Examination Update

This morning I presented myself at the hospital, Driven there by Danielle since I wouldn't be able to drive back after what was to happen.

A little later, clad in a surgical gown, I regarded a taciturn Irish doctor who intended to insert a long needle into my right hip joint. He reminded me of the vet who last year placed a rather smaller needle into the hock of a thoroughly sedated Doru. I was not sedated and, unlike Doru, got to be told that "the pain is mostly in the mind".

Fortunately the local anaesthtic was quite effective though, so the doctor said, I had felt the proceedure "more than most". Then I was wheeled to the MRI where I spent almost two hours in the noisy claustrophobic bowels of that useful device.

It was a good thing that Danielle was ready with her car as the joint was becoming stiff and tight. That, apparently, is normal for up to a day or so.

Later in the day I received by post the referring doctor's letter. He suspects a labral tear, meaning that a membrane enclosing the top of the joint may be damaged. That can be caused by trauma, such as falling off a horse - as happened earlier in the year. Such an injury is not connected to existing lower back problems. However, as both hip and lower back were scanned in the MRI, I should receive a full diagnosis of both within a few days.

If the problem is a labral tear, surgery is likely, probably an arthroscopy process. That will mean a coupld of months recuperating - a winter procedure then, if possible, so that I will miss out on the minimum of riding. Or the hospital might want to work on me immediately.

At least, if that is the problem, then I'm not suffering from arthritis. I'm concerned that a simple fall at low speed onto a soft surface caused appreciable damage. However the situation could be worse, much worse.

In contrast to my hobbling state as the joint tightened, Brena came running down the field to greet me. She was very sociable, not least because carrots were on offer and dinner due. A scratch of her nose was on offer too, and general petting that she enjoys.

Doru came across too, food his focus too. Then, after eating a bowl of alfalfa, he made a typical exhibition of himself. The mares did not deign to notice, however the humans were amused by his antics. See how he looks over to check on whether we are paying attention to the Lord of the Pasture.

 
 
 
They are a peculiar bunch of horses. Doru can make me laugh, tempered only by the fact that he is very obviously resting his bad hock. (That makes two of us who've had steroid injections into joints. My injection this morning had something added to see whether it would reduce the discomfort over the next few weeks.) I shall have some serious thinking to do about that horse as autumn approaches.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Horseideology]

Ouch! That sounds painful! I hope you get some answers that will help.

A friend hurt his arm and recently an MRI showed that the arm muscle had been torn off the bone on both ends. He's getting sheduled for surgery.

Hopefully, you'll be hearing much better news and getting alot of pain relief once it'sdone.

[funder]

I had my wrist injected with steroids once. It was excruciatingly painful and as it turns out it wasn't the type of injury that would respond to joint injections (lots of scar tissue). I wouldn't say "never again" but I'd certainly think very hard about doing it again! Hopefully your hip won't be as bad. If they think surgery will fix you, DO IT! I ended up having surgery on my wrists and I've been 100% ever since.

[White Horse Pilgrim]

Becky: by the scale of your friend's injury I have got off lightly. Anyway I'll have a full diagnosis within a week.

Funder: that is good advice, thank you. If surgery is the best way then I'll go for it. It's got to be better than a slow deterioration which is my current situation.