Not what I thought - 88 days post-op

I saw Simon Ellis at Lake Physio today to get my ‘final’ rehab program. I was really hoping for a plan that Amir Takla assured me would be coming my way. Something I could get stuck into for the next 6 months or something like that. I didn't get that.

My 'plan' for the next 3 weeks.

After asking me a series of questions regarding my surgery and history Simon got me to show him what I'd been instructed to do by Amir. I showed him a couple of the 'QF' exercises I'd been doing and explained I'd been riding the stationary bike and doing a little pool work. We chatted for a while while he rubbed away at my left quad/groin.

He did seem surprised when I explained that Amir had asked me to back off a bit. I was quite self conscious of the fact I've just floated along for the past 4-5 weeks in regard to rehab.

I was hoping for a definitive long term strategy that I could adhere to. It didn't come. He wants to see me again in 3 weeks and get some massage in the meantime. I found myself quite frustrated that Amir had led me down the garden path regarding what I could expect. To be honest, I just want someone to cut through the crap and tell me what I need to do long term.

Anyway, I'll get stuck into the stuff he has given me. Hell of a nice bloke, Simon, and it's not his fault but I'll go back to Clarkey and try to get some information/instructions directly from Amir. Too far to travel from Buninyong over to Wendouree.

If you are reading this blog and have any thoughts or comments, good or bad, I would really appreciate it if you could add your comments after any of my posts. I feel like I am on my own with this and would love to hear from people in the same boat.

MRI Results (or lack thereof) - 81 days post-op

Well the results are in from my MRI and I got ‘donuts’!

Before I start I must say my MRI referral was from my GP and therefore I was out of pocket around $300 for the scan. Bloody expensive but my thinking was I’ve come this far……

Anyway, they were looking into ‘lumbar pain radiating to the buttocks and left posterior thigh, discogenic or facet. Is this amenable to CT guided intervention?’

Discogenic. Sounds like the sort of pissed dancing I might have trotted out in the wee hours of a sticky-floored nightclub circa 1994.

The conclusions of the findings were ‘minor disc changes only with a small discogenic bar extending L4/5 postero-right laterally without causing nerve root displacement or compression. This does not appear to correspond to the left-sided nature of the patient’s symptoms and is of unlikely clinical concern.’

Bugger. The old night-time aches and pains of the lower back and pelvis/hips are well and truly back and I was hoping it was something they could treat in my lower back. Unfortunately this does not appear to be the case.

I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that these aches will be with me for the foreseeable so the sooner I get my head around that and accept it the better.

As it is, the weekend just gone was a monstrous 3-day golf trip to Yarrawonga where, in between lengthy sessions at the bar, I played, and walked, two rounds of golf. The hips weren’t completely niggle free but they were good enough.

I am booked in to see Simon at Lake Physio to get my ‘final’ rehab program for the long term future on July 29. Should be interesting to see what he has in store for me.

This is my MRI report.


If you are reading this blog and have any thoughts or comments, good or bad, I would really appreciate it if you could add your comments after any of my posts. I feel like I am on my own with this and would love to hear from people in the same boat.

MRI all for nothing - 74 days post-op

I had my MRI on tonight and, just like last year, I fell asleep in it. It is loud, claustrophobic and an unusual experience but I was still weary after a mate's 40th a couple of nights prior so off to sleep I went.

I don't think I have had any notable improvements in the hips, etc from the surgery and I am hoping that the MRI turns up some results that a CT-guided injection can sort out in my back.

If I can get out of this without the nervy pain down the outside of the pelvis, hips and thighs I’ll be happy.

Just ticking the boxes.


If you are reading this blog and have any thoughts or comments, good or bad, I would really appreciate it if you could add your comments after any of my posts. I feel like I am on my own with this and would love to hear from people in the same boat.

Chasing my tail - 67 days post-op

Yesterday after having several days Of nerve pain in my hips and legs I went for a swim at the YMCA again. I've been doing 30 minutes on the exercise bike a few times a week and have been feeling okay in the hips. But unfortunately the pain radiating down my bum and legs, especially on the left side, continue.

I swam 750 m with my trusty sidekick Lucy swimming with flippers next to me. I had the floaty thing between my legs and I wasn't kicking as instructed. It was good to get the exercise in and my back did seem to feel better for the run.

But as has been the case for God knows how long, sitting for any length of time gets the radiating pain happening again down the legs.

I went into my doc about something else today. He was the bloke who got the surgery rolling. I mentioned I still have the same back/pelvis/leg pain. He wants me to get an MRI with a view to a CT-guided injection.

I don't know what to do. I seem to be ticking lots of boxes. I'm sure my hips will be terrific after it's all said and done. The surgery seems to have been a success even though I'm still achy and twinging the hips every now and then. But I wish I didn't still have the this radiating pain down the legs. I was certain the hip surgery would rectify this problem.


If you are reading this blog and have any thoughts or comments, good or bad, I would really appreciate it if you could add your comments after any of my posts. I feel like I am on my own with this and would love to hear from people in the same boat.