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Sure would appreciate prayer - my hip is bothering me a bunch.  I absolutely have to spend all but a very small amount of time sleeping on my left side.  If I do turn over for more than about ten minutes, then I better not have to get up and walk,  because it'll hurt on the left hip area.  If I then turn over to the left side, though, and am able to stay there for at least 15-20 minutes, then if I get up it doesn't hurt.  But once in a  while the left hip hurts when I lay on it, and then I don't have any position in which to sleep, as the back aches when I'm on it too long.  I've been to the chiropractor, and he says there isn't anything he can do for me that will last more than one night - I'm aged past the point where it will stay "in."  So then I have to sleep in the layback chair.  That gets old.  Please pray for me.  Thanks.

Old Al I mean Oh Al. I am so sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble with your back and hips.  I will definitely be in prayer for you brother.  I can feel your pain as I too have problems from time to time with pain in my hip area  when I am trying to sleep. Both of them hurting at the same time is so damaging to ones sleep.

Lord God I pray you will bring your healing comfort to my Brother, Pastor Al, so that he can get some  sweet sleep while you watch over him.  in Jesus name, Amen

Al, I will pray for you.  I, too, have hip pain from time to time...but nothing like yours.  I agree with Marilyn's prayer.

I'm here, too, Al, and I'm praying even as I type.  The pains I have are far less than what you are experiencing, but very troublesome, so I can't even imagine what you are going through.  Our Father knows, though ... and He fully understands. 

Dear Father, touch our brother and ease this pain.  Give him comfort and a peaceful, healing sleep ... I know You can do it and I trust You -- in all things.

Hi Al.  I will pray for you and I do suggest that you go and get some physio as it helped me a lot and they also did some accupuncture which I did not have much faith in but I can be a testimony that it sure helped me also. Keep the faith. God bless.

I'm praying, Al.

Kevin

Oh, my dear Al...  I'm praying for you.  I just did and will continue to do so, my dear friend.

Well I went and saw my regular MD, and, after much examination, he gave my condition a name: "Trochonteric Bursitis."  It turns out that there's a bursa (fluid sac) near the hip that cushions shock to the hip from the trochanter (femur bone to me).  If the bursa becomes inflamed, then there's pain.  I'm scheduled to see a phicasl therapist this Thursday.  Pray it'll do the trick.  I'm still trying to sleep in the layback, and, thankfully, I can.  But it's getting old.

Oh, my!  I've experienced bursitis in my shoulder area but never my hip.

Definitely, I'll be praying for you my dear friend.

God bless you richly.

Hi Al!

I'm praying for you, too!  I can relate to the not being able to sleep with my back, neck and jaw injuries.  Not really any position that works.  Makes most nights painful and sleep deprived.  I will pray the Lord grants you relief and sleep and maybe even something that will help you medically to feel better overall and last longer than one night.  Pain is sure exhausting.  You're in my prayers.

blessings, Kathleen

Tried to reply but the connection timed out. 

Wondering how things are going. 

I'm glad you ended up seeing a physical therapist.  My grandma was one and she, along with all the other PT's I've known (and yes, I've known several...my mom used to be a medical transcriptionist for a PT clinic and I've been going to one since my car accident at the end of August) can't STAND chiropractors.  In fact, my grandma told me about a guy that ended up at the hospital she worked at.  He'd been injured playing football.  He went to a chiropractor for a while but they weren't able to get his back to where it felt ok, he was just in lots of pain.  Finally he went to his regular doctor who sent him to the PT.  They x-rayed his back...it had been broken!  He'd been having his back tweaked by a chiro and it was broken the whole time.  I asked my current PT and she said that yes...she doesn't know a single PT who has much respect for a chiro.  My problem is with a chiro you have to keep going back where a PT tries to get it so they never see you again. 

