We've survived our year in Pennsylvania, Justin's Master's Degree, and our move back to Utah, but now have bigger fish to fry. Many have seen Haddy walk, and everyone (including us) always thinks her little hobble is so cute! Except for my mom...the second she saw Haddy walk when we got off the plane from PA, she knew something was wrong. We all assumed she was just being her usual paranoid self, and that Haddy's little shuffle was due to being a new walker. As a few weeks went on, my mom finally talked me into making a Doctor's appointment to have Haddy's hip looked at. The Doctor was immediately concerned, and scheduled an appointment for Haddy at Shriners Hospital to see a specialist. We went there and had her hip X-rayed, and the difference between her hips on the X-ray was so obvious. Haddy's right hip is completely dislocated. Her socket is flat, and the ball is up higher than it's supposed to be, nowhere near the socket (the ball is what makes the socket curve around it, since the ball is nowhere near it, it's started to create a socket out of the bone above her hip socket, and this is why her actual socket is flat). I had tried to prepare myself for the possibilities at hand as far as treatment goes, and I knew surgery was an option, but when the Doctor confirmed Haddy would indeed need hip surgery asap, it was like a slap in the face. And the surgery is a bigger deal than I thought it would be. Haddy goes in tomorrow and will be in the hospital for 4-5 days, then will be in a body cast (technically it's called a "Spica cast") for 3 months. It cannot get wet, and this girl can make one heck of a mess, so we will have to be very careful the whole time. We're supposed to change her diaper every 2 hours during the day, and every 3-4 during the night (I'm having newborn flashbacks at the thought of waking up this often every night for 3 months). They may also have to take out part of her femur but won't know if that's necessary until they get in there. The hope is that the socket will begin to curve around the ball in the correct place, which would then secure it in place hopefully for life. The poor darling's summer is ruined, but I know we can get through it!
I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm pretty sure seeing my helpless little girl in the hospital bed hooked up to all those tubes with a body cast on will be heartbreaking. But I've already had my basket case moment and decided it's time to move onto logistics. It will be really hard, but I am just so grateful to have such a wonderful Doctor who does these exact surgeries all the time, and to be here at home throughout this whole thing, surrounded by such supportive family and friends. We're told that Haddy having this surgery before she's 3 gives her a much higher likelihood of a full recovery with no lasting problems.
I know there are things far worse than hip surgery and a body cast for 3 months. I truly am thankful for the blessings we've been given and I know we're being looked out for.
