GUEST BLOGGER: Team Addison
by: Kristy O'Connell
We were devastated! As if having you first born baby in a brace wasn’t bad enough, we were now faced with having our sweet baby girl in a full body cast for 3 months!! What would we do?? How would we diaper, bath, feed, even go to the grocery store!! The day of her open reduction I was a mess! Addison was such a trooper though! She played in the pre-op room and was so happy (even without anything to eat.) All went well and we arrived home to start our journey. As the days and weeks went by things got easier and pretty soon we were pro’s! I swear I am MUCH better at diapering a casted baby than an uncasted one! When cast removal day came, we were ecstatic!! How great it was to have our smooshy baby back!! Addie had to wear the hewson brace full time for a few more months and then back to nights only. We were optimistic with each Dr’s appointment and really hoped our journey was coming to a close. Unfortunately, her hips were not progressing and a Salter Osteotomy was scheduled when Addie was 15 months old. We were so scared! I couldn’t even think about them cutting my daughter’s hip bones and pinning them without getting sick to my stomach. This surgery was so much worse than anything we had been through! Addie spent 7 days in the hospital and was in such extreme pain! It broke my heart to see her so miserable. At to top it all off…..she contracted staph while in the hospital!! She lost 4 pounds and was very sick! After about 14 days she finally started to get back to “normal” and the task of entertaining a toddler in a cast began! Luckily we only had this cast for 5 weeks. Addie is now 1 year post op and doing amazing! She started walking at 21 months and now you would never know that she ever dealt with this! She is such an amazing little girl. I am inspired by her spirit everyday!
Through all of this we have been amazed at the lack of information and consistent care in the medical community. Addie actually has CDH (congenital dysplasia of the hip) and her grandma had the exact same surgery in 1960. I’ll say it again, the same surgery 52 years later!!!!! How crazy is that?? There are so many children and adults that have this condition and the standards of care have not changed in over 60 years!!! With all the medical genius in this world, there has got to be a better way to help! I am committed to help One Hip World and the IHDI because I cannot bear to think of all the families that have to face this devastating journey!
What I have learned from this is that my baby girl is the strongest, most talented and amazing child! She suffered through all of this with humor, strength and tenacity! She got us through!
I am the proudest Mama EVER!
Of course I have to mention the support I received from friends, family, Hip-baby.org and the Baby Center community chat groups….without you we would never have pulled through this ordeal! God is great and has blessed us in more ways than we can count! We have a beautiful healthy amazing little girl and He pulled us up from the ditches over and over again!
Thank you for listening to our story!
We hope that all your little ones have continued success
and happiness through their DDH journeys!
Together we can…..Together we WILL!!!
-Kristy
For more on our journey visit: www.onehipblog.blogspot.com
together we can....together we will !!
