| Patient Spotlight |
| “Joseph” was at the end of his rope. The 58-year-old husband and father was dealing with severe trauma to his left knee – extensive arthritis with high-grade chondromalacia, bone marrow edema in the medial tibial plateau, and complete chronic tearing of the ACL as well as meniscus tearing. The pain, which forced Joseph to use around-the-clock pain medication to keep his job, was so extensive that he often had to drag his leg by the end of the workday. It was difficult to press through these conditions, but without insurance or the financial resources to pay out of pocket, Joseph was stuck. And being stuck drove him to the end of himself. In the midst of his pain and despair, Joseph began to abuse alcohol. Realizing he couldn’t continue to live this way, he sought assistance at Baylor Community Care. Joseph received support to help him combat his addiction. He was also connected to Project Access for a total knee arthroplasty. Dr. Michael Boothby, an orthopedic surgeon and longtime Project Access volunteer, agreed that Joseph needed surgery and took on his care. He performed the procedure at Baylor Surgical Hospital, and anesthesia was provided by U.S. Anesthesia Partners. Because of the extensive damage to his knee, the recovery was difficult for Joseph, but Dr. Boothby’s office, The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Institute, donated physical therapy to help him regain his mobility. Joseph couldn’t be more grateful. “My life has definitely changed,” he says. “I have new work projects and have been feeling a lot better now that my knee has healed. I felt like Dr. Boothby was part of my family because I saw him often and he was so nice to me. I shook his hand and told him thank you for what you do for people . . . I would like to thank everyone who makes Project Access possible.” |
Michael H. Boothby, MD received the Spotlight Award Project Access Tarrant County.
