Share Your Story: Connor’s Comeback

Share Your Story: Connor’s Comeback

by | Sep 1, 2023 | Scoliosis & Spine

Meet Connor, a strong and determined athlete whose journey with Scottish Rite for Children began when he was just 10 years old. His scoliosis was first noticed by his mom when she noticed his clothes hung differently. She asked his pediatrician, who referred them to Scottish Rite spine experts. Visiting Chief of Staff Dr. Dan Sucato, Connor’s scoliosis was identified as a 30-degree curve at the time, prompting regular monitoring every six months.

As Connor grew and got more into school sports, his scoliosis curve increased too. His curve was 60 degrees, causing him discomfort. Frustrated with the limitations his condition imposed, Connor decided at 15 that he was ready for a change and opted for surgery.

Last summer, Connor underwent spinal fusion surgery. He spent three nights recovering in our inpatient unit. The support he received from our medical team eased his worries, making him feel at ease about the surgery. His quick recovery amazed everyone, allowing him to celebrate his 16th birthday with friends just two weeks later.

The transformation was remarkable. His shoulders were even, and his T-shirts fit properly. His dedication to recuperation and determination to regain his active lifestyle paid off. With his scoliosis corrected, Connor joyfully rejoined the high school junior varsity football team and played in his first game after taking a year off.

But it wasn’t just the surgery. Connor found comfort at Scottish Rite, from our yummy popcorn to our caring staff who he says felt like family to him. Dr. Sucato didn’t just fix his scoliosis; he brought back normalcy. With no more limping due to his hip pain, Connor got his life back. He’s loving football, golf, hiking and rafting. Watching sports and eating out with friends now brings him joy, as he embraces his new freedom without limitations.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US.

Share Your Story: Bria’s Big Break

Share Your Story: Bria’s Big Break

by | Aug 25, 2023 | Sports Medicine

Bria is a 12-year-old girl who stays busy with a variety of activities. From cheerleading, playing on her trampoline, hanging out with her friends and swimming, she is always on the move. After being diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, a condition that causes inflammation of the patellar ligament and creates a painful bump just below the knee, Bria and her family came to the Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center for treatment. Bria’s mom, Krista, shares their experience in this Share Your Story:

Written by mom – Krista Cardenas

We came to Scottish Rite for Children’s Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine a few years ago for treatment of Osgood-Schlatter disease in Bria’s knee and various cheer-related aches and pains. We really loved Stephanie De Jager, M.S.N., CPNP, and she became our go-to “person” when Bria had injuries.

Last year at an open gym one evening, Bria was tumbling and broke her tibia and had emergency surgery at another Dallas hospital. She fractured it through the growth plate and had compartment syndrome to make things worse. Once she was finally discharged, as the mom, I fell apart when we got home. I didn’t have our “people” to tell me everything was going to be ok, so I called Stephanie. She called me and talked to me at length, reassuring me that we could always switch and follow up later at Scottish Rite. We tried to give the other hospital a chance, but our heart was at Scottish Rite.

At our follow up, their plan of care was hasty, and they didn’t listen to me in discussing her projected growth before scheduling surgery, so we transferred Bria to Scottish Rite for further care. Thank goodness we did, because we got to meet Dr. Ellis, and we absolutely adored him. He really listened and took the time to look at Bria’s realistic growth based on our family heights and her puberty. We watched and waited for almost a year, and each appointment he was conservative and not quick to operate.

Finally, almost a year later, we pulled the trigger and had to do some growth plate modification for limb inequality and to correct a valgus. Our experience was completely different from the first surgery at the other facility. They took the time to explain at length every detail and answer all my million questions, never judging me for my hesitation. Child life specialist Marissa Willis sat with Bria and acknowledged the trauma of her first experience last year. She reassured her that this would be so much different, explaining every step she would experience on surgery day.

Finally on surgery day, we were impressed by every single person we encountered. From Nancy at the desk with her calming and friendly personality, to the volunteer cooking up fresh cookies and tending to my son and Bria’s grandfather, to each nurse we encountered having a kind and reassuring demeanor. Everyone put us so much at ease that we as a family were completely confident in sending her off. We really appreciated Falco’s visit, and he went straight to Bria’s dad to put his head in his lap because Dad was the most anxious. Wow! What an amazing dog! The facility was impeccably clean, updated and everything was so organized.

