Wait — Why Did This Kid Have His Leg Reattached Backwards?
- Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:10am by
Scott Baker
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Ohio State Medical Center
Dugan Smith was a 10-year-old kid who was told he had a malignant cancer in his thigh bone, meaning his leg and knee would have to be amputated.
Because his other options for leg replacement would have limited Dugan’s ability to play baseball again, doctors performed (at his request) a rare and risky procedure known as a rotationplasty.
His lower leg was removed, turned 180-degrees, then reattached where his femur would be.
Here’s what happens: The diseased portion of the leg is removed, and then the lower portion (containing the lower shin, ankle, and foot) is turned 180 degrees and grafted back onto the upper thigh. The ankle functions as a knee, the foot becomes the upper shin, and a prosthetic leg then fills out the lower portion.
The boy didn’t seem to care about the risks, which were several. He didn’t care about the recovery time, which would be long. And he didn’t care about the possible awkwardness, both physically and emotionally.
Dugan wanted to play baseball.
“It wasn’t a question in his mind,” Dustin says.
Dad wasn’t quite ready to take yes for an answer. He was Dugan’s coach, and he didn’t want a charity case on his hands.
“I’m going to be pushing you,” he told his only boy. “You’re not going to like me very much.”
Dugan didn’t care. The decision had been made: Baseball or bust.
But can he really play baseball? Yes:
The surgery would be brutal. It took a total of 25 hours. There was so much swelling that doctors had to leave the leg wide open and Dugan could actually see his muscles flex as he tried to recover. He spent two weeks in the ICU. Then chemo. Then the pain of adjusting to the first prosthetic leg. Then four more prosthetic replacement legs after that.
You’d think, just once, Dugan would say, “Enough.” Maybe during one sleepless night or one agonizing moment, he’d give up.
Nope.
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Comments (101)
artmonster1204
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:52pmYou wouldn’t be able to get that with Obamacare.
Report Post »Jim
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:31pmCool, kinda reminds me of Cotton Hill.
Report Post »papa2thdoc
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:19pmOhio State? Of course it’s backwards. Go Blue!
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:14pmI thought maybe he had been an Obama fan and wanted to start kicking himself in the @$$.
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:40pmGod Bless Dugan! Now thats bravery!
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:20pmMarvelous work. Too marvelous to be approved by the IPAB under Obamacare.
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:08pmWow! Courage! And, Determination! I‘d bet he doesn’t read his tea leaves on a Teleprompter!
Report Post »Cherynn
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:41pmThis kid is one of tomorrows leaders. He is not afraid of making big decisions and sticking with it. I salute you young man and I am inspired by your BRAVERY !!! All the best for your future !!!!
Report Post »Aaron in Polk County
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:24pmNow, he can use “I have two left feet” for an excuse for bad dancing, instead of “But, I’m White.”
Report Post »Moondogg
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:21pmGreat story, and I’m glad Dugan gets to keep playing baseball. I pitched for 10 years, so I know how strong the lure of the mound can be. Good job by the father too not wanting his son to be treated any different.
Report Post »mom4times
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:14pmTRUELY INSPIRING!!!! Makes the rest of us rather weak.
Report Post »Ray2447
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:02pmWould Obamacare cover this kind of surgery?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 10:50pmIt payed to put BHO’s head on backwards. Hardly see the scars.
Report Post »Zebla
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:01pmThe first I’ve heard of this: I have deep admiration for such courage and determination for such trailblazers. Thanks for your inspiration.
Report Post »BonnieBlueFlag
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:48amI just watched the Mayo Clinic video on the Rotationplasty. That was AWESOME.
Report Post »Patriot Momma
Posted on May 22, 2011 at 8:09amThe Mayo clinic does amazing things! I’m fortunate enough that I go to the one here in AZ. Their Doctors think outside the box, not to mention even if you don’t live near a clinic, you can come visit be seen by a Doctor and then they can send you home with a treatment plan. I had surgery there, they were fabulous. When I had complications, my Surgeon came in on his day off just to see me. You never hear about that kind of thing anymore. Not to mention when I was in severe pain, they operated on me the very next day. I was so thankful!
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:45amWay to Go Dugan! You are a great example to us all. May your life be full of homeruns.
Report Post »Hephzibah
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:33amWell, that’s just pretty darn cool!
Report Post »quicker
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:33amHope this turns out well for this young man .Go`s to show what guts can do for you .HEAR THAT GOP.
Report Post »satotbs
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:10pmHope someone in the GOP is monotoring the Blaze.
Report Post »ShyMan
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:32amWow. We live in an amazing age.
Report Post »Lt_Taz
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:29amThis youngman doesn’t have a disability, he has a gigantic ability to overcome adversity. may God bless you and watch over you.
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:33amJust what I was thinking. I pray that I have that kind of fortitude when adversity hits me this hard. He will one day be a productive member in this Republic…if we can keep it.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:25amDugan,
You have the heart of a hero. GOD BLESS, young man! Many happy games for you!!!
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:20amWTG Dugan
Report Post »John 3:16
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:27amAccording to Obama this is exactly why we need Obamacare. Doctors giving false diagnosis so he can make extra money cutting off limbs and re-attaching them Backwards. Obama is such a slezzy loser.
Report Post »chirodoc007
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:17amAbsolutely amazing. This is thinking outside the box and it seems fantastic.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:22pmwow I never knew that this could be possible .
Report Post »Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:17amyep, this healthcare system we have here in the US is just awful and needs to be destroyed so this kind of miraculous stuff can no longer take place…Unbelievable stuff…
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on May 22, 2011 at 4:43amThe people trying to use the story of this kid‘s surgery to score cheap political points are obviously unaware that the procedure was originally invented by a German doctor in the 1930’s. So, uh, yay Nazi health care system?
