Fix You

That's one good thing about the American Health Care system, once you've maxed out all your deductables, co-pays and out of pocket expenses, you're pretty much good to get whatever you want for free.  Or at least that's what I'm hoping (we've not had the bill in yet) since I had a host of x-rays a few weeks ago and went for two MRI scans last Friday.

I've searched and searched and searched my blog for a post I'm sure I wrote last year on the problems I've had with my coccix, but for the life of me I can't find it.  So instead of a nice short link that you could choose or choose not to read, I'm just gonna write it.

So, last November as I was making some pancakes, Tiger kindly pushed a chair over to help me.  Instead of helping me, she pushed it right behind me just as I was bending down to get the pan out of the cupboard.  The result: a crack to the bahookie that left me crying.  I got over it pretty quickly, or as quick as you can when you can't shout at the person that's hurt you because it's not really their fault and you've got two kids asking you why you're crying and wondering why they can't kiss the place better, and when they do kiss your cheek it doesn't stop the tears.  Anyway, that day I don't remember suffering too badly after the initial jolt, but the next day I could barely move.  In fact, the day after that I was on the couch all day and Toots had to do all my errands - like pass me the magazine ;) Just as well it was a dreich November day and we had no plans.

Ever since then I've had quite a lot of pain both when I sit down and then when I stand up. I think it also probably kick started the SPD that I suffered in pregnancy.  I've waited and waited because I know there's nothing I can do about a bruised/broken/hurt tailbone, and partly I wondered how much of it was pregnancy related: you know, just everything being loose.  Anyway, four months post birth it still hurts and quite frankly I don't want to live with pain, so since I'd maxed out my insurance requirements I went to see an orthopaedic surgeon.

Six x-rays showed up nothing (though I think they x-rayed mostly the lower back) so they sent me for two MRIs - one for my lower back and one for my pelvis.  MRIs are pretty cool, though it's incredibly uncomfortable and harder than you think to lie still for thirty minutes at a time.  Anyway, results today pretty much showed nothing, except for a tail-bone that seems to be pointed in at twenty degrees more than it should.  Apparently this could be congenital, but in my non medical mind it seems far more likely to be linked to the whack to the area which started the pain.  But like I said, what do I know?

So it looks like sitting on a donut cushion for the rest of my life is the answer. Or perhaps steroid injections to the area which may not work, could give at least three weeks of increased pain, and then may wear off. Might wait for the bill before deciding...