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Title: Mother reveals how her four-year-old had to have her leg broken THREE TIMES a day for four months to avoid amputation after being born with one limb longer than the other
Source:
Daily Mail Online
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a ... orn-one-limb-longer-other.html
Published: Apr 28, 2016
Author: Miranda Bryant
Post Date: 2016-04-28 17:30:37 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 3698
Comments: 9
A mother has told how she chose to break her daughter's leg three times a day using a grueling procedure to avoid amputation. Elsie Moravek, four, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), a rare disability, which meant her left leg was deformed and much shorter than her right. Faced with the prospect of amputation or prosthesis, Elsie's mother Jackie, 28, and father Matt, 31, decided to opt for a third option to have her daughter's leg broken more than 300 times in four months - or three times a day - in a bid to lengthen it by just over four inches. Difference: Elsie Moravek, four, pictured left before treatment and right after treatment, was born with rare proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) which meant her left leg was deformed and shorter than her right Dilemma: Her parents Jackie, 28, pictured with Elsie in hospital, and Matt, 31, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, were faced with three options - amputate, prosthesis or lengthen her leg by breaking it Brave: Elsie, pictured, had her leg broken 300 times in four months - three times a day - to lengthen her left leg by more than four inches 'A few local doctors suggested amputation, and we considered it because the leg lengthening process is so difficult to endure,' said Jackie, a resource analyst. 'We asked ourselves if we were being cruel to put our daughter through this and whether it was worth it. 'But we knew it was the right decision. We wanted Elsie to have the best life possible.' Elsie's disability came as a complete shock for her parents. Her left hip, leg and ankle were not properly formed and reached the length of her right knee. Jackie and Matt, a quality engineer, sought professional help and met with Dr Shawn Standard, an expert in the procedure at the Sinai Hospital in Baltimore where they decided that leg lengthening was the best option. Courage: The grueling process has worked but she will need to undergo the agonizing procedure again when she reaches full height Rare: Elsie's disability came as a complete shock for her parents United: Elsie, pictured with her family, was born with her left hip, leg and ankle not properly formed and reached the length of her right knee Help: Jackie and Matt met with Dr Shawn Standard, an expert in the procedure at the Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, where they decided that leg lengthening was the best option for Elsie, pictured left and right After a six hour operation reconstructing her knee, ankle and hip, Elsie was finally able to walk at 21 months old. She was fitted with a prosthetic foot, which bridged the gap between her real foot and the floor. Then, in August 2015, when she was just three years old, Jackie relocated to Baltimore for four months with Elsie – 616 miles from their home - leaving behind her husband and other child Mila, six. During surgery, Elsie's femur and tibia were surgically split apart and fitted with an external fixator device, with ten pins piercing through her skin, muscle and bone. Three times a day, her mother had to manually turn screws to pull apart her daughter's femur and tibia 0.039 inches a day, preventing the break from healing each time. New bone, muscle and skin grew in its place as the leg gradually lengthened by more than four inches over as many months. Strong: After a six hour operation reconstructing her knee, ankle and hip, Elsie, pictured in hospital, was finally able to walk at 21 months old Platform: Elsie, pictured, was fitted with a prosthetic foot, which bridged the gap between her real foot and the floor Sacrifice: In August, when Elsie, pictured left with her family, was just three years old, Jackie relocated to Baltimore for four months with her Distanced: Elsie, pictured, and her mom traveled 616 miles from home leaving behind Matt and Elsie's sister Mila, six Elsie was on constant pain medication throughout her treatment because it was such an agonizing procedure. Jackie said it left her feeling 'helpless' as a mother watching her go through the procedure which was painful for Elsie and torturous for her mother to see. 'I felt very helpless. I was very pleased with her progress but it was hard to see her in pain and crying,' she said. 'I would have to put my mum hat on and push through it because I knew what the end result would be. 'Cleaning the open wounds where the ten pins had been drilled into her bone was the worst. It was agony for her. I felt upset watching her go through it, but we had a goal in mind.' Procedure: During surgery, Elsie's femur and tibia were surgically split apart and fitted with an external fixator device, with ten pins piercing through her skin, muscle and bone Agonizing: Three times a day, her mother had to manually turn screws to pull apart her daughter's femur and tibia 0.039 inches a day, preventing the break from healing each time New bone, muscle and skin grew in its place as the leg gradually lengthened by more than four inches over as many months Relief: Elsie, pictured as a baby, was on constant pain medication throughout her treatment because it was such an agonizing procedure Following the treatment, Elsie's legs are now even – but, as her left limb still has a growth deficiency, they will grow out of sync again. She will require another procedure to lengthen her left leg by nearly a further four inches once she reaches her full height. But despite all the pain and effort, Jackie said it is 'worth it'. Jackie said: 'We wanted to give Elsie the best life possible and we thought the best option was to lengthen her leg. 'That means she won't need a prosthetic or to get her leg amputated so she can do everything other girls her age are capable of. 'Elsie was in constant pain and I missed my eldest daughter's first day of school because I was in Baltimore. 'We made a lot of sacrifices for this but every single one of them was worth it.' Powerless: Jackie said it left her feeling 'helpless' as a mother watching her go through the procedure which was painful for Elsie, whose x-rays are pictured left and right, and torturous for her mother to see Future: Following the treatment, Elsie's legs, pictured left and right during the lengthening process, are now even – but, as her left limb still has a growth deficiency, they will grow out of sync again Revisit: Elsie, whose legs are pictured before her left leg was lengthened, will require another procedure to lengthen her left leg by nearly a further four inches once she reaches her full height 
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#1. To: cranky (#0)
Yeah. Vincent had to do that in the movie Gattaca.
