periacetabular osteotomy

ok. so i'm finally ready to write about my hip.

that really is my hip in the picture above.

i just cropped it from my mri and then made it pretty in photoshop.

i know i've casually mentioned some hip pain a couple of times.

well...it's worse than i let on.

so. for the sake of documenting...here's my hip story, from the beginning.

i started having some hip pain back in january.

it was kind of off and on at first, but slowly got worse.

when we went to wisconsin for a visit in april my pain was ridiculous.

but then it would ease up for awhile and i kept thinking it was just going to go away.

but it didn't. and in august when one of my good friends came over and told me she was going to have her hip replaced (she's 34!!) i decided i better at least get an xray and be sure nothing was reallllly wrong.

well...after 2 chiropractor appointments, 3 different surgeon appointments, lottttttts of xrays, an MRI and an injection MRI i finally found someone who can help me.

surgeon number 4 is my guy. the only problem?

he's in detroit. which is 2 1/2 hours from us.

but he can help me...so that's the most important part.

my hip is a wreck.

i have some pretty bad tears in my hip (which is causing the pain)...

but they are a result of hip dysplasia.

if you scroll back up to that picture you can see that the spacing isn't equal at all in my hip joint.

and the surgery i need is not going to be fun.

it's called a periacetabular osteotomy

click that link if you want to know more.

i will have a surgery date set this next week...it will be sometime in january though.

i'll be in the hospital for 3 nights...and according to the surgeon i will need "max help" for a month. i'll be on crutches for 2 months and then slowly ween off of them during the 3rd month.

needless to say life has been a bit stressful! but thankfully i was born with a pretty good sense of humor and attitude about life...i know it's going to really stink, but hopefully the surgery will bring me years of being able to play with my kiddos! because i'm sick of telling them i can't do something because mom's hip hurts! i feel like i'm 90! this surgery won't fix my hip forever...but it will hopefully give me 10-20 years before i'll need to have it replaced. (and yes. my other hip will be next...lucky me!)

Comments

[kellyj]

Jill....this is so crazy....I so wish I were homeschooling and I would just bring my crew and move in to take care of you! We'll figure out some way to help. On a happy note, that picture of your hip is really cool. I love you, lady! Keep that good attitude!

[Lindsay]

That totally stinks that you have this condition! Thankfully there is a procedure that can help!! Hope everything falls into place for surgery and help afterward.

[jennifer flake]

holy crap! having to go through surgery sounds SO not fun...but not being able to play with your kids sounds worse. Needing help for months sounds like a near imposibble task....keep us posted. I hope things go as good as possible!

[old man]

you are tougher than me

[mindy]

Im so sorry u have to deal with that! Not fun! I think we all got jipped in the gene pool for some things! Haha. Love u lots & hope everything goes smoothly!

[amy]

um, seriously cool spin (pic) on a bum subject. i am glad the meeting went well and that there is hope for comfort in the near future! keep that hip replacement as far out in the WAY OUT future as possible :) i love you and wish i lived there to be helping you guys!!!

[Haleigh]

We would be quite the pair! After my first child, I've had issues with my right hip. I've always said it'll need to be replaced and I'm sure it's down the road for me too. I'm still not quite to the point of NEEDING it done, like you, but I know it'll happen someday. Please keep us posted. Wish you lived near by and I could help. Sending prayers :)