Hip-hop anonymous - a PAO journal

Sam, Sarah, Lauren, Laura, Beth, Marina, Jennie, Rachel, Shelley, Terri, Stacey, Brenna, Kirsten, Christine, Carly, Brandie and so many others ... I miss my Hip Sisters. Having a PAO meant letting go of this disability of mine. In the process, I've also lost touch with the women who encouraged, understood and supported me. I've hardly kept up with my girls, though I think of them very often. The surgery has come and gone, and so has my subsequent need for this connection. I apologize for not being there to return the favor for some of you. Without these sensational women, I wouldn't have had a PAO and changed my life. I wouldn't have had the information I needed going into the surgeries and I wouldn't have known how to cope with this whole thing from the beginning till now. (Is there ever an end?) I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate you and how you've enriched my life. I'm sorry if I didn't mention you by name; if you've ever writ...

In my last post, I mentioned my "terribly crooked tailbone." My last doctor and I looked at at pre- and post-op x-rays, which showed my tailbone pulling sharply to my left. Though we initially thought the surgery had caused the shift, the pre-op x-rays showed the same thing. Seems hip dysplasia was not my only problem; the construction of my entire pelvic region has been wacky from the start. The doctor is certain, however, that the PAO caused an unnatural pull on the muscles/tendons/ligaments from the tailbone to the hip area, triggering the pain I've been feeling. It may get better with time; it may not. I do not regret having my PAOs. I do want to note, though, that experts are still gathering information about long-term success of this surgery, which began in Switzerland in 1984. I am not a doctor, and I am not an expert in this subject. But I do feel that unexpected side effects (like tailbone pain) are more common than these top-notch surgeons are currently taking ...

On July 10, I had a procedure for my tailbone pain. The official term: caudal epidural steroid injection. The casual term: pants down here's a needle. Basically, the doctor places a needle into the space between the sacrum and tailbone and injects the steroid, which affects the spinal nerves. The purpose of the injection is twofold: 1) if it provides pain relief, it shows that area is the source of the problem. 2) if it provides pain relief, it provides pain relief. :) Anyway, the procedure was a little painful, and I had some minor reactions to the steroid (flushing, sleeplessness, soreness at the injection site). Since then, I've had no relief from the initial pain, I'm sorry to say. I'm glad I gave it a shot (pun intended) and am considering my options. Unfortunately, the last doctor I saw said the chances of losing the pain were slim since my tailbone is so terribly crooked. The next step is "manual therapy," in which a doctor massages the muscles around t...