Health
Coping with Legg-Calve Perthes Disease
While other students go out for football, basketball and swimming, one student is restrained from those commodities.
Senior Michael Neal is diagnosed with a rare disease known as Legg and Calve Perthes Disease (LCPD). LCPD prevents blood flow to the joints and deforms the ball in the joint. He was first diagnosed in seventh grade.
“I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t move my leg. It was in a lot of pain and I couldn’t walk,” Michael said.
It didn’t take long for Michael to realize there was a problem.
“We went to the doctor at first and then we went to a couple different hospitals for x-rays. We had it done within two or three days and then we went to Iowa City to meet my surgeon,” Michael said.
Only one in ten thousand people get this disease. Of those, only one in eight get it in both legs. Michael falls into the one in eight.
“You usually get it when you are four to eight years old. I guess mine was late,” Michael said.
Michael now cannot play in any contact sports. He does, however, work at Skate North where he pushes the limits in his safety by skating.
“It’s just something I can enjoy. There are days I can’t skate because it hurts too much,” Michael said.
There are a few restrictions put on Michael. For instance he cannot walk without a constant limp.
“I permanently limp but I can kind of hide it now. When it hurts people can usually tell because I limp a lot and move a lot slower,” Michael said.
Michael’s girlfriend of 10 months Senior Ashley Neal is has been there for him a while.
“I know only a little about it. I know it’s a very very rare disease,” Ashley said.
Ashley thinks LCPD has brought the two of them together.
“We were out to eat and there was a girl making fun of how he walks. He knows I’m always there. When someone makes fun of him, I’ll always stand up for him,” Ashley said.
Despite some of the physical movement disabilities, Michael still wants to pursue his dream of being a fireman.
“I’ve liked the idea of putting out fires and pulling people out,” Michael said.
Michael thinks things will work out for him even though he’s dealing with this issue.
“You have to pass physical training. If I can’t do that, they won’t let me in,” Michael said.
In order for Michael to have the chance to become a fireman he will have to go through a couple of surgeries first.
“There will have to be a replacement of the ball (in the joint) and maybe a hip replacement,” Michael said.