If it's not one thing, it's gotta be another :(

After I got cleared to start jogging (2min on, 3min off x3) I started having severe pain in my left hip. It was the same sensation I had when I had a stress fracture in my ischial tuberosity back in 2006. After 2 weeks of minor running, my post operated knee was totally fine, but I couldn't escape the piercing pain in my hip. I went and saw Dr. Pruitt and he told me that I needed an MRI after the X-rays showed up negative.

I went in on Monday afternoon for what I thought was going to be a completely routine MRI, but soon found out that wasn't the case. I was scheduled for an arthrogram. This is a procedure where iodine is injected into the joint space coating the inner lining of the joint structures and allowing radiologists to assess the anatomy and function of the joint.

This 30min exam is probably one of the most awful things in the entire world. No joke. You get positioned on the table on your back, then the skin around the joint is cleansed with antiseptic and a local anesthetic is injected into the hip. A needle with an aspiration syringe is then inserted into the joint space where the radiologist uses the syringe to drain the joint fluid. Next, the contrast material and air are injected into the joint space and the needle is removed to prevent the contrast material and air from escaping. You can honestly feel the needle going deeper and deeper into the pelvis through the hip as they insert all the fluid...The hip joint is then massaged to distribute the contrast material throughout the space. I might have dropped an F-bomb or two during this stupid thing.

Next was the actual MRI. You lay on this table all strapped up and get put into a giant tube-like machine that makes jackhammer sounds for 50min. Talk about a really shitty day.

Tuesday afternoon I got the results and found out that I have a severe stress injury in the hip and pelvis as well as lots of bruising and abnormal injury. It was probably from the stupid bike crash on my cyclocross bike 2 days before my knee surgery. I chose to ignore it because I figured I'd be resting and healing for my knee anyway but apparently it was a lot worse than I thought. So what does this mean? No running for 6-8 weeks...go figure. AHHHHHH, I seriously think someone is trying to sabotage my ability to run right now. Let's just hope all this crap is part of a down year and if I can make it through the next 2 days, 2009 will be over and the new year will bring lots of positivity. Keep your fingers crossed.