Sara

Thanks so much Sara, Kathleen, and Pat.  So far, the PT has helped some, especially just after they do it.  But I'm still attempting to sleep in the layback - I thank our Lord for that chair!  Also, I'm beginning to wonder what caused the bursa to become inflamed in the first place - and whether it will continue to happen.  Hope to ask the PT when I go in Wednesday.  But I know that, no matter what else, our Lord is the true Physician, so thanks for your prayers, which I know He graciously answers.

Thanks SO much for praying!  The PT just yesterday decided that it wasn't PT I needed.  She told me to get an additional insert in the shoe on my left foot.  My leg is about 1/2 inch shorter on the left side, due to a car accident in 1977 oin which my femur was broken in three places.  So now I have the additional insert.  Please pray it works.

Hehe...an insert into your shoe is much cheaper at least than continuing with PT.  I'll pray it works wonders!

Sara

Dear Pastor:

I have found relief in an Inversion Table I bought from Teeter Hangups.  I suffer from a siatic nerve in my hip, and when it goes out, I want to go out too! really bad pain. but after using the teeter for 2 minutes, I am back to normal. I also have neck problems that at the base of my neck, I had an egg sized lump for years there that gave me all kinds of pain, and Praise God, it's gone.  since I have bought the teeter, I have seen other brands at Big 5 sporting for about 100 bucks, mine which is really good quality cost about 300, but the best money spent for sure.

God Bless......Mitch Muerle, Carson City. Nevada

light_catcher@yahoo.com

Thanks so much Mitch, Sara, et al.  The insert I had in the left shoe was just temporary, and it wasn't enough lift anyway, so today I'm going to a shoe shop in which there's a fellow who makes orthotics for people as well as rebuilding shoes to include lift or other special shapes.  He's been building me a lift, supposed to have it done, and I'm going to pick it up today.  Please pray it'll work.  Thank you, and thank the Lord.

Thanks for the update, Al.

I'm praying that this will work and relieve your pain.

Oh, I hope it works very well for you.  A woman at our church has a rare form of MD and has had to get shoes custom made before.  Right now, what she's done is get some shoes that were almost the right fit for her (her feet are seriously messed up anymore...she usually has to use a cane to keep from falling) and take out every bit of insole and such they had in them so she could put her inserts into them.  So, that might also be an option for you...take out the insole in the shoe for your longer leg (maybe just put a thin bit of something like the gel inserts) and then leave the insole in your shorter leg's shoe, and build it up by putting something under the orthotic which would give you just that much more lift on that side (though you'd never be able to tell looking at them from the outside).

Sara

Thanks Sara.  The fellow at the shoe shop seems to think this orthotic he made for me will do the trick.  I pray so.

Well, here's a bit of an update: after the thicker orthotics were inserted, I went a day or two, then, one day, I did the treadmill a bit longer than I had been doing.  That may have strained a muscle in my left side, just above the hip, because at about 1:30AM I ended up going to the ER.  It's gotten a little better since then, but it's still not right at all.  Xrays were taken, and an orthopaedist  has looked at them.  I have an appointment with him this next monday.  Please pray that he'll know what to do.

Al I'm sure you know by now these doctors are only "practicing medicine" ... We know the Great Physician, and He knows the exact cause and cure for your pain.  I am praying the specialists you are seeing will be able to tap into His knowledge and bring relief to your problems....

Ohhh, Al.  What agony.  I'm praying for you my dear brother.  Nothing so painful as hip pain.

God bless you.

Oh Al, let us know what the doctor says.

Well, after the orthopaedist gave me the shot things improved considerably for about 3/4 days, and I was becoming convinced it was going to actually be well.  But in the last two days it's gotten worse again, so I'm going to call the orho again, see what he says.  Please pray.

I am sorry, Al.  Have been following this and hoped you would get relief from the shot.  My daughter gets some sort of shot in  her neck every six months, from a specialist.  It helps a little..not a cure. Nothing can be done about her back.  Any relief is a blessing, right?  Will continue to pray.

Liz

How right you are, Liz!  Any relief IS a blessing!

