NHBPM - Day 1 - Why I write about my health

So, I am participating in National Health Blog Post Month. Every day in November you blog about your health in some way given the topics they provide. I figure since 2012 has lacked some posts on my part it would be a way to kick my butt back into posting!

I had my 1 year post-op evaluation last week so I will post that info when I see fit - even though I am well over 1 year post. :-)

November 1 - "Why I write about my Health"

This is a pretty easy topic to talk about because I do have(had) a fairly big issue with my health (if bones count) that was pretty traumatic/depressing and changed me a bit. I don't want to start this post as if no one knows my background but I may have to go back a bit for any newbies.

I was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia (is a congenital or acquired deformation or misalignment of the hip joint - basically) when I was a few months old and given a brace to wear which kept my legs/hips at a 90 degree angle to help form the sockets better/deeper. The harness came off about 6 months later and my doc thought that was all I needed and I was never checked out through my childhood. I played many sports and had a few aches and pains but didn't think anything of it. In college the pain seemed to worsen, went to a few doctors and they said I would need a Total Hip Replacement eventually. Ok, yeah, great but here I am 23 years old and in excruciating pain! It was very upsetting and kept me from doing a lot of things I wanted to do. Walking was so very painful and even carrying groceries added much more discomfort. I'll mention here, my mom also has hip problems and has had two hip replacements and both of them revised...we're no strangers to hip issues. After I got married and after the Honeymoon I figured it was time to go see doctors again and see if there was anything to help the pain I was in. I mean, I couldn't be the ONLY young person with hip problems. Low and behold...I'm not.

I saw an orthopedic in my area who took one look at my xrays and my hips history and immediately said "you have to go see this guy in Boston, he specializes in this, this is what you need done". I was beyond relieved!! I came right home and looked up the surgery online, Periacetabular Osteotomy - PAO. They have to do WHAT!?!?! Yeah, they break the hip socket in a few areas and screw it back together. I went back and forth from being freaked out to being extremely thrilled to have a diagnosis. Now I had to make an appointment with this doctor - but he had to look over all of my xrays and mri's to see if I was even a candidate to see him - naturally I was and my appointment was in 2 months.

Fast forward.....no surgeries are fun, you're never fully prepared. I read a lot of blogs from other people going through this and it did kind of freak me out, why wouldn't it? My pelvis is going to be broken into pieces and put together like a puzzle! I found forums and message boards and other girls in the same situation and developed a bond with them, a bond that no one else really understands unless they've been through it. Talking to other people and reading blogs of this whole experience before I went through it is what kept me sane, and prepared me. Of course I was nervous, but not as nervous as I would have been. Ultimately, I blog to hopefully help someone else out. Someone that's now in the shoes I was in and freaking out about this surgery. If I can help one person prepare and get them through then I feel like I have accomplished something. I still look back to the early posts and read what I was going through, I remember it plain as day and I have to stop reading because it is still too fresh. As great as the experience was, and as great as I feel right now...I don't wish it on anyone and I don't want to go through it again!

Check back tomorrow for: "the weirdest thing about my health"