The story continues…..
Years ago I shared the story of my daughter and her clicky hips. A late diagnosis of a dislocated hip meant at the tender age of 21 months she underwent surgery to correct this, which through quite prolonged physio for a number of years seemed to work.
We were “almost” discharged twice from orthopaedic care she was doing so well.
Until she wasn’t.
Which was around when she turned nine, a year before the pandemic dominated the headlines and made entry back into the NHS nigh on impossible.
It was then the pain began and the limp returned.
And that’s how it has been for six years.
Our hip dysplasia never went away, it slumbered for a while, gave her the gift of some pain free times and then awoke, angry, broken and has been a constant ever since.
I’ve seen the CT scans, sat in the consultations, agreed to more surgical procedures, which sadly failed.
There are several things I know to be true about my 15 year old daughter.
1. She tolerates pain better than anyone I know – it’s been a feature of her life for some time.
2. She is pretty inspirational – she groans when it is worse, and when it’s cold she can be heard murmuring “bloody arthritic hip”, but in the main / for someone who hurts daily she takes it in her stride (limp).
3. She knows her limits and I think she has reached them.
4. Her hip is categorically fecked.
She has end-stage osteoarthritis, the pain is typically severe. There’s a significant reduction in cartilage, leading to bone-on-bone friction. It can only be solved in one way.
A total hip replacement,
13 years ago I was convinced our hip journey would be short and brief, when I carried her around in her half body spica, did nappy changes through plaster cast and breast fed comically.
I had no idea that hip dysplasia would still be such a constant in our lives over a decade later.
For that I am grateful, because why waste life worrying about what may happen. Instead we can just deal with it when we get there.
That’s where we are now.
Total hip replacements in teenagers are rare, and basically boil down to quality of life, When is being in pain daily too much?
We think it is now….
Whilst not religious, I am praying that this story around a little girl with a wonky hip is coming to a close. The ending has a date and whilst it is another serious operation for my beautiful baby girl – it should open up a life that doesn’t start in the morning with a tentative step out of bed to see how bad moving will be that day. It will allow a game of netball that doesn’t have a day of soreness to follow. She can go to town with her friends, she can be a kid.
I’m terrified.
What mother wouldn’t be, she’s scared too – we got the surgery date today and we have been niggling each other all day, both teetering on emotions we aren’t sure how to manage.
Every story has an end, and our hips narrative has gone on long enough. Out with the old and in with the new.
Life has thrown so many challenges at this kid and without them she wouldn’t be the incredible human she is today.
I can’t wait to watch her learn to walk, again, for the fourth time in her life – and finally pain free.
6 weeks and my kid goes artificial & pain free….
We are ready.
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The story so far…..
Before the diagnosis.https://www.northernmum.com/2011/12/not-the-best-of-days/#more-1651
The diagnosis: https://www.northernmum.com/2012/01/nothing-hurts-like-being-a-mum/#more-1686
Before the surgery number one: https://www.northernmum.com/2012/01/ddh-breaking-my-heart/#more-1714
The hospital stay: https://www.northernmum.com/2012/02/day-3-bay-14/#more-1790
The Day I broke my daughter: https://www.northernmum.com/2012/05/the-day-i-broke-my-daughter/
Waiting for her walk again: https://www.northernmum.com/2012/06/ddh-why-i-want-to-see-my-daughter-bleed/#more-2684