could get it to quiet down.  At 11 weeks I was doing well and returned to work.  BAD NEWS…..work and I did not agree.  I flared up again, badly.  I was set to see my PA at 4 months, but ended up contacting her 2 weeks before my appointment (by recommendation of my PT) to see about getting a steroid taper to see if we could get my inflammation to calm down.  We did a 10 day taper with no relief.  I saw Tiffany (PA) on September 14th and she felt I needed an intraarticular injection to determine if the pain was truly coming from the joint.  Once I had the injection I was to call her back and report.  After my injection my pain reduced by about 50% for an hour thanks to the lidocaine.  So, at that point Tiffany talked to Dr. Ellis and a repeat 3D CT scan was ordered.

Next post I’ll share with you the results of my follow-up with Dr. Ellis!