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Aug 14, 2009 10:54 pm US/Central
Boy, 6, Stays Joyful After 33 Surgeries
(WCCO)
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"Oh, [they] chopped it off. Now it looks like a square," said Alex about his leg, matter-of-factly.
CBS
If you measure a boy by how much time he's spent in the hospital, you might consider Alex Molina unlucky. He was born with a severe case of scoliosis, organ problems and major issues with his left arm and right leg. The 6-year-old has had 33 surgeries since he was born.
But, if you spend about 10 seconds with Alex, you'd quickly realize your assumptions would be quite wrong. He's a smart, energetic first grader who reads on a fourth-grade level. He smiles whenever you talk with him.
Last month, Alex had to have his right leg amputated from the knee down. The muscles and tendons behind his knee were webbed, and he couldn't bend his knee.
"When we would tell people, 'Yeah, Alex is going to have his leg amputated,' everybody was like 'Oh no, I'm so sorry.' But really it's like the best thing," said Alex's mom, Amy. "He was so excited when he heard about it because for the first time in his life he's going to have a [prosthetic] leg that straightens and bends."
No one knows exactly why he was born with all the disabilities. Early on, doctors told Amy and her husband that Alex would never walk or talk. He's exceeded medical expectations his whole life.
Dr. Joseph Perra is Alex's orthopedic surgeon at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare. He performs surgery on Alex twice a year to improve his scoliosis. He inserts metal rods to push open his ribs to lengthen his spine and allow his organs to develop.
"Despite all of his challenges, he comes across as a pretty normal or above-average guy. I think that's important to understand for families who have children with challenges. It doesn't need to eliminate them from being involved and social and active. It's how you choose to deal with it rather than the magnitude of the problem," said Dr. Perra.
Alex has a 2-year-old brother who won't give him a break. Alex has learned to adjust as the big brother in wrestling matches. He's learned he sometimes needs to be the first one to quit. Other times, he even wins.
"I think a lot of people would benefit from having the kind of attitude that Alex does," said Amy. "He helps me keep things in perspective."
She said she and her husband don't allow him to have a "pity party" attitude.
"If someone cuts you off in traffic of if you have to wait extra long in a line," she said. "When I find myself getting irritated at those things, I just think about Alex. What would Alex do?"
To follow Alex's progress, go to his
CaringBridge Web site.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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