Post by greig on Sept 12, 2007 7:11:13 GMT -5
I was diagnosed with Perthes in 1971, for several weeks before going to the doctors my right leg was swinging out wards while walking and my toes started to turn in.
As I came down the stairs on Christmas morning 1971 my right leg gave way and I landed at my Dads feet at the bottom, none the worse for wear thank god kids bounce.
So Christmas over we headed of the Dumfries and Galloway royal infirmary in Southwest Scotland where Perthes was diagnosed, by a Dr Sleggs.
I was treated with a full spika for 6 months, plastered neck to toe with a bar between my ankles, toes pointed out wards, the plaster was cut off and changed every six weeks and my legs washed.
I can still remember the dread of the lever action plaster cutters, but the leg wash was bliss even for a little fella.
After the full spika I spent a further 2 years in a hip spika, plastered from ankle to hips on both legs with the same bar between the ankles, toes pointing out.
By the way I was 4 1/2 years old when all this happened and 7 when I came out of plaster.
You should have seen the legs and knees after 2 1/2 years, talk about knots in string.
I am 40 years old now and I have a few issues going on with the old legs now.
I don't remember any real problems when I was first out of plaster.
We moved at the end of 1974 to Australia, and I went daft with all this warm weather and getting outside to play, unheard of.
Anyway there was always the odd comment from mum not to do certain things and avoid getting unnecessary knocks to the hips etc etc.
So bearing my Mums words of wisdom in mind I set out on my path, first there was rugby union, Ma was horrified.
Then there was rugby league, this near put her in a home for the bewildered, to me it had no real effect, or detrimental effect to the hips, and d**n could I run quick.
Really I grabbed every day by the throat and squeezed as much out of it as possible, I still do my wife reckons its a result of being down for 2 1/2 years.
I can remember knee pain as a teenager, some times a knee would lock either straight or bent and nothing but time would unlock it, sometimes a couple of days, it was diagnosed as a bucket lid fracture of the medial meniscus, sounds great.
I am still not sure if this was attributable to the Perthes or me being a physical nut job.
At 13 years old I had a sore right foot just behind the 2nd toe.
this was diagnosed as Friebergs Disease, superb, Perthes in the foot same job, degeneration to the bone head.
This was corrected with a shoe insert which I wore for about 1 year.
To this day no more problems with the foot.
My knees have always been a bother some days more than others but I guess like many other Perthes sufferers, you get used to it you over come it and get on with things, yep we are a tough bloody breed us lot.
I have had a few grinding feelings in the hip, again they don't last long, quite often get a stabbing pain in the hip momentarily while walking but again it passes quickly, or gets ignored.
My ankles are the worry at the moment, when I wake in the morning they are very stiff (the ankles that is keep on track people) and it takes about 5 Min's movement to loosen them off, all the while padding about flatfooted like a clown.
After periods of hard work around the property and I sit down they tighten up, my wifes answer to that is to keep me busy and I don't get the opportunity to sit down, problem solved, nearly.
So there you go, thats about it, I have three beautiful kids a 13 year old son, no signs of Perthes, an 8 year old daughter, no sign either, and an 18 month old daughter, touch wood she will be fine also.
I have had my issues with the old legs, and still do but what to do about it, there is no silver bullet, and no magic wand.
Life is good and I can walk, I have no limp, and both legs are the same length, have played sports (sorry Ma) been a mental case teenager, still there sometimes, if things get to bad then I just rest and have a small, 2 fingers of a fine single malt painkiller, you should see the 2 fingers, big hands.
I do reckon there may be problems in the future but that is a hurdle to leap when I get there.
Thats my story.
PS My Dad made a special pram for me and I went wherever the family went.
I also had a special cover made to keep the plaster dry when Dad took me fishing.
I never got left behind, never got ignored, and my family went to great lengths to ensure I was included not excluded from anything.
My heart goes out to kids with Perthes but it will get better it will go away, patience is all it takes.
