Name : Cortney R. Brown
E-mail : cbrown2283@gmail.com
Adult: 28 years old
Location: Chandler, AZ
Area(s) affected: Right Hand (5th Metacarpal)
Personal History:
Before being diagnosed with Melorheostosis in January, 2011, I was experiencing
constant, very uncomfortable pain. In August, 2010 I noticed an unusual form of
growth over my knuckle in my right hand where the fifth metacarpal is. I tried
to treat it myself with basic hydrotherapy, but not positive results. As days
passed on, I started noticing a very sharp shooting pain in the same location.
Almost like a sharp needle was being driven into my hand into my bone. The pain
started to become so severe that it would even wake me up out of a dead sleep.
With the cold winter, I noticed my pain became more sharp and unbearable. I even
noticed that I started losing strength in my hand. I'd tell my mom that nothing
would relieve the pain. In October, 2010, I saw my hand doctor, Dr. John Hanlon.
He did an x-ray and noticed what appeared to be a tumor in my fifth metacarpal
as well as a wide range of white matter on my bone. Due to the tumor being
noticed, no treatments were done; surgery was scheduled immediately. The day of
my surgery, January 17, 2011, my doctor informed me of what he saw. He described
to me that my fifth metacarpal was harder than cement, something he never saw
before. I was further informed that he wasn't able to completely scrape away all
of the white matter, that I wouldn't have a bone left to put any bone graphs on.
A week after my surgery I was diagnosed with Melorheostosis, with information
that it's noncancerous, but no cure and no treatments. Since my surgery I am
currently experiencing additional pain with my nerves at the affected area,
which is affecting me being able to practice massage therapy. I am a very
outgoing person who plays golf and other sports. I am still unable to live a
normal life with my hand.