I guess I own y'all an update.

To be honest, I have been avoiding writing this ever since I got the news, so for a little over 3 weeks.

A collage of each hips MRI's (taken 1 month ago

As you probably know I have been in and out've the doctor  for over a year due to severe hip pain & haven't been able to exercise and had to quit ballet. Physical therapy/Airrosti and cortisone shots helped for little while, but I'm a lot of pain once again and am 'back in the system'.  

Some of y'all know that I recently had to change doctors, some of y'all don't so let me clear that up. It's due to my previous one wanting to, how do I put this nicely... uhhh... to completely change his plan of procedure to something that would have disabled me, without performing further imaging to prove his point, just for the sake of earning a few extra bucks? (He wanted to do the surgery 'open', meaning a 10-12" incision, dislocate my entire leg from the joint, and basically have me bedridden for atleast a year.) Long story short, I'll be seeing no more of Dr. S., nor will I be interning with him this summer or anytime in the future. He's lost my trust and confidence as a patient and I couldn't stomach working with him knowing he's over treating pediatric patients just because of the new medical policy (that's my conclusion from research and talks with other doctors).

Sorry, but that is just plain wrong. Right is right even if only a few people are doing it, wrong is wrong even when everyone is doing it. 

So, I now go to a Dr. T. He's the only doctor in a reasonable travel radius who specializes in FAI. I like him alot (as a doctor I mean). Like he actually sent me for extensive imaging about a month ago. Which, while it was not pleasant (the arthrogram part anyways, I do not wish that on anyone.) that definitely was necessary. All Dr. S. did was x-rays. From the MRI we found out everything we needed to know to confirm my suspected diagnosis. 

So yes, I do have FAI (Femoral Acetabular Impingement).

What the heck is that you ask?  It is most likely hereditary, but neither of my parents were athletic and haven't done anything to exacerbate it, whereas I have (ballet/pointe) . Basically, it is  extra bone in form of lesions on the femoral neck/head and in the hip socket. Meaning I have a too-tight/mis-shaped hip socket that is pinching my leg bone which will require surgery to correct.The majority of the pain I'm experiencing is from the cartilage being frayed and severely bruised by the bone pinching it. As well as the fact that the hip socket is cutting into my leg bone - that hurts. Due to the FAI I am in pain almost constantly and have suffered a significant loss in range of motion. I can barely exercise and am thus gaining quite of weight and babysitting (my main income) is becoming very difficult as I can hardly even sit on the floor. 

 So arthroscopically (meaning he'll just use 3-5 tiny incisions) my doctor will go in and shave down the bony lesions to where my hip sockets will be a bit bigger  - to the size they normally would be in a healthy hip joint. 

Therefore, next Wednesday (the 18th) I am having the first surgery, which will be on my right hip. The surgery itself will take approximately 4 hours, unless they have to rebuild the labrum  (cartilage "bumper" in the joint) . Then I'll spend the night in the hospital. Then I come home and spend about 2 weeks on crutches while the initial micro-fractures from the surgery heal. Then I'll be doing physical therapy twice a week for 6-8 weeks. 
Then in October or November I'll go back and have the same surgery, but on the left hip. I'll repeat the PT cycle and then about 5 months after I'm finished I should be back to normal and doing things that "normal" active teenagers can do!!! Like I'll be able to go places and not worry about whether or not there'll be a place for me to sit down, I could wear high heels again, start running, maybe even try Crossfit or something similar, and possibly become mildly involved with ballet again! So to say the least I'm pretty excited. 

As my answer for why I'm having surgery now as opposed to "when I'm older", let me explain. Firstly, I'm in alot of pain (quite miserable actually.) and am gaining weight due to not being able to exercise, which bothers me. Secondly, time wise, this is the most "convenient"  time to have this done. This is my last summer where having a job is optional. Next summer I'll have to have a job to save money for the next years college expenses, car, etc... Having the surgery during college would be pretty impossible if I wanted to keep my grades up, which I most definitely will want to! Then if I meet Mr. Right in that time frame, that wouldn't be an ideal time either. Then when I'm ready to have kids, if I don't have surgery before then I'm at high risk for having a very rough pregnancy and could only deliver via C-section. I most definitely want kids of my own if at all possible but I do not want to  put my health in danger. 

So yes, I admit I'm a bit scared about having surgery, even though  it's low risk and I trust my doctor. I guess mainly because it'll be a first for me. But I'm excited to get it over with and I know that ultimately, God is in control. He is The Great Physician - The Ultimate Healer and Comforter. And while I may have a hard time letting go and letting God, I know that he has a beautiful plan for my life and this is clearly a part of it and He has a very good reason for me to be floating through this storm and clinging to Him. 

Lastly, but most importantly. I want to thank all y'all who I'm so grateful to call my friends. Thank you so, so, soooooo much for your continual thoughtful prayers and sweet words of encouragement. Thank you for putting up with me when I'm grumpy after I forgot to pack some Ibuprophen. Thank you for having an early summer and having fun with me before I can't do anything for the rest of the summer. Thank you  so much! You mean the world to me, I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you all!

xoxoxo,

Christina