My First Cortisone Shot - for Hip Bursitis

Willow hovers over me and seems more alert and
affectionate since I've been hurting.  Her personality
is noticably different.

I got my first cortisone shot last Monday, after suffering another bout of debilitating hip pain that sent me to the doctor for hip X-rays.  This after a 4 month healing period where I didn't train or trial due to hip pain and an inability to run.  I feared the worst, that my hip joints were deteriorating, but NO, my hip bones appear to be fine.  It's just another bout of Hip Bursitis, this one brought about by repetitive motion picking up sticks and raking twigs for days on end after Hurricane Isaac.  My recent blog post about my new mantra - "Llittle And Often Makes Much", took on a new twist.  While the yard got cleaner, my hip pain got much much worse!

It's been 5 days since the shot, I still have soreness in the hip, I still wouldn't dare run, but I can walk around without pain.  (It's most painful when I first get out of bed or chair, but loosens up after a few minutes.) Doc says I should be able to train and run after a week, and by next week should be able to run my dogs in our Port Allen Agility Trial.  Today I reviewed my blog post from last year on Bursitis and am digging out the Ultrasound Machine to add to my ice pack regimen.



Maxie lies around and waits for Mommie to get better.

Meanwhile, I've hired a young Iraqui War Vet on disability to finish my yard work, in little drips and drabs when he's available, and I'm taking it easy in my TV chair.  Thank God for commercial-free Netflix. Also managed to take a great photo each of Willow, Maxie, and Pepper, gather and fill all the hummingbird feeders, reorganize my pantry and deep freeze, and gather all my darning around me (repairing the dog's stuffed toys, torn pockets, broken zippers, etc). Also got to participate in the 4th Agility Blog Action Day yesterday, which took a whole day. Slow down time can still be productive.



Pepper at 11 months, locked and loaded,
always ready to play.  Those ear feathers
are still coming in.

Took Maxie and Lucky to class last Tuesday, and though I didn't run them, I got a few agility classmates who say they're willing to run my dogs.  And proved again Lucky will run for anyone carrying her ball, Maxie will run for anyone carrying his gizzard treats.  (Why do so many handlers say their dogs won't run for anyone else, or that they can't run anyone else's dogs?????) In fact, both ran like the wind for Sandy, who is younger and runs faster than I do, and handles pretty much like I do.  It was a joy to watch my dogs fly!  A joy to have her declare that my dogs are fast and fun to run. 

Sadly, they aren't nearly so fast for me.  I slow them down.  Need to address that issue one day soon.  I still need a running coach.  And my instructor says I sound angry when calling out obstacles.  Do I?  I'm certainly not angry in the least, but do I need to sound more cheerful?  I've got to look into that. 

Always more to do. Always room for improvement. Never enough time.

Upwards and onward!

Bursitis - OUCH!

On Tuesday, July 5th, I woke up with horrible pain in my left hip. Excruciating pain, out of the blue. I could not find a pain-free position to lie in Tuesday night, so got no sleep until I took a Lortab.  Fortunately, I had a doctor’s appt scheduled for Wednesday the 6th (at age 64, I'm in process of having my first complete physical). Fearing I couldn't drive or walk into the clinic without fainting, I had John take the day off work to drive me. After pointing to my outer hip, the doc diagnosed it immediately as hip bursitis, a condition where the bursa sac swells up and becomes inflamed.  This happened overnight, without any apparent cause.

Big relief, at least I don't have a hip fracture.  I couldn't teach my Wednesday night agility class, and over the next few days I followed the prescribed regimen: rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, and as needed, pain killers. Within 2 days I felt almost normal, a bit of trouble lifting myself up stairs on that leg, and soreness when I first sit down, otherwise walking normally.

I kept thinking, what if I wake up tomorrow morning with bursitis in both hips?  Shit!  Then I won't be able to walk at all.  I better get acquainted with this condition FAST!  So, while sitting on my arse for 3 days, I surfed the web, read up on bursitis, and found I could have stressed the joint limping around with a pulled calf muscle at the Monroe Trial (though I tried so hard not to limp I was taking baby steps the whole weekend).

Here is an informative website describing Hip Bursitis, aka "trochanteric bursitis".  There are several, all saying pretty much the same thing. More interesting to me, I read several online testimonials that ultra sound works wonders on bursitis, injured tendons, ligaments, reduces inflammation, etc, and there are home kits one can buy, ranging in prices from $99 to $299. I've been wanting one of these for years, and a TENS unit, to treat our periodic lower back problems, John's tennis elbow and shoulder bursitis, etc., because I suspect that what heals you at the chiropractor's office is as much the 10 minute sessions lying on the table with the TENS machine and ice pack, plus the at-home exercises, as the adjustment itself. With a long history of back problems, I have logged in a lot of time at the chiropractors' office and long ago was taught how to pop my own vertebra back into place.

After doing my research, I decided to order the $98 MPO US 1000 3rd Edition Professional Ultrasound Unit and the $75 MPO-8000 - Combo Professional Digital TENS & Muscle Stimulator.  If they work, they will be in my First Aid kit when I go to trials, and anybody there that pulls a muscle can use them.  FYI, I tried buying these items from a local Medical Supply house and was told I needed a doctor's prescription, so I had no choice but to order online.  It really ticks me off when I'm told I'm not allowed to take care of my own self.

I also want to add instant ice packs and heat packs.  I'll look that up next.

Upwards and onward!

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