NO PICTURES TODAY. just a quick story. of a poor little tailbone. for those not interested, by all means, carry on.. but for anyone going through tailbone pain i would like to first off state that you are not alone. i have decided to document this story due to my astounding discovery of how little there is out there on this specific injury, and yet how many people suffer on a day to day basis. if my process helps just one person. i will be happy.
it began with a sled when i was young. landing on a rock caused a bruised bum which healed thankfully in a couple months. then it was a gymnastics meet in high school with a tumbling pass that ended up right on my butt causing a fractured vertebrae in my spine and 2 years off from the sport i love. my tailbone took a few months to heal, my back, a little longer.
then came june of last year. my girl's state competition was down south in wildwood, NJ where they are known for their boardwalk, roller coasters, and fried food. i love heights and of course went on the big wooden rickety roller coaster with the thought in my head of letting myself "go up and down. enjoy the experience LA!" big. huge. enormous. mistake. a month later the pain began. and if you haven't experienced a bruised or broken tailbone it is hard to explain. you can sit on a very hard surface for your butt bones keep the weight off, but anything soft, forget about it. the worst is driving. you get in the car and for five to ten minutes you are fine.. then that ache starts to slowly creep in and any bump, turn, or movement makes you see stars.
for a year now i have been going to a chiropractor who works on my tailbone, stretches the tight tendons that connect there, and lasers the area to try and offer some relief. but much to my being hopeful the pain has only gotten worse. i can no longer wear pants, jeans, or any sort of stiff material. sweatpants have become my go to for they are all i can sit down in. driving is miserable. sitting in bed or on a couch is worse. and the thought of being pregnant one day (a dream for pete and i) and not being able to sit... my quest to fix my poor bum has begun.
as a gymnast i have had many injuries. broken toes, ankles, a knee, my ribs, and back. they all hurt of course but none i would sit and write a novel about on a blog. there is so much information about these common breaks and injuries, anyone can just google and get the knowledge they need. this tailbone is so rare, hardly anything is written except for one website my aunt found that has offered some personal stories. my goal is document this journey, however it may end up, and shed some personal insight to those who have the same problem... or just warn people to not let themselves smash up and down on roller coasters.
with that said, my first doctor's appointment last monday was a bit shocking. the word surgery was said. there aren't many options for tailbone pain. manual manipulation (which i've had for over a year), shots to numb the pain (a temporary fix), and lastly removal of the tailbone. this surgery is so rare, there are only a handful of doctors who perform it. so here we are. with an MRI done on saturday, i am waiting for the results and anxiously counting the days to wednesday when i meet with a surgeon who has done this type of procedure. Dr. Kane is his name and i will be a happy person if i feel comfortable enough to let him take out the bottom of my spine. the "not knowing" part is the worst.
-so this is just the beginning of a journey that i hope will help others and if not, will be a documentation of my experiences where hopefully i can look back one day and say, "remember when..." as i SIT not stand ;)
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