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  • blood donating today

    well sorry to say nicole wasn't able to donate today. It was not a good day. We went there with some tears and then they took a finger prick to check her iron, which the nurse said was excellent (i guess those flintstone vitamins did the job), but nicole was hysterically crying and the nurse said if she didn't calm down she would not do it and nicole would not calm down, she really got herself worked up. The nurse said it is ridiculous that the surgeon makes them donate and someone should donate for her. Now i have to call the surgeon tomorrow and also find out if my husband or i match her blood. So it was not a good day at all.
    Jennifer

  • #2
    Poor Nicole and mom. I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience. Let us know what the surgeon says. Hopefully everyone is much calmer now. Good luck!
    Carmell
    mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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    • #3
      I know the feeling, I was 13 when I had to go in and donate blood. we went to the blood bank 3 times and each time i was too nervous to get blood taken. ended up having 3 family friends donate blood. It really is too much for kids or young adults to donate blood even for themselves

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      • #4
        Jennifer ,

        So sorry you had such a bad experience. It's so difficult to see your child scared or in pain. It takes you right back to that visit to the pediatrician when your baby got her first shot, doesn't it! We are all thinking of you and Nicole.

        Susanna
        Susanna
        ~~~~~~
        Mother of a 17 year old daughter. Her "S" curve was 40 degree thoracic from T3 to T9, and a 70 degree rotatory thorcolumbar from T9 to L4. She was operated on March 9th, 2005 by Dr. Boachie-Adjei at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. She was fused from T11 to L3, using an anterior approach, and the major curve corrected to 20 degrees. She's doing great!

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        • #5
          blood donating today

          hi engine
          thanks for writing. Well at least my daughter isn't the only who couldn't donate for herself. The nurse at the blood bank agreed that if these kids are too nervous they shouldn't have to do it, it's enough that they have to go through the surgery. We are having trouble finding out my daughters blood type. Hospital where she was born for some reason says they don't have her type on file and either does the pediatrician. So this is turning into a real pain.
          thanks again for writing
          jennifer

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          • #6
            Just a note of support, Jennifer, it sounds like you are having some traumatic times. Sounds like a nice nurse, though...

            Look after youself and think how great it will be when it's all over... ~Laura
            30y/o
            Upper curve around 55
            Lower curve around 35

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            • #7
              blood donating today

              hi laura,
              yes, things i think are getting pretty stressful, i guess it would be easier if my daughter was alittle more eaiser to deal with.
              thanks for the support. I can't wait for this to be over
              jennifer

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              • #8
                Jennifer,
                Iam so sorry you and Nichole had such a terrrible day trying to get the blood done. Maybe your storey does some good and makes me think perhaps the nurse gave some good advice and I will rethink my daughter giving her blood. But then where will ALL the blood come from? You know they will only take one unit from a person at a time. The more I talk to people the more I hear how weak a person is after they have given and it takes time to get built back up. So maybe it is better if Nic doesn't giv.
                We go for pre op Thursday.
                Finding out the blood type is a challenge. I understand the only way to find your type is to go to the bloodbank and get typed.
                Bc I also research the pediatrician and hospital and unless there has been major surgery usually there is no record they said. (So I guess soon we all will have that record!!).
                I thought about you that day and am trying to get vitamins down
                Ste also. Good Luck and let us know your next move.
                Kay
                now 16 yr old daughter
                with worsen 65 degree upper curve
                surgery Nov 3, 04

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                • #9
                  Kay,

                  Bill - who is also having his surgery on Nov. 3 - has come down with a sinus infection so he is on antibiotics. Because of the infection and the antibiotics, he cannot give a second unit of blood. (Won't be enough time between getting off the antibiotics and surgery.) Because he already gave a unit, we knew his blood type and he matched my husband so my husband will give a unit for him. When I spoke with the surgeon's assistant, he acted like it was no big deal to have someone else donate. It's done all the time. So don't (at least TRY not to) worry.

                  Your daughter should match you or your husband's blood type. How much blood has your doctor requested? Our surgeon only requested two units of blood, so it's not really as overwhelming as it seems.

                  If I remember correctly, your pre-op is tomorrow. Good luck with your appointment.

