The imaging center where I got the MRI shared in detail with my doctor
not only the immediate results but why they were unable to get the
second set of contrast scans. So that is what alarmed my doctor to feek
the need to send me to the emergency room via the message she left on my
voice mail the night after I had the MRI. See my oncologist has never
seen me cry. In the (almost) five years she has been treating me I have
never cried in front of her, and if I ever felt like I wanted to I just
held it in. No matter what the news was or what the treatments were
doing to me, No tears. So she was very alarmed to hear that I was
sobbing during the scans from the pain I was experiencing. Top that
with what the MRI actually unveiled and she thought it may just be
causing me so much pain in general. When she never got the call that I
was in the ER, she knew then it was not as bad as she had speculated.
She told me that was one thing she was confident in knowing about me. I
would go seek medical help if the pain threshold was something I truly
could not bare. So obviously I was okay.
Now for the actual results. I have bony destruction and a new complex fracture to my right hip with superior displacement of the femoral metallic component, impacted in the iliac bone. Meaning the metallic bolt (placed in Sept 2007 after a hip fracture) has worked it’s way through the hip socket (acetabulum) like a drill, so I have a hole in the rear/bed of the socket, in which has caused the impact with the interior bone and superior fluid in pelvis. The femoral head has completely disintegrated which has allowed the bolt freedom to create havoc. It has also created a fan spread shape inside what once was a smooth circular socket. There is fragmentation/destruction of the acetabulum (again the actual hip socket). There is a capsular (gel like sac surrounding the hip joint) tear which has caused a large amount of fluid in the joint area. Partial tear of the abductor cuff (abductors are the muscles of the outer thigh that move the leg) with associated edema (an abnormal excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue and cells) in the gluteus minimus and to a lesser degree the gluteus medius. There is also a partial tear in the iliopsoas (a major muscle group that run from the lumbar portion of the spine to the femur. The main action is to flex the thigh at the hip joint ) near its insertion to the lesser trochanter (a small bony protrusion on the upper femur). The iliopsoas is what keeps my leg attached to my body. That’s it.
Pretty serious stuff. Basically everything is falling apart in there. Before long I won’t be able to use the leg at all. The muscles have had to work double duty to help me walk and as this MRI shows they are just worn out and tearing. No bones left to call it a hip really. No proper rotation. I can’t even go to an emergency room to expect to have it repaired for lack of traditional insurance. As I have noted in the past I searched for months before I finally found a surgeon to do a hip replacement that would not only accept my insurance (that’s through Medicaid) but also agree to see me despite my cancer. And he is 90 miles away. So I know if I go to a local hospital I will be referred somewhere else. Again another example of being treated like a second class citizen in America. Even my oncologist had to agree with me. So we opted to contact said surgeon I had already seen to see what he will do. Dr. Browne called him and had to leave a message. So she left a detailed message and faxed the results to his office. Hopefully one of us will hear from him on Monday or Tuesday. Now remember that hip replacement surgery never happened because he felt I was NOT feeling enough pain (Have you ever heard of anything so ludicrous) for how extensive the damage was (even back then, Nov 2010) and wanted a neuropathy work up by a neurologist before proceeding. I could not find a Neurologist in my insurance network of doctors. Nor could I afford to pay to see one for I was quoted almost $400 just for the initial visit and was given a price range from $350 to $800 for the actual testing. So I put that on the back burner. Now lets hope and pray that he will consider doing surgery since there are new fractures to contend with and I am in much more pain. Really don’t these doctors have hearts? I am a human being, with broken bones and I can barely walk. All I can do is pray that we hear from him and it’s a go.
Since I can’t have any surgery while getting the Avastin form of chemo, we have pulled that out of my regimen. Supposed to be out of my system for 28 days before having any surgery, or dental work. Last week was my week off, so at least I am 7 days in with out it thus far. Might have to wait 3 weeks before I can even have surgery.
Now for the actual results. I have bony destruction and a new complex fracture to my right hip with superior displacement of the femoral metallic component, impacted in the iliac bone. Meaning the metallic bolt (placed in Sept 2007 after a hip fracture) has worked it’s way through the hip socket (acetabulum) like a drill, so I have a hole in the rear/bed of the socket, in which has caused the impact with the interior bone and superior fluid in pelvis. The femoral head has completely disintegrated which has allowed the bolt freedom to create havoc. It has also created a fan spread shape inside what once was a smooth circular socket. There is fragmentation/destruction of the acetabulum (again the actual hip socket). There is a capsular (gel like sac surrounding the hip joint) tear which has caused a large amount of fluid in the joint area. Partial tear of the abductor cuff (abductors are the muscles of the outer thigh that move the leg) with associated edema (an abnormal excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue and cells) in the gluteus minimus and to a lesser degree the gluteus medius. There is also a partial tear in the iliopsoas (a major muscle group that run from the lumbar portion of the spine to the femur. The main action is to flex the thigh at the hip joint ) near its insertion to the lesser trochanter (a small bony protrusion on the upper femur). The iliopsoas is what keeps my leg attached to my body. That’s it.
Pretty serious stuff. Basically everything is falling apart in there. Before long I won’t be able to use the leg at all. The muscles have had to work double duty to help me walk and as this MRI shows they are just worn out and tearing. No bones left to call it a hip really. No proper rotation. I can’t even go to an emergency room to expect to have it repaired for lack of traditional insurance. As I have noted in the past I searched for months before I finally found a surgeon to do a hip replacement that would not only accept my insurance (that’s through Medicaid) but also agree to see me despite my cancer. And he is 90 miles away. So I know if I go to a local hospital I will be referred somewhere else. Again another example of being treated like a second class citizen in America. Even my oncologist had to agree with me. So we opted to contact said surgeon I had already seen to see what he will do. Dr. Browne called him and had to leave a message. So she left a detailed message and faxed the results to his office. Hopefully one of us will hear from him on Monday or Tuesday. Now remember that hip replacement surgery never happened because he felt I was NOT feeling enough pain (Have you ever heard of anything so ludicrous) for how extensive the damage was (even back then, Nov 2010) and wanted a neuropathy work up by a neurologist before proceeding. I could not find a Neurologist in my insurance network of doctors. Nor could I afford to pay to see one for I was quoted almost $400 just for the initial visit and was given a price range from $350 to $800 for the actual testing. So I put that on the back burner. Now lets hope and pray that he will consider doing surgery since there are new fractures to contend with and I am in much more pain. Really don’t these doctors have hearts? I am a human being, with broken bones and I can barely walk. All I can do is pray that we hear from him and it’s a go.
Since I can’t have any surgery while getting the Avastin form of chemo, we have pulled that out of my regimen. Supposed to be out of my system for 28 days before having any surgery, or dental work. Last week was my week off, so at least I am 7 days in with out it thus far. Might have to wait 3 weeks before I can even have surgery.
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