Hip MRI results.

Kerissa • June 8, 2016

Last Thursday, I had my hip MRI arthrogram.  Before the actual scan, I was taken to Radiology, and the doctor injected a combination of saline, adrenaline, two types of contrast, and long-acting lidocaine all into my left hip joint.  The needle was very long! :O  They used long-acting lidocaine because they said that contrast really upsets the hip joint a couple days after the MRI.  The numbing medication took away my hip pain completely which was so nice. Sadly, after it wore off on Friday, the pain has since doubled, and I can’t move my leg well at all. :/

Yesterday, I saw my Orthopedics dr. to go over the results.  It’s not good news. Now we know why I have hip pain!  I have a labral tear (the labrum lines the hip socket and acts as a joint protector/stabilizer and shock absorber), degeneration from the tear, and an area of chondromalacia (cartilage damage/softening).

He referred me to a hip surgeon to figure out the best plan.  He reiterated that any type of hip surgery would not be easy to go through, especially since I have so many medical conditions, but I really hope this can be repaired because the pain is bad!  So we’ll see what the surgeon wants to do.  They’re trying to get me in this Friday, but if that doesn’t work, I can’t see her until July 11th. Please pray that I can see her this week!  July 11th seems so far away. If the appointment can’t be until next month, I’ll be getting a hip steroid injection in the meantime to decrease the pain and inflammation.

On Thursday the 16th, my parents and I are heading up to Seattle!  The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation national symposium will be in Seattle from June 16-18.  It’s usually on the East coast, so we’re excited to be able to go for the first time!  There will be lectures, times to meet other families, and even a banquet for both the doctors and families to attend!

On the 20th, I get to see my favorite doctor (my pain dr.) at the UWMC pain clinic again.  So much has happened since I last saw him in February.  I hope to get his opinion on a long-acting pain medication that my palliative care dr. wants to put me on.  After I see him, the plan is to head home!

I’ll hopefully blog again in a couple of weeks. Thank you for checking in!

Kerissa

October prayer request

By Kerissa Lee • October 19, 2025
Dear friends, At the beginning of October, I started taking a new medication for the autoimmune disease. I thought I was tolerating it just fine, but after several days passed, I began experiencing nausea, loss of appetite, weakness all over, and increased pain. 🙁 It’s like I’m experiencing another “mito crash.” I found out that this specific lupus medication affects mitochondria. That is, it causes an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This, in turn, causes cell damage and oxidative stress. I sure wish the rheumatologists would have known about this before prescribing. But I have to remember that Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome is rare, and they’re not “mito experts.” Anyways, the last time I felt like this was back in May.. I’m so grateful to God that I haven’t needed to be hospitalized from this, but at the same time, I’m also sad that this happened at all, especially because I had such a nice stretch of stable health. I’d really appreciate your prayers, that this muscle weakness can resolve soon, and that this increased pain all over will get back to my baseline. Every time I have a “mito crash,” it feels like I’m fighting the flu which always sucks. The pain has been hard to bear. And whenever I’m in the thick of it, it’s difficult to remember that this too will eventually pass. 😢 Pray that I will endure and follow Jesus’ example like this passage from Hebrews 12:1-2– “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...” Thank you all so much for praying for me. ❤️

Thank you! (+ a prayer request)

By Kerissa Lee • October 4, 2025
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." James 1:2-3

Praises & Prayer Requests

By Kerissa Lee • September 3, 2025
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23