Yeah. Not really. Really glad I decided to head home after the MRI today, instead of going back to work and trying to sit in a chair for the rest of the day. My hip hurts and feels weirder than I thought it would. I am still sort of confused as to what this whole thing is called- Dr.'s orders called it an arthogram - but essentially, they injected some iodine and MRI contrast fluid into my hip joint using an X-ray as a guide. And then did an MRI.
The appointment started off in utter confusion and ended with a bang- literally. I went to the front desk at the hospital (where the radiology department for the group of physicians I see is located) exactly where they told me to check in. She says 'oh no, you just go straight down to the MRI waiting room and check in there'. So I walk all the way down this super long hall, down a floor and that lady tells me that I am having the arthogram somewhere else and she can't check me in here....not sure where I should go, let me call someone, etc etc. Whoever she calls tells her to send me all the way to the other wing of the hospital and up to the 6th floor. Which is totally suspect - when I get all the way over there, it's imaging alright but cardiovascular...clearly not where I am supposed to be. I went in anyway and the lady was very nice in finding out where I was supposed to go; which incidentally, was main patient registration...where I started.
So we started off with a bang. I finally got to the right place and checked in but of course we were 30 minutes behind because I spent my planned 'registration' time traipsing all over the stupid place. I had to change into gowns and they had me lay on a table where there was a big X-ray thing hovering over it. They took a bunch of pictures and then the radiology guy that was injecting me came in. He was super nice and very chatty and made an uncomfortable procedure go by quickly. The needle was larger than a shot needle but not super huge. He had to inject the fluid into the joint just so, so he used the X-ray machine to guide the needle. I didn't watch this. I was numbed up so I didn't feel anything more than a pinchy pressure.
Once that was done, they had me get in a wheelchair and took me off to the MRI area. So I was asked a few times if I was claustrophobic but no one asked if I loud clanking and rumbling noises for an entire 40 minutes would make me crazy. Seriously. I feel like I was prepared for every aspect of that but the god awful racket. For reals. It was crazy and I am really glad I didn't have a headache! My sister has had one and the place she went to was fancier apparently, b/c they gave her headphones with music to listen to during and I just got disposable earplugs. Heh.
So that was it. The hip felt super stiff and weird for the first couple hours and then it started hurting. A lot. I've been icing off and on since I got home and that is helping a bit. I'll probably be pretty sore tomorrow as well. And now I wait. It takes them 24-48 hours to send the images back to my Dr. but he's out on Friday, so the soonest I can see him is first thing Monday morning. Holding out hope that it'll come Thursday some time and I can pop over and see him, since his office is right across the street from my office. Terribly convenient, I know.
Am not entirely sure what to expect. My running buddy Jess has also been battling a hip injury since Ragnar and had her MRI last week. Results today - she has a labral tear...which is the cartilage around her hip socket. On cruches for a couple weeks but her Dr. says he's ok with her walking PDX...the idea of walking 26 miles with no training is also scary but it would be better to do it with someone. So depending on the results of my MRI and what my Dr. thinks is actually going on here...I am hoping to walk it too...at least start and get as far as I can, right? With the goal of both of us being able to run Ragnar....fingers crossed.
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