Name of patient: Andres Villegas
Email address: av2686@cumc.columbia.edu
Adult: 24 years old
City and state, or city and country: New York, NY
Area(s) of body affected: Left Tibia
Personal History:
I am a doctoral student in the Neurobiology and Behavior program at Columbia University. I enjoy running both recreationally and competitively. On an afternoon run, I noticed an acute pain on my left knee. The pain did not subside for several days, so I consulted my physician who referred me to an orthopedic oncologist. I was then shown the dense candle wax appearance on my x-ray film and subsequently told I had an incidental finding of melorheostosis.
I continue to run and remain active despite the pain that returns on my left knee upon doing so. I have found that cooling the area with ice helps alleviate and accelerate my recovery. I have found a new motivation. I am fortunate that I am still able to be active. I plan on running on behalf of Melo and raising awareness along the way. I look forward to meeting my fellow Melo patients!