Walking on Pins and Needles

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When my friend Irene first mentioned her symptoms on her blog, I had a hunch she'd fractured her hip. A physician told her it was muscle, but when she came to help me welcome home runners at a track club training run, I was even more convinced she'd done more damage than the doctor had declared. She limped just like I had two years prior and seemed in the same state: part denial, part optimism. Well, you know what they say is the difference between an optimist and a pessimist, right? The pessimist has the facts.

Irene on Saturday had surgery to fix a cracked femoral neck, which is the ball that connects to "the hip bone."

I suffered the same injury at the very same time in the marathon training program, so I know what she's going through and I know what she has to look forward to and I wish her a speedy recovery and a precription (with refills!) for Percocet. We've talked a couple of times on the phone now, and she's in excellent spirits and, according to the surgeons, otherwise great health. She's due to come home in another day or two and will resume blogging so we can get all the details of her ordeal. Until then, I'll keep sending happy thoughts and warm wishes her way.

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