Meet Johnny, a patient who is seen by our team of multidisciplinary experts. Learn more about his journey below.

Blog written by Johnny and his mom, Laura.

Hi, my name is Johnny, and I am 4 years old. I live in Odessa and am the youngest of three boys. I enjoy spending time with my family, and I love playing RobloxTM with my brothers and cousins. I really love baseball, and the Texas Rangers are my favorite team! I’ve been told that I am full of energy, and it makes me happy when I make people laugh.

I was born with distal arthrogryposis, hip dysplasia and scoliosis. When I was 1 year old, I had some X-rays of my back and that is when my scoliosis was diagnosed. My home doctor then told my parents that I should go see Dr. Sucato at Scottish Rite for Children in Dallas because he is the best, and scoliosis is his specialty. 

When we first came to see Dr. Sucato, my family and I were all very nervous. I wanted to know what he would say and do. Everyone at Scottish Rite made my family feel welcomed and comfortable, and they took the time to explain everything that we might want to know. My mom said that we left with confidence and high hopes for the future! 

Dr. Sucato did surgery on my hip in February 2020, and then this past June, he did my first scoliosis surgery. The doctors are working on getting my spine straight with halo-gravity traction. This is a way to gently stretch out my spine and make it not as curved. I stayed in the hospital for a couple of weeks, and after just a few days, I felt comfortable with the halo. I became a pro using my walker and could get around the inpatient unit fast, just like superman.  I worked really hard in physical therapy, did arts and crafts in the child life room and would even do fun and silly dances with my friends. My friends and I would do our dances for anyone who would watch us! I love my new friends that I made while I was at Scottish Rite. 

Scottish Rite is not just a hospital, it is a place that truly helps children. When I am there, I feel like more than just a patient – I feel like family. I know that once I am done with my different treatments, the outcome will be amazing! 

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