Joeli has been dealing with adversity ever since adoption day on May 4, 1996. She was adopted the day before her first birthday and was diagnosed with polio within the first year she was in the States. Her first surgery was in 2004 in the middle of second grade. Joeli had to have hip reconstruction surgery where the doctors created a hip socket for her using Joeli’s pre-existing bone. In 2005, Joeli was nine years old during her first leg lengthening procedure. Fast forward to 2017, Joeli was undergoing her second leg lengthening but this time, with the PRECICE® system. PRECICE is an innovative solution that, once implanted, utilizes an external remote controller to non-invasively lengthen the femur and tibia. Each patient’s lengthening is customized based on the physician’s lengthening protocol.
As of today, seven months post-surgery, Joeli no longer has to walk with crutches and is able to wear shoes without a lift. The process of regaining her leg’s strength and endurance is continuous, but with swim and water polo, she is confident that it is just a matter of time before she’s good as new. Read Joeli’s full patient Q&A below:
How did your condition affect you emotionally prior to PRECICE?
Prior to PRECICE, I endured many procedures that made my physical appearances conspicuous, undermining my confidence and deterring my self-image. Leg lengthening procedures via an external fixator made it difficult to fit in with the crowd among me, physically and emotionally. Not only did it exacerbate my low confidence, it also construed the notion that I could never fit the stereotypical image of a normal person. Needless to say, this grotesque and scary looking device would worry onlookers and immediately steered any conversation to be about my leg and how it has affected me.
What was the hardest challenge for you?
The hardest challenge for me was learning how to educate others about my condition. Up until recently, I had to wear a shoe lift, and it was apparent to all that I was “different.” Walking to school or going to the store, I would have people of all ages stop and stare at my leg. I never had a problem explaining my condition to children because I knew they were innocently curious; however, I found it more difficult to explain myself to adults who would boldly ask “What’s wrong with your leg?” Eventually I learned to be more confident in my answers and not care about who asked me. Regardless of their age, I figured that at the very least I was educating them about polio and indirectly teaching them to accept everyone for who they are despite their outward appearance.
Can you describe the feeling post-surgery?
Post-surgery I felt relieved. Although I knew I had a long road ahead of me, it gave me strength to know that I would be able to have even-length legs, less hip and back pain, and I would be able to pick almost any shoe I wanted. Before I was very limited to which type of shoe I was able to wear because I had to have a shoe lift added on. Being able to have a choice in the shoes I wore was very important to me. It is a choice others do not have to think about too much, but for me it was a symbol of normalcy.
Any words of advice for those considering limb lengthening surgery?
There are different options that are available for those who wish to have even legs. It is very important to do your research to know the best option for each individual patient. With that being said, being a patient who has had two limb lengthenings as well as a stunted growth plate, leg lengthening with the PRECICE system is the best decision my family and I made. Leg lengthening technology is on the rise and has provided many benefits that the other procedures did not. Compared to the external fixator, the PRECICE nail eliminated continuous worry of open wound infections and the best part is that there’s no external device. With the PRECICE nail, no one asked what was wrong with my leg because they assumed it was a common broken bone or sprain. I could focus on my recovery without having outsiders asking too many questions.
Would you like to share anything else from your experience?
Throughout my entire journey I learned that above everything, it is most important to have a strong support system behind you. My family has always been there for me, encouraged me, and taken care of me when I needed them most. My journey would not be possible without their constant love and support.
Joeli is a senior at Chapman University and will graduate with a Biochemistry degree and a minor in Nutritional Studies in May 2018. After she graduates, she plans to take a gap year and work as an EMT and Health Scholar to accumulate the necessary clinical hours for PA school. Her ultimate goal is to be a PA in Orthopedic Pediatric Surgery. She wants to encourage and help others who are in similar situations as hers. Joeli believes that with her experience both as a patient and as a soon-to-be medical professional, she’ll have a better understanding of what it means to truly treat and care for a patient on a deeper level.
To read other patient stories, visit the NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics™ educational website, Reach Your Height.