3 Month Hip Surgery Update

I'm 3 months post-op from my left FAI/labral hip tear repair. I wish I had good news to report - that overall my pain levels are lower and I am functioning better - but I don't. While this last month I have become a little more mobile (than I was at 2 months) and I am able to lie on my surgical side better and getting down on the floor/squatting is a little easier. I am not noticeably better overall. I am still struggling with my range of motion (which didn't really improve from my 1 month to 2 month post-op appointment) and internal/external rotation (especially external).

My hip pain was really a minimal part of my overall pain, and I knew that going into the surgery. Yet others with similar pain and history to mine had received relief of symptoms so I was hopeful I too would gain a better quality of life.

It is still possible I could see overall relief from this surgery as the normal healing time is up to one year, but it is discouraging that I am still dealing with so much muscle dysfunction (tightness, pain, and compensation) at 3 months out. No amount of heat, massage, or therapy seems to help. My worst areas are my abdomen (my psoas and rectus abdominus muscles), my low back (quadratus lumborum muscle), and my thoracic area gets very "locked up" feeling making even standing difficult at times. My surgeon tighted the hip joint capsule during surgery due to my ligament laxity and sometimes I wonder if my increased abdominal/low back pain could be due to that.

The last 6 weeks I have been trying a new more alternative therapy locally called myofascial release. It is a gentle "hands-on" therapy which involves long stretches and releases. I do feel better after each session, but it is very short lived (30 minutes to 4 hours of a little relief) and it doesn't really address my sitting pain. So I am not sure how long to continue this therapy.

It's disappointing that I can't seem to find a way to better manage my pain and improve my quality of life, but I press on knowing I have much to live and be grateful for. Though God's ways are not my ways and I struggle to understand "why", I hold to what I know is true: God is good and He is sovereign. This is all any of us know, and it's really all we need.

I continue to appreciate your prayers:

• Today we are leaving to visit out of town family and on the way back we will see my surgeon/therapists for a follow-up. Traveling is extremely difficult for me, but God in His providence provided a mini-van for us this past December after my husband was in a car wreck that was not his fault. This allows me to lie down while traveling and my daughter can come with us since she can sit in her car seat! Please pray my pain levels will be tolerable during our time away and that my surgeon/therapists will have some insight to help me work through some of the abdominal pain especially as it really makes me feel nauseated at times and nothing seems to help relieve it.

• My husband has interviewed for a promotion with his company. If he does not get this promotion he will get demoted and his pay will decrease. Please pray that God will grant him this promotion as we could not make it financially on any less money (we already have to dip into our savings each year).

• Next month I have my disability case hearing. I have already been denied twice and this time I will appear before a judge with an attorney to plead my case. Please pray that the judge will have compassion and empathy for my situation and believe that I am truly disabled and in pain.

• Continue to pray that God would help me find a way to manage my pain (or even better that He would heal me!). Also pray that He would give us wisdom to know what to do about treatment options/therapies.

• Please pray that we would persevere and not lose heart. Pray that we would seek God even though it is discouraging, and it sometimes feels like He is not at work.

Thank you for continuing to journey with me. I am truly grateful for the prayers and support.