My Story: 4.5 year after BHR

[CEK]

I was on this website a lot when researching BHR... then got too busy.  But I just signed up for my first 10K after the surgery and thought it was about time I paid it forward for others thinking about the surgery.

My story starts 10 years ago.  I was a 400m hurdler in High School and College.  After that, I run marathons and half marathons.  I was never really fast at these longer distances, but I liked the challenge of completing them. And I am one of those people who truly get the 'runners high."  I couldn't imagine life without running.

I stopped running during the birth of my kids and started getting back into running 6 months later. I was 36 at the time.  I noticed a pain in my groin after my runs, but not really during.  It wasn't so terrible, and I had endured a lot more pain marathon training (lol) so I ignored it.  Until the pain got too bad I couldn't ignore it. I couldn't even have my daughter sit on my lap the pain was so intense.

I had a labral tear and was diagnosed with FAI in 2006.  I had arthroscopic surgery to clean up the tear.  I was told I was as good as new and could continue running again. 

Just 2 years later, I was back in the OR.  I was training for a 10 mile run and had intense pain in the middle of the run.  I had torn the labral again and this time the doctor was going to cut down the bone to reduce the FAI. Again, I was told I could run.

I started running again, a little wary of increasing my mileage over a 3 mile easy jog.  I was noticing some pain so I didn't want to push it.  I also had bad hip flexor tendonitis which I was in PT to treat. 

This time I was getting my scuba diving certification when they put the full tanks on my back and the weight just felt like it crushed my hip.  Back to the doctor I went.  He said he had never seen a case of such bad arthritis in such a short time (I had the surgery just a year before).  He knew he wasn't experienced enough to continue treating me and referred me to Dr. Mont out of Baltimore.  It took months to get the appointment, and months to get the surgery scheduled.  By this time I was limping so bad I could barely walk.  I remember one day being in such a pain after a terrible crowded metro ride during my morning commute that I was in tears by the time I got to my office.

It was so hard to wrap my head around needing a hip resurfacing after 2 surgeries.  I was only 42 years old!  But I had no other option.

The recovery was long and hard. The previous arthroscopic surgeries were so easy - back to normal activities after the swelling went down.  But cutting through all that muscle really made it hard.  Dr. Mont had me on crutches for 2 months.  I had bed sores - not that I was confined to bed, but walking with crutches was causing other problems. My hands had blisters from them.  And a walker wasn't that convenient (particularly for someone who was 42 years old - a walker make me feel so much older)

But once I finished PT after 6 months, I really did feel much better.  I still suffer from tendonitis (its pretty impossible to really get rid of it once you have it in your hip) but am careful about stretching and icing.  And I bought my own Tens machine which really helps too.  I still can't bring my right hip to my chest or do a butterfly stretch where I bring my feet together and push my knees out.  There are some directions that hip just won't go. 

But I've started running again.  I tried once I was cleared after the surgery but I don't think my hip was strong enough at that point.  And truthfully I'm terrified after being told twice before I could run.  I did lots of hiking instead for a while.  But Dr. Mont is confident that if I keep doing my hip exercises (leg lifts for front, back and side), I should be fine.

But I'm finally running again - building up slowly to make sure my hip was ready.  I did 6 miles this weekend for the first time since the surgery and felt good enough that I signed up for a 10K race.

I still have concerns that I'm going to wear out my BHR if I run too much.  Due to my age, I could possibly need 2 (or more!) revisions.  So I want it to last as long as possible.  But I also know that I have to live to years with some quality of life, and to me that includes running. 

I came back to this site to see how active everyone is, and it made me feel good there are others like me out there.

[Pat Walter]

CEK

Thanks so much for stopping by and giving us your story.  It is great that you are doing well after the long road to recovery.  Everyone has a different recovery.  I am sorry you had such a long one.

I think the personal stories are great information for perspective patients and other patients to see you well you are doing.

Keep up the good work.  Stop by again after a year or so!  Good Luck.

Pat

[CEK001]

I have fully gotten back into running!  Really running and training!! I just ran my first 5K since all my hip problems started, and I placed third in my age group!  Wahoo!!! 

As I was nearing the finish line, it occurred to me that I finally pain-free.  Yes, it took me a long time to recover - and more importantly to have the confidence again to try to race.  But I am finally here!!!

Next up, my first 10K in 10 years...