| My Medical Team |
| It was 1978 when my parents found out I had Spastic cebreal palsy, a condition that is caused by brain damage at birth, which makes it difficult for me to move and walk, althouh I did learn to walk with crutches. Two years later I was dignosed with Turner's Syndrome, a condition where some cells in my body are missing an X cromosome resulting in my stature of 3' 9" at that time. I have had 5 leg surguries to treat my spastisity a and 2 eye opperations one to correct crossed eyes and the other to improve lazy eye. I started Human Growth Hormone injections at age 10 to treat the Turners. I was on them till age 15 and had reached my current height of 4'9" My newest adventure in to the medical world is the Baclofen pump, a pump that would continuiously deliever a drug called Baclofen which would relieve muscle tension. I was evaluted by a team of specialists at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on June 27, 2001 to see if this treatment was an option. I am happy to report that my spastisity has self reduced rendering surgury pointless. My days of surgury and hospital stays are over! Listed below are the names of the specialists and medical professionals that have helped me get where I am today. They are listed in order starting with most recent. |
| Dr. Leland Albright: Chief of Pediatric Neurourgury, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, leader of the Spastisity team. Graham F. Johnstone: Orthopedic Surgon, Children's Hospital Pittsburgh preformed second heel cord release and hip abduction surgury. Dr. Mary Louise Russell: Rehab Specialist, Children's Hospital Pittsburgh Dr. David N. Finegold: Pediatric Endriconologist, Children's Hospital Pittsburgh Dr. Donald Pickering: Pediatric Endricinologist, Seattle Children's Hospital Seattle WA, worked out of a hospital in Ancorage AK and got me started on HGH theropy at age 10. Dr. Bruce J. Wolf: Pediatric Othomologist, Fairbanks AK performed the opperation to correct lazy eye. Dr. Tomas LeStraps Pediatric Othopedist, The Children's Hospital Culumbus OH preformed my first five leg surguries and got me on my feet. Dr. Lance Lavitsky: Pediatric Othomologist The Children's Hospital Culumbus performed the surgury to correct crossed eyes. Mary Hellen Stephens PT Elane Boyer PT my first PT that taught me the basics. |
| As you can see I've had my share of hospital stays, most of them in a Children's Hospital, but every single one has been worth it because each procedure has given me a little more independence and self cofidence in its own way. I would like to say thank you to my early pediatric specialists Dr. Lavitisky and Dr. Lestraps, you laid the ground work that the others are now building on. I wish you could see me now. Dr. Pickering, thank you for fighting for me when I needed it. Your little girl has grown up into a young woman. To Aunt Eline and Mary Helen thanks for being tough when you needed to be. I couldn't have done it without you. |