A Bump In The Road

Hello my name is Ty and I turned 13 in November 2006. Officially a TEENAGER. On August 29, 2006 I was told I had cancer...

A couple of years ago I had hurt my right knee playing recreation football. Ever since then it would hurt off and on. During baseball season of 2006, I noticed it was getting harder for me to run or even bend my knee. So after baseball season I went to see Dr. McFarlane, an orthopedic doctor. He saw a small mass above my right knee. I went into surgery on July 31, 2006 to have it removed and have a biopsy done on it. I then began what I thought was my road to recovery, going to therapy to re-learn to walk again with my right leg.

Pathologist here were unable to determine what the mass was and sent it to Washington. On August 29, 2006 my parents received a call telling them not to carry me to therapy but to bring me back to my orthopedic doctor. There I was told the news...I had a malignant tumor called Synovial Sarcoma! From there they sent me to do a bunch of test, then to Duke for the next 2 days.

I was scared but nothing prepared me for what I was told next... 

On Saturday September 9th, 2006, my mom and dad called a family meeting. It was my mom, dad, sister, grandma and I. Usually when we have a family meeting we meet at the kitchen table. Not this time, this time we met in my mom and dad's room. A safe place. A place were you feel love, comfort and support. Here I was told the news. I already knew that it was cancer that the doctor removed in July. So what's the big deal? The big deal was that I was going to loose my right leg. 

My doctor from Duke, Dr. Brigman, said I had 3 choices:

1. Above knee amputation, which would limit my motion in a prosthetic.
    This would limit me in playing sports again.

2. Leg Fusion, where they would remove my knee and fuse my leg
    together, meaning I would be stiff legged and wouldn't be able
    to bend my knee. I wouldn't be able to play sports or other activities.

3. Rotationplasty, where they would remove the leg above the knee and
    below the knee, then take the lower part of the leg rotate
    180 degrees and re-attach it. The foot would be on backwards 
    but I would have more motion with a prosthetic, meaning I would 
    have a better chance to play ball again.

I picked Rotationplasty. Actually it's kind of cool looking. There's a lot I have to do to get ready for the prosthetic. I have to be able to extend my new knee out at least -10 degrees on my own (ideally 0 degree angle) and bend it at 110 degree. Everyday I have to wear something called a stretcher, except when I'm  weighing my leg down with 15 - 20 lbs of weight, doing exercises to stretch and strengthening it or walking with the prosthetic an hour or two a day. I go to therapy 2 times a week (almost ever week since August) and they really work me (but I like them).

I also have to go to Duke Medical Center for a couple of days, every 3 months to have test done to make sure the cancer hasn't spread anywhere else.

This Friday I go to Raleigh for adjustments to my prosthetic. I can't wait until I can walk again without any crutches... play sports and go back to school.

I love shocking my doctors and therapist. For Christmas I received a 4 wheeler (I wanted a skateboard but a 4 wheeler will do, ha, ha) and I love seeing there faces when I tell them what I have tried, like grass boarding! :)