Report Post »NoStoppingUs
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:14amExactly the kind of innovation that will disappear under Obamacare.
Thank you democrats!
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:41amDitto that!
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:42amAgreed.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:47amCheer up….This is supposed to be a good news story
Report Post »stifroc
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:48amwell actually under Obamacare he probably WOULD still get this treatment because he is 10 and has a higher “potential value” as a contributor to society.
HOWEVER under Obamacare if he was 45 years old and not 10… well then they would just whack off the leg and duct tape on a broom handle for a prosthetic.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:17pmI sure hope no tax dollars were used for that operation. Why should the nanny government pay for that kind of thing. The parents should foot 100% of the bill.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:26pmStifroc: well actually under Obamacare he probably WOULD still get this treatment because he is 10 and has a higher “potential value” as a contributor to society.
——–
Wrong! I hate to say this, but under Obamacare this boy is considered a weak or “defective” human being and therefore a liability. Obamacare could not even afford the 25-hour surgery. Too many illegals in line, kid. Forget baseball.
Sick and injured children as well as unborn babies will suffer under Obamacare, because “national” health care is about the survival of the fittest and population control.
Report Post »NoStoppingUs
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:41pm@riseandshine
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:47am
Cheer up….This is supposed to be a good news story
======
I sooper dooper happy, Mr. Daschle, and thanks for your concern! We got a big gun show in town this weekend, I’m going to go buy a few thousand rounds of ammo, check out some 1911′s and then head out to the range.
Thanks again for your concern!
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:43pmmossbrain?? more like moss for brains?? He‘s not clueless He is a do’er, not a baby making machine from a state in mexico plopping children with tuition paid.
Report Post »stifroc
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:05pm@Kryptonite
Touche’
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:38pmNostoppingus…….Daschle and myself are on opposite sides….I doubt Obamacare will be implemented fully….just enough to cause irreversible damage to our healthcare system….But I still have hope we can dump the top down one size fits all approach and adopt a free market approach in our individual States. This can only come about if Obama’s out on his keester on Jan 20, 2013
Report Post »Your Name Here
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:21pmUnder Obamacare he’d be left to die because he has a mind of his own and determination to do it on his own.
Report Post »That kind of attitude cannot be rewarded under Obama’s one world government.
DanB
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 6:31pmI think you are forgetting your “whole lives system.” At age 25, a whole lives system would spend good money to fix a human being. You are worth your weight in taxable income. However, children and the aged are worth less. The younger you are, the less money. And the older you are, same situation of less money spent to treat conditions. Put to a graph, you rapidly gain value through your childhood until you reach a suitable age (25 or so) then it caps off and slowly drops over the rest of your life until by the time you are in old age (60 or so) when you are again not worth the time and money to treat. I love the irony though that the whole lives system is used by those who claim to care most about individuals but when you really look at it and tax revenue, it becomes apparent what your REAL value is under socialized medicine. And since politicians have the greatest value of all, there are of course exempt from the whole lives system….
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:13amThe human mind is so impressive!
Report Post »Uncurable wound
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:35amHeart of a Champion!
Report Post »stifroc
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:42amAmazing… but a little gross… still amazing though.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:43amDugan has more determination than 65% of the people that come into the store where I work…YOU GO KID!!!! GOD BLESS!!
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:45amYes it is!! I don’t understand how some folks persist in the belief that these amazing minds stem from a glop of goo instead of the hand of God.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 11:48amIncredible…the kids often no not what others say is impossible…and then show us how to do it.
Indomitable will to live and to win.
Wonderful.
Report Post »Sinista MACE
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:03pmI got those Lebron James shoes this kid has.
I cut grass in them since he left Cleveland.
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:30pmmore gritt than most. deserving of a snappy salute. “We’ll see you on the mound, Winning”
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:33pmmossbrain I’ll help keep 20 mexicans out of the country so he can get help to become productive again!!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:33pmI just love his passion and drive! He will succeed in life because he works hard and has goals and some day I hope to see him on a MLB team if that is his dream.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:39pmObama had the same sort of thing, only they replaced his head with his @ss.
Report Post »American Saint
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:42pmWow! Talk about someone that has the heart of a lion.
Report Post »coladude
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 12:50pmWhat a true kid.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »sbeejustsaying
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:22pmIt is kinda wierd at first but; the it works really well. Wow!
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:45pmRight On Dugan! God bless you and your family!
Report Post »right-wing-waco
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 1:58pmIt’s very sad that things like this happen. It is also nice to see a young man with very positive attitudes. God bless him.
Report Post »vic138
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 2:43pmYou have not seen anything yet? Wait for Obamacare to set in!
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 4:23pmI’m a little puzzled by his motives.
Report Post »Seems slightly short sighted. I mean good for him I guess…(?)
Dustyluv
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 6:28pmHes gonna be one helluva break dancer…
Report Post »PatriotsLikeMe
Posted on May 21, 2011 at 9:27pmKickinback–Funny!
How bout this one–they reattached Michelle’s a$$ on a dozen men with no butts at all. She still has plenty left.
Report Post »nosycophant
Posted on May 22, 2011 at 12:52pmI think obamy even said doctors cut off feet and legs for 25K, but this is definitely a good thing with positive results
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on May 22, 2011 at 4:22pmGod Bless this boy and i wish him the very best
Report Post »theteaishot
Posted on May 22, 2011 at 4:43pmWhy wasn’t this procedure done in Cuba. We have been told by the Ben-Laden Democrats that Cuba has the best medical care in the world.
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