The mystery of Jane’s left shoulder: Acute flaccid myelitis
When 5-year-old Jane Morehead tumbled off her bike in May 2017, it didn’t seem like a big deal. Jane’s dad was with her at the time, and both of them considered the fall a minor one. The whole family was surprised, therefore, when Jane had pain in her left shoulder the next day. At an ... Read More about The mystery of Jane’s left shoulder: Acute flaccid myelitis
Nicole’s Story: Dancing my way through pain
Dance is my life passion. I’ve spent more than 15 hours a week dancing for most of my 26 years — except for a period of time when hip pain forced me to stop. We dancers usually don’t express our pain; in fact, we almost like to be in pain because it means we’re working ... Read More about Nicole’s Story: Dancing my way through pain
Taking a leap of faith: Jack says goodbye to his G-tube
As they waited for their son Jack’s appointment, Marika and Josh Reuling had no indication that July 17, 2018, would be different from any other day. They chatted, glanced at the cartoons playing in the waiting room and handed Jack crayon after crayon as he happily colored a picture. It seemed like a just another ... Read More about Taking a leap of faith: Jack says goodbye to his G-tube
Finally in the game: Patient in drug trial for PTEN mutation seems to benefit
From the time of Preston Hall’s birth at 30 weeks, his parents navigated multiple diagnoses, surgeries and sometimes life-threatening medical issues. At 11 months, Preston underwent skull revision surgery for trigonocephaly (a fusion of the skull bones causing a triangular-shaped forehead). After surgery, his doctors discovered serious airway and gastrointestinal issues that led to his ... Read More about Finally in the game: Patient in drug trial for PTEN mutation seems to benefit
Bryson’s story: Getting support for an anorectal malformation
The wait while a child has surgery can be excruciating for any parent, and Carrie and Brian Mueller are no exception. Even though it wasn’t the first procedure their son, Bryson, had undergone, they were still nervous when the time came for them to hand him over his clinical team. But before a nurse could ... Read More about Bryson’s story: Getting support for an anorectal malformation
Nate’s all-star recovery from an ACL tear
Just a few decades ago, a child who tore their ACL faced years of reduced activity and inability to participate in sports. Surgical reconstruction was not an option as long as a child was growing. The procedure required drilling through the growth plate, and would disrupt future growth in the child’s affected leg. But in ... Read More about Nate’s all-star recovery from an ACL tear
Muriel’s story: Choosing life after loss
I was with my mom when she had a heart attack. I was only 3 years old, but I remember her falling down and the EMTs arriving and later being told she had passed away. As I got older, I understood that my mom’s weight and health habits caused her heart disease and ultimately her ... Read More about Muriel’s story: Choosing life after loss
Football and family: Overcoming brachial plexus birth palsy
Chase is only a few months away from fulfilling a lifelong dream; playing college football. It’s a dream thousands of other kids across the country will be living out this fall — but they aren’t like Chase. “The first time I saw Chase was in 2000,” says Dr. Peter Waters, Orthopedic Surgeon-in-Chief and director of the Brachial ... Read More about Football and family: Overcoming brachial plexus birth palsy
New hope for Caden’s leg after accident
By the time he was 12, Caden had spent almost half his life struggling to keep up with his peers. When he was 6, a lawnmower accident badly injured his leg. The injury disrupted his growth plate, and was having a significant effect on his growing limb, leading him to have knock-kneed alignment in his right leg. ... Read More about New hope for Caden’s leg after accident
‘Going for it’ with a congenital hand difference
“People ask me if it’s harder to do certain things, and I always tell them, ‘I don’t know, this is all I’ve ever had.’” Despite being born with symbrachydactyly — a condition in which the middle three fingers of her left hand never fully developed — 12-year-old Ashley makes most things look easy. She runs ... Read More about ‘Going for it’ with a congenital hand difference