Hip update + pictures

Making Christmas cookies to eat while decorating the tree

 Putting the cross at the top of the tree. It is our tradition to put a cross at the top as a reminder of what Christ's birth was really all about.

All done!

I wanted to give an update on my hip as many of you are so thoughtful and have asked me about it. Today I saw my fifth doctor for my hip pain (not including the three I saw in San Antonio last year) and this guy was by far the best. I had more x-rays done and again they showed nothing. He did all the usual tests that all the other doctors have done when they saw me and none of the tests give me any pain. My pain is just pretty constantly there in my right pelvis no matter what I do, unless of course I run which it does not like!

He sat there and gave me a puzzled look as I have seen from so many doctors before. He said, "I bet you get this look a lot from the doctors" and I said yes. He believes that, in short, it is some tendonitis. Inflammation that has not cleared up. Unlike the other doctors I have seen, he says that to see any progress I have to be on an anti-inflammatory for three months. The problem is that with breastfeeding I can't do that. So they are giving me a little machine that I can use that sends small electric pulses to the area to reduce the inflammation. I am to do that for three months and see what happens. If not, then when I am done breastfeeding I can get on the anti-inflammatories and hopefully that will clear it up. I have also been instructed to not run at all these next three months. I have been occasionally doing it now and then to see if it hurts, but it has never been anything consistent. So I will stop for now.

I hope to breastfeed for Adam's whole first year, so this could put me all the way forward to next August to see healing (if the electric stuff doesn't work and I have to do the meds), if that even works. That would make it two years from when the injury first occurred. I really can't believe it will have been two years. I think those of you who are runners can understand how hard it is to not be able to run... maybe for two years! I have not been the most patient person throughout all of this.  I am, however, very thankful for everyone's prayers and for everyone who has asked about this. I am especially thankful for Dave who not only has to put up with John's whines, but mine as well!

It has also made me thankful for every other part of my body that is functioning normally and doesn't hurt. I guess this has given me a little glimpse into what old age will be like :)

Cheers.