The Saga of the Hips

Four and a half years ago while we were in the process of packing up 27 years of life in one house, I was having a lot of pain in my left hip.  I could hardly walk across the parking lot of the Air BnB where we were living temporarily.  I asked my South Bend doctor if he could give me a cortisone shot to get me through the next month of moving to Princeton. He said that only a specialist could do the shot. However it was easy to get an x-ray in his clinic so I had one done immediately.  He showed me that I had arthritis in my hip and warned me that in one to four years I would need a hip replacement.  Meanwhile, I could take Tylenol and Aleve every six hours for relief.  He told me not to stop when it felt better but to keep on for a while for more permanent relief.

For four years my hip gave me no trouble even though I was no longer taking pain medications. And then it started up again this fall with a dull ache down both of my legs and sometimes a feeling like my left leg was caving in on me. My primary care provider in Princeton warned me against taking more than two Aleve a day. I dreaded the thought of surgery.  A good friend had complications with her hip replacement surgery and had to have it done a second time.  So did my South Bend doctor who had to have his redone as well.  I knew rehab would be a problem with our living in a second floor apartment.

I did very little walking during our time in Florida not only because of my hip issues but also some balance issues.  I felt sturdier hanging on to Jim's arm.  He was kind enough to say that he actually liked it when I did so.  When we got home,  I began a routine of taking one Aleve in the morning and one at night.   I also found some exercises for issues with limping on Youtube and began doing them daily.  

And to my great relief, the dull ache down my leg is gone.  There is no pain at night when I am trying to sleep.  I feel some sensitivity when I walk but no feeling of my leg caving in.  Something is working!  My body is coping and maybe even healing.  I can live with this small amount of discomfort and am relieved not to feel like a hip replacement surgery is my only option.