My doctor’s appointment this morning was a pain in the patootey--- literally! I wound up with a steroid shot in the butt, which means you really CAN say I’m now quilting on steroids!
Turns out that what I have is known as “Piriformis Syndrome” Which basically means that my sciatic nerve is inflamed between the piriformis muscle and the superior gemellus muscle – the nerve travels between these two deep hip rotators and can become inflamed --- and the pain follows the pathway of the nerve, below the knee following the entire path of the sciatic nerve. Below the knee is the peroneal nerve, and that seems to be inflamed too, so the doc thought a good ole shot in the butt might help things heal a bit faster. ((Yes, all that good neuromuscular therapy training still comes into good reference use at times!))
It’s just horrible when it hurts to sit, hurts to sit and sew, hurts to sit in the car to go anywhere, hurts to sit in an airplane ---
I’ve been dealing with this for months now, and I’ve got a driving trip up to Ohio on the 10th so I needed to see a doc to see if there was something we could do. I’m supposed to call back on Friday if this is not significantly better, and maybe start a supplementary steroid pack as well.
She also recommended I get another shot before taking that long plane ride to Bali in August. Sounds like a good idea to me because although I am ecstatic about that adventurous trip, the thought of being chained to a seat on a plane for that many hours really had me worried with how bad this has been hurting.
Besides – how can I ride an elephant if I’m bothered by pain down my leg?!
So I’m home. And I’m hopeful.
I’m also going through some of the photos from yesterday’s antique run to Mooresville, NC --- Oh, did we find some goodies!
And Cindy, the Purple Quilter – I thought of you when we arrived there. Did you think of me waving at you? I was!
The antique mall, American Classic Antiques, is large and is two stories – lots of bannister space to hang delicious quilts! You can tell from the photo above that we found plenty of eye candy to behold!
My eyes went directly to the Perkiomen Valley 9 patch variation at the far left of the photo. There were actually two related quilts in this pattern here. Whether they were by the same maker, we couldn’t tell…but TWO Perkiomen Valley 9 patch quilts in ONE antique mall? Oh. BOY!
This is the first one. Isn’t this Awesome!?
Close up of corner section. I loved all the light shirting fabrics used on the “light side” of the 9 patch unit ---the dark side of the block uses 2 fabrics per block – I liked the effect. You could see where one block ended and another one started. It was so interesting to follow the progression of the blocks this way. Can you see the maker arranging these on her “design floor” before selecting a final lay-out?
The bottom half of the quilt as it hung over the railing. What a WONDERFUL quilt!
Circa 1900. Price has been marked down from $450 to $295. Still too rich for my blood, but I was thrilled to see that it did come from the Perkiomen Valley of Pennsylvania!
And the “Sister” quilt:
There was not as much room to lay this one out as the other…we did the best we could with the narrow space we had! The “lights” have more color in them than the “lights” in the previous quilt – though some of the fabrics are the same. Also – these blocks have 3 fabrics per “dark side” of the block, where the other quilt had only 2 fabrics on the dark side. Can you see the difference between them? This one has a much more “Muddy” look to it just because it is more intensely scrappy. I love this block, it is so versatile and can be arranged in any log cabin lay out!
Close up of blocks!
There are more quilts to show, but I need to go lie down and ice this hip.
More to follow!
Sorry about your pain--I hope you get resolution. I deal with nerve pain from the lower back to the ankle sometimes and you are right, there is no sitting anywhere that is bearable.
ReplyDeleteLove both of the quilts, but the muddy one speaks to me the most. : )
I love the antique quilts you show from the shops on your travels. I sure wish I lived in an area like that. But I guess if I grew up there I'd take it for granted rather than being envious!
ReplyDeletePiriformis syndrome: Also known as ballerina butt! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Bonbie for this! I need to get out my scraps and make one of these! I hope your leg is feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteOh, Bonnie, I so feel your pain. I had that same injury a number of years ago. No steroid shots (and now I wonder why), but I did have physical therapy. Even then, it was ten months before I had relief. It was difficult to walk, drive, lie down, etc. Hopefully today's advancements in medicine will help you soon.
ReplyDeleteOn a good note, the quilts you are displaying are just beautiful. Ah, yes, more inspiration!
Take care and feel better!
