Friday, September 30, 2011

One Year Anniversary #2

Just a 'very' quick note to remark that yesterday was my official One Year Anniversary for Right Hip Surgery aka surgery #2. So that makes my officially post one year mark on both hips!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

One Year Anniversary!! & Medical Mysteries Finally Solved

Tomorrow is my One Year Anniversary of my first surgery, Left Hip Arthroscopy.
It has been a long road but I'm happy to say this year has been MUCH easier than last! Phew, no more living in chronic pain! I am able to do yoga, biking, elliptical, pilates and the occasional jog and next week plan on starting high impact water aerobics again. YAY!

Also since it has been just over THREE years since my injuries occurred and this whole mystery began, it is fitting that a rheumatologist of all specialists finally solves all my medical mysteries! Turns out I am hypermobile. This means the connective tissues that hold me together are lax and move more or too easily, putting me in a position to both move easier but also get injured more easily. Flexibility over stability. It's great to finally have answers, of course that DOES mean I can still be injured. But we can't stop living so I will cross that bridge if I encounter it.
For now I'm just trying to get back into a workout routine and be thankful that my surgeries were a success.

I am possibly a mild case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome, although from what I hear that are only four places in the US that can diagnose the latter. The Marfan possibility I found particularly intriguing because it explains several other maladies I have including:

-being the tallest in my family
-Degenerative disk disease
-Deviated septum
-Hypermobility of the joints
-Myopia (near sightedness)
-Mitral valve prolapse
-Retinal detachment (not yet but I have multiple floaters & flashes)
-Stretch marks not from pregnancy or obesity
-Teeth crowded
-Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)

Being that its hereditary it would explain why my father had sleep apnea and a fatal cataclysmic heart anuerism when he was 47.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Pilates!

Phew lunchtime Pilates with ann-marie just kicked my behind! First time back at that since surgeries. Tight and toned here we come!

Friday, June 3, 2011

8/10 Month Update

Ok I know its been several months since I've updated. I guess that's a sign that I'm doing better! After being discharged I activated my free 30 day membership at hot yoga and was back in it! If it weren't for a stupid bout of vertigo I would have gone more. If it's not one thing it's another, right? Anyway this/last weekend marks my 10 Month anniversary for my left hip surgery and 8 months for my right. Not bad! I can actually say they don't bother me on a daily basis and that regular yoga is really helping. Although I did try to go for an albeit one minute jog and my SI joint was screaming so not sure what else Im quite ready for yet. Even a few nights out with heels have passed the test. So we shall see! Onward and upward!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

After six months in physical therapy, I am officially discharged!! Woohoo!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

yoga

I used to do hot/moksha yoga up to 3x per week and loved it! I really miss it and know my sitting in a chair all day working, then in the car commuting, then on the couch watching tv, is not good. So I decided to try to EASE my way back in to a little stretching. I pulled out this ancient yoga video I had which I favor because it was filmed on my favorite beach in Maui and decided to give it a try. I've done it twice now so far and think it is really helping! I cant believe how stiff both hips are, definitely need to get back into moving them around.

In honor of my hawaiian vacation

SINGLE ROW LUCITE CHOKER
$70 - tarinatarantino.com
Cord necklace »

Benedict
$390 - barneys.com


blue hawaiian
intoxicologist.wordpress.com


Friday, February 4, 2011

Strike a Nerve

So after my check up with the doctor he is unsure what is causing the continued pain the left hip (now 6 months post op) and hasnt even ever heard of the heat in the feet sensation. He recommends I get an EMG, nerve conduction study done. Im continuing PT and starting some new exercises, actually got to try the elliptical for 5 minutes, watch out! Funny part is immediately after that the heat sensation switched back to my right foot! Now its over there again, strange!

Vacation & other updates

Well its been an exciting few weeks recently. The interarticular hip steroid injection did not help. It would have temporarily relieved the pain Im experiencing in the left hip if the pain was originating from inside the hip. Considering that as soon as I left the facility and got in my car, that same, bucket seat, seatbelt area side of the hip pain was there...means its something else.....Im guessing pinched nerves.

The night prior to my long awaited Hawaiian vacation Im running around packing my luggage and decide to well kneel down and sit on my heels to pack, innocent enough right? Well upon standing I felt a peculiar tightness on the outside of my left knee, almost like a kink in a hose. It didnt go away and soon became weak and hard to stand on. Within hours I was unable to sleep and in excruciating extreme pain. The area on the outside of my left knee felt like I had ripped cartilage or worse.

It felt heavy, weak and I could barely move it much less stand on it. The muscles around it were tight like cement and bubbling like a hot stew. I was terrified! When ice only made it worse I tried heat, that was slightly better. Luckily I had some left over muscle relaxants but nothing seemed to work for a span of approx 12 hours until suddenly, after sitting through a 5 hr plane ride, it let up.

I of course avoided any crouching, kneeling, sitting on my legs the rest of the trip and it did not return but i DID continue to have a hot burning sensation intermittently down the front of my left thigh and the heat sensation on/off in my left foot.

Fortunately I was able to enjoy my vacation, and even got a little water time!

Monday, January 24, 2011

ROM

The good news is my latest evaluation at pt revealed I have full range of motion now in both hips! The not so good news is Ive been in pt now about 6 mos and my left hip is nowhere near the recovery it should be supposedly. So I have another MRA scheduled in a few weeks. Im kinda hoping I will have a miraculous recovery and not have to go through with it, but I have a suspicion something isnt quite right with the first surgery. Perhaps its just irritation, nerve something or muscular, all which would not require more surgery. Although the possibility always exists that the surgery could have failed or another tear developed, etc etc. Guess only time will tell. At least I have standardized full motion back. Certainly not the level of motion Im accustomed too having been a hot yoga junkie, but some day I'll get back to that....

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Heat in the Feet

A strange phenonmenon I have to share for those of you out there experiencing the same. After my right hip surgery I had a week or so where I would get sudden heat sensations in my right foot. They would last about 10 seconds and occur throughout the day. Although they weren't painful it was quite odd considering my usual other problem is my toes going totally numb when standing or walking.

Three days ago this started to occur again but this time on my left side. Same scenario. It feels like I just put my foot in hot water temporarily. I guess its nerves, although any time I mention it at PT or to anyone else they look at me with a blank stare.

I have found others with this same issue, here are their comments....
-periodic warm sensation in lower left leg
-Strange sensation of heat
-Right foot keeps getting warm?
-Heat sensation on my foot

Monday, January 10, 2011

Breathing Easy

Despite all the various anti-inflammatory, pain relieving etc medications I have "tried" over the past few months, I recently re-discovered one thing that is NOT a medication and DOES help me sleep better, yay for Breathe Right! Having upper respiratory allergies I regularly take an antihistamine/decongestant so I can breathe at night, but those combined with others isnt always the greatest idea. I recently started using Breathe Right strips again and forgot how great they work! It's amazing how much better one sleeps when they can breathe freely. I highly recommend these!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Giant shot under xray to the left hip yesterday for pain. I think i have had enough radiation in the last two years that my superpowers should be kicking in anytime now.