Seven months after 25-year-old Trevor Mntungwa had groundbreaking surgery for the treatment of Blount’s disease, on Friday he stood in the doorway of the guest suite at the Netcare Unitas Hospital with a bright smile.
“I’m going home and I’m ready to embrace my blessings,” he said.
On Thursday, he had two external fixation devices, called TL-Hex, removed from his legs. The frames were fitted to the outside of Mntungwa’s legs during a five-hour operation in December.
He will be discharged today.
Mntungwa, a missionary for the international organisation, Sword of the Spirit in Welbedacht West, Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal, has suffered from Blount’s disease all his life.
The disease is a growth disorder of the shinbone that causes a severe inward angling of the legs, just below the knees.
“The first thing I did after the fixators were removed was to send my mother a photograph. She could not believe her eyes,” he said.
Mntungwa added that his brother now jokingly teases him by saying: “You are straight now.”
“Some days I really had my doubts that I will walk normal. In the beginning I was too scared to put any pressure on my legs. I had this idea that my legs would not carry my weight so I just took it easy until something inside told me that I was ready.
“I had to learn to fight my fears. I gave myself some time, spoke to God and took the journey step by step,” he said.
The fixators on his legs were used to gradually straighten his bones over seven months by means of minor adjustments made by advanced software calculations.
In the room with Mntungwa sat two close friends. Lloyd Peterson and Drikus Pretorius.
He met Pretorius in hospital while Peterson travelled with him from Durban.
“We make a lot of noise here and the food is really good,” Peterson said jokingly.
As a close friend of Mntungwa, Peterson added that he was of the opinion that Mntungwa’s biggest hurdle was to overcome his fear of taking the first few steps.
Mntungwa said he took his first step in April and since then he has become unstoppable.
“I was really scared of falling but after taking that first step I have overcome my fears,” he said.
During the past seven months, he did not experience much pain.
“Obviously every time a calculation adjustment was made, it is a little painful, but I think the pain is more something that is in one’s mind,” he said.
His operation was performed by world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Frans Birkholtz who specialises in limb-reconstruction and external fixations.
He performed the surgery with Russian counterpart, Dr Alexander Cherkashin.
Netcare Unitas Hospital manager Adelle Johnstone said she was extremely proud of the remarkable work done by the team.
“Trevor’s surgery illustrates what is possible when caring for your patients is at the heart of everything you do,” she said.
Mntungwa said he had wonderful support from the hospital and the staff.
He is expected to go back to work in the new year.
“I have always wanted a bicycle and for the first time now I will be able to serve the community on a bike,” he said. - Pretoria News
