Gemma Surgery went well

[suzannecampbell]

Gemmas surgery was successful. Thank you for your posts with all your good wishes.

This is our story. Gemma had her scoliosis surgery at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent on Wednesday 26 January 2005. We are 14 days post surgery now and I cannot believe she is up and about from watching tv and playing on pc to using game console in bedroom. She doesnt even take a nap during the day. Her salvation is the body jacket that she wears all day. It is made of moulded plastic and gives her back all the support it needs to heal. When she takes it off for showers she soon aches and needs the jacket support on quickly. It has zips on the sides and on the shoulders. She has to wear it for six weeks post surgery. Our consultant surgeon managed to avoid breaking gemmas ribs for fusion purposes and took the cut down her back a little further to take bone from her pelvis instead. That meant that she has one long incision from neck to bum instead of having a side incision in addition to the back one. Gemmas op started at 9am and she arrived in the intensive care unit at 4pm which was earlier than they had expected so that was good news too. I was told she panicked a little during the transfer so she was given a little medalsiapm(cant spell it) which made her go very sleepy which they didnt want so my partner and I's main task then was to keep her awake. She could only utter the odd word because her mouth and throat were so dry. I was able to give her small lolly type size wet sponges from time to time but no drink due to her possibly being sick due to the anesthetic. It was hard to translate what she said but we got the hang of it soon. The medication made her seem drunk and she came out with some amusing sentences which lightened the scene for nurses and us. She had a comfortable night and was not complaining of pain at all. Morphine button helped there. She came out of the PICU at 4pm the following day onto the ward. They took her central neck line out before she left. Things got harder on the ward as they took her off morphine quite quickly and the pain started to kick in. For three days she went in and out of sleep and found it very difficult to move but she was very good at edging herself about on the bed using the bed bars. Her catheter and waste drain were removed on the Saturday and she was told she was having her plastic jacket fitted at lunch on the monday. This seemed to me to be far to early because she needed to be able to stand for 20 mins - right now she could only sit on the edge of the bed for barely 2 mins with the physios. However Sunday afternoon was the big turning point, 3 days after surgery and she slowly got to the loo with help and sat up for 5 mins and even played ps1 with sister laying down in bed for half an hour. On monday I was very dubious about her being strong enough still, and Gemma was dreading it , but she lay down until they called her for fitting and she did it by holding on to bar coming down from ceiling. She was glad she had the jacket fitted because it helped her tremendously with back support. We were discharged the following morning (Tues). We exepcted to be in for longer but Gemma and I wanted to get home by now. I stayed every night at Gemmas side. The 2nd night after surgery was the worst because gemmas blood pressure dropped very low and nurses and doctors were coming and going all night which was worrying.
After over a week at home we are getting into a routine and I try and get gemma out for a little walk each day. She also has a home tutor 3 times a week to try and keep on top of school studies. She is year 7 at high school. My 2 year old daughter came home from nursery with chicken pox yesterday - which gemma has never had - so ive got to hope gemma doesn't get it. It could complicate things. Since we came out of hospital Gemma is only on 2 paracetemol every 4 hours (if she feels she needs them) which is amazing considering the thorasic posterior fusion she has had. The consultant will measure her curve at her 6 week check but thinks he has over halved it to around 25 degrees. The xrays we saw looked quite straight and the two rods extend over the length of her ribcage.
I hope this note is of use to people still awaiting their surgery.
I will post an update after Gemma 6week check up.
Thanks for this website everyone. Love Suzanne and Gemma,
England.

[Tiny]

for the detailed description. It does help to know exactly what to expect. My surgery is scheduled for May 16 so I appreciate everyone sharing all they do. Good luck to Gemma in the continuing recovery.
Tiny

[lrmb]

I'm so glad the operation went well. I can't believe she is managing on 2 paracetamol (tylenol for the Americans)!! That is amazing. All the best for the recovery period. Laura

[SarahH]

Thank you for sharing! My sons surgery in March 17th, your experience is very helpful! I hope Gemma is feeling better soon! Many hugs!

[blairf83]

Whoa... I can't believe she's doing that well either! I couldn't discontinue my vicodin until I was home for 10 days. Granted, I wasn't braced post op.... But it still sounds like she's doing wonderfully!

