Connor was referred to me because he was born without thumbs, he had four fingers but did not have a thumb on either hand. I met the family at that time and the question immediately was what can we do to make sure that Connor leads a normal, healthy high-functioning life. 

It was in the birthing room that we found out Connor didn't have thumbs and I think everybody was pretty stunned. We got almost an immediate referral to Doctor Chhabra. I was always fascinated in orthopedic surgery and then I spend additional time in my fellowship training learning about congenital hand differences. 

For a while there, he was trying to pick things up using his four fingers but eventually he started picking things up kind of like a crab would. I discussed with them options for treatment we could do nothing but there's one particular operation and that's a Pollicization procedure. 

It's a complex micro surgical procedure where you separate the index finger and rotate it into a position of a thumb and then recreating the tendons and muscles you create a new thumb for a child. It's one of the reasons I went into hand surgery. It was the most fascinating operation I had ever seen Connor underwent the Pollicization procedure for one hand and then about 7 months later he went to Pollicization procedure for the other hand. 

We went in to get his first cast removed It was the first time I actually got to see his new thumb. I was there by myself and I started crying I just It was a lot. 

He can go to the playground and he can slide down the slide and grasp onto those sides. He can pull himself up on things, gasp things. He has the strength now, he didn't have that before. 

To have someone at two weeks of age, come in and tell you This is not going to be a problem, we can fix this, we can make this better I think that was such a relief. 

We have, I feel, some of the highest skilled providers anywhere in the country with these kids I'm part of the team that gives them the self-esteem and helps them realize that just because their hands are different doesn't mean they can't do anything that any other kid can do. I can't really tell you in words how great that can make you feel