My name is Anna,I am 20 years old and I have just had a hip replacement due to DDH in my left hip since the age of 6. I have had 5 operations previously to try and limit the pain and correct my hip but unfortunately it all came to ahead again when I started university back in 2017.
As a result we went back to the hospital (Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre Oxford ) to see what they could. However because of my age and dodgy bones in my hip they were worried about going straight into a hip replacement. However it proved to be the only other option,This was a difficult decision to make whether to have the operation due to mainly the uncertainty if the operation could even be carried.
This was due to the fact that the hip replacement may not of been able to be put into my bones as they were very fragile from past operations. The other worry was how long the implant would last. After many discussions with doctors, family and friends I decided to go forth with the operation.
The day came for my operation in April and I was extremely nervous and worried about the outcome. They also decided on the same day to try and stretch my left leg out as I was a lot shorter on that side which as a result caused me to limp and walk funny.Thankfully everything went well during the operation and they managed to successfully get the implant in,my legs were also matched to be the same length,I was a whole 2cm shorter on my left side. The first few days in hospital were terrible I was in so much pain and couldn’t walk and was very much regretting having the operation. However on the third day I felt amazing my pain was better, I was walking with my crutches and I was very much eating my words about regretting having the operation.
The two 2 weeks after the operation flew by, by then I had already managed to cut my medication in half as well as nearly walking again without crutches. Even better physio was going really well and I was starting to gain more movement in my hip. A month on and I’m now on no medication at all and can walk just about without crutches.
The hip replacement that I have is half ceramic and half titanium which hopefully means it will last longer even up to 15 years which would be amazing.Having a hip replacement was one of the most scary but best decisions I have ever made.
I want to say a big thank you to Steps and the Nuffield Orthopaedic centre in Oxford for there constant help along my journey with DDH right from the very start.
Anna