Bunion and Hammertoe

"A bunion, an injury, and a hammertoe-Many orthopedists and podiatrists later I found New England Baptist and Dr. Leavitt."

by Kathleen A. St. Don

Every morning when I put my feet on the floor I look at the two of them side by side with utter amazement and with a grateful heart. The problems with my left foot began many years ago. At first a bunion appeared that got worse as time progressed. Initially there was no pain but the pain came later. Years later I dropped a clipboard on my left foot and fractured the metatarsal associated with the second toe. It seems that the broken bone shortened due to the fracture which meant that I was now dealing with a bunion and a hammertoe. Over the course of time I had seen more orthopedists and podiatrists than I care to think about. Each one designed a different treatment plan for me which basically amounted to the type of shoes and the type of orthotics that I was to wear. Every time a doctor's treatment planned failed, I went to another doctor. Two doctors did tell me that I needed surgery but I didn't feel comfortable with either one of them. For quite a long time I had been seeing one podiatrist and begged him to operate but he refused to. His primary concern was that I wouldn't heal properly. In retrospect I firmly believe that my case was too challenging for him and that he knew his limits. I respected him for his decision however; I still had a deformed and painful foot that was getting worse as time progressed.

In desperation I decided to research and find the most highly skilled and experienced doctor to help me. I didn't even care if that meant going to another part of the world. I was desperate. I wanted my life back. My search was eventually narrowed down to find a doctor associated with New England Baptist Hospital due its outstanding reputation. I carefully researched each doctor whom I was considering and chose Dr. Kenneth Leavitt.

Right from the beginning Dr. Leavitt, his staff and all those involved in my care made me feel very comfortable. I was extremely impressed by Dr. Leavitt's expertise and compassion. He told me during my first appointment that my case was a very challenging one but that didn't prevent him from treating me. Eventually the decision was made to perform surgery. Dr. Leavitt explicitly told me everything that would be involved and what it would take from the two of us to have a successful recovery.

On December 14, 2006 Dr. Leavitt performed a miracle in the operating room. He transformed my deformed left foot into a foot that looked very much like my right one. I did exactly what he prescribed and had a wonderful recovery. Not only did the shape of my foot change but the pain disappeared as well. As an added bonus I found a wonderful friend who continues to keep close tabs on me even though it's March of 2008. Now there's one very special doctor!

I will always be grateful to Dr. Kenneth Leavitt for giving me back my life!

   Kathleen A. St. Don
    Ka.stdon@comcast.net