Maybe thats why I am a Goldsmith today, patience.
Have a great day folks and thanks for reading
Greig
As I came down the stairs on Christmas morning 1971 my right leg gave way and I landed at my Dads feet at the bottom, none the worse for wear thank god kids bounce.
So Christmas over we headed of the Dumfries and Galloway royal infirmary in Southwest Scotland where Perthes was diagnosed, by a Dr Sleggs.
I was treated with a full spika for 6 months, plastered neck to toe with a bar between my ankles, toes pointed out wards, the plaster was cut off and changed every six weeks and my legs washed.
I can still remember the dread of the lever action plaster cutters, but the leg wash was bliss even for a little fella.
After the full spika I spent a further 2 years in a hip spika, plastered from ankle to hips on both legs with the same bar between the ankles, toes pointing out.
By the way I was 4 1/2 years old when all this happened and 7 when I came out of plaster.
You should have seen the legs and knees after 2 1/2 years, talk about knots in string.
I am 40 years old now and I have a few issues going on with the old legs now.
I don't remember any real problems when I was first out of plaster.
We moved at the end of 1974 to Australia, and I went daft with all this warm weather and getting outside to play, unheard of.
Anyway there was always the odd comment from mum not to do certain things and avoid getting unnecessary knocks to the hips etc etc.
So bearing my Mums words of wisdom in mind I set out on my path, first there was rugby union, Ma was horrified.
Then there was rugby league, this near put her in a home for the bewildered, to me it had no real effect, or detrimental effect to the hips, and d**n could I run quick.
Really I grabbed every day by the throat and squeezed as much out of it as possible, I still do my wife reckons its a result of being down for 2 1/2 years.
I can remember knee pain as a teenager, some times a knee would lock either straight or bent and nothing but time would unlock it, sometimes a couple of days, it was diagnosed as a bucket lid fracture of the medial meniscus, sounds great.
I am still not sure if this was attributable to the Perthes or me being a physical nut job.
At 13 years old I had a sore right foot just behind the 2nd toe.
this was diagnosed as Friebergs Disease, superb, Perthes in the foot same job, degeneration to the bone head.
This was corrected with a shoe insert which I wore for about 1 year.
To this day no more problems with the foot.
My knees have always been a bother some days more than others but I guess like many other Perthes sufferers, you get used to it you over come it and get on with things, yep we are a tough bloody breed us lot.
I have had a few grinding feelings in the hip, again they don't last long, quite often get a stabbing pain in the hip momentarily while walking but again it passes quickly, or gets ignored.
My ankles are the worry at the moment, when I wake in the morning they are very stiff (the ankles that is keep on track people) and it takes about 5 Min's movement to loosen them off, all the while padding about flatfooted like a clown.
After periods of hard work around the property and I sit down they tighten up, my wifes answer to that is to keep me busy and I don't get the opportunity to sit down, problem solved, nearly.
So there you go, thats about it, I have three beautiful kids a 13 year old son, no signs of Perthes, an 8 year old daughter, no sign either, and an 18 month old daughter, touch wood she will be fine also.
I have had my issues with the old legs, and still do but what to do about it, there is no silver bullet, and no magic wand.
Life is good and I can walk, I have no limp, and both legs are the same length, have played sports (sorry Ma) been a mental case teenager, still there sometimes, if things get to bad then I just rest and have a small, 2 fingers of a fine single malt painkiller, you should see the 2 fingers, big hands.
I do reckon there may be problems in the future but that is a hurdle to leap when I get there.
Thats my story.
PS My Dad made a special pram for me and I went wherever the family went.
I also had a special cover made to keep the plaster dry when Dad took me fishing.
I never got left behind, never got ignored, and my family went to great lengths to ensure I was included not excluded from anything.
My heart goes out to kids with Perthes but it will get better it will go away, patience is all it takes.
Maybe thats why I am a Goldsmith today, patience.
Have a great day folks and thanks for reading
Greig