September 23, 2004
Baseball and Healing...together? YES!
Okay, so I did a bold thing today and wrote the Colorado Rockies and Todd Helton and Matt Holliday a letter. Things like this make me wish sometimes to change some things but like I say, all things happen for a reason. I wanted to share with them how I care about thier team, them specifically and how baseball helped me heal and notice the milestones of reco\/ering. I want as many people as I can to know about A\/N. This was just one outlet for it. My daily routine...baseball games. I will miss going...until Sunday and then not until April. I handed this letter to \/inny Castilla before the double header. I will copy the letter on here for you to read:
Dear Todd Helton, Matt Holliday and awesome Rockies Team,
My name is Star (real name stated) and enclosed is a picture of us together (Todd and I) in June 04 on Photo Day at Coors Field. No worries (I am not a stalker or anything) I just LO\/E the game?baseball. I wanted to share a few things with you (and the team). First, I would like to say that you are really an awesome person but in so many ways! I do not even ?know? you but, the few ways that I have encountered, they have been gold. Not to mention you are \/ERY physically fit and handsome too but you are a GREAT player! You and the team give inspiration to many kids and adults.
Some background about myself: I am a 34 year old female that seems to get addicted to baseball and looks for new avenues for it! I usually attend the games alone, sit with my headphones on KOA and enjoy myself in the sun watching the game at Coors field, wondering how I could become more involved in professional baseball (the Rockies specifically). I already attend the games, listen on the radio, collect baseball cards?recently by big thing is getting your autographs and now it seems that writing letters is my new avenue. J I would like to let the people on the teams know how they affect people?s lives, how they impact them, specifically myself.
I want to start by saying how I ADORE Matt Holliday, again in more ways than one. I know he is married and think his wife is one of the luckiest gals on this planet! That doesn?t stop me from thinking he is a GREAT player, not to mention with a FINE,
athletic body too! Ok, enough of that?I think all players have such great qualities to them?I just had to let you and Matt know yours specifically! ;)
In 2003, my health wasn?t so well. I had a left hip on the border to collapse and a possible hip replacement to come. Doesn?t sound too horrible but I was only 33 years old which meant I would have several in my life time! I had to fine another alternative from having Osteonecrosis/ AVN in my left hip (not Osteoporosis). AVN=Avascular Necrosis/Osteonecrosis is a condition that results from a loss of blood supply to the bone. There are many causes for this, all of which lead to the death of living cells within the bone. Due to a problem with blood supply, the hip starts to degenerate and collapse over time. For whatever reason, I had this in my hip at age 33.
I found an alternative which is performed at Duke Medical Center by the doctor that pioneered the operation (it?s that operation on the Discovery Health) that was called FVFG-Free Vascularized Fibula Graft. It is an advanced option that reconnects blood vessels and helps to increase circulation in an attempt to avoid the need for hip replacement surgery. It entails taking out the middle portion of the fibula (lower leg bone-about 5 inches) with the attached artery(s) and vein (the fibula brings in bone and blood supply and gives you mechanical strength) then drilling a hole within the hip and reattaching blood vessels. This is considered to be a preventive treatment for those with this degenerative condition. The surgery itself is very intensive and requires the highest degree of skill and precision, as the blood vessels being reattached are thinner than the average strand of hair. I went through with it in January of 2004 and I was just under
number 3000 for the amount of patients in the world to have this procedure done. They say it takes a year to completely heal for the graft in the leg to become one. That would be Jan 2005.
I am giving you this background for one, exposure of this and two, because baseball had really brought me through this year. My recovery was/is so extensive, I had to leave Colorado and go to Florida where my mom and brother and family would take care of me. I would not be able to care for myself. The first month I was in bed for a month?I should say bedridden for a month. I was in bed for several months. I couldn?t do anything except watch the Spring training games of baseball! Toward the end of my stay in Florida (4 months of home care), I ventured out to the field where the Spring training games were, wheelchair and all. At the end of April, I returned to Colorado just in time to see Atlanta play?they normally do in August and been trying to come to as many games as I can ever since.
Photo Day (the picture enclosed), I had my arm braces?I still could not put weight bearing down on my leg yet, where they took the fibula from. I remember taking forever going up and down the stairs at Coors field, wondering if I will use them forever. One never knows. It would take me a long long time to go up one step and etc. Then after photo day, I was allowed to use one arm brace and put some weight on it. I would still hold on the railing for stairs but, did it. Then just prior to being 6 months post op, I could go down to a cane. That was just great! That meant I was coming along! All along the way the only thing I could really do and that motivated me was to go to the games to see
you and the team play. It might have taken the wind out of me. But I can do it! Then there was a day, 6 months post op in July 04 where I didn?t have to use any walking aide. I could go to the games without a cane! Still taking steps one by one, I could do it!
Now I am almost 9 months post op from this operation and I have been flying up and down the stairs without any help?not one by one! I have come a long way and it is baseball and more specifically this team that motivated me to heal and come so far. I have really grown health wise over this year and I owe it all to this team. I can say that baseball has been with me through this whole process and within baseball I can see my accomplishments and progress. Thank you team, for being there and playing and doing your best. I have a different outlook on life and the game now. It?s so much more than winning?It?s all the lives that are changed from it.
Thank you for reading this letter Todd (and hopefully the team)?and can?t forget Matt. ;) yummy! ?I am human ya know!!!!!! I appreciate all you do for everyone and all the lives you have touched. You are all winners in my eyes?even if the division doesn?t think so! I am leaving a link on here of my Health Diaries if you or whoever were so inclined to read more of this health situation and my recovery: http://www.healthdiaries.com/osteonecrosis-fvfg.htm
Again, thank you for everything?all of you Rockies?you have changed my life completely and NOW you know it. Think of all those you don?t know of.
Hugs to all of you (and a few extra for Matt and Todd),
Signed my name of course...with my addy.
Posted by Star on September 23, 2004 08:48 PM