Ulna and Updates

My ulna bone is the latest bone/joint to dislocate. Back in 2008 I had an Ulnar Shortening Osteotomy on my right wrist (before EDS diagnosis) after being diagnosed with a "collapsed wrist" and a subluxated ulna bone. Fortunately with an EDS diagnosis now and having been through this once before, I am aware of everything a little bit more. I can feel a joint beginning to slip out of place sometimes before a dislocation occurs. This doesn't necessarily prevent the dislocation, because it happens quickly, but I am able to recognize it soon after and 9 times out of 10 reduce it on my own. To make sure the ulna was back in place I saw Dr. Shiple. We took quick x-rays and everything was back to "normal." I am now in a customized/molded plastic splint to prevent any more dislocations.

A quick update on everything else:

Hips- My hips continue to get worse in terms of pain and severity of snapping. They get stuck more often. I have not made any decisions on the scheduled December surgery and probably won't decide until closer to the date. I also now have to consider whether or not my wrist can handle the stress of using crutches for 8+ weeks. My shoulder surgeon has cleared me to use crutches in regards to my shoulder so that will not be an issue.

Head- My headaches have been getting worse. Fortunately not every day is a terrible day and not every day do the headaches get increasingly worse. However, the terrible days are worse than ever and the weather has a major impact on the severity. I am still not interested in pursuing surgical treatment for Chiari or cervical instability.

Ankle- I haven't mentioned my ankle lately. It still hurts a lot whenever I am weight-bearing and we are not sure why. In terms of stability I couldn't be happier with how it feels and how the surgery went. I can stand and walk without the feeling of rolling out. My ankle surgeon mentioned a few months ago that we would consider a MRI in December if the pain in my ankle hasn't improved. His guess is scar tissue build up, but with pain a year out from surgery it isn't a bad idea to touch all the bases.

CRPS- I haven't been on Neurontin or any medication for RSD/CRPS in several months and it has been a challenge. I still have burning and discoloration of my legs at times. Fortunately it is not as consistent as it has been in the past. I have noticed that when my leg is particularly cold (we are nearing winter weather) my hypersensitivity increases and I am unable to touch the area around my knee incisions and parts of my thigh. I guess the key is to keep my leg warm.

Shoulder- The most recent surgery I have had was my right shoulder and I really don't have a lot to update on. My scapula still pops in and out and is very sore and painful at times, but my shoulder is incredibly stable...which is an AMAZING feeling. I also hardly have any shoulder pain. Occasionally I experience pain in the front with PT exercises but it's really not noticeable or bothersome. My ROM is improving weekly, though as I mentioned in a previous post, the measurements have slowed down a bit--this is a good thing. There is no need to push my arm/shoulder to reach certain levels. The ROM will come back completely with EDS.

Knees- They hurt but I haven't had dislocations since having the surgeries so really I have no complaints.