It’s been a week since my diagnosis. A week of soaking in a life changing event that was in me from birth like a meter running out. Now something else will be set free inside of me. Yes, it feels like freedom. Ironic that taking my legs out from under me should lead to liberation! Whoever says Spirit has no sense of humor and irony is not paying attention. So odd that it waited until exactly 50. Interesting marker.

I’ve done a lot of reading on the International Hip Dysplasia Institute website—very helpful.

http://hipdysplasia.org/about/

It has a section for the real stories of people with hip dysplasia. I find the most help there, especially from the ones who write more extensive blogs on their experiences. I’m also touched by all the sad stories. So many people become symptomatic at young ages and have to have terrible procedures, called PAO’s, since they are too young to have total hip replacements. Some were casted as children and their walking was delayed. Apparently, the golden age for hip replacements is 50 (though it seems to be changing in recent years due to the longer life span of implants). I AM SO LUCKY. Lucky to have had 50 years of not knowing I had this condition, and being able to do all I did, and now being old enough for a THR.

A humorous side note: while doing research on this topic I’ve seen more dog hips than people hips and come to the conclusion that there is more information out there for dysplastic dogs than people!