PDA

View Full Version : Mom's having Hamstring Surgery



DynamoNED
06-06-2011, 01:02 AM
First, I just want to say what a great community TBCS is. In the ~10 months since I joined, I have seen TBCS come together for some great causes in ways I have not witnessed anywhere else. I have never felt so much a part of a forum community as I do here at TBCS, and that's why I feel comfortable to post this on here in the first place.

So, on to the topic mentioned in the title. The short version is this: My mother has had a "complete avulsion of the ischial tuberosity," which is medical jargon for when your hamstring tendon becomes completely detached from the part of your pelvis you sit on. It will require surgery that comes with 4-6 months of mandatory down-time for her, which means I will have to pick up much of the slack around the farm. I'd just like to request prayer for her (for those of you that believe in doing so) and give all of you a heads up on why I may not be on much for the next few months.

For those seeking more details, here's the long version:
Mama was running to tell my brother Enoch something as he was leaving and she suddenly lost all control of her left leg. She fell in the driveway at my grandmother's house and couldn't get up for a while. She finally did manage to get up and then I drove her home. This was the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend (5/28 ), so she didn't want to see a doctor until Tuesday.

On Tuesday (5/31), she went to Elite Sports Medicine to see Dr. Moore, an orthopedic specialist. He diagnosed it as a bad hamstring tear and recommended she get an MRI to see if how bad the tear was. Well, as it turns out Elite is no longer "in-network" with Cigna, our insurance provider, since Elite dropped their contract because Cigna has been stiffing Elite on payments for services (or so Elite says). However, since Mama has been a patient with Elite for 20+ years, they took the pittance Cigna was willing to pay, but we had to pay the remainder.

Thursday (6/2), she and I went to Nashville to get her MRI done. After she was finished, the tech said the results would be read in 2-3 days. So, she was surprised to get a call Friday from Elite Sports. Dr. Moore told her the tear was worse than he originally thought; it was a complete detachment of the hamstring muscle from the "ischial tuberosity," which is medical jargon for the part of your pelvis you sit on. Apparently, this injury is extremely rare. Surgery to reattach the muscle to the pelvis is the only treatment and has a mandatory down-time of 4-6 months. Due to the insurance mess, Dr. Moore referred Mama to another orthopedic surgeon who does accept Cigna, a Dr. Chad T. Price. He works out of Baptist, too, and Mama and Dad are going up in the morning to see him. That's where it stands right now.

I don't know how all of this will affect my family for the next few months, but I anticipate I won't be able to be on much, so consider this a heads-up. Further, I believe in the power of prayer to heal, and, if I may, would like to request that you keep my mom in your prayers, for those of you who believe in doing so. I have seen this community rally around its own before and have been amazed by the response. However, I did not post this for sympathy or charity, merely to ask for your spiritual/emotional support in this difficult time. Whatever your beliefs, thank-you in advance for your support; it is deeply appreciated.

UPDATE: After meeting with the doctor today, Mama is going through with the surgery, and it has been scheduled for Wednesday. Mama has decided she wants a "third opinion," so she has decided to delay the surgery until next week so she can meet with another orthopedic surgeon on Friday. Honestly, part of me feels she is stalling until she can get used to the idea of having to be off her feet for 6-8 weeks, but she only has about 1 1/2 weeks of the 3-week window after the injury for the less invasive form of the surgery.

NightrainSrt4
06-06-2011, 12:36 PM
My condolences to you and your family. Wish you the best.

RogueOpportunist
06-06-2011, 12:54 PM
Sorry to hear your mom is having troubles, hope everything works out for the best.

jdbnsn
06-06-2011, 10:41 PM
Ouch! That sounds painful, sorry to hear she has that to deal with. Ortho surgeons usually have pretty good results though so hopefully she will be all patched up soon. Prayers have been uploaded...

Jon

x88x
06-08-2011, 02:04 AM
Ouch. I hope the surgery goes well. I'll keep you all in my prayers.

Twigsoffury
06-08-2011, 06:01 AM
Hope for the best for your mom, You would be surprised at some of the medical technology we've got these days. I'm sure after some re-coup and some minor rehabilitation they'll have your mom running down your driveway in no time again.

