Camryn Turcsanski
An X-ray revealed that Camryn had accessory naviculars, an abnormality that is present at birth but usually only noticed during adolescence. Find out more about the condition and what it meant for Camryn's future.
"My children are in good hands here."
Young Camryn Turcsanski loves feeling the beat move through her feet. She started twirling, jumping, moving and grooving in dance classes at three years old; but by the time she turned 11, a strange and consistent pain brought her to a standstill.
“Whenever I did leaps or jumps, my foot hurt,” Camryn said. “Even if I just walked a lot or was on my feet for a long time, it hurt.”
After a doctor consultation and X-ray, Camryn learned she had accessory naviculars on both feet; meaning extra bone or cartilage grew on the inner side of her feet just above the arch. While the fairly uncommon abnormality begins at birth, most people don’t notice the condition until adolescence, when the accessory navicular begins to calcify and bumps form.
“Interestingly, a girl down our street had the same thing,” her mom, Kim said. “She had gone to Dr. Jason Dickerson, and she recommended him, so we went to see him too.”
Dr. Dickerson, an experienced and board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, suggested a surgical procedure to remove the accessory navicular and get Camryn dancing again.
The Turcsanskis chose to have the outpatient surgery completed at Lone Peak Hospital. Though they live in West Valley City and bypass other hospitals along the way to Lone Peak Hospital, they felt drawn to its intimate and friendly hospital setting.
“I was impressed with the reputation of Lone Peak, and I prefer going to hospitals that are a little smaller,” Kim said. “You don’t feel lost in the crowd or that you’re just a number there.”
To treat Camryn’s condition, Dr. Dickerson performed two surgeries, one on each foot, a couple of months apart – both during the pandemic. For mother and child, heading into surgery can feel nerve-wracking under normal circumstances, let alone during a pandemic.
“For the first surgery we had some reservations,” Kim said. “We were a little nervous not knowing what to expect, and whether there would be a lot of COVID patients we would be near,” Kim said. “But we were quickly reassured. We knew it wasn’t going to be an issue when we walked in – it was all handled very well and very professionally.”
The sympathetic team at Lone Peak Hospital worked diligently to ease fears and make the family feel as comfortable – and safe – as possible. Kim also noticed the empathetic and kind communication, and that brought her comfort, as well.
“They treated Camryn as an equal. They talked directly to her, explaining exactly what would happen. That made her feel at ease,” Kim said. “I knew she was in good hands and that they would be with her right as she woke up. As a parent, I really appreciated that.”
Both surgeries went smoothly for Camryn, and she soon advanced through the steps of recovery. After five months, both feet had healed.