As it turns out, the doc thinks maybe he didn't get it in exactly the right place, so now he's ordered a new shot, which will be given during fluroscopy, so they can see right where it's going.  That's supposed to happen at 1PM tomorrow.

I will pray it helps, Al.  The shot my daughter gets can only be done by one specialist on the island.  It must be in the right place!  So trust you are going to feel much better....

God Bless,

Liz

Thanks Liz - that's my prayer as well.  And I pray our Father will bless your prayer and make you know how He used it and you.

It's hard to know what to say.  They put me under fluroscopy, got a 7-inch needle ready, and attempted to make sure exactly where they injected a steroid.  Getting me situated and the needle in, etc. was physically hard, and when they were through it was as if I had been somewhat "beaten up."  Anyway, after a day or two it began to feel as if maybe they had done the needed job!  But, them, I decided to go ahead and try to sleep in bed Saturday night.  After about an hour I could definitely feel pain again.  I had to get up and go to the layback chair for the rest of the night.  That was discouraging, because it almost seemed like all that they had done was not of any lasting value.  I'll be seeing the orthopaedist again a week from tomorrow - hopefully to get some answers.  Please keep praying.

Al, it is hard to imagine what you are, and have been, going through.  That falls into the category of torture, in my book!!     Of course I will keep praying ... and praying ... and praying! 

Al as I told you on the phone I have you on my prayer list. So I will definitely be praying for you.

Thank you for the update, I'm so sorry the news wasn't better. 

 That's really too bad Al. I'll pray for you too.
I hope you feel better soon, and I hope you sleep better too.

Just to let you know that I'm praying for you, Al..

Thank you all.  I'm praying that, howver our Father answers these prayers, still it will be a blessing to those who prayed and will glorify Him.

Well, I just got back from the orhopaedist.  After thorough examination, he said some PT on the muscles near the top of the thighbone may do the trick.  That was good news.  I had been thinking that I was back to square one, but he thinks that was not the case.  So that last injection may have done much of what was needed.  Please pray that the PT will indeed finnish the job.  Thanks again.

Thanks for letting us know, Al.  I'm so sorry you are going through all this pain.

Well, thle physical therapist seems to be really getting down to the hard-core problem.  It seems that my back is crooked!  (no comments now)  He could show it to me in the mirror, and I could indeed see it.  He placed me on one of their tables for 10-20 minutes with props, etc. and my legs in a certain position - all to "twist" me back to normal.  When I got up from that I could see the difference.  However, as he told me, it'll probably slip back into its bad habits again.  However, by doing this several times, and possibly by doing it at home as well, he thinks it'll "take."  Pray that it will.

Al I have had a crooked back since I was 12, Scoliosis, I feel your pain, I have had  to deal with the pain all my life and it is getting worse as I get older. I do pray that your "props" will help you get straightenend out. I am having to go to the chiropractor a lot more often to get the pressure off the nerves,.

I'm continuing to pray for you, Al.

Pain like you are experiencing is certainly no fun!

Prayin' for it to take, Al!

Well, now a somewhat new problem is interfering with the physical therapy - swelling in the lower legs.  I had lymph edema previously, but this seems different - possibly not limited to the lymph system.  May have to go back to compression stockings, though I admit that I don't really see them doing a lot of good. Please continue praying.  I'll be seeing my regular doc on Friday morning about the edema.

Thank you for the update, Al.  I'm sorry you are going through this.  Compression stockings helped Jack when he needed the help.

I'll be praying for you.

I'll pray for you, too Al.

Thank you, dear bro. & sister, for your love in this.  And I pray He'll bless you as you see his answers.

By way of update - the physical therapist just doesn't seem to really understand the problem.  He thinks a special pair of shoes will do the trick.  But what he doesn't seem able to understand is that the pain isn't so much when I'm walking, but it's when I'm lying on that side.  Additionally, his untwisting work seems to fall right back out again minutes after the therapy.  I've come to the end of the scheduled sessions, and we've apparently not made much progress.  I'll be going back to the Ortho shortly.  Please keep praying.

