limbo with a chance of stress fracture

i finally went to the doctor today which i was both happy about and dreading. i went in hoping that there would be an "eh - it's muscular!" diagnosis straight away...but unfortunately, it was not to be.

i answered a bunch of questions for a medical student working with the doctor - the basics plus what kind of pain and when and how and all that. sometimes when describing how it hurts or how much, i am fairly certain i sound like a hypochondriac. it feels the same as when you have an eye exam and they keep asking you "which is better - this? or this?" when there isn't a whole lotta difference at all.

the doctor was prompt and no nonsense. she asked more questions - about the pain. how often i was going to pt...if it helped...what they were doing. poked at my leg. poked some more. did a few tests where she would hold my leg down and i was to press up. or to the side. or pull down. after one of these tests she said - THIS is what they should be working on! and i said my hip? and she said - no, your GLUTES.

this made me sad.

my left leg is stronger than my right at the moment (not surprising). after the tests she poked around a bit more and found a spot right on the bone and was like - does this hurt and it did.

she said it could just be a muscle strain of one of a few different muscles, one of which that runs right down the shin bone OR it could be a stress fracture OR it could be a bit of both.

sigh.

in the end...i have been subscribed 2x a week physical therapy for 6 weeks, a bone scan, some extra extra strength anti-inflammatory pills, no running until we see the bone scan results, no elliptical because it still puts pressure on that part of the leg, ideally i would get to the pool (she said this as though i had one in my backyard) and use the "aquajogger" and last but certainly not least - i am not allowed to wear flip flops because not having arch support aggrivates this sort of thing. NO FLIP FLOPS?

so more physical therapy tomorrow, and then the lovely bone scan will be next week. i'm kinda depressed but going to try to remain optimistic and look for a pool and maybe buy the aquajogger thingy if i find one. i'm also traveling for a few weeks this month which is not going to help matters...whether it be going to the pool or physical therapy or running if i'm lucky.

i'd stomp my foot but that probably wouldn't be good the ole leg either.