Senior Spotlight: Liam Henderson

Many OP students are learning from home to quarantine or lessen their exposure to covid-19. Senior Liam Henderson, however, has spent some time at home due to personal reasons. Liam actually began his fifth and final year at Oratory utilizing in person instruction. Unfortunately, Liam switched to remote learning following a long soccer season which dealt him an injury blow. After consultations with his doctor, Liam underwent knee surgery, and since then, has been recovering from the procedure. I had the opportunity to check in with Liam where I asked him several questions, and a few relate to the surgery. 

Why did you need Surgery?

I was diagnosed with Osteochondritis Dissecans, or OCD for short. I broke four different bones in my knee; three smaller pieces of a bone were partially broken off from the larger bone, and one was completely separate from the bone it was supposed to be connected to. This single bone was floating in the cartilage around my knee, and was not touching any bones, ligaments, or tendons. As a result, blood could not be supplied to it, and the doctor explained that it essentially died inside my knee. During the surgery, Dr. Greene, my surgeon, removed the dead piece, and reattached the other three bone fragments to prevent them from eventually completely separating and losing their blood supply. 

How did your surgery go and how has the recovery been?

My surgery was successful, and the recovery has been a struggle. Currently, I am only two weeks removed from the surgery, so I have not had the chance to complete the lengthy recovery process. However, in the time since the operation, the pain is not the worst part. The pain was hard to manage, but I can now feel the biodegradable screws and areas where the bones were moved in my knee. Even though I was in pain before the surgery, my knee felt like a single joint. Now, it feels like fifty little joints that are fighting against each other. This may not make much sense, but this feeling is so unique that no words can really describe it. 

Besides attending school virtually, what are you doing with your time at home?

I am spending more time with my family than I would be if I was still attending school in person. Even though I am not very mobile, I am also looking after my dog more now than before.  

Do you enjoy remote learning more than in person instruction?

No, in person instruction is much better than remote learning. My displeasure with remote learning is most likely magnified by the fact that I am spending the vast  majority of the day in the same room as  the doctor instructed. Even then, I find it more difficult to motivate myself in remote learning, and it is harder to communicate with my teachers and classmates. 

Which class have you enjoyed the most this year?

I have enjoyed Mr. Gaertner’s AP Economics class most this year. 

Finally, how much FIFA 21 and COD have you played in the last couple weeks?

To be honest, I have been playing both games more than I would like to admit in the last week or two. On the other hand, I do not have the luxury of being able to move around, so it could be much worse.