STAND TOGETHER for ANTHONY’S LIFE CHANGING SURGERY

On behalf of our son Anthony Conti we are reaching out and pleading for any assistance you can afford so we can prep for his upcoming surgery. Anthony has a significant spasticity condition. Those that know him are aware this causes his legs to turn in, his legs do not lift properly, they do not stand straight, and therefore his feet drag, knees turn in stance is off and is shorter. As a young boy he’d wake up in pain screaming with locked legs. He has worn full length to his waist or calf high braces for most of his life. His physical therapy started before he was a toddler and for many years included driving him to aquatic therapy twice a week. Thus far we have been blessed with incredible professionals to assist him in the private and public sector.

Anthony is truly a fighter and has persevered over more things in his 15 years than many will see in their lifetime. He spoke extremely late, he walked very late. Poor kid doesn’t even have good sight, but nothing stops him. He challenged himself to remediate his dyslexia and dysgraphia, I’m not sure he or his parents would ever see the day he’d read.

He will challenge and fight through any obstacle in front of him. He truly doesn’t know the phrase, “ I CANT”, he is an “I WILL” kid. And he will means it….

Below are just a handful of things that he changed from I CANT RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL .,,

He rides a bike

He fought for 36 hours straight to learn to jump rope

He played town baseball knowing he might trip running fast

He played soccer when he was little having trouble making contact with the ball

He has a 96 in ELA

None of these things were thought could be possible back then, and many of you supported him to get there.

So we are asking that you support him in his decision to have this life altering surgery to straighten his legs. It’s an evasive surgery involving shortening and lengthening of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. It will also involve braking of his leg bones ( thanks to braces not his hips and feet). It is a long surgery and painful recovery he has chosen so he can “STAND STRAIGHT AND TALL!”

For this Anthony will be in a wheelchair for quite a while. It is a necessity that we are able to get him home inside in a wheelchair, be able to get him back and forth for post up check ups, physical therapy, and just out for fresh air when he’s having low level pain days for some fresh air. We will be installing handicap accessible tools for toileting, showering and will need to replace the front porch that can safely withstand the wheelchair and one that can hold the installation of a ramp. We also want him to be able to have the surgeon recommended physical therapy sessions during recovery so he doesn’t tighten, insurance as you all know will all not be covered by insurance. At this point this what we were told our expenses would be. On behalf of Anthony, we thank you for your support.

Allison and Michael Conti