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What we're doing

We recently started the surgery process with our daughter. We are using Dr. Stevens at Shriner's/Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake City (we live close by).

It was pretty scary to do the first surgery (hip osteotomy 2 weeks ago), but it went very well, and we were very pleased. We have a long road ahead of us, but we are hopeful/confident everything will work out well in the lengthening process. It was almost as scary and nerve racking as when she was born, and we couldn't figure out what the deal was (you all have gone through that, it appears).

Incidentally, our daughter has a class B difference that sort of went to a class C over the first 3 years since the hip was not properly aligned (and thus she is not able to take advantage of all her growth plates). We are opting for the lengthening. To lengthen, they have to first realign the hip. Thereafter, they will perform a leg lengthening each year.

The images below are some sketches before and after the surgery done by the doctor. We found it very interesting.

Let me know if you'd like more information. mfrodsha@yahoo.com

P.S. - I'm not sure why these images are not showing up. They show up anywhere else on my computer, and via email attachments. Who knows what's going on here? I've reattached them as PDF

AttachmentSize
PDF icon both hips.pdf117.18 KB
PDF icon hip before surgery.pdf57.19 KB
PDF icon hip after surgery.pdf52.3 KB

Comments

I cant seem to view any of the photos

I could not see the images either. Please try to re-scan them .

What would you like to know?

She had this surgery at just over 3 years. They said she could probably have it at 1.5 years if her bones calcified enough, but, as it happens, she was not ready until now. Nevertheless, they told us that the sooner she has the surgery the better.

Anyway, we're told she'll have anywhere from 5-15 surgeries before she stops growing. Unfortunately (or fortunately in other cases), my wife and I, her parents, are taller than averge (both 6/6'1"). I think that does not bode well for the number of surgeries she may need.

Beyond that, she's as cute as "a button," whatever that means, and she seems to be doing really well - attitude and physical-wise. We're very pleased thus far . . . very, very pleased.

Okay, I think I've fixed the image problem. I resubmitted as PDFs.

Anyway, we were pleased to discover for a variety of reasons that Ellie will be able to have her cast removed in 1 week. We're pleased: A) because it will be nice for her to start walking (our arms are getting tired); and B) hopefully she actually sleep longer than 1.5 hours at a time each night - Errrg! and C) it will help us feel like we're onto the next step. We were told this would be the hardest surgery to go through. Hopefully that is true.