I spent the entire calendar year of 2014 on crutches. I had screamingly painful, debilitating, bone-on-bone arthritis in my right hip, rendering me unable to walk and barely able to sleep. I couldn't do any of the things I loved to do anymore. Even swimming bothered me. I love to swim and hated that it had been taken away from me.
I was 32 and in dire need of a hip replacement. But I had a significant congenital rotational deformity that needed to be addressed before I could get a new hip. I was given Dr. Rozbruch's name through a local doctor in South Jersey. I underwent a fairly extensive surgery - a distal femoral osteotomy - where my femur was re-set and properly rotated in March 2014.
After working my way back from that, I stuck with Dr. Rozbruch to get my hip replaced that December - which was not the original plan. But after having so much success with such an ambitious surgery and getting such unbelievable results, I trusted him. After getting my hip done, I was back in the OR ten months later to straighten out the bottom half of my leg.
Three surgeries in a year and a half. I am now completely pain-free and consciously grateful every day to be on my own two feet again - which seemed an impossible task in the days of my most agonizing pain.
Once I recovered I was able to jump back in the pool. One day, a girl swimming next to me at the gym told me I had a "ferocious kick," which no one had ever said to me before. I've never felt stronger. That compliment belongs to Dr. Rozbruch, as does my enduring gratitude.