DynamoNED
06-11-2011, 07:40 AM
Just wanted to let everyone know: Mom decided to go ahead with the surgery and had it done yesterday, June 10. She is at home now, but is in a lot of pain. Thank-you all for your prayers and support.

x88x
06-11-2011, 10:26 AM
Good to hear; I hope she recovers well.

msmrx57
06-11-2011, 06:16 PM
Glad to hear it went well. Hoping for a speedy recovery.

DynamoNED
06-11-2011, 11:19 PM
Today has been eventful, to say the least. After calling the doctor this morning, it turned out that the pain Mom was feeling combined with the continued numbness from her shin down was not normal. She was rushed by ambulance back to Baptist Hospital, and Dr. Price, her orthopedic surgeon, met us at the ER. He took her back almost immediately to be prepped to go back in to see what the problem was. He was the most puzzled of all of us, since the surgery itself went completely by the book.

What he found was very interesting. After going back in through the same incision as before, he found that there was a small "blood mass" (which he also called a hematoma) around part of the hamstring. Once this was drained off, he discovered a hidden nerve that wasn't supposed to be there. Apparently, the nerve had attached itself to scar tissue from a previous injury of Mom's hamstring, and this made the hamstring grow around the nerve. (This scar tissue made sense in light of the fact Mom had twisted her "knee" about a month ago; turns out it was actually her lower part of her hamstring.) When he had reconnected the hamstring yesterday, this nerve had been "crimped" as he put it, cutting off all sensation below the bottom of her knee. Dr. Price removed the scar tissue and delicately repositioned the nerve where it belonged.

I could tell the difference in her demeanor when they rolled her into the room from recovery. She was in a lot less pain and was a lot more lucid than last night. I got to talk and visit with her a while, but not all the feeling has returned to her lower leg yet. I figure part of that is the anesthesia, and I pray she starts regaining some function soon. However, the doctor said she was able to wiggle her toes in the recovery room, which she was unable to do yesterday or this morning.

I'd just like to thank all of you here on TBCS for your prayers and support. She is not out of the woods yet, but at least is in on the road to (proper) recovery. Your continued prayers and kind sentiments are appreciated. This type of community spirit is why I always recommend TBCS to everyone I know; thank-you all again.

dr.walrus
06-11-2011, 11:34 PM
Dude, that sounds agonising. Do they have idea of the cause of such a major injury? Is that not one of the biggest tendons in the human body?

x88x
06-12-2011, 02:10 AM
Weird complication but it's great to here it's been worked out.

DynamoNED
06-12-2011, 10:05 AM
@dr.walrus - Given the unusual scar tissue Dr. Price found, the theory we have come to is that the actual detachment was the end result of a series of injuries, each causing moderately more damage. As I mentioned before, she had twisted her "knee" about a month ago, and it had been hurting ever since. She also had slipped on some wet moss while feeding the horses a couple of weeks ago, and she complained of her "hip" hurting. (I mentioned she might want to get it checked out then, but she just dismissed it as "getting older.") The best we can determine is that her attempt to run without stretching was the last straw, causing the tendon to detach. It makes the most sense given the situation, because while Mom tends to push herself very hard when she works around the farm, she knows her own physical limits and when she should call it a day.

@x88x - Dr. Price thought so too. He told us that he had never had that happen before any of the other times he has done this procedure. In part, it's what led us to suspect that the detachment was the result of multiple injuries. He did say that the next time he has to do this surgery for someone, he will make certain to check for crimped nerves.

DynamoNED
06-15-2011, 04:39 PM
Happy to say that Mom got to come home yesterday afternoon, just in time for my birthday today. She is doing as well as can be expected. From here, it is 6 weeks of wearing a brace on her left leg 24/7, followed by 2-6 months of physical therapy. Thank-you to all the TBCS members who have prayed and supported, and if you would I would ask that you continue to do so.

x88x
06-15-2011, 10:58 PM
Great to hear! :D

billygoat333
06-16-2011, 01:08 AM
awesome! :)