Diane Seltzer Torre
Dr. Wolff saved my life. I tore the hip labrum in both of my hips, as well as the ligament teres that connects the femur to the hip socket. The pain on my left side was beyond excruciating, and I am someone who basically kept expired Advil in the house because I used painkillers so infrequently.
When I came to Dr. Wolff in February 2014, I could no longer walk without help. He immediately told me what he suspected the problem was and ordered x-rays and an MRI to confirm his suspicions. He was 100% right – torn hip labrum, both sides.
I had my first surgery on March 26 and had to wait eight weeks to do the other side (standard protocol, nothing abnormal about that). The relief was INSTANTANEOUS. Truly unbelievable. Although the pain on my right side was less severe than the left side, it was enough to make me have the second surgery, which I did on May 22. Again, instantaneous relief. It was a miracle!
I was on crutches for 4 weeks each side and in a hip brace for 6 weeks each side. I went to PT twice a week and did PT exercises at home for hours (yes, HOURS) each day for months. The first 3 weeks, the home PT is 3 hours a day in a Continuous Passive Motion machine. Nothing painful, and absolutely worth the time.
At my lowest, I was afraid I would live the rest of my life in excruciating pain. After my operations, I was afraid I would never feel confident enough to move effortlessly and exercise vigorously as I once had.
As the months went on, the pain did not return, and my confidence began to return. The muscles that had atrophied became toned again. I stopped worrying about which side was my “good” side and which was my “post-op” side. And eventually I was doing every single thing I used to do, without worrying about it. The only thing I don’t do is crazy yoga, because that’s how I got here in the first place. I have hypermobile joints and feel no pain when I contort myself, which led to the tears in the first place.
I owe Dr. Wolff my eternal gratitude. I cannot say enough wonderful things about his medical knowledge, his surgical skills, his warmth and compassion, and his lovely staff who made a horrible health nightmare a more and more distant memory for 47-year-old, active me!