Yes, I have been banging on about Ottis Lance of late and I make no apologies for doing so. If he were an Australian citizen, he would be home now, bouncing around and probably working on his race bike AND it WOULDN’T have cost him the 7 figure bill that he has incurred so far, and for what? Please read on and you will be as angry and outraged as what the rest of his supporters and family have been in the last year.
The picture above are the supposedly titanium braces that were installed in his leg to aid his healing and bone growth. No, I ain’t no metallurgist but I can’t see titanium breaking and bending like this as a result of a simple fall in his lounge room. I hope that the family gets these bits examined by somebody qualified because I have my doubts.
Anyway, this in from goteamotter yesterday morning. It’s a long read but it is the best news as well as the most outrageous indictment of how he has been treated so far all in one post.
“Otter is doing great. As a racer, he knows things about himself we don’t. He understands injury in a way many of us can’t. He always said that his leg wasn’t right. Those closely involved tried to keep him positive and be supportive. Knowing no one comes back from an injury like that overnight. Maybe even thinking he wasn’t being realistic, the time frame he expected to heal in. Well. He was right in saying everything was all wrong. Everything was all wrong, and I don’t think we even at this moment can grasp what that means. The bone slurry never did anything. There was no supportive growth going on, as is normal treatment for the procedures he had. Nothing that was done really makes sense. When his surgeon opened him up in Houston, the slurry was not functional. Just fell out in clumps. The bone in his leg, top and bottom, never healed. All the bone grafts he went through didn’t do any good. I don’t know how he made it as long as he did. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe “breaking” it again got him here where it could be fixed properly. The Dr’s at Memorial Hermann are proper. They are so careful in evaluating his entire situation and planning the next steps very carefully. They’ve done 7 ct scans on his leg from all angles. They took cultures in the surgery, which today came back negative. No new infection, which is a huge. They are looking at the bones and trying to figure out which method of repair will best serve his lifestyle. They understand who he is and they care about his ability to live his life with purpose. I’ve never been cut short once, tirelessly explaining to everyone involved with him, what he’s done in life and how none of this fits him. How we have to fix him and get him back to a life he can live. They are doing their best to give him that. He says he’s confident in them. That they explain things to him and he says he can tell that they know what they’re doing. To hear him say that should help all of us relax a little. They’re very interested in looking at the left leg so they can get the right one to match in length and rotation. The next few days will bring the final answers. What do we do? How long? What will the final outcome be? We’re working on those answers. I feel totally confident this is the right choice. If I’m wrong in the end, well that’s more than I could stand. So for the next few days… Please send all the best thoughts and prayers his way. We need a miracle and I think we’re about to get it!”
I should add that, while doing the xrays and CT scans, the doctors in Houston discovered ANOTHER break in the leg that is a result of the accident that was NEVER detected and treated.
Further news is that there is no infection in the area at all so orthopedic work can begin immediately.
And this, from the man himself this morning..
“I am waiting for the orthopedic surgical team to get bone cultures done and give me a plan for replating and repairing damaged areas. Jennifer and David Sr. Have been great and I just want to get fixed. When I know more I will let you know. I just have to be patient. And a patient, go figure!”
Indications of good humour and positive attitude are all good signs. Incidentally, you may be wondering what the doctors are doing to keep the legs stable while all of this is going on. External fixators are attached to the leg to stop untoward movement and to ensure that everything will line up properly when the time comes to pin and plate.
These can be seen in this photo just before Otter was wheeled off for some more tests.
Fingers crossed they will get it right and Otter’s long ordeal (and that of his family and many friends) will be over. Keep pulling for The Otter.