The Boy With a New Bone in His Leg

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Moses had an infection in his leg a year or so ago. The infection got into the tibia, the bigger of the two bones of the lower leg. Before the infection could be cleared with antibiotics, it destroyed a large section of the bone completely. The fibula, the smaller bone, couldn't suppor the weight of this active child and gradually bowed under the load.

In November, Dr. Carl Birchard, an orthopedic surgeon from Centralia, Washington and long-time supporter of KNH was in Kudjip. He did an operation to try to restore the use of Moses' leg. He "borrowed" the fibula from Moses' left leg, and grafted it into the right leg where the section of tibia was missing. Moses has been in a long-leg cast ever since. He's come faithfully for checks and x-rays. He's been on antibiotics most of this time. Last week I emailed his latest x-rays to Dr. Carl, and got the go-ahead to take him out of his cast. The expression on his face tells you what Moses thinks of that.

His right leg is still shorter than the left, but I've given him an elevated shoe to wear on that foot. I'm hoping that as he grows, the leg-length discrepancy will become less pronounced. He'll be back in a couple of weeks for a re-check.

Thanks, Dr. Carl!

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