Elaine in MA
ehquilts@me.com
Did u bay any of them? they need more safe hands and cozy home to live
ReplyDeleteLove the quilts. Take care of yourself. Glad you had the shot. Now do what you're suppose to. When I have the shots in my back I can do nothing but sit for 2 days to let it travel. Did she tell you that?
ReplyDeleteThinking happy thoughts for you.
Maryella
I live in the Perkiomen Valley! Such a small world.
ReplyDeleteUm, I hope they told you about the side effects of that shot! Maybe you'll be lucky, but if not, expect to have a hot red face tomorrow and be a bit out of sorts. It's worth it if it works for your hip.
ReplyDeleteI like the "muddy" one better too!
ReplyDeleteAnd you can forget sleeping with that steroid in you!!!! HA!
OH, Bonnie, I feel your pain.....literally! Some of my own problems started 15 years ago when I developed shingles in the sciatic nerve, with pain shooting from hip to ankle, especially sitting. Pain was only relieved by staying on the move! I do periformis stretches every day to keep that joint limber and mostly pain-free. I also have a 'floppy SI joint' on the left that makes walking a challenge sometimes. Hang in there....those steroid shots have their own side effects. Depo-provera shut down my hormonal system for 9 months pre-menopause. Depo-medrol throws me into pseudo-diabetes. For a couple of weeks after an injection, I have to watch what and how often I eat to keep the blood sugar level. Probably a good practice I should use all the time anyway. And yes, hot flashes, too. After the inflammation abates, remember to do your stretches faithfully everyday. (Hope they will give you a little PT to teach you good ways to avoid inflaming that joint again.) Hope to see you on the road again sometime.
ReplyDeleteHow did they diagnose piriformis syndrome for you? I self-diagnosed myself with that - couple of months ago I squatted and stood back up and then was brought to my knees. Couldn't sit OR stand and could hardly bear lying down. There are some GREAT stretches though (and I have NOT been as good as Elsie with doing them every day). Hope the steroid shot does what it needs to do without causing too many side effects.
ReplyDeleteI so hope the dx is right. I have had back surgeries and can soooo relate to this kind of pain. Blew out L3 l4 and L5 disk spaces and the S1 nerve root. I worked in an Emergency Room and this is the result :( Cannot work anymore...I loved my job! I had horrible pain down both legs into the buttocks and down into my calves. They finally fused me together which I thought would help. I now have worse back leg and now foot pain. I have a nuerotransmitter installed in my back that sends a vibration signal to the brain ahead of the pain signal. The brain can only translate one signal at a time so it kinda confuses it. I have a battery pack that it runs off under my skin. I recharge a couple times a week. Sometime when I behave it helps. It is too hard to not do some things and so I pay for it! Feel better, pain is a pain! Be careful on those steroids...they can compromise your immune system and elevate your blood sugars both of which are not so good!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain !! I too have severe sciatica which leaves me with pain and numbness down to the foot. Luckily I work for a neurologist. Quilts are amazing! !!
ReplyDeleteSorry that you have a pain in the butt! I thought of you this weekend when I went to a flea market and an antique mall in Brunswick, Maine -- several sewing machines (one misidentified as a Red Eye -- no red eye in those decals at all), some sets of old blocks, some old quilts, but nothing photoworthy.
ReplyDeleteWow, Nann...........do you live near Brunswick? I am from WI., but my sons live in the Lewiston, Auburn arae and I visit 2x a year! Small world! Nancy
DeleteNancy, really small world . I live 25 minutes from Lewiston . Suzanne from Maine
DeleteOh Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteso sorry for your pain, my poor sister goes through that too.....it was worse on her when she was pregnant with her daughter but still is painful and the weather affects it too....take care and get lots of rest, we love hearing from you...
So sorry to hear about your "patootie" problems!! Yee-ouch!! Bonnie, you need to rest; I know, that's not you is it? I am in my "Momma" mode now--S L O W down...I hate those wrds, but you have to if you want to be able to ENJOY your Bali Tour. I love those quilts---Julierose Be Better... :-)))
ReplyDeleteMy hubby has similar back problems and he found this to be helpful: http://youtu.be/2qZ517Rw7ME
ReplyDeleteThe steroids helped also. Hope you get relief before you hit the road again!