[mamakay]

Gemma,
I am so glad the recovery is going so well!! That is great.
I just want to warn you that my dtr brought home chickpox also (1990) and exactly to the day of incubation period of when they are contagious my other dtr came down with themm.. so beware and maybe your Dr should have a heads up, I just know some people get milder or worse cases than others.
Also in the U.S. now there is a shot to prevent chicpox.
I think the child has to be 2 yrs old.. Do you all have those innoculations? kay

[mamakay]

Blair,
How did your scar surgery go?
I was thinking about you. You know my dtr has the same scarey scar and I say that only bc it was and still is so vulnerable looking.
She is already worried and hiding it. I think it shows great courage, but what does a 40 something mom know compared to a 16 yr old..ha
kay

[blairf83]

Kay, my surgery went AMAZINGLY! It hurt a bit more than I expected (but wasn't all that bad) but my gosh is it ever worth it!

I've been steristripped up for a week after having my bandages removed on monday. I woke up this morning to find that the top two steristrips had come off as I slept, so I rushed down to the bathroom to look in the mirror.

Now, my back is gummed up from the steristrips, granted. But I have to work REALLY hard to pick out where it is that my new scar is. It is NEEDLE fine. From comfortably over an inch wide to needle fine. WOW.

I actually found myself being GIDDY. And that's not an emotion I do a whole lot of.

I am counting the hours and minutes until my appointment on monday so I can see if the rest of it turned out as well....

[Tiny]

That's great Blair. Did a plastic surgeon do the scar revision?
Tiny

[blairf83]

Yep. I picked a plastic surgeon who had experience in scar revision.... They arent too hard to find thankfully. Nothing like finding a scoliosis dr...

[jc3]

hi kay
i haven't seen any posts on here for a while so i am assuming everything is going well. How are you guys doing?? Let me know how things are going. Have you been back to dr. yet? we go march 10th.
write back
jennifer

[Boo]

Did she have her surgery in England? Thats where I had mine.

here's a question for all sugery under goers: Does any one else have a tickleish back after the surgery. I can feel it when people put their hands near it. That why it was hard for the nurces to get the tube out of my back. lol.

[lorrie]

It's so good to hear about things going right!! -and thanks for posting all the details.
We're just waiting for a date for my daughter's surgery - sometime in the next 6 - 10 weeks so positive thoughts are really welcome!. Actually that letter was a couple of weeks ago now so that would make it the next 4 - 8 weeks so we should at least be getting pre-op check dates very soon. I just really want a date now so we can get everything organized - I've had enough stressing about it - I just want to get on with it.
Hope everything continues to go well!
Lorrie

[mamakay]

Hi jc3,
I was wondering how you and Nichole were doing too!
We had a follow up again on Dec 28th. He was wanting to check on that area that we had a problem with healing.
It has closed and now she doesn't have to keep it covered. It is very thin though and the scar is really wide ( approx 3x4inches).
Blair on one of these threads had the same thing and just got scar revision surgery. But I am not for messing with it and the rest of her scar looks good (pencil thin).
The hip scar looks kinda cool just above her jean waist line, but I think she has mixed feelings about that one.
I think she will want to have the scar revision done up on the bad one and I almost fall apart thinking we may have to go thru it again and it not healing right or worse again.
So I try not to discuss that anytime soon.
She has had alot of pain issues with her shoulderblade, I found out she goes to the nurse in the middle of the day mostly and lays down for a while. She was home yesterday but will only take tylenol, I try to get her to take a valium to relax the muscle but she won't. I think bc she may want to drive somewhere and she knows we would not let her.
She can do some things now like jog, lift stuff,ride in a boat(eek)but not do any thing behind it or go down waterslides.
I worry (of course) when she tells me she missed a step off the curb and jars her back, I hope it doesn't do anything bad.
I think our girls feel alot of stuff we don't know about, everyday I think of the scoliosis and what has been endured. I think I will feel better after the 1 year mark.
I am worried to even take her to get
her teeth cleaned bc my Dr said taking the antibiotics bc of insrumentation is debatable still.
Well all and all she looks good and I am grateful she has come this far. We go back to the Dr in May.
We looked at the xrays and the hardware is still unbelieveable.
How is Nichole?
She had so much done too, does her rib feel okay and do you know if it is growing back yet?
I will love to hear back from you.
I check the forum around once a