Alex Reinhart update

Many of the DEA Family got to know Alex a little of the summer of 2018 as she battled with fellow teammates for a national title in the 4x800. Stepping into the college arena amid the fastest competition she had ever seen, Alex stepped up the the challenge. Alex blasted around the track eventually sharing a 2nd place national title with Tori Neudecker, Kathleen Baker, and Katrina Schlenker. Alex was diagnosed with a challenge to her hips that can be debilitating. Yet she smiles and challenges herself to this day. Her mother, Becky Reinhart wrote the following as an update and is allowing me to pass it on.

Alex update:

As most of you know, a little over a month ago, we found out that Alex was born with Acetabular retroversion. This is a form of hip dysplasia that we never knew she had. She has been in a lot of pain over the last several months and we have waited a long time to final get to piece all of it together.

We are exactly a week away from her first surgery on her right hip at Rush hospital. They will perform an arthroscopy of the hip which will consist of shaving the impingement down on the femoral head (Ball) as well as repair the labral tear.

Things were just not sitting right with me as she has been complaining about the left side as well. Knowing she has the same impingement on the other side, we thought she may have a tear on the left side too. After discussing with the nurse last week about doing the MRI on the left side, Todd and I felt We needed to be proactive and with some guidance, scheduled a 2nd surgery to be done 10 Weeks from the 1st on April 3rd. We just wanted to make sure something was set knowing that no matter what, she would have to get the other side taken care of to not cause any future damage.

We did go back for an MRI with the dye injection this morning in a Chicago and it was a little more painful than the last one. It was a little harder to see her have to endure that but in pure Alex fashion, she handled it as best she could. Me, not so well.

They actually called us on our way home which was a surprise but she does in fact have a tear in her left hip too 😢

This process has had a lot has been one of ups and downs for

me. Every day has seemed different with my emotions so I am really trying to think about how Alex is managing all of the different things ahead. I know SO MANY have prayed for us and especially for her and the dr that is performing her surgeries. Keep praying because we definitely feel those prayers.

This will be a bit of recovery for 4-6 months on the right side and in April, we will start the process all over again. The word that comes to mind is endurance. Fitting for Alex and her love for running but I also think of Endurance from a Biblical standpoint. I know that this is going to make her stronger on so many levels and Todd and I are so thankful that we have so much support for our family. Truly!!

James 1:2-4 says Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

she has lofty goals for her recovery, and I do know that she is going to do everything in her power to get back to her loves! Some of my favorite pictures are the one’s of her running this

season. She is strong on the outside but so strong on the inside too. I am praying that she will continue to find that inward strength in the recovery to get back to these things in the future and as she says, maybe even faster and without pain. I do fully believe that no matter what, she is going to have an impact in a non running way that is so much greater.

Today, she got fitted for her brace as well as brought some other items home. That made things a little more real. I will be updating about the recovery after the 23rd but until then, thank you again for the Love!

Becky Reinhart