I'll keep praying, Al.  How frustrating.

I know how frustrating this can be, Al.  I'm still praying that someone -- something -- will be able to help you past this painful problem soon.

Amen to that prayer, Jane!  And thanks, both of you, for your prayers.

Any luck? 

It isn't working well for me, but I'm going back in for another try...I got a spinal injection for my back.  They don't just do it in backs though.  While I was there someone was getting it in their shoulder.  You might look into a pain specialist/therapist.  The only reason I knew about them is that my PC doctor is studying to go into that.  He is about the best doctor ever and is going into it because he truly loves to stop people's pain.  I wanted it to work so I could be a fantastic success story.  It worked for my mom years ago, and a couple other people at our church, but apparently I can't get my back to cooperate.

So far, no go.  I went (by referral from the ortho.) to a new physical therapist.  His instructions were very, very difficult to follow.  Come to find out, though, that he wasn't really going to do any "therapy" at all, but he was going to try to change my life-long habits, with the thought that that would do the trick.  The fact is, though, that I had those habits for over 70 years, and they worked ok.  I didn't have any problem 'til I was 74.  That, to me, makes it doubtful lthat it was those habits that caused the problem.  Anyway, I'm going back to the previous pt man, who has been able to possibly get some special shoes for me.  Please keep praying - I  wait upon the Lord alone for true healing.

I'm continuing to pray, Al.  I'm so sorry you are suffering so.

Still praying, Al ....

The latest.  The vascular surgeon to whom I was referred has concluded that there is nothing he can do about my edema.  I'm not sure where to turn next  for this - maybe just to the Lord alone.

Meanwhile, on a very slightly different front, I'm wearing this specially built up shoe now, and my hip is not used to it yet at all.  My prayer is that when it does (hopefully very soon) it'll make the difference.

Praying for you Al.

Thank you dear Melody, and may our Father greatly bless you through your prayer for me.

Praying for a miraculous healing from the Great Physician for you, Al!  Also praying if that isn't His will for you that you will only grow more and more Christ-like as you bear this painful trial.

Your sis in Christ,
Kathleen

Al I'm here for you, brother ... Truly there is NOTHING impossible with our Lord.  I'm continuing in prayer for you and your medical situation.

Any further update Al?  I am continuing to pray

By way of still further update.  It turns out that certain chiropractic schools teach a technique of deep massage that actually stretches the affected ligament in the area of problem.  I went to one, and it DID!  However, after about 2 weeks, the pain moved slightly and is more or less back.  I can lie down on my bed now on the left side without too much problem.  However, I can't turn over to the right side, because the edema prevents it.  Need to get rid of this edema in both legs.  So I'm going back to our primary care man, with the hope he can refer me to someone who can deal with that.  It appears that there is venous insufficiency in the return flow from the lower legs.  I have to be careful not to put too much stock in my self diagnosis, but I'm thinking that a gastroenterologist might be able to help by finding and correcting any lower GI pressure on the venous returns.  I do have diverticulosis (kink in the colon), so that could be a problem.  Anyway, please pray that SOMEONE will know what to do with me!

In the mean time I'm also going to go back to a chiro. who uses the deep massage technique for another go at that.

Praying for you Al and believing with you that you will have the victory in this.

My daughter worked with a chiropractor in giving deep massage .. I know what that is, and hope it will be an answer for you.

She also worked on forcing (by massage) the return flow from the lower extremities.

Al, I know this has been an ongoing problem for you for some time now, and I pray you will be able to find relief soon ....

Ok Sounds llike that things are even more complicated?  Just know we here at CP are praying.

Jane - I tried to send you email at the url in your profile, but it told me that was a bogus address.  If you or your daughter have names/addresses of anyone down here in the Eureka area who does that massage of lowerextremities to restore venous flow, could you let me know?

Bogus??  Naw ... I get email notifications from CP at that email address all the time!   

