Hip Dysplasia: McKenna

For more than five years, our daughter McKenna lived with severe, life-altering pain. She saw 32 different physicians and was misdiagnosed multiple times – everything from growing pains to complex regional pain syndrome. She underwent procedures she didn’t need and, at one point, we were even made to feel like her pain was being exaggerated. It was a heartbreaking and exhausting experience for our entire family.

Out of desperation, I reached out to an orthopedic surgeon in London who told us we needed to see a hip preservation specialist. That led us to a few options closer to home, but everything changed when we met Robert Wetzel, MD.

From the moment we met him, we knew we were finally in the right place. He evaluated McKenna and diagnosed her with a hip condition that required periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) surgery – something no one else had identified despite years of searching for answers. When we left that first visit, McKenna looked at me and said, “This is it.” Dr. Wetzel looked at her and said, “I’ve got you. I know what’s wrong.” She immediately started crying and thanked him for simply being kind to her. He even apologized that anyone had ever doubted her pain.

Knowing we had traveled from Pittsburgh, Dr. Wetzel immediately connected us with Michael Salata, MD – and we saw him that same day. Even without a scheduled appointment, both physicians spent nearly an hour with us. Together, they created a plan for McKenna to undergo PAO surgery, collaborating closely throughout her care.

Dr. Salata performed the first part of the procedure, with Dr. Wetzel joining as part of the surgical team. After surgery, Dr. Salata came out to speak with us as if he had known our family forever. The compassion, urgency, and teamwork they showed us is something I will never forget.

Through their care, we also began to understand that McKenna likely has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome – something no one had ever identified before, despite years of symptoms including shoulder and wrist pain.

Today, McKenna refuses to see anyone else. The trust she has in Dr. Salata and Dr. Wetzel says everything.

I truly can’t put into words what they did for our daughter – and for our family.

– Vanessa Bush