Hearing HARD News..... (part 1 of 3)

The end of January Lucy Kim had her appointment with her Dr. in Philadelphia at Shriner’s Hospital.   This visit was to re-check the position of her (now) corrected vertical talus on her right foot and also give us more information about the next steps needed to repair her knee and hip issues.  (If you have met Lucy in person, you have seen that she is unable to straighten her right leg as her leg is in a continual bent position).  We're told that her right leg has been most likely contracted around the knee since before her birth. In the medical world, it's referred to as a knee flexion contracture.

 * you can click on any picture to enlarge

passing time playing Hello Kitty Uno

friends make life fun

Knowing Merle was out of the country on a mission trip, a special friend (and her dear teen daughter) graciously rearranged their schedule to go with Lucy and I to see Dr. vanB.

  My friend had made this trip to Shriner’s hospital with us this past fall, going to one of Lucy’s leg casting procedure and she knows from experience that an appointment at Shriner’s could be an hour long or eight hours! I was so appreciative and grateful to have her company and a “second set of ears”.

Pleased with the way things looked with Lucy's foot from her November and December surgeries, 

Dr. vanB. then began to assess Lucy’s gait (walking pattern), did a quick measure of her knee contracture and reviewed a previous x-ray of her hip.   Deciding he did not want to miss anything internally, he ordered a new set of x-rays of Lucy’s leg as well as new orthotics. 

We then proceeded across the hall to the x-ray department, and then onward to the orthotic/prosthesis lab.

After x-ray and measurements were completed, 

Measuring for her KAFO (knee, ankle foot orthosis) to
be worn post surgery.

 the four of us grabbed a quick lunch in the cafeteria, and then headed back to see Dr. vanB again.  He would review the x-rays and determine what he thought would be Lucy’s next medical steps.  Dr. vanB. looked at the x-rays and was surprised to see what he thought was a slim chance of seeing,  This new found information (via x-ray) now meant he would need to perform a much different type of surgery than originally anticipated (for correction of Lucy’s knee contracture).  He noted that the position of Lucy’s tibia on her femur means the contracture is larger then what they measured when done externally. I was.not.prepared for the news ahead....

this is how they measure Lucy's contracture externally - Lucy' leg isn't this hairy though :)
(didn't we use an instrument like this in geometry class ?)


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