Bonnie, thanks for thinking of me!!! :) When I saw that you were in Mooresville, I was wishing I was there at the antique shop with you! I have seen those quilts, but seeing them through your eyes is so much more interesting! :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you are having pain issues. I pray that the shots alleviate all pain so that you can continue to enjoy your crazy busy, fun quilting life. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself.
I've been there and done that!I found that the yoga position, called pigeon helped a lot. I would do it on the bed, w the straight leg on the floor. it stretches out your glut.
ReplyDeleteas for the quilts STUNNING!I agree w Cindy seeing them through your eyes!!!
I just had a bout of sciatica pain. Not sure how it flared up, but I bought a medicine ball to do exercises for my core. I read that strengthen the core can help with sciatica. I also wore a knee brace...read that helps keep the knee properly aligned. Both offered relief. Especially the knee brace, because I was having difficulty bearing weight on the leg with nerve pain. I'm just glad to be running again!
ReplyDeleteOK. Periformous Syndrome. I had it for 18 months before seeking help, thinking it would go away. It only got worse and I cried from the pain most days. I describe it as a "royal pain in the butt", because that is exactly what it was. I had it on both sides. I had shots - no help, I had accupuncture - some relief. I had chiropractic - not much help. I had physical therapy - some help. I had massages - some help. I couldn't sit or stand or sew. I was on major, major pain pills. Finally a rheumatologist suggested I try "fooling" my body by 15 minutes ice, 15 minutes heat, 15 minutes ice four times a day. It helped more than anything. I also started trying different shoes, and finally found some that work for me. I am, by the way, hyper mobile (I could be a circus acrobat!), but I don't personally think the two are connected as I've been a pretzel all my life.
ReplyDeleteThe major pain lasted so long and was so debilitating that now, if I even have a twinge of "royal pain in the butt", I panic and start the ice-heat-ice again.
I am thinking of you with more empathy than you can imagine.
Sorry this is so long...
PS - the "Pigeon" yoga pose, mentioned by Carolyn Sullivan, did help me some.
DeleteI hope the shot helps Bon!!
ReplyDeleteI was in hospital today for those steroid injections in the back for the exact same thing. Been dealing with it for 3 years. Injections seem to help for awhile but still have to take the meds for real relief. Laying on tummy and raising upper part of body brings quick relief that usually last for hours. AHHH! Relief. Good luck and have a safe trip.
ReplyDeleteI hope the shot helps you! I have sciatic nerve damage that makes my hip hurt like crazy and sometimes my whole thigh go completely numb. My yoga instructor suggested some new stretches, so we'll see if that helps! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteBonnie,
ReplyDeleteBeen to Mooresville more than once. Is the little tea shop still down on main street not too far from the quilt shop?
Sorry about your pain, bummer, bummer.
Thanks for sharing the quilts. So beautiful. Can we make some like them?????? BT Mt. Home, AR
Yikes! What a pain in the butt. I have had the same thing - I do my piriformis stretches before I even get out of bed in the morning just so I can move. When the pain gets unremitting by the middle of the day I have to bend over and "gap my spine" to open up the vertebrae and take the pressure off the bulging discs so they'll stop pressing on the nerves. I'm too big of a fraidy-cat for an epidural steroid injection or surgery, but most people don't seem to be helped by surgery anyway. Time, physical therapy and sometimes chiropractic care seem to do better for more people.
ReplyDeleteAren't we a cheerful lot?
Bonnie, two thoughts about your pain. Ask Dr. about trying some Yoga with stretches focusing on the flexors. I love my Wii Yoga Fit Plus. I have no back/leg pain any more. There is no way to prove it was the Yoga, but you can't convince me it wasn't either. #2 think about upgrading to 1st class on your long flight. You'll have more room and your fellow travelers with totally understand if you're not in coach w/them. Take good care. And thanks for all you do for us.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, take care. I hope the shot resolves or at least decreases your pain.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when you ahve a pain in the a$$!nI have sciatic issues as well and sheesh it can flare up at the drop of a hat!!
ReplyDeletewow there is a name for this !!!!! I have the same thing is so painful to sit no one can understand it.I have knots that just cant get worked out and the pain goes down my leg in the back so I am going to the doc in 2 weeks and I am going to ask him if this is what I have sure sounds like it.I tried to get him to give me a shot there before and he just wanted me to go to therapy .....Phshah that just doesn't work so Thanks for the information Debbie Kelly
ReplyDelete