Medical Cost for Joint Salvage
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Hey guys!
Thank you to everyone for visiting the page! I am shocked at how God is using this "hip" to reach so many people and am always amazed at how much love and support people have for one another. I cannot express in words how much it means to me that you all care about me and my "hip" so much.
Many of you already know my story and are here to support me, but for those of you sharing the page with people who don't know my story, I want to give you a brief background as to why I am now sharing and asking for your help.
At age 12 I was diagnosed with a growth abnormality called Legg-Calve Perthes as well as hip dysplacia . This left me with a deformed hip that would eventually need to be replaced. I had numerous surgeries as a child and teen to help keep my hip in place and to help alleviate pain. But at 24 I could no longer live with the pain I was in and decided it was time to get the hip replaced. I went thought with the surgery, and after a year of "recovering" I was back up and walking, but was still dealing with a lot of "pain issues" that the Drs could not explain. I kind of gave up for awhile after seeing doctor after doctor and not getting any answers as to why I was struggling so much. During this time I was blessed with two wonderful children, but after Logan was born, the pain just became unbearable and I was struggling to walk. I knew something was wrong and I was determined to find out. I wasn't ready to give up. Amazingly, through an old friend, I found a new doctor and he was amazing! After seeing him at my first visit he was able to determine that I wasn't crazy! Lol
Unfortunately due to the first hip replacement, I had developed severe metal poisoning in my hip joint and I had developed tumors that were causing the pain. This also explained some other physical symptoms I was experiencing at the time. At this point I needed to have the hip "revised" and in August of last year I went through my second hip replacement.
During the surgery the damage to my joint was far worse than they had expected. They were forced to removed a lot of necrotic tissue and muscle as well as the entire corroded first replacement and I was told to be "toe touch" weight bearing for 12 weeks. When I was able to start PT I was having a lot of trouble. In the beginning I was doing ok, but the pain was still severe and I didn't know why? For months my X-rays looked " normal" as depicted in the far left hand photo. But as I came up to my 6 month follow up, the pain had gotten so bad that I was forced to go back to using a walker full time and I was unable to bear weight on my leg. This is when we found that the damage to the hip was so severe that the revision had failed and my hip replacement had broken. (Shown in the middle photo)
My doctor was not sure what to do and knew that my case was worse than what he could handle so I was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and fortunately they accepted my case. I visited them about a month ago and we found that my hip had actually broken during my recovery due to the damage the metal poisoning had caused to the bone and surrounding tissues. This also caused the hip replacement screws to break and my cup in the socket to break free and now freely move around the joint as I walk which is why I have been in pain and unable to put weight on it. (Last x-ray on the right )
There is a lot instability to my joint now and I am thankful to be seeing a joint salvage specialist who has come up with a plan to use a "wire mesh" to line the inside of my hip socket Hugh and give it more stability as well as other screws and plates. (I'll be so bionic! Lol)
I'm thankful that there is a chance to walk again after this third hip replacement, but am also nervous that it'll be another failed attempt.
In the meantime so many people have been praying and sending me their support and encouragement. I am so thankful for each and every person that has been there and for those of you who are new to sharing my story and my journey.
I know that God has allowed me to go through this for a reason... and even though I don't know what that is yet, I am trusting him and praying for healing. This journey has been incredibly hard. Ive been battling this for 20 years and have now been unable to walk unassisted for almost a year. To be honest, I'm tired... And at times I feel like giving up, but it's everyone here who keeps me going.
Thank you all again for sharing my story and for your continued prayers and support.
A few people have stepped forward to help me raise the funds to travel to Minnesota and complete this surgery and have asked that I set up this page as a way to raise support.
They have also come up with a few fundraising ideas and I'll be sure to share them all with you as I receive more information.
"Asking" for help has been the hardest part, but I know that I cannot do everything on my own. Humbling myself and my "I can do it all" pride has show me that I need to accept not only the Prayers, but also the help with care for my children, help with getting my walker in and out of the car, help with transportation, finances, grocery shopping, housework, help with running everyday errands or taking my kids out to activities... All of the little things we try to do as busy human beings, I have been forced to learn to accept the help and now have grown to be so thankful for it and want to give back even more. I can never thank you all enough for what you've done and continue to do. I just hope and pray that somehow God can use my story to help you or someone else. Knowing that makes the whole thing so worth it!
