Thursday, October 14, 2010

The pain is becoming unbearable again

My physiotherapist assures me that the difficulty I'm having with my hips is emanating from the bursa.  I described to her what it is like, and was able to pin-point precisely where the pain is and she said that it is classic bursitis.
Of course, I had already told John that I was fairly certain it was the bursitis rearing its ugly head again (I've become quite proficient at identifying the differences now).  I am also experiencing significant discomfort in the groin area (which is indicative of degeneration in the hip joint itself) but the severe pain which is preventing me from walking is definitely the pain of bursitis.
How do I know?  How can I tell?
Because by late in the day, when I've spent many hours on my feet, walking around the house just "living," my hip area and down my thigh is sore even to my touch -- telling me that the area is inflamed, and that, my friends, is the angry bursa.
I don't know what I can do to prevent it though, seeing as how no matter what one does, one is engaging the hips.
Think about it.
Every movement you make throughout the course of your day involves manipulation of your hips in one fashion or another.  No matter how small the movement, your hip will be involved, unless of course, you remain supine for the entire day and do not move your legs.  Even sitting requires you to flex your hip joint.
So how do I prevent the inflammation that will surely occur each and every day just by living my life?
I know, I know, I could reduce the degree of inflammation by limiting my participation in day-to-day living activities.  But I can assure you, it matters little how much they are inflamed -- it still hurts!
And therein lies the problem.  Of course, if I could tolerate Aspirin and other anti-inflammatories, I wouldn't have to suffer quite so much.
As I reported here on Monday, I suffered terribly for having done too much on each of Friday and Saturday and then having driven into the big city on Sunday to celebrate Thanksgiving with my little chickadee and her family.
So, I rested on Monday.
Then I had to make the trip into the big city again on Tuesday because I really needed that scheduled physiotherapy session.
And yesterday, my darling husband insisted on rebuilding what will be his new office space when I move out to take up occupancy in my new sanctuary.  That involved a lot of heavy lifting and reaching and stretching and crawling under desks etc (his computer set-up is very complex).
He's very happy with his new digs!
By early last evening, my hips were screaming in agony and my fatigue was hitting a dangerous level (eating dinner was out of the question).  Fortunately, I somehow managed to sleep most of the night on my back (probably out of desperation!) so I did get a good night's sleep, having wakened only once.
The boys have just arrived to start breaking through the pantry wall so chaos will really set in on the home-front.  While I'm anxious to see my sanctuary completed, I'm not really looking forward to the next few weeks around here.  The upset is already taking a toll on me (I can't find anything I need in the mess on the porch!).
On a more positive note though, I called my massage therapist earlier this week and asked if she could fit me in today (Thursday) and she was able to give me an appointment for 2:30pm this afternoon.  I grabbed it.  This is only four weeks since my steroid injection so I really shouldn't be having a massage yet, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  She will simply have to go lightly (which she will, of course).
I need the therapy to help soothe my aching body!

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