Patient Stories

Suzanne


What a wonderful site. I think I have you all beat in age. I am soon to be sixty born in 1959. I have an interesting story to share as it was told to me. My parents were stationed in Germany and I was born there. My mother noticed that when she changed my diapers I didn’t kick my legs. I was the third child so she was an experienced Mom. The Canadian doctor on base told her there was nothing wrong with me and it was all in her head. A young officer, who was also a translator, took my mother aside and offered to take me to a German Doctor off base. At this time in history I don’t think medical knowledge was shared internationally as it is now. At 6 months of age I was put into a body cast which apparently allowed blood flow to the femur head (so I was told), and following that braces for about a year. A side note. My father took me to the welding shop with a few of his buddies and they drilled into my cast putting castors on both knees and one on the chest. Apparently after pulling this heavy cast around for weeks I’d built up a good set of guns. When he set me down, all proud of himself, I miss judged and heaved so hard I went careening down the hall and crashed. My mother, furious no doubt, made him take me back and removed the castors. I think I needed a new cast at this point. Men! LOL
I ran and jumped and played like any normal child. I used to have to go to the hospital every year for an examination. I was told at one time that I was one of the first Canadian children cured of this affliction. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother all had congenital hip dysplasia.
Now comes the familiar thread I see in all of the stories posted here. At about 50 I started limping with over exertion or long distance walking. Now I have been diagnosed with “Chronic bursitis”. The Dr. is wonderful but seemed to dismiss my history and says they are not related. I beg to differ. I demanded a full MRI of the hip. Get this. I have also recently had 2 small basil cell skin cancer spots removed and the Doctor in Nuclear Medicine says. “That qualifies you for a TOTAL CT bone scan. Who knew this was policy in Canada? I bet many don’t.
Some times the pain in my hip is so bad I can’t sleep. That wrecks havoc on your over all well being.
Results in a week. I think the disorder also affects the ligaments and soft tissue surrounding the joint. No one seems to talk about that.
I do believe that researchers could learn a lot from my generation or our generation and the future of other born with this anomaly.
This sight is primarily meant for parents and babies born with this and I think it could use a much more comprehensive and in-depth look at adults and their concerns and issues.
Thanks for listening.
Suzanne