Well, I had my appointment with the HO expert yesterday. I was impressed that she seemed to know what she was talking about, but I was not enthused about what she told me. She confirmed that my condition will continue to get worse unless I stop over-stretching my hip muscles. Unfortunately, normal activities like getting in bed, or sitting my wheelchair overstretch those muscles. Overstretching leads to micro-tearing, and that leads to more calcium formation and increased stiffness and decreased range of motion.
She said the fix for the problem is surgery. It's a pretty invasive surgery, and I may have to go back to rehab afterward. Also, normally they won't perform the surgery until 12-18 months after the onset of the HO to let it mature. However, she got me a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon to discuss whether they would consider doing the surgery on me early because it's interfering with my ability to live.
The fact that there is an apparent path through this nightmare gives me hope, but the remaining unknowns and my decreasing ability to function on my own scare me to death. If I wake up one morning and can't sit up or get out of bed, what do I do then? I hope I'm worried about nothing, but my experience so far seems to indicate that that's where this may be headed.
Ok, a path. Good. Did she seem to suggest that the surgery ends the condition, or did she say you will then have to learn new ways to sit and get in and out of bed that magically don't overstretch your muscles? Praying!
ReplyDeleteThe surgery plus drugs and radiation therapy should cure the condition. At least that's the theory.
DeleteGood to know. So shall we pray for theory to become reality.
DeleteThanks for the comments Natalya. I don't know why, but it makes me feel like people are reading when somebody comments, and you're the only one who does consistently.
DeleteAw! You're welcome. In fact, here's another thing that is awesome about you: that is exactly what *I* needed to hear (or read, I guess). As I was running and thinking of you this evening (I always pray for you when I run), I thought, "Gee, I really hope my blog comments aren't annoying the heck out of Jason! I wish we could be there, but then actually having to listen to my talking might annoy him! At least this way he can choose to ignore my comments."
DeleteWhat a relief to know they don't hurt but may help. As for why....Maybe because there's something inherently vulnerable, even if you have lost all shame, about putting your thoughts publicly out there. Knowing it's appreciated may assuage that sense of vulnerability? Either way, glad my comments are okay, and I'll keep them shorter on average than this one, so they stay that way! :)
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