I can’t say enough about how amazing Scottish Rite is, and we will forever sing your praises. My husband and I both said we want to work at Scottish Rite! Bria’s grandfather couldn’t stop talking about how impressed he was with the facility. He kept saying, “This place is FIRST CLASS!” From the smell of popcorn the moment we walked in, to the kind nurses helping her into the car, this day could not have been any more perfect (for a surgery day that is!).

Learn more about our Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine.DO YOU HAVE A STORY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US.

Three Things to Check During Back to School

Three Things to Check During Back to School

by | Aug 14, 2023 | Uncategorized

It’s that time of year that we all know can be exciting and a little bit scary for students – back to school! As you’re getting ready to send your kids and teens off to start the new school year, it’s important to pay attention to some health and safety concerns that are easy to overlook during the hustle and bustle of getting back to school.

Backpacks:

  • It’s better for your child to carry their school supplies in a properly fitted backpack rather than a shoulder bag or messenger bag because the weight of the load is evenly distributed across the upper body.
  • Backpacks should not be too heavy. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children do not carry more than 10 to 15 percent of their body weight. For example, if a child weighs 80 pounds, the backpack should not weigh more than 8 to 12 pounds.
  • Heavy backpacks do not cause scoliosis but can lead to poor posture.
  • An incorrectly worn backpack can cause shoulder, neck and back pain. When a heavy backpack is placed incorrectly on the shoulders, the force of the weight can pull a child backward or to one side, causing them to compensate in ways that can lead to pain.

Outdoor Heat:

It’s important for children and teens to know the signs and symptoms of heat illness, so they can monitor themselves.

 

Talk about the following symptoms of heat illness with your child:

  • Weakness
  • Vomiting
  • Excessive thirst
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Light-headedness

    With a little bit of education, students and their families can enjoy a safe and happy school year!
     

    Healio Orthopedics Today: Accelerated severity of illness score may enhance predictions for pediatric osteomyelitis

    Healio Orthopedics Today: Accelerated severity of illness score may enhance predictions for pediatric osteomyelitis

    by | Aug 9, 2023 | Press Coverage, Research & Innovation

    Accelerated severity of illness score may provide an enhanced predictive model for cases of complicated osteomyelitis in children, according to data presented at the Musculoskeletal Infection Society Annual Meeting. 

    “The accelerated severity of illness score has resolved a number of model weaknesses and exhibits unparalleled sensitivity and specificity reported as the AUC,” Norman A. Lapin, Ph.D., said in his presentation.

    Read the full Orthopedics Today recap.

    Ayden the Inspiration – Resilience and Determination Despite Trauma

    Ayden the Inspiration – Resilience and Determination Despite Trauma

    by | Aug 8, 2023 | Prosthetics & Orthotics

    Cover story previously published in Rite Up, 2023 – Issue 2. by Kristi Shewmaker    Ayden, age 13 of Valley View, describes himself as outdoorsy. He learned to ride horses before he could walk. Every day after school, he feeds his flock of sheep that pasture next to the house his father built for the family. When his dad gets home from work, they drive across the highway to feed their horses, ponies, cows, chickens and homing pigeons. Born and raised in the country, Ayden lives with his parents Liz and Sergio and his younger sister and brother on some land they simply call home.   Ayden’s family is close-knit. His grandparents, Liz’s parents, live just across the pasture. Every Sunday, Ayden hops the fence and runs to their house where his grandma makes breakfast for everyone. After their family meal, the guys get to work doing chores around the property.
    In February of 2022 while working on the farm, Ayden suffered a traumatic injury with heavy farm equipment and lost his arm. He was transported by CareFlite® to Children’s Medical Center Dallas, a Level 1 Trauma Center, where pediatric orthopedic surgeons Corey S. Gill, M.D., M.A., and Jaysson T. Brooks, M.D., performed an amputation and reconstruction of Ayden’s right arm above the elbow. “I didn’t think anything could be done to save any part of his arm,” Liz says, “but they did an amazing job, and I’m thankful for that.”

