Jeanne Wilkinson, 63, and her husband, Tim, allow themselves to enjoy the freedom from responsibility for two weeks each year, usually in the form of ski trips out west. But last year, she had a fluke accident on the side of a mountain in Utah – more on that in a minute.
The couple care for their 29-year-old daughter Alex, who was born with a genetic disorder known as Dravet syndrome. This disorder, known as a catastrophic epilepsy, caused Alex to have thousands of seizures as a child, culminating in permanent brain damage.
“Those first weeks after the accident were tough,” she said. “But much can be accomplished with a mother’s determination and a daughter’s resilience.”
Jeanne is Alex’s primary caregiver. She cooks for her, helps her shower and dress, and has worn out countless pairs of sneakers while running up and down the stairs to address her daughter’s every need.
On top of that: Jeanne was employed as an executive with Compassion International for the last 11 years. In that role she served corporate and foundations donors who invested in caring for children around the world living in extreme poverty. As part of that role, she hosted 37 international trips to 11 different countries. Before that, she worked for a local nonprofit IFB Solutions, providing supportive employment for people who are blind.
If you can’t tell, Jeanne is a doer. She’s passionate about the work but admits that even Wonder Woman needs a break sometimes.
For Jeanne, snow skiing is an escape. It’s a freedom that flying down the side of a mountain can provide. But it all came to an instant end last January, when another skier veered into her lane, causing Jeanne to wipe out, and she heard the dreaded ‘pop.’ An exam, along with an X-ray at the mountain clinic, confirmed a serious knee injury.
“The accident really broke my heart,” said Jeanne. “Not only did it impact something my husband and I enjoy doing together, but my immediate thought was: How will I be able to care for Alex?”
She made an appointment with Dr. Matt Spivey at Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Clemmons. Spivey listened to her concerns and understood that she didn’t just want to get better, she needed to for her daughter.
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Jeanne had injured multiple ligaments in the knee, including a complete tear of her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is vital for knee stability. She also had significant meniscus tears at both the medial and lateral sides of the knee. While surgery was recommended, Spivey recommended a course of preoperative PT or “pre-hab” before moving forward with surgery to repair and reconstruct the knee.
“With this type of injury, it is important to avoid rushing our patients into surgery before the knee is ready for it,” said Spivey. “In many ways, surgery is like a second injury. By taking the time to eliminate swelling and normalize the knee’s motion beforehand, we can minimize the risk of significant knee stiffness, optimize postoperative recovery and rehabilitation and ultimately improve patient outcomes.”
This also allowed Jeanne to still go on her previously scheduled work trip to the Dominican Republic.
“We always work around the patient’s schedule,” said Landon Ward, Jeanne’s primary physical therapist at Novant Health Sports Performance & Rehabilitation in Clemmons. “On the front end, we take a detailed assessment of the patient’s goals in life. We ask questions like: What are you trying to get back to doing? From there, we build a personalized plan to help them achieve it.”
In April, Jeanne had her surgery at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center and was able to return home that same day.
“Jeanne needed a right knee arthroscopy with ACL reconstruction as well as medial and lateral meniscus repairs,” said Spivey. “We worked together ahead of time to make surgical decisions about how to restore knee stability and function with the least invasive approach possible in order to meet her goals and set her up for success.
“But the reality is, my part in her story is small and only lasted for a few hours one morning in the operating room. Jeanne did all the hard work by putting in countless hours before and after surgery, both at home and with our physical therapy team to rehabilitate her knee. She has shown tremendous dedication to this process, and it has been a pleasure to celebrate each of her small victories with her along the way.”
Jeanne’s take: “I have a striver’s curse,” she said. “I’m always striving to do, to provide, to care for those around me. To be honest, this experience taught me a lot of humility. I had to adopt of a posture of receiving help from others.”
Her dog, Grace, joined the recovery team. They’ve gone on countless walks together every day since the surgery. Her husband, Tim, has also been a constant support, providing much-needed care for both Alex and Jeanne over the last year.
Fast forward seven months since her procedure and Jeanne has already started checking the snow report in Utah. She feels blessed to not only be able to take care of Alex again, but to be physically back in “ski shape.”
