When Julie Byrd-Jenkins was a little girl, her mother had carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Julie remembers going with her to doctor appointments as she sought care for a condition that eventually became a disability because she was unable to afford surgery.
Ten years ago, when her own hands began to hurt, Julie knew why: CTS can be hereditary.
“A critical part of being human is being able to use your hands,” she said. “I’ve been an artist, photographer, graphic designer and editor, so I was either on computers and keyboards or carrying around heavy photo equipment”
Julie said the pain affected every part of her life.
“Carpal tunnel made it hard for me to type,” she said. “I used to do yoga a lot, and I had to give that up. It makes certain types of cooking difficult. It makes it hard to clean. It makes it hard to do all of the creative activities that I want to do, like paint, design, crochet and different types of crafts. It even makes it hard to do my hair and put on my makeup because, after being in an upright position for a while, my hands go numb.”
According to Julie, anything that requires a fine grip and consistent, repetitive motion is unsustainable.
“If I do too much, I go days without being able to do anything,” said Julie, who wears braces at night to keep the pain from waking her up. “And any amount of stretching and maintenance doesn’t help it completely.”
Julie, 40, and her husband, BJ, have an 11-year-old son who is neurodivergent. She’s worked part-time and freelance since he was a toddler to have a schedule flexible enough to support and homeschool him while her husband works full time.
“BJ’s insurance is affordable for him as an individual but not for us as a family. My son’s needs are enough that he qualifies for TennCare, but I don’t,” she said. “If my husband and I went on his insurance, it would be more than $1,000 a month, which is a significant part of what he makes. It’s like rent.
“My husband and son can get the help they need, but I fall into a gap,” Julie said. “I try to help myself with whatever unemployed and uninsured resources I can find.”
Through Faith Family Medical Center, which provides medical care to underinsured and uninsured families in the Nashville area, Julie learned about Orthopaedics Outreach Day. She was assessed by Donald Lee, MD, professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Orthopaedics Outreach Day founding director. She was overcome with relief when she found out she qualified for a carpal tunnel release procedure on her right hand.
“I felt very fortunate to take part in it because it’s going to make things a lot easier for me,” said Julie, who has been blown away by the costs Vanderbilt is covering, some of which she can see in her My Health at Vanderbilt app. “All of our body parts and organs are important, and we don’t want to lose function in any of them, but the hands — there’s not a lot of work-around there.”
“We are grateful that Vanderbilt continues to allow us to provide care and assistance for patients like Julie,” Lee said. “We are also always grateful and indebted to our volunteers who return year after year, providing their time and expertise. It is what we gladly do to help those in need.”
‘The Best of Vanderbilt’
The 9th annual Orthopaedics Outreach Day was held this summer at the Vanderbilt Surgery Center in Franklin. Thirteen patients received free orthopaedic surgeries, including five sports cases, six hand/upper extremity cases and, for the first time, two foot and ankle surgeries performed by Adam Hicks, DPM, assistant professor of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Anesthesia services were led by Jeffery Clemmons, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and medical director of the Vanderbilt Surgery Center, with assistance from Lakshmi Damalanka, MBBS, assistant professor of Ambulatory Anesthesiology, and certified registered nurse anesthetists Michelle Edwards, Mary Kelley, Chris Rhea and Gwen Sanders.
Partners included Costco, KimKaps, 4imprint, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Chick-Fil-A, Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, Hattie B’s and the Vanderbilt Medical Alumni Association.
Eric Bowman, MD, MPH, associate professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, led the evaluation and management of patients with sports orthopedics conditions, with assistance from Stephen Chenard, who is in the Medical Scientist Training Program.
“Orthopaedics Outreach Day is one time each year where the best of Vanderbilt really shines through,” Bowman said. “It’s the people who make this place special that come out in force and dedicate their Saturday to helping those who otherwise wouldn’t receive important medical care. It resets the soul in a way, and it reminds us why we went into medicine in the first place.”
More than 60 VUMC staff members donated their time, including Julie Donovan, RN, CNOR, circulating nurse at the Vanderbilt Surgery Center in Franklin, who has participated since the event’s inception.
“Orthopaedics Outreach Day is special to me because it’s an opportunity to use my expertise and give back to our community,” she said, adding that she made sure the staff has everything they needed for the procedures. “For us, it’s a team-building event where doctors, nurses and support staff come together to help those who are less fortunate in our community. The organizers put a lot of effort into making it a special day for the staff and patients.”
