Congenital Vertical Talus: Allison's Dream to Walk Comes True
"We have two homes now – one in Costa Rica and one in Cincinnati."
Allison Gamez-Monge was born with a condition that caused her feet to be turned completely inward on their sides. Walking was a challenge, and running was entirely out of the question. Two complex surgeries at Cincinnati Children's corrected Allison's deformity and straightened her feet and legs. She is now back home in her native Costa Rica learning to walk on her "new" feet.
Allison Gamez-Monge recently stepped off a plane in brand new shoes to greet her family in San Jose, Costa Rica, after spending four months living at the Ronald McDonald House while receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children's. These shiny, white tennis shoes aren't just any pair of shoes. They are the symbols of a journey made and a journey not yet taken. And 10-year-old Allison wouldn't be walking or wearing them without the determination of some kindhearted staff and families who chose to make a difference in a little girl's life.
Allison was born with congenital vertical talus on both feet, a deformity that made walking extremely difficult and running impossible. Allison's feet were completely turned inward on their sides so that she could not wear shoes like everyone else. During recess and gym classes, Allison sat on the ground as a spectator as her schoolmates played. Every year in September on her country's independence day, she watched the relay of children who ran through the streets passing each other an Olympic-style torch, and wished her feet could move her in celebration, too.
In 2005 Allison's plight came to the attention of James and Ruthann Sammarco, an orthopaedic surgeon and nurse from Christ Hospital, who were visiting their daughter in Costa Rica. The sight of Allison struggling to walk down the stairs to meet them motivated the couple to help.
The Sammarcos contacted the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's and enlisted the help of pediatric orthopaedic surgeon Twee Thi Do, MD. Dr. Do and her medical staff communicated with the family for the next two years and made plans for Allison to have surgery. "During those years," says Allison's mother, Lidina, "we knew something wonderful was going to happen to us in a place called Cincinnati in the United States."
Realizing the Dream
On January 10, 2007, the Gamez-Monge family was notified that everything was ready for them in Cincinnati and the surgery was scheduled. When they stepped off the plane, Joe Humpert, a friend of the Sammarco family, greeted them. During their stay at the Ronald McDonald House, he escorted them to appointments and was their tour guide on outings around town. And after her surgery, Joe gave Allison her first pair of tennis shoes for her new feet, which Allison wears with the joy of a princess who has shed her rags for a beautiful gown.
When the Gamez-Monge family walked into Cincinnati Children's on March 14, they were overwhelmed. Lidina recalls, "The hospital was so beautiful. From the moment we entered, we felt like we were in paradise." When Allison's family and Dr. Do finally met, the emotions of having waited for something special for so long was an overpowering sensation for all of them. After Dr. Do examined Allison's feet, she realized that her condition was too complex and would require two surgeries.
On March 19 and April 12, Allison underwent her long-awaited surgeries. In her own words, Lidina describes how she understood the procedures: "Dr. Do opened my daughter's feet, put everything where it should be, and made it straight. She secured her new feet with pins to keep them straight. And she moved skin from Allison's ankle to the inside of her foot. She also did surgery on the back of both of her knees to help straighten her legs."
The Journey Continues
A rigorous recovery period has followed the surgeries, including wearing casts and splints and doing extensive physical therapy which will continue for years. Allison is using a walker to teach herself how to walk with her new flat feet. She can already move them one in front of the other, which is different from the way she used to get around by moving them from side to side. Allison is determined that someday she will be able to run.
Her mother believes Allison has the strength to make her dreams come true. She says, "Even when she is crying during her exercises if it seems too difficult, she keeps doing them. Allison has always had courage to handle challenges. She is brave and that attitude has helped her in her recovery from surgery."
Allison returned to Costa Rica last fall. She will repeat fourth grade due to missing half of the year while being in Cincinnati. The lessons she learned this past year were not found in textbooks.
Lidina says, "We realize there is nothing more special than family and there are so many wonderful people in the world that I can call my family now. We have two homes now – one in Costa Rica and one in Cincinnati. I wish we could combine these two places together and be in each place all the time."
When Allison grows up she wants to become a doctor and work with Dr. Do to help other children. In the meantime, if you are ever in Costa Rica in September and see a dimple-cheeked girl with fancy tennis shoes running down the street carrying a bright torch on Independence Day, say hi to Allison from all of us in Cincinnati.
