Halfway up the third escalator, my hip dislocated. I was just standing on it, and must have shifted my weight back to that leg. My leg turned outward, and it wasn’t under me any more. I tried to support my weight on the escalator handrails, and it wasn’t enough. I felt like I was on skates that were no longer under me. The pain was excruciating.

Rob and Schuyler took my arms, and we got to the top of the escalator and somehow got off of it. Theater employees came to help, and one brought me a chair to sit in. I was able to sit on the right side of my butt, but the pain was still intense. I was crying involuntarily from it. Rob called 911, and an ambulance came.

At the hospital, I had x-rays and pain meds, and the ER doctor was able to reduce the hip with me under propofol sedation. The x-rays were repeated following the reduction and the hip is back in place. The muscles surrounding the hip capsule were stretched out of place for quite a while, so while the immediate terrible pain is gone, it is still very sore. Before I was discharged, they gave me a knee immobilization brace and crutches. Immobilizing the knee prevents my hip from moving very much, so it will hopefully prevent another dislocation.

I’ll follow up with my orthopedist this week, but honestly this was scary and worrisome. Since I wasn’t even really doing anything when it came out of the socket, it’s concerning that that could happen again really easily. The ER doc said they might do something differently in PT to make it more secure, or the surgeon may need to do some sort of revision. The idea of another surgery is not one I like!

In any case, I’m home and doing fine for the moment. I’m really ready to stop having hip issues, though.