How It All Began 50 Years Ago

April 10,1970 was a day to remember. I was a senior at a small high school in Massachusetts. I had been accepted into a teacher's college in Boston, my dream to become an early childhood school teacher was finally within reach. I could now settle back and enjoy the senior activities and spend my last couple of months with my longtime friends. 

My high school was putting on the musical Oliver. My friend, her sister and I decided it would be fun to see the last production of the drama club for the year. We were headed home after the show, my friend was driving her parent's Volkswagen bug. As she slowed just a bit approaching my house to make a left turn into our driveway, I felt a jolt and everything went black. 

When I came to, I saw a tree within a few feet of my face. There was no windshield, and I couldn't move. I must have been in shock, I don't remember screaming. I do remember my friend's sister getting out of the back seat to run to my parent's house for help. The next thing I remember, my father and mother were beside me asking questions which are all a blur. 

I heard sirens and then there were men trying to lift me from the car. I felt like my left ankle was staying on the floor of the car as they lifted me. I remember saying "my ankle is on the floor". Someone cradled my leg so my ankle wasn't swinging and I was put on a stretcher. 

I remember a bit of commotion as a guy pushed his way in and tried to tip the stretcher. (I learned later that was the guy that had hit us from behind. A local man who was intoxicated after spending the evening drinking at the local pub.)  A blow-up splint was put on my left ankle and I was loaded into the ambulance. As we sped to the hospital, I remember telling my mom to ask them to slow down. My right hip was out of the socket and as we went around curbs it went out more. (She later told me I also asked her to call the neighbor as I was supposed to babysit the next night.)

The rest of the night is a blur. I remember the nurses cutting off my tights and commenting the navy dye was running into the open wound. I remember the feeling of the doctor pulling my right leg until it  popped back into the socket. I know I had emergency surgery on my left ankle, a compound fracture of the fibula in addition to the dislocated right hip which had been snapped back into place and now had a traction devise attached.  

I woke up in intensive care where I remained for five days before being moved to a regular room. At least I could have visitors. My ankle was cast with a "window" cut into the cast so the surgeon could watch the incision for infection. I have to say I lucked out that night. My surgeon, Dr George May had recently returned from Vietnam and  his physician's assistant was a medic over there with him. They were an amazing team.  He later said that his experience in Vietnam helped him piece together my ankle without the use of plates or screws. 

I spent about a month in the hospital until  the traction could be replaced with a body cast. The ankle cast replaced by bandages My biggest concern was my high school graduation. I wanted to attend. I had missed all the activities, but graduation was important.  I wanted to be there. As you can see from the picture above, my parents made it happen. They rented a wheelchair to allow for my body cast.  Friends loaded me into their SUV.  Two of my classmates wheeled me onto the stage. I graduated high school laying down but I graduated!

That summer was dedicated to rehabilitation. I remember Dr May telling my parents to rent a whirlpool for the bathtub to relieve my muscles. I was to continue to use the crutches to walk and go to the beach as much as possible. Walking on the sand would help build muscles and break up scar tissue. There was no physical therapy back then. I did as I was told and when it was time for college, I could walk without crutches. Too much walking led to pain and swelling but I left for school determined to enjoy the college experience and I did! 

For the next (approximately) 35 years I participated in normal activities. I enjoyed walking as my primary form of exercise. I took up aerobics, jogging, water-skiing, and windsurfing. I tried parasailing, and even worked as a waitress at times to make ends meet. I remember one place I worked had swinging doors coming from the kitchen and two steps down to the dining room. The ankle was sore by the end of the shift but the next day it was fine to do it again. 

But then my ankle started to cause me pain. It almost felt like the bones were rubbing on themselves.  What was happening? Dr. May had long since retired and I now lived in Arizona. So I started asking for recommendations. I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon who used to work at Mayo Clinic. I thought "wow, he must be good to work there".  I met with him and his plan was to open my ankle and scrape the calcium deposits that had formed and were rubbing on the bone. That would relieve the pain nothing else would need to be done, at least for many years. He didn't take my insurance without a $3500 copay. No negotiation no payment plan. $3500 upfront to his office (not including the hospital) or no surgery. I should have gotten another opinion, the red flags were there, but I was in pain and desperate. I borrowed the $3500  and had the surgery. I followed his instructions, was on crutches, then a walking boot, and began physical therapy. No matter what we did in physical therapy, my heel would not touch the ground.  The physical therapist called the surgeon and determined there was nothing else he could do. I saw the surgeon for another follow up and he had no explanation as to what had occurred only that he needed to do another surgery. After getting no further explanation from him and also talking to other patients in his waiting room who were on their second and even third surgeries, I decided enough is enough. I will live with it. 

So for the next (approximately) 15 years I walked on the toes of my left foot. I saw a podiatrist during that time who told me I should get the ankle repaired as my gait would cause further damage. I honestly was terrified to try it again. Who can you trust? And so I put it off. The activities I had enjoyed came to a screeching halt. My dream to try paddle boarding was not going to happen. I continued to walk as my form of exercise but even that became less.  

In March 2019, I began experiencing severe pain in my right hip. What could this be?  I tried different shoes, even bought a new mattress. Nothing helped. I started researching hip replacement, knowing Dr. May had said those many years ago, that at some point my hip could become arthritic. I read about a new procedure "Direct Superior Total Hip Replacement" being done at the Orthopedic Institute of the West in Scottsdale. Minimally invasive with limited down time. I decided to take a chance and was seen for a consult in May with surgery scheduled for July. I also got a referral for an ankle specialist while I was there. I knew I needed to do something or the hip replacement would be all for not. 

The hip replacement surgery and recovery went without a hitch. Surgery on Wednesday, started physical therapy the following Tuesday, and 6 weeks later I was good to go.  But I still walked on my toes on my left foot,was clearly off balance and  had my ankle surgery ahead of me to remedy that. Was it too much to hope for two good outcomes? 

I was cleared for surgery in September after being seen on two different occasions by Dr. John Cory, Arizona Institute of Motion  (fastsportsaz.com) also in Scottsdale.  From our first meeting, I began to trust him.  He had a name for the condition that had developed in my left foot from walking on my toes. He said he could fix it by fusing my ankle. No, I was not a good candidate for an ankle replacement. Yes, I would be able to wear normal shoes. He listened to every question I had written down and was patient and understanding. I began to have hope. I began to believe someone would understand what I was going through. I had to take the chance.  And so it began...

On a side note, the fact that Dr. Cory has an amazing  therapy dog aptly named Achilles in the office added to the trust factor.  More about Dr. Cory and his amazing office staff later.