April 2016 Coach P Update...
Here we are in April and as I look out my window and stare at 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground, I have to admit that the part of me which was originally sad about not training is not THAT sad.
As an update for everything that has happened over the past couple weeks I can sum it up with one simple word – frustration.
As I have navigated the process of learning more about what's going on with my hip I have simultaneously been trying to figure out our healthcare system.
It's one thing to have a very simple injury that is specific and easy to identify. Creating an action plan around that is a no-brainer; many of you have probably even solved those kind of problems online.
In my case, the hip pain is so non-specific that it's actually hard to pinpoint the true cause of the pain.
So here's where I'm at…
At the end of March I got a cortisone shot directly into the hip joint. The goal behind this strategy was to effectively numb him the joint, allowing us to determine whether or not the discomfort I was feeling was either internal or external to the joint.
It is now been over a week since that shot and I still have pain. This is both a blessing and a curse. I now know that the joint is not the cause of my pain, but I'm still not any closer to figuring out what the actual source of the pain is.
The Ortho recommended I do physical therapy, but they can’t schedule me in for almost a month! Instead I have started physical therapy with my local team here at Foundation Performance (www.foundationperformance.com). Mike and his staff are world-class and will definitely help me get on the mend.
In the meantime I still need to work with the Ortho to figure out what the issue is. I may well need a referral to get an MRA — that’s an MRI done with the dye injected into the hip which should hopefully show more detail as to what's happening.
In the meantime, I am just starting to get into a consistent swimming schedule. It's hard to tell if the swimming bothers my hips or not. But I can tell that it's clearly a critical part of keeping me sane!
Thanks to all of you for your continued support and advice as I navigate this complicated phase of my training life. I'm confident that there will be a good resolution at some point in time..however I'm not confident that it's going to happen any time soon!
Camp Update: I had a blast in Texas with the folks getting ready for the race. You can read the recaps here and here...and here.
Race Update: For those of you who are asking, I did the defer my race entry from Ironman Texas to Ironman Mont Tremblant in August. It's wishful thinking that I'll be ready by then, but I do know that it's important for me to have a carrot out there as something to aim towards.
Life Update: For those of you who are asking about the status of our house things are on the mend. We are already building and hope to be halfway done with the project by the middle of April. It has been a trying time here at the McCrann household living in a rental house, but the support of our friends and the greater community has shown that what were dealing with is nothing to be truly concerned about. With friends, family, and our health we are truly blessed.
I hope to come back to you next month with a better update as to where things are at.
Until then, happy training!
~ Patrick
Comments
Sorry to hear about the race bump though it clearly is the right move. Hopefully they will figure out what the deal is and get you sorted in quick order. Also glad to hear the house is underway. Restoring some of your "old" life will make things less frustrating I would imagine. Sending best wishes along!
Injuries suck
Sucks to defer a race, but you decided a terrific place to race in August
I hear you loud and clear on the frustration of not being able, and not knowing why.
"It's hard to tell if the swimming bothers my hips or not. But I can tell that it's clearly a critical part of keeping me sane!" Thanks goodness for the pool (and the trainer?), is what I say over the past half year. I've spent the last 6 months since Kona bouncing around with a series of physical disruptions, but at least they were obvious and curable: hamstring tendonitis, hernia surgery, broken big toe. That, plus my need to ski, has had me with a total of fewer than 30 days running since Oct 10. I hope I remember how once I start again!
It may not be a consolation, but continuing to provide with Rich world class coaching to 100's of us out here is very much appreciated!!!
Glad to hear the house situation is getting there too. What a mess. When you were telling me about it, I couldn't imagine going through what you and your family have gone through. Hang in there coach.
Good luck with the Hip and continue being very careful with it.
As for hip itself, after WI, I have developed pain there as well. If you can...do go for MRI/MRA as it can tell you a lot but is not always a perfect answer as you may know. They said I "may" have a tear however wouldn't know unless they operated. I am not going to surgery on a guess. I did cortisone just like you...no help. They then did a PRP injection and (knock on wood) has kept the problem at bay. Training here going well. I don't mean to talk about myself so much but thought it may help to have some thoughts from my side.
Not sure if PRP was the answer however it's just a thought to look into.
As for the house...at least end is near, I can imagine it's been tough for everyone.
Racing, always good to have a carrot and hope to see you in MT.
Take care and look forward to hearing how things are going.
Dawn
Sorry to hear, P! It's hard enough being injured let alone being injured and not knowing what is causing the pain. So frustrating! If it's any consolation, how you are approaching your ordeal is very inspiring. Personally, i get so frustrated being injured and i know i'm not always fun to be around. Texas camp was a blast and you would never know what you were dealing with even though it must been really hard to be there and not be able to bike and run. Keep on keeping on, and get better soon!
As to the house stress, I put myself in that hell (of sorts) with my remodel/move crazyness last year. Not fun. At all. BUT...now I love the new kitchen and space, so when you are all back home I hope you really enjoy the new bits and the comfort of the familiar bits.
@ Scott - I went through back to back years with shoulder injuries (partly torn rotator cuff). First the left, then the right, then the left again. My shoulders used to ache at night to the point I couldn't even sleep and I thought I was done. I had PT twice and finally came through it. Now I do some of those PT exercises REGULARLY and have been shoulder injury-free for over 2 years now. Bottomline - you can resolve the problem, but when you do, you must incorporate preventative shoulder work into your routine -- year round! Good luck.