I had a severe incident with my hip today.
I had a very long day with many meetings in hard plastic chairs, in multiple buildings. I covered a few miles on crutches today, much of it while carrying a heavy backpack. I was ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED by the end. Broke down crying during one of the meetings (a large presentation, with about 150 people, where I was in the audience, in the front row) because they were talking about a major women’s running event - the sort of event I used to run in, before my hip injury.
My last commitment of the day was a physical therapy appointment, a short drive from my office. I was getting out of my car, and reached down toward my left foot (I can’t actually reach my foot, not even close). Suddenly there was a thunk sound & movement in my groin, and I screamed in pain, and my body automatically wrenched back. Both sides of my lower back immediately hurt badly.
I sobbed in pain for a few minutes, took another minute to gather myself, and went to PT.
I told my PT - who is very good; I know him well, and trust him - that I wanted him to VERY gently assess my hip and leg function.
Well. We quickly realized that, from a sitting position, I was unable to straighten my knee. Starting with my foot on the floor, I could not move my foot at all, even if we held my thigh in place. My PT said WAIT! I have an idea. And, he took my shoe off. Then I could move my leg about 6 inches. My shoe (a pound, at most) was actually enough weight to prevent me from using my lower leg.
I could not generate ANY upward or outward movement. Not even a twitch of movement. You could see slight contraction of some thigh muscles, but zero movement.
Until now, I have had good adduction strength. This afternoon all I could do was make my thigh twitch inwardly, an inch at most.
After another 15 minutes, I began to regain some function - I was able to fully straighten my lower leg (without a shoe), and generate a bit more adduction strength.
Now, four hours later, I am able to reliably straighten my lower leg again (without any resistance) and generate inward (adduction) force with my thigh.
(I still cannot lift my knee or abduct my leg AT ALL, even underwater.)
Even on pain meds tonight, my left lower back, just to the side of my spine, is painful and my groin still hurts (pinches) constantly. If I tilt my pelvis forward, or lie down, my lower back feels better. (Sitting is awful.)
I asked my PT if my experience was in ANY way routine - like, do patients get seriously injured during an operation to the point they can’t walk or use their limb, then spend 10+ weeks begging to be taken seriously, pleading for imaging, a diagnosis, a treatment plan so they don’t become permanently disabled? My PT said no…he has never seen a patient be treated so badly by this hospital system.
I DO have several doctors in my corner, now, thank goodness: yesterday I reached out to a neurologist I met once, a few years ago, for a totally different issue. He actually reviewed my case and messaged me on MyChart this morning, offering to see me! I still haven’t had MRI or EMG tests yet, so he’ll have limited information, but at least he can physically assess me, and there will be another set of expert eyes on this, helping to figure out a diagnosis. He offered to see me TOMORROW!! I’m astonished. And so happy. I hope he gains some insight from a physical exam, or can pressure the system to move up my EMG.
The MD physiatrist (who ordered the EMG a few weeks ago) is calling other practices, to see if someone can conduct a timely EMG study. My OHSU test is still 3 weeks away, and my symptoms have gotten worse in recent days: intermittent numbness over larger areas of my leg, pins & needles in my foot, and worsening motor dysfunction.
I’m really, really hanging my my fingernails, emotionally. My son’s birthday party is this weekend; somehow I need to clean the house before then (on one leg, with a sprained lower back, now, while working AND I have an MRI late Friday night…) It’s just too much.
United States
I hope, I hope.
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