When sophomore Brianna Wortman heard she needed to get hip surgery, she was very apprehensive. Then, the summer before her sophomore year she knew it was time. With scouting for college volleyball junior and senior year, Brianna needed to get the surgery out of the way this year. Then COVID-19 came to town and the surgery had to wait.

At the trip to the orthopedist for Brianna’s ribcage a year and a half ago, the doctor realized that her legs were not the same length. Brianna was told that she would need surgery to correct it. There were two options for the surgery. She could either lengthen her right leg to make it even with her left leg or cut her left leg to make it even with her right. Brianna decided that she would be getting the surgery to cut her left leg and she would be doing it the summer before sophomore year. The fact that she was getting surgery was nerve wracking enough, but the aftermath of the surgery was just as scary.

“They said I would be in physical therapy right after the surgery trying to walk and trying to help it and make it better,” Brianna said. “I think that’s why it would only take three months because the recovery would start right after the surgery.”

After the surgery, Brianna would’ve had to be on crutches and non weight bearing for at least six weeks, but this was not her biggest concern. With a recovery time of three months she would’ve been missing her high school volleyball season.

“I was freaking out for high school because I love playing high school volleyball and like this would be the only time to get it done because the scouts aren’t looking at me now and I can always get better,” Brianna said.

Then Brianna got the call that she wouldn’t be getting the surgery. The doctors called and said that they weren’t doing elective surgeries due to COVID-19. Her legs not being the same length isn’t painful but it was frustrating for Brianna knowing that she had found the perfect time to get the surgery and it was postponed due to something out of her control. Despite the roadblock, she was able to see a silver lining. 

“It was very discouraging, but then on the other side I was kind of happy she was going to be able to play volleyball with Cate Hahn and Brandi since that’s their senior year and I knew it’s gonna be a fun year for her so it was mixed emotions,” Kimberly Wortman, Brianna’s mother said.

As for the future of the surgery, it is largely unknown. The doctor has called back to reschedule, but Brianna and her family decided to wait to allow her to experience her varsity volleyball season.

“If I don’t get it, it will like hurt my back since my hips are so uneven and I would be walking crooked for the rest of my life,” Brianna said.