Athletes prepare themselves for injuries. They expect them and are not fearful of them. It is nothing to pull a hamstring or break a bone in competition. For Clint Wilson, injuries away from the ballfield have cost him two seasons.
As a sixth grader, after being selected to the Tyrone Little League All-Star Team and two days before the Little League Championship game, Wilson, then 12, was a left-handed pitcher and first baseman. His class was participating in the Elementary Track and Field Days at Tyrone. Clint, being a big boy, and a pitcher was entered in the softball throw for distance. During his first throw, there was a noise so loud, you could hear it at the track. Wilson’s left arm snapped and his Little League season was over.
It was found that Wilson had calcium deposits that turned into benign tumors that ate through the bone. With Wilson only being 12 at the time of the injury, surgery was ruled out. He was placed into a traction cast to set the arm for eight weeks, a fracture brace for eight more weeks and rehabilitation with Craig Sechler at Joyner Sports Medicine for three months.
Wilson was able to return to playing baseball through Teener League but was tentative when he pitched because of the fear the injury would happen again.
We fast-forward the clock to this year and the progress that was being made.
Many sophomores play the full season on the junior varsity team. Wilson, who has grown to a height of 6-4 and goes about 240 pounds, worked his way through the junior varsity team and progressed to become the starting varsity first baseman.
Tyrone High School baseball coach Tom Coleman hated to see something to happen to Wilson.
“We played him at designated hitter the first game of the season and he responded with two hits,” said Coleman. “He showed he could put the ball in play and we are counting on him to fill a spot in the order next season. He is a very coachable kid. He came to the field with a smile on his face ready to learn and showcase his skills. He does all the little things that make a great player.”
Following the varsity season, Wilson was looking forward to playing first base and occasionally pitch for the Tyrone Legion entry in the Kelley Federation League. That never came this season.
Wilson awoke Wednesday morning, May 28 to get ready for school. According to his mother Claudia, that morning would change their summer.
“We heard him call us only to find that his left arm from his shoulder to his fingertips was discolored and very swollen,” said his mother Claudia. “I called his doctors right away and tests were ordered. He had no pain, and only complained that his arm was real heavy. Dr. Albert Tuono, vascular surgeon at the Tyrone Hospital had a technician from the Altoona Hospital come to Tyrone to perform a Doppler test to rule-out blood clot. The diagnosis was something no parent would want to hear about their 16-year-old son.
Clint was diagnosed with a sub-clavicle thrombosis, (blood clot in his left shoulder). He was immediately admitted to the Tyrone Hospital and placed on IV of Heparin. The next day arrangements were made to have him transferred to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. Upon admission, intervention started immediately. He was admitted to Coronary Care where he was carefully monitored and cared for. A catheter was inserted in his left arm starting on the inside at his elbow and running up to his shoulder. He was monitored by doctors specializing in Intervention Medicine where he was closely monitored on the progression of the catheter breaking up the clot. The first examine only showed 25 percent of the clot had been dissolved. The next day, the doctors stated that the progression of the clot dissolving had to increase significantly or they would have to resort to surgical drilling of the clot.
“The next examine showed it had risen to 85 percent which was great in one aspect but also made the situation more critical because of the possibility of a stroke or potential death. He was carefully monitored and had made it through the night. The next day, he was seen by his vascular surgeon, Dr. Robert Rhee at the UPMC. Again, the news was not good. His clot had dissolved but there was damage to the vein and tissues around the vein. The vein was being decompressed by the first rib, muscles in his shoulder and the clavicle bone. Surgery would have to be performed. He was transferred to progressive care for eight days following five days in Coronary Care. In progressive care, he was on a Heparin IV and taking Coumadin orally. Once his medication was adjusted he was released on medication only to return to UPMC Shadyside on June 26 to have surgery.
During his trip home, Wilson took time to catch the team he was to be a part of play a couple games.
Upon returning for surgery, the Wilson family were presented more risks.
“Once there, the surgeons confronted us that the possibility of removing a vein from Clint’s leg to the replace the vein in his arm was a very big possibility,” said Claudia. “He was prepped for this procedure. Once in the Operating Room, the doctors found that a miracle had happened. The vein had healed and was totally open with only minimal scar tissue. They had never seen a vein repair itself in that short of time. But then, there was also a downfall. They had found fluid in Clint’s chest. The doctors had to remove part of his first rib and some muscle to make room for the vein but below the clavicle, the second rib had decompressed into the pleura or the outer lining of the left lung which caused a puncture which caused fluid to leak into Clint’s chest cavity. A wedge to his second rib had to be performed to keep it clear from the pleural cavity encircling the lung. A drain was placed into his muscle for drainage and also a chest tube had to be inserted into the chest cavity to drain the fluid. Again, he was critical and the possibility of him losing his arm was presented to us. He spiked a small temperature and pneumonia was also a scare.”
Mrs. Wilson credits faith that has started Clint on the road to recovery.
“In this situation, you only could pray for one day at a time that he would make it through with no more complications,” said his mother. On the third day following surgery, his drains were removed and the fourth day he was discharged. He must have injections of Lovenox 125 mg. into his abdomen every 12 hours for five days, constant blood work to monitor his Coumadin which he will be on for three months.”
With one comeback complete, this 16-year-old boy has another daunting comeback in front of him, but his goal is to open the varsity baseball season at first base.
“He will be going through intensive physical therapy,” said Tuono. “His range of motion will determine what kind of therapy he will be going through. He is young and healthy. The one good thing about being a 16-year-old is the fact that they bounce back pretty quick. Our goal is to have him back on the field for the first practice of high school baseball. A lot of his rehabilitation will come from within. He has to believe in his ability and not hold back when it is time to play again.”
Coleman knows a thing or two about rehabilitating from an injury. He was injured in an auto accident during his high school career and went through rehabilitation to return to the mound for the Golden Eagles.
“It is always great to have the players and coaches around to support you when you are coming back,” said Coleman. “The love of the game is what will bring Clint back. We both had setbacks in high school and I am confident that Clint won’t let this setback from being cheated out of playing a game he loves.”
When one of our own is hurting, the Tyrone community rallies around them.
“The support of the community of Tyrone and surrounding communities has been overwhelming,” said Mrs. Wilson. “The special prayer services and prayer chains has given us hope that our son was touched by guardian angels and God was the great physician, because people cared enough about Clint to ask for God’s intervention medicine.
“We want to thank Dr. Tuono, Dr. Joseph Basile and Dr. Jerome DeJulia from Tyrone Hospital for their quick action, their special care and concern and their continued care for Clint. To the Tyrone Legion baseball team, coach John Harlow and family members of the baseball players, we want to thank you for letting Clint know he was not alone going through this. You have included him as a part of the team and yet he did not get a chance to play. You are very special to us. A special thank-you to Colleen Mertiff for her medical and moral support through all of this. Our friends and neighbors, we want to say thank-you for your calls, visits and support to our family. Our families, we couldn’t have made it without your love. Mr. Butler and the faculty at TAHS, your care and concern for Clint was overwhelming, thank you. Terry Tate and Jake Houck were his outlet who made him laugh and realize he was special to them. Terry, we thank you for staying with Clint in Pittsburgh, so we could come back for our daughter, Brittany’s graduation. You are a very special young man. And last but not least, his sister’s Anitra and Brittany for their love, care, concern and that bond between siblings every parent prays for couldn’t have been any closer, we love you.”
Clint Wilson is still being monitored for his blood levels, but is hopeful to be ready for next baseball season.