                  Susan

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                  • #10
                    blood donating

                    hi kay
                    i was so worried that nicole wouldn't be the one donating, but the nurse at the donating center made very light of it and when i called the surgeon's office they made like it wasn't the biggest deal either. I took nicole yesterday to the pediatrician's office and the did a blood test on her and we will find out her blood type tomorrow.

                    susan,
                    Better off bill got sick now. I am so worried about her getting sick and the surgery would have to be postponed. I have a slight cold now as a matter of fact and hope it goes away so i can donate for her. At least you know he's be better in time for the surgery.
                    Jennifer

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                    • #11
                      Hi Susan,
                      Sorry Bill has come down ill, but I agree I'm sure by surgery he will be in good condition! I am fighting with my daughter about staying out late Halloween and making herself catch cold (you know that always seems to be the weekend we have the first real coldfront move in.) She does not want to be treated differently bc of her situation. So many issues like the school won't help her to park close and she stubbornly carries heavy books. I just hope she realizes the consequences if she does these things after surgery!! It is hard to change your ways I know. Oops guess I got off the subject.. anyway I wish I would have thought to have her donate early, but alot of people do act like it's not a big deal. So I will try and take your advice and not worry too much. The scheduler guy at our Dr office was wishywashy about her donating so guess we'll confront the Dr about that more tomorrow. It just seems like everything moves so fast in those offices. Have you done your preop yet? I think we are doing ours a little early bc the Dr is going on vacation end of Oct.
                      Thank you for thinking of us, I'll write again. Kay

                      Jennifer,
                      Well at least you got the blood typing behind you. That's a step right! I just got the scoliosis book by David Wolpert? that alot of people recommended, guess I will be cramming to get it read soon. Now I forget, have you done your preop stuff too? They act like it's just xrays (which we are anticipating to be worse) and the blood donating with a thousand questions. It seems like they would check more vital statistics but I suppose we will do whatever were told, as I sometimes feel like I'm in a transe sp?(bad dream).
                      I hope we get a nice nurse like you seem to have had,I know my daughter is getting very stressed too.
                      Thanks for the replys,I'll let you know how it went.
                      Kay
                      now 16 yr old daughter
                      with worsen 65 degree upper curve
                      surgery Nov 3, 04

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                      • #12
                        blood donating today

                        hi kay,
                        i feel like this is all a bad dream also. We did all the pre-op, which was the ekg, mri, etc. and monday we go for our last medical clearance and meet with the surgeon for the last time before the surgery. This whole thing is so sureal to me. I am so worried that nicole will catch a cold or something. Today we will find out from the pediatrician what her blood type is so someone can donate for her. I was hoping i would be the match and donate for her but i have this little cold with a lingering slight cough and i don't know if i can donate with this.
                        what are you packing for the hospital?
                        jennifer

                        ps i read that book. I think i read every scoliosis book there is. I heard to bring something to read for the hospital as well.

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                        • #13
                          Thank you. Every one of you have been helping me. My 13 year old daughter is scheduled for surgery December 7th and I'm finding out I'm not alone in my worries. My daughter is small for her age (87 pounds) and I'm concerned that she won't be able to donate blood for herself. I know I am the same blood type as she is and hope I can donate for her if need be. I worry about her getting sick and rescheduling the surgery. As for finding out her blood type, have any of you checked with the hospital where she was born? I know for a fact that both of my daughters had their blood typed when they were born. The hospital never told me they had been tested, but I looked at the paperwork that the nurses filled out for them and found out that way.

                          As for our daughters carrying heavy books at school--I've told my daughter that she will be having a set of books at home and another set of books left at school. She will leave the book in the appropriate classroom. I've also told her she will probably leave class a few minutes early so she isn't in the hallways when they are really busy. SHE HATES ALL OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS!! So please know that we are all going through the same thing.

                          Have any of you told people not to come visit after surgery if they are sick? I feel that I need to tell everyone that because I know for a fact some people are so inconsiderate and will come to visit when sick. I'm looking for a nice way to do so.

                          Mary Lou

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                          • #14
                            blood donating today

                            marylou,
                            i don't blame you for not wanting people to come visit if they are sick and when someone says they are going to come visit, i would just are you all healthy, just letting them know in a subtle way to make sure they aren't sick. My daughters surgery is in 2 weeks and i am worried that someone will get her sick beforehand, like one of her friends or one of my other childrens friends. I know people can be inconsiderate and let someone come over if they are sick.
                            About finding out the blood type from the hosptial, we tried that and they did not type her when she was born they said, but today we found out her blood type from a blood test and she matches my husband so he will have to be the one to donate for her.
                            good luck and stay in touch
                            jennifer

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                            • #15
                              avoiding sickness

                              I was out and out blunt with others about avoiding illness. I just explained I was afraid to get sick and cancell my surgery. Use of the antibacterial hand gels and more frequent hand washing are scientifically based measures that many people do not use. I avoided crowds and did not shake hands in church.

                              It's really more of a priority to avoid disease at this crucial time than to be "nice". Most people will understand.

                              Karen
                              Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                              Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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