That poor little girl! What hell she has had to endure! Ditto for the parents as well! I will say some extra prayers for her! May God Bless her!! Si vis pacem, para bellum Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. There are no Carthaginian terrorists. President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people. --Clint Eastwood "I am concerned for the security of our great nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within." -- General Douglas MacArthur
She could use them. She's had a tough time of it so far. There are three kinds of people in the world: those that can add and those that can't
I feel for this child, but have nothing but disdain for the parents. Why wouldn't they just amputate and use a prosthetic? A life lived in pain is worse than being one legged in this day of great prosthetics.
The parents love their kid, and made a decision that has resulted in good outcome. Given that, if you value family unity, it's not for anyone else to question the decision. But the title is misleading. It's apparent the leg was not broken 3 times a day. It was broken once, or perhaps in several places, and then not permitted to heal.
Well it is their call, one of the many responsibilities of being a parent. They'll have to live with their decision. My guess is they cry every night when their child is in pain. Look at it this way. When she's 18 she can get a prosthetic. That's always an option, whereas there is no option if she gets a prosthetic now. God gives us the capacity to forget pain. One day all this will be over and she'll have two legs.
I guess my point would be that as we live in a society that is ever pushing "acceptance", people would go to such lengths for such a minor thing, a leg. This ongoing procedure is on par with the blood letting of past times, or sleeping with a virgin to cure AIDS. It is barbaric. The child will be lucky to not be addicted to pain medication, or damaged by the use of it. Also, wouldn't there be increased risk of blood clots with are potentially lethal?
One thing to consider here -- the child is a girl. Society can be pretty judgmental on appearance, despite what they say. "The child will be lucky to not be addicted to pain medication ..." Addiction is certainly a risk. Then again, an otherwise pretty girl with a prosthetic leg might turn to drugs if she thinks she is being shunned and rejected. "Also, wouldn't there be increased risk of blood clots with are potentially lethal?" While all this "adjustment" is going on, yeah. But I'm sure she's on blood thinners.
For a child just starting her life, a leg is a minor thing? I could see such an argument for an 80 year old who's already lived the vast majority of life and has few years left, but a 4-year old? Unlike those, this procedure worked, as is evident from the photos. There are always risks, including risks involved with amputation. But the huge benefit of having 2 working legs is worth at least some risk.
#2. To: cranky (#0)
#3. To: Stoner (#2)
I will say some extra prayers for her!
#4. To: misterwhite (#1)
#5. To: jeremiad (#4)
I feel for this child, but have nothing but disdain for the parents. Why wouldn't they just amputate and use a prosthetic? A life lived in pain is worse than being one legged in this day of great prosthetics.
#6. To: jeremiad (#4)
"I feel for this child, but have nothing but disdain for the parents. Why wouldn't they just amputate and use a prosthetic? A life lived in pain is worse than being one legged in this day of great prosthetics."
#7. To: misterwhite (#6)
#8. To: jeremiad (#7)
"I guess my point would be that as we live in a society that is ever pushing "acceptance", people would go to such lengths for such a minor thing, a leg."
#9. To: jeremiad (#7)
I guess my point would be that as we live in a society that is ever pushing "acceptance", people would go to such lengths for such a minor thing, a leg.
This ongoing procedure is on par with the blood letting of past times, or sleeping with a virgin to cure AIDS. It is barbaric.
The child will be lucky to not be addicted to pain medication, or damaged by the use of it. Also, wouldn't there be increased risk of blood clots with are potentially lethal?
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