I also have other email accounts.

I will try to contact my daughter and see what she can tell me ... she is in Sacramento, and I don't know what or who she knows about this. 

Still praying for you, Al.

Thank you all for your love in praying.  I pray our Father will bless you in and through it.

Praying for each other is our way of having (covering) your back.  That is done in love....Yes we will continue to pray.

Well, another new chapter in what should eventually be a full-blown book.  Have you ever heard of lymphatic drainage therapy?  I hadn't, but I have now.  It turns out that specially trained individuals so very special massage to get the return flow of blood going in the lower extremities (veins).  I'm goin to see one this next Tuesday.  Please pray it'll work  really, really well.

Praying this will work for you Al 

I'm praying, Al ... That's what my daughter says is becoming a very popular treatment .... God bless you  and the therapist/masseuse.

Thanks so very much dear Jane.  You're a very special sister!  Yes, it is becoming a more and more popular kind of treatment.  However, there are not yet very many therapists who are trained by the Upledger Institute.  The one I've found here is the only one in N. Calif, but she's right in the town next to us!  And she'll even come to our place to do it also!  Our Lord is so merciful!

How has this helped, Al?  I'm wondering if the therapist has been to your home and if it has been beneficial.  I'm still praying that the solution for your problems is forthcoming --- quickly! 

Praying for your healing Al, whether instantly from God's own hand or a gradual restoration through human hands with His touch upon them.

Al I am continuing to pray.  These new "wrapping" techniques often do work.  I pray they will in your case.

God Bless you Brother.

Al:  Praying for your release from pain.  I didn't know about your hip problem (or have forgotten  )
Sometimes all these things are tied together.  Keep healing!

Thanks Carol.  Actually, at present, we are not worrying so much about hip pain.  At present we're trying to get rid of the swelling in both legs.  It's proceeding rather well, and, God willing, I should be able to be back in my normal shoes, etc. within about 2/3 weeks at most.  They're making special compression hosiery for them.  Then, once we get through with that, I'll probably try again to sleep in bed, and then we'll see about the hip pain situation, as that's where it occurred.  Thanks for your prayer.

Any more updates Al?  I am continuing to pray for you.

Brother Al...I can sure empathise with you when it come to hip pain.  Anyone that has had it sure knows how you're feeling...layin' in bed tryin' to sleep and sleep won't come as the pain continues from your hip.

Lord:
I ask that you guide the doctor's in directing treatment
I ask you to give Al comfort. 
I ask that you ease his pain. 
I ask that you give him a good night's sleep tonight and that he
      wake up feeling better than he has in a long time.
Lastly, I thank you for Al...for the wisdom he dispenses, for the joy and encouragement that he brings to others here on CP

Amen

Latest update:  The swelling was indeed helped a lot with the wrapping.  It's pretty well gone now.  I'm now wearing special compression hosiery, and it's indeed working.  Praise our Lord for His mercy.  There was one rather small spot on the left leg that was an open wound (very shallow, thankfully).  That seems to be just about healed now.  I'm experiencing no pain in the hip area at present.  I'm going to try using the bed to sleep in once again, possibly tonight.  Thank you all for prayers.  Thanks be to our Father for mercifully answering them.  Pray that I'll learn whatever lessons I need to learn from all this and that I'll thereby be a better servant to our Lord.

Thanks for the update, Al.  Good news that you have (finally) found relief.

What agony you've experienced, Al! May God grant His healing mercies and may this healing be complete and long lived (as may you be long lived, my brother!).

Ruth Ann

Praise God!  Now I pray you have a restful night in bed.  That will make a nice change!

Praise the Lord for His grace.  May you have a peaceful night.
Becky

Hi Al,
I'm glad your hip pain has eased.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for easing Al's hip pain.  You are an awesome healer.  Please let the treatments help his swelling.  Let the swelling go down without complications.  Help him to be free from pain, and let him rest peacefully and wake up each day strengthened in Jesus.  In Jesus' name, Amen.