    A few weeks after surgery, Ayden and his family reunited with Dr. Gill at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Frisco. They also met the multidisciplinary team of experts who would care for Ayden, including pediatric psychologist Emily Gale, Ph.D., prosthetist Dwight Putnam, C.P., L.P., and occupational therapist Lindsey Williams, O.T.R., C.H.T. “When you lose a limb, the family goes through a process of grief,” Dr. Gill says. “So, it’s really important for our Psychology team to work with them early on.” During his recovery, Ayden and his family toured the Prosthetics Lab at the Dallas campus to learn about the possibility of wearing a prosthetic arm and how it could be customized for him. “It was important for Ayden to know that whether he has a prosthesis or not, it does not define him,” Dr. Gill says. “He could do things with it or without it, but he was going to be great regardless.” Ayden decided to move forward with the arm. After his limb had time to heal, he would return for an evaluation with Dwight. In the meantime, Ayden began occupational therapy with Lindsey twice a week. Initially, she focused on caring for his residual limb, including massaging his scar to desensitize the limb in preparation for wearing a prosthesis. “The day I met Ayden, he was very quiet,” Lindsey says. “He was trying his best, but he didn’t yet know the potential that he had. We were just trying to get rid of his phantom limb pain, trying to cope in that way.” Phantom limb pain occurs when the brain perceives tingling and painful sensations in the limb that is no longer there. To resolve the pain, Lindsey used mirror therapy to trick his brain into thinking his right hand was there. Because Ayden lost his right arm, and he was righthanded, they also focused on dominance retraining, or training his left hand to become the dominant hand. They worked on strengthening the grip of his left hand, as well as coordination, fine motor skills and handwriting.
    After the swelling subsided in Ayden’s limb, Dwight recommended a body-powered prosthetic arm. Built specifically for Ayden, the arm attaches to a prosthetic socket that fits onto his residual limb. The prosthesis is worn with a harness that loops around his left arm. The movement of his shoulder creates tension in the harness that is transferred to a cable system, which moves a terminal device in the form of a hand or a hook. Initially, Ayden chose the hand so that it would look like his fingers. The hand has a tripod grasp, meaning the first two fingers and thumb pinch together to grab objects.

    For many months, Ayden worked with Lindsey on completing tasks with his left hand as well as learning how to use his prosthesis. They problem-solved daily activities, like how to get dressed, button buttons and zip zippers. In one session, he learned to tie his shoes with one hand. They also worked on two-handed tasks, like scooping ice cream, opening a sauce packet, and cutting apples and avocados.   “Ayden has grown so much,” Lindsey says. “He comes to appointments prepared with a list of things he wants to work on. Early on, he wanted to help his mom. He brought in clothes to fold and hang. He wanted to be able to take out the trash.”
    After a year, Ayden decided to try the hook on the end of his prosthetic arm. He wanted to use it to feed his sheep. The pinch on a hook is stronger and can grasp heavier items. Before his injury, Ayden fed his sheep by pouring grain out of a five-gallon bucket into a trough. Lindsey taught him to use the hook to hold the handle while his left hand tilted the bucket. “Almost instantaneously after we added the hook,” Dwight says, “it has increased his abilities to do the things he used to do and contribute to his family.”

    “I think he will continue to explore and find things he wants to do with his prosthesis,” Dr. Gill says. “Whether it is for things around the farm or adaptive sports, it’s our job to help him succeed in whatever he wants to do, and I think he will.”   Now, Lindsey is preparing Ayden for high school. She is teaching him one-handed typing using a Dvorak keyboard, which locates the important letters directly under your hand. They just put new stickers on the keys. “Lindsey has really been a blessing to us,” Liz says.   The best part of his care journey, Ayden says, has been getting help from Lindsey. “I’ve learned that I can still do everything the same,” he says. Liz adds that Ayden says he wants to be Dwight, and later in his life, he wants to build prosthetic limbs.
     “At Scottish Rite, they care more about the kids than anything else,” Sergio says. “They actually take care of you. They don’t care if you’re Hispanic, White, Black — whatever color you are — they treat everybody the same.”   In a recent session, Ayden and Lindsey played Jenga®. Ayden grasped a block with his hook. As he wiggled it, it looked like the tower might fall. “But, he got it out,” Lindsey says, “and when it didn’t fall, he had the biggest smile on his face.”

    “Nothing is off the table for Ayden,” she says. “The injury was so traumatic for him. It could’ve defeated him, but he has just soared.”

    “We can’t thank everyone at Scottish Rite enough,” Liz says. “Something that has been horrible and tragic is turning out to be something wonderful and positive for our child.”

    Read the full issue.