With all my thanks and love,
Renee
Thank you to everyone for visiting the page! I am shocked at how God is using this "hip" to reach so many people and am always amazed at how much love and support people have for one another. I cannot express in words how much it means to me that you all care about me and my "hip" so much.
Many of you already know my story and are here to support me, but for those of you sharing the page with people who don't know my story, I want to give you a brief background as to why I am now sharing and asking for your help.
At age 12 I was diagnosed with a growth abnormality called Legg-Calve Perthes as well as hip dysplacia . This left me with a deformed hip that would eventually need to be replaced. I had numerous surgeries as a child and teen to help keep my hip in place and to help alleviate pain. But at 24 I could no longer live with the pain I was in and decided it was time to get the hip replaced. I went thought with the surgery, and after a year of "recovering" I was back up and walking, but was still dealing with a lot of "pain issues" that the Drs could not explain. I kind of gave up for awhile after seeing doctor after doctor and not getting any answers as to why I was struggling so much. During this time I was blessed with two wonderful children, but after Logan was born, the pain just became unbearable and I was struggling to walk. I knew something was wrong and I was determined to find out. I wasn't ready to give up. Amazingly, through an old friend, I found a new doctor and he was amazing! After seeing him at my first visit he was able to determine that I wasn't crazy! Lol
Unfortunately due to the first hip replacement, I had developed severe metal poisoning in my hip joint and I had developed tumors that were causing the pain. This also explained some other physical symptoms I was experiencing at the time. At this point I needed to have the hip "revised" and in August of last year I went through my second hip replacement.
During the surgery the damage to my joint was far worse than they had expected. They were forced to removed a lot of necrotic tissue and muscle as well as the entire corroded first replacement and I was told to be "toe touch" weight bearing for 12 weeks. When I was able to start PT I was having a lot of trouble. In the beginning I was doing ok, but the pain was still severe and I didn't know why? For months my X-rays looked " normal" as depicted in the far left hand photo. But as I came up to my 6 month follow up, the pain had gotten so bad that I was forced to go back to using a walker full time and I was unable to bear weight on my leg. This is when we found that the damage to the hip was so severe that the revision had failed and my hip replacement had broken. (Shown in the middle photo)
My doctor was not sure what to do and knew that my case was worse than what he could handle so I was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and fortunately they accepted my case. I visited them about a month ago and we found that my hip had actually broken during my recovery due to the damage the metal poisoning had caused to the bone and surrounding tissues. This also caused the hip replacement screws to break and my cup in the socket to break free and now freely move around the joint as I walk which is why I have been in pain and unable to put weight on it. (Last x-ray on the right )
There is a lot instability to my joint now and I am thankful to be seeing a joint salvage specialist who has come up with a plan to use a "wire mesh" to line the inside of my hip socket Hugh and give it more stability as well as other screws and plates. (I'll be so bionic! Lol)
I'm thankful that there is a chance to walk again after this third hip replacement, but am also nervous that it'll be another failed attempt.
In the meantime so many people have been praying and sending me their support and encouragement. I am so thankful for each and every person that has been there and for those of you who are new to sharing my story and my journey.
I know that God has allowed me to go through this for a reason... and even though I don't know what that is yet, I am trusting him and praying for healing. This journey has been incredibly hard. Ive been battling this for 20 years and have now been unable to walk unassisted for almost a year. To be honest, I'm tired... And at times I feel like giving up, but it's everyone here who keeps me going.
Thank you all again for sharing my story and for your continued prayers and support.
A few people have stepped forward to help me raise the funds to travel to Minnesota and complete this surgery and have asked that I set up this page as a way to raise support.
They have also come up with a few fundraising ideas and I'll be sure to share them all with you as I receive more information.
"Asking" for help has been the hardest part, but I know that I cannot do everything on my own. Humbling myself and my "I can do it all" pride has show me that I need to accept not only the Prayers, but also the help with care for my children, help with getting my walker in and out of the car, help with transportation, finances, grocery shopping, housework, help with running everyday errands or taking my kids out to activities... All of the little things we try to do as busy human beings, I have been forced to learn to accept the help and now have grown to be so thankful for it and want to give back even more. I can never thank you all enough for what you've done and continue to do. I just hope and pray that somehow God can use my story to help you or someone else. Knowing that makes the whole thing so worth it!
With all my thanks and love,
Renee
Organizer
Renee Bouley Blaylock
Organizer
Van Alstyne, TX