KTBS 3 News | Shreveport, LA: ArkLaTex News - Teen on the road to recovery after surgery

Posted: Feb 16, 2009 8:28 PM
Updated: Feb 16, 2009 12:00 AM

After Katy Garza injured her foot, it became infected. Her parents were told by one doctor to prepare for the eighth grader's funeral. But thanks to the work of local doctors, Katy will be walking again very soon. Katy is like may other 15 year olds girls. She enjoys the outdoors and likes playing with her brothers and sisters. But the past few years have been a struggle for this 8th grader. Katy was born with spina bifida she has no feeling below her calf. The Cope Middle Schooler was playing in the woods when she stepped on a tree branch. It went through her flip-flops and into her foot. Katy couldn't feel it, and didn't realize it became infected. After being in and out of the hospital 13 times in three years, and missing lots of school, Katy decided she wanted something drastic done. So she went to see Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Pickvance at CHRISTUS Schumpert. A week later Dr. Pickvance performed the operation.

Teresa Masters is the clinical director at Arnold's Orthopedic and Prosthetics. She helped build Katy's prosethic. Hours after the surgery Katy was able to start putting pressure on her foot again and start using her prosthetic. And walking is what she'll soon be doing a lot of. Katy is only days away from getting rid of those old crutches she's relied on for the past three years. Katy says she's most looking forward to being able to run around like she could before her injury.