Surgery Success

June 2015 brought Travis to Shriners Hospitals for Children - Salt Lake City for surgery to insert an "8-plate" that started correct the knock-knee on Travis' left leg. Over the past 18 months, Travis' leg alignment corrected (a slight over-correct to allow for adjustment back). Dr. Santora needed to remove a screw from the hardware he inserted. This would stop the correction and allow T's leg to settle into a new alignment. You can see the significant change on the image below.

Before and after of T's left knee alignment

We arrived at the hospital around 8a and made our way to T's room for the day after check-in. T liked seeing the "Cars" picture made from LEGOs in the patient room hallway.

Lego Cars picture

T quickly changed and watched movies during the wait until the surgery time. Several medical professionals stopped by to check on T before the surgery. One of the doctors in on the surgery came in to mark T's surgery leg. Mike Pond, T's ortho dude at Shriners Hospitals for Children, stopped in to say "Hi" to Travis before he headed to clinic and T to surgery. Mike was the first one to see Travis at Shriners Hospitals back in 2010 (see this post) and they formed a pretty special bond then that continues today. Mike checked out T's almost non-existent leg length discrepancy along with a quick exam before he headed to his clinic appointments.

Fun with Mom before surgery

Mike checking out T's leg

Our friend Jean joined us for part of the morning and before long it was time for the pre-meds to help with nerves and cued us that surgery would start soon. We headed into the pre-OR room at 9:55a and met with Dr. Santora before surgery. He's pretty incredible and had a great friendship with T (and our family). Travis left for the OR at 10:05a.

Thank you Jean

Off to the pre-OR room

Travis and Dr Santora

We waited in T's room and Dr Santora walked in around 10:55a and told us all went great in surgery. Now we wait to see how T's knee responds and if it returns to a knock-knee alignment. If Travis' left leg remains aligned and the remaining hardware does not bug Travis, Dr Santora said he would be comfortable leaving the hardware in T's leg. Given the diminishing leg length discrepancy and this news, the possibility now exists that this surgery could have been T's last orthopedic surgery. Reality may dictate otherwise, but the possibility is there now.

After surgery asking nurse for Oreos

Travis arrived back in the room around 11:30a, chatting with the nurse all the way. He asked for Oreos and soon enough she arrived back with 3 packages. He knows how to work the system (or how the system works). ;)  Travis continued to do great and we loaded into the car for home before 12:30p.

On the way home

Racing Wed night after surgery,
he scored a new checkered flag blanket

The recovery for Travis has been fairly easy this time around. Then again, after recovering from 2 major femur fracture repair surgeries, a screw removal is pretty easy. Travis even walked in the house that night without his walker. He returned to school on Monday and has had a pretty full week so far (physical therapy, scouts, massage therapy, wheelchair basketball, Christmas pageant rehearsal, homework) and continues as though nothing happened. :) That's our T.

The removed screw compared to
David Ragan's #23 Dr Pepper Toyota Camry diecast

Travis returns to Shriners Hospitals for Children on Tuesday, December 6th for a wound check. If all looks good, he will be able to resume the MEK inhibitor. We pray that the tumor remains happy and Travis continues this great recovery. Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes. We are once again reminded how God provided all the amazing medical professionals in T's life. #EndNF #imwithTravis #ikNowaFighter #shrinershospitals #shriners