I had my hip completely replaced at 23.

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I was born a very agile and outgoing girl. I loved to cartwheel everywhere and had a passion for ballet.
I succeeded in the dance industry and became a professional at the age of 17. I danced at corporate events and was also selected to join the moulin rouge at 18. One day I felt a niggle in my left hip and found it slightly more painful to dance. I went to a specialist whom told me I had torn some cartilage in the joint, I was booked in for a very minor surgery to repair. A week later I was recovering well and back dancing. My surgeon made a bizarre comment about being careful with my hips as the joints don’t quite sit correctly. I was young and didn’t understand what he meant so brushed the comment off. Over the next 4 years I had to quit dancing, I endured 13 difficult surgeries on my hip joints which culminated in being unable to walk at 22 years of age. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and my cartilage was weak, easily tearing and causing damage to my bones. In this time I had started university and met the love of my life. I had tried to take the surgeries in my stride but when it came to being 22 and facing the possibility of having to go in a wheelchair I was devastated. I also wanted to start a family and was told if I wanted children I would need to have my hip replaced. The specialists were concerned I was not able to carry a healthy pregnancy and would end up bedridden due to the relaxin hormones released during pregnancy which they knew would make my condition worse. SO at the age of 23 I had my right hip replaced. It was a shock to the system and it was a very hard recovery. I went from a happy, healthy and energetic young woman to a 23 year old scared of the future and recovering from major surgery. I am so happy to share now though that it was the best decision I was faced with as I can now walk with relatively low pain and have just had my third beautiful baby. I do face more surgeries ahead and I had another two surgeries between pregnancies but I would not change it for the world.

Posted by teegs, 14th April 2019