SAN ANTONIO – A 15-year-old teen said he’s looking forward to finally walk without pain after a second surgery to correct his Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which is an inherited neuromuscular condition.
Fuentes already had surgery in one foot to correct the problem. His second surgery will fix his other foot.
Fuentes said growing up with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease hasn’t been easy. He said it was always hard to keep up with other children and it was hard to find shoes.
“I can't run very fast ... my feet would turn in so much, I would trip over them sometimes,” he said.
“He had very tight calf muscles, so he was up on his tiptoes. He has very high arches. There's clawing of the toes,” said Dr. Marvin Brown, an orthopedic surgeon with the San Antonio Orthopedic Group.
Fuentes underwent his first surgery in December.
"Because his peroneal muscles weren't working, the feet start to turn inward. He couldn't bring his feet up,” Brown said. “He couldn't extend his toes, so we corrected the bony deformity, did tendon transfers to balance his foot.”
Said Fuentes “This is great. It feels more stable. I just can't wait to get the second one done. To finally be walking and not tripping over myself."
Fuentes said he hopes to hike after he recovers from his second surgery.
Fuentes’ father said he’s proud of his son, and even before the surgeries, nothing would hold him back.
“He's never been limited by anything. He's always tried his hardest. He's always been admired by his teachers and coaches,” John Fuentes said.
Austin Fuentes’ second surgery was successful and he is recovering.