Well, it’s finally here. After almost 2 years of hip pain, I have a surgery date scheduled. I know I’ve been MIA, but honestly not a lot has been going on besides the same old stuff. I decided to update about my hip experience for the people who care and for the people who are going through this too.
Let me start off by saying that I would probably be really lost if I did not have my Facebook Group Understanding FAI Hip Impingement. If you came to this website by searching about Hip problems on google, I recommend going to this facebook group. I am so grateful for everyone that has helped me find the right surgeon, the right exercises, and great advice.
Side note: People always ask me why I’m going out of state for hip surgery, it’s “just a scope”, I’m sure there is someone in Oklahoma who does them.
Yes, there are surgeons who do hip scopes in Oklahoma. However hip arthroscopy is a fairly new procedure. The surgeons in Oklahoma that do them are usually not trained. There are a lot of things that go into this surgery, it’s not JUST a scope. I plan on getting back to my normal, working out/running life after this is done. I want to make sure I have one of the BEST surgeons that do more than just 10 or 20 a year, if that, like the ones around here. I do NOT want to end up having a revision or something worse happening. Guess what? It DOES happen, and I know too many people that it’s happened to because they trusted a doctor and ended up worse off than before surgery.
Anyway, I flew to Chicago last Tuesday for my first appointment with my orthopedic surgeon. He is highly recommended by more than 10 people who have had successful scopes with him, plus he listens and his staff is great.
I had already sent him my MRA & Xrays for reviewing months ago, so they were on file.
I eventually found my way after flying and riding the train by myself. That was an experience. As I sat down in the room, a resident & a student followed me in. They asked me a bunch of questions, did some tests on my hip and then they left. The resident was surprised at how much I knew about this hip stuff. He asked me how much research I had done. I told him, “A lot.” My life has basically been consumed by this for almost 2 years, feeling like my life has been put on hold, so I have had time.
Shortly after, the OS (orthopedic surgeon), the resident & the student, and a physical therapist (student?) came in the room. It was quite overwhelming, especially since that day was a stressful day trying to find where I was going, etc…
The OS was very nice, he showed me different images, where my tear is, the bump on my femur, what he would do. I had a list of about 15 questions (I will make another post on these questions in case you would like to copy and ask your OS these questions.) He took so much time to answer all of them. He said since I had exhausted all other conservative measures (PT, steroid shot in the joint, and rest) that I would be a good candidate for surgery and that the tear looked pretty straight forward. Then the scheduler came in to schedule surgery, and the PA came in to talk to me more about stuff.
I ended up getting a 3D CT bone scan later that day. Found the place where I slept at and will be staying for my surgery which is at a very nice rate a night ($55) and then flew home the next day.
Next post will be the questions I asked and the answers to them.
Oh yeah, my surgery is scheduled for September 5th. :)
Now that you listened to me ramble, here is the funniest video in the land:
