Patient Stories

Angela

I am a 37 year old female that was diagnosed with congenital hip dysplasia at 2 days old. I was coasted at 2 weeks old for 6 months. My mom said my feet grew out the end of my cast. I was then in a brace for another six months. I learned to walk around a year and a half and my parents were told all would be fine…

My mom began to notice strange things about me. I always wore out the toe of my left shoe before the heal. My pants were always too long on the left side. And then she saw me from the back that my rear end was uneven. The pediatrician told her she was crazy! My parents finally found an orthopedic surgeon in Chicago. They took me and he knew right away there was a big problem. I had a four inch difference in the length of my femurs! I had suffered an a vascular necrosis of the femoral head.

I had two double upper femoral osteotomies, removal of plates and screws, exploratory hip arthroscopy, and eventually removal of my right femoral growth plate hoping my femurs would be even. I wound up with a 1inch difference and the dr said that was as good as it was gonna get. I was told no running, no jumping, no sports for the rest of my life. I was also told that I would have aches and pains but that was part of the territory.

I went on to live a relatively normal life. I became a pediatric ICU nurse, got married, had three kids. I always knew when it was gonna rain or snow. I was my families personal weather barometer… About six months ago the pain in my left hip got really bad. I could barely walk. No pain meds worked. On a good day it was like a tooth ache and on bad days it was like a raging fire in my hip. I lost range of motion. My kids had to help me with my shoes.

I finally went to a surgeon and after a lot of X-rays, an MRI, and a failed cortisone injection on April 9,2014 I had a total hip replacement with a cone implant. My hip was so abnormally shaped and distorted the surgery took 4 hours instead of one and a half. They lengthened my leg and so for the first time in my life my legs are even and my feet touch the floor at the same time when I sit. When I woke up in recovery I had NO pain in my hip!

I am in for a long recovery… Being off balance my whole life everything on my left side needs to be straightened and realigned. I know this implant won’t last forever, but I’m so excited to see where the new hip takes me.

Thank you for taking time to read my story!