The Harmonious Hip: Status Post...Day #2

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Status Post...Day #2

Ahhhh endorphins....how deceitful the little beauties are! It's as if all my cells were asleep and today's the day the bloody alarm clock went off. I'm awake already, thanks! Now turn it off!!!

Pain not unbearable per se....thanks to my new friend (and foe) Morphine. Just a general flu-like miserableness sort of feeling. Love my Millennial Crutches (worth every penny!) and love my ice packs. The Morphine, on the other hand, while necessary at this point, is causing such traumatic dreams, I dread sleep....and my body desperately needs sleep. I am hopeful for some uninterrupted dreamless sleep today to gear up for tomorrow's long journey home. Ever grateful for this warm home that was so graciously opened for us to stay while here in Augusta....it has proven itself priceless indeed!

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What is Hip Dysplasia?

You may hear about babies or pets with hip dysplasia, but it can affect adults, especially young women. Hip dysplasia is an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, oracetabulum, and the thighbone, or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Doctors check for hip dysplasia in babies before sending them home from the hospital -- it's an easily treatable condition in newborns. But if hip dysplasia isn't detected and corrected at an early age, the health of the hip will deteriorate over time because of its misalignment. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or an inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. It's not just dogs and babies, y'all!

Periacetabular Osteotomy (or PAO)

PAO: The Mother of All Hip Surgeries... A procedure that cuts the hip socket out of the pelvis to allow the socket to be repositioned and then screwed back into place. This allows the ball & socket to move fluidly, preventing further cartilage damage and preserving the joint in patients with faulty hips. The PAO preserves and enhances the patient's own hip, NOT replacing it with artificial parts like a hip replacement. The hip may still develop arthritis over time, even when the operation is successful. However, PAO is still the preferred treatment in young adults to postpone the need for hip replacement as long as possible.