In February of 2021, our son, Wesley, started having severe pain in his groin/right leg. He couldn’t walk on his leg and was in pain whenever he stood. We thought he’d pulled a muscle while skiing.
An initial course of treatment helped at first, but after a few weeks the pain returned. This prompted a visit to the hospital to see if there was anything broken. Nothing was found, and the pain eventually went away.
That summer, Wesley began walking on his tiptoes, and his right hip appeared higher than his left. Concerned, we took him to an orthopedic surgeon who told us that Wesley had Perthes Disease.
Since February, Wesley’s hip bone had been dying and fragmenting.
Wanting a second opinion, we went to see a doctor in Salt Lake City. She confirmed the diagnosis of Perthes Disease, telling us that physical therapy could help the blood flow come back.
After four weeks of physical therapy, we learned that the bone had fragmented even more and blood flow had not returned.
Surgery was inevitable. Due to the severity of Wesley’s condition, invasive surgery was necessary.
Fairly new to CHM at the time, we didn’t understand how the sharing process worked. My wife called and talked to CHM staff regularly; they were always helpful and patient. They helped us with paperwork and answered our questions.
Wesley’s surgery was intense. They had to break his pelvic bone in three places and reshape it to help protect the ball of his hip and femur.
Recovery was rough. The first few days in the hospital were painful for him. He had to be non-weight bearing for six weeks. He was in bed a lot during the first couple of weeks. After three weeks, using a wheelchair, he went back to school.
After six weeks, Wesley was able to start physical therapy. It was hard for him to walk using his right foot (heel to toe) as he’d walked on his tiptoes for almost nine months.
“Prayer, along with Wesley’s positive attitude, helped us through this difficult time.”
It was during this challenging time that we received many cards of encouragement through CHM Give. The cards expressed members’ concerns and prayers for Wesley. They were a great help and blessing.
Wesley is doing very well now. This last year he received clearance from his doctor to participate in sports again. Wesley will have to have a hip replacement on his right hip when he is in his 20s or early 30s, and he’ll always have a slight limp.
Wesley had a positive attitude during this entire process. There were moments of discouragement and uncertainty, but he wasn’t discouraged for long. We are so thankful for the power of prayer—and especially those from our CHM family. Prayer, along with Wesley’s positive attitude, helped us through this difficult time. Our Heavenly Father was watching over us, teaching us to be patient, and helping us understand that whatever happened, we would be okay. Through the Heavenly Father’s plan, it all worked out how it should, and we will move forward with faith whatever should come our way.
