Hip Surgery Update

I am one week out and I am happy! I doctored this photo just in case people are super squeamish...but you can see that the Frankenstein factor is truly minimal and I don't bruise easily (dodged the bullet of a trailer park wife but that could have come in handy). It is funny to me that such a big deal was made about my "bikini" C Section incision and now have 3 "bullet" holes in my leg! *Yes, I am in a swim suit here...not my undies!! This is about as close to body modification surgery I am ever going to get. It will allow me to keep running, which means I might want a boob job in 10 years but the rest of me will be looking pretty damn good!

I injured my hip on a hike at the Allegany State Park over 15 years ago. I was diagnosed with dislocating my hip and tearing my gluteus minimus, which was 2/3 correct. They were just missing the part where I tore the cartilage in my hip socket as well. The initial cortisone shot in my butt made me feel better and I went about my young, carefree life! I started running in earnest again when I turned 30 and the wear and tear brought the lingering injury to the forefront of my mind after walking 14 miles in Paris in 2004 and not being able to walk the next day. I blamed all sorts of things and my ITB band took most of the blame for my misery. Poor ITB band...shooting the messenger seems an appropriate analogy.

I ran my last 1/2 Marathon in November of 2010. I was in misery, every step hurt but I kept going. I knew I would not be able to challenge the 2 hour mark and said I would be happy if I finished with the 2:15 group, ahead of 2:30. I did that but truly thought my running days were over after that race. I had to take Medal Monday (Renee Gibson term) off from work because I was too sore to get out of bed.

Then....my Fairy Run Mother came to visit me in December, a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon in Florida. I told him about the race and my darn ITB issues affecting my hip. He seriously took not more than one look at me and said, "sister, that is not your ITB band...it's your hip...you need a surgeon...you probably have a labral tear and impingement". $300 MRI and the best referral in Dallas (Thank You Fairy Run Mother Eric Bonenberger!) and he was EXACTLY correct. I was honestly so relieved that there was something wrong with me that could actually be fixed that I was EXCITED about the prospect of having surgery.

I chose not to read a lot of the things on the Internet about this injury for a few reasons. Medical Science is just catching on to correcting this type of injury in younger, athletic people. The technique used in my surgery is less than 10 years old. 10 years ago I would have hit my 50's and needed a hip replacement as a runner.  There are only 2 doctors in Dallas that specialize in doing this *WELL*. I have heard a few horror stories of people being cut open, not arthroscopic surgery etc. The whole point to doing this is being able to get back to better than what your 100% was with the injury so arthroscopic is the only way to do it. My Doctor, Mark Muller and the Carroll Clinic are the best of the best! Who doesn't want fresh baked cookies when they come out of anesthesia? Well, turns out...I don't but they were yummy the first time I tasted them.

2012 DRC 1/2 Marathon in November...that is my goal. I can't wait to start running again! It will be a happy summer.  Here's to staving off broken hips or joint replacements in the future!!!

ps. I am already back to work, less than a week later.  Still on crutches for one more week but stopped taking prescription pain meds within 3 days of my surgery.