The Story of Danny -
based on a true story
On
one normal day in Orlando, Florida, something happened to a little boy.
This
boy's name was Danny. Danny was a very active kid. He loved
to play baseball and basketball, and stuff that a normal 8 year old boy
would do. Danny was an exceptionally well baseball player.
Danny started
playing t - ball when he was around 2 years old. Then when he was
5, he started playing in a Pony League, and still does to this day. Danny
was very good when he was little, and hit home runs and grand slams! He
enjoyed baseball so much, that he would stick to it for a very long time.
Danny has
a mom, a dad, and a sister, Emily. I am Danny's sister. Emily is
a springboard and platform diver, and travels all around the country and
world. Well, Emily had a diving meet in Georgia one time. She
had just finished diving for the day when her mom got a phone call.
It was Danny's
dad. A week or so before they had gone to the diving meet, Danny
had fallen off his bike and had hurt his hip, but his parents thought it
would go away. But, things just got worse, and it got to the point
where Danny could hardly walk.
So, Danny was
taken to his regular pediatrician. His doctor didn't know what was
wrong, so he sent them to an Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Charles Price. Dr.
Price diagnosed him with Legg Perthes Calve. Legg Perthes is a disease
that makes the ball of the hip lose blood. Danny would have to have
surgery to not make the bones collapse.
Danny's family
was scared. They did not know what would happen. But, Danny
went into surgery. He would have a metal plate and 2 screws inserted
into his hip bone. After the surgery, Danny would be placed in a
body cast.
Well, the surgery
went fine, and Danny was all right. But, he was in a body cast up
to his chest, down one full leg, and half of the other leg. Danny had a
reclining bed and wheelchair. Even though Danny knew that this could
and probably would change his life forever, he did not show it. Deep
down inside though, he knew that he would not be able to do some of the
things he had done before, and he was scared.
For 5 weeks and
4 days, Danny was in a body cast. Thanks to so many wonderful people
and Danny's great attitude, his family made it through it all. Danny
was now only on crutches, but another surgery was about to come in a year
or so.
Once Danny was off
crutches, he went back to baseball. Even though he was not the fastest
runner as before, he made it through it. The coaches didn't pick
him for the All-star teams or anything, they thought he was too slow and
could not do it. But, after a year, Danny proved them wrong.
In November of the
next year, Danny had another surgery. This would be to remove his
metal plate and screw in his hip. The surgery went fine, and Danny
would just be on crutches for a couple of weeks. The hardest times
emotionally and physically were over.
Danny went on to become
a wonderful person, brother, and baseball player.
Even though he is only 9 years old, he has gone through so much.
He is always loving, enthusiastic, and very considerate.
I am Danny's sister,
Emily. I went through all of this too. I was jealous that he
got so much attention, but when I look back at it, I laugh at myself.
Would I rather be in a body cast and have 2 surgeries and get toys, or
be able to run around and not get so many toys?
Even though I am 12
and my brother is 9, I look up to him. He is very brave, and always
has a good attitude. The doctors say that Danny's hip will not hurt
him again until he is around 80 years old. Good times and bad, Danny
has gone through them successfully.
Danny will always be a strong impact on my life,
and a role model for me. I hope that maybe Danny's story will mean
something to you, as a story of how a kid can get through hard times.
Danny will always remember what happened, but we will look back on it as
the past.
The End
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