Imagine driving eight hours to another state to get the health care you need. That was the case for Mary, but to her, it’s been worth every mile.
As an active 26-year-old in 2020, Mary was on a run when she began experiencing severe hip pain. At the time, she had no idea about the long road ahead of her and what would turn into years of unsuccessful surgeries, unanswered questions and disappointing setbacks.
After seeing a local doctor in her home state of Kentucky, she was told she had a labral tear in her hip. She later underwent surgery in Nashville to repair it. When her pain didn’t improve after the procedure, another surgeon diagnosed her with hip dysplasia, a condition where the hip joint doesn’t develop properly. She had another surgery to reposition her pelvis, hoping to find relief, but ultimately, nothing worked.
The Search for Answers
Her situation became even more complex when she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the entire body. EDS can cause joint instability, slower wound healing, chronic pain and many other symptoms. Despite everything she had been through, she still wasn’t any closer to relieving her pain and getting the answers she was looking for.
She saw countless doctors across the country, from her home state of Kentucky to New York and more. But then she was referred to our very own Brett Crist, MD, at the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute.
“Dr. Crist was my ninth surgery consult,” she said. “Others tried their best, but he helped connect the dots.”
“Mary’s case was more complex because there wasn’t just one issue causing her pain,” Dr. Crist said. “My goal was to understand why she was still hurting and determine what we could do to help her move forward.”
A Different Approach
Dr. Crist found her femur bone was too close to her pelvis causing it to carve a notch in her pelvis, contributing to the painful grinding. So far, she has undergone multiple successful surgeries with Dr. Crist on her right side, though her healing process is a bit longer due to her EDS.
For Mary, it wasn’t just his expertise that made all the difference. During one follow-up appointment, she became emotional talking about how difficult the entire journey and the healing process has been. Instead of moving past it, Dr. Crist paused the conversation to find her a tissue and took a moment to really acknowledge all she was going through.
“That validation meant so much to me,” she said. “I don’t think anyone had ever stopped to acknowledge how hard it all was.”
Today, Mary is 32, continuing physical therapy and decided to have surgeries for the other hip after she had success with her right side. While she still has a long road of recovery ahead of her, she finally is hopeful for what comes next. She’s looking forward to doing the little things again, like walking comfortably and getting back to strength training.
“Helping patients go from living with constant pain to getting back to the activities they love is one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” said Dr. Crist.
“If it weren’t for Dr. Crist, I don’t know that I would even pursue having surgery on my left side. I would have just lived with the pain,” Mary said. “I hope they never underestimate how much gratitude I have for all of them and the difference they’ve made for me.”