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DIAGNOSIS - HIP DYSPLASIA
I decided to start this Blog as a way of sharing and educating others as well as keeping my friends and family updated on my progress.In the Spring of my 37th year, I started having severe groin pain which eventually deferred into my left knee. There were days when I could barely walk 1/2 a block with a cane. Simple daily chores and personal care became very difficult to perform. I had xrays and a CT scan where we discovered that I have Hip Dysplasia. I tried pain medication while waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon locally. After my visits to the surgeon, he referred me to another orthopedic surgeon for an Osteotomy. These were only performed in Vancouver or Calgary in Canada. I chose Vancouver for a matter of convenience and so that my family could visit easier.I have an awesome surgeon who performed the Osteotomy on my left hip. Preparation for this surgery involved xrays, and trips to Vancouver for workshops, working with physiotherapists, the surgical team, several nurses and the anestheisiologist. The outcome has been phenomenal! I got my life back and the pain is gone! I will, however, require hip replacement surgery on this hip further down the road. My right hip will need surgery also. HIP DYSPLASIA: an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, or acetablum and the thighbone or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Hip dysplasia can exist from birth or can develop within the first few weeks, years or later in life. 80% of people with DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) are females. Depending on the severity of the situation, this can result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. For more information, check out this link http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia.htm
Consultation May 08
To Vancouver I go. The surgeon requests xrays. Some bad news, this hip has some Osteoarthritis in it and to do the Osteotomy would only be 70% effective. He thinks we should do a Hip Replacement. I ask if that is my only option being as how I had such excellent results the first time around and am not ready for all that artificial pieces in my hip. He refers me to another collegue of his out of the UBC hospital, who specializes in scoping of cartilage. The wait begins for that appointment as my surgeons office said it could be up to a year to see him. I am not looking forward to being off work that long, however am looking forward to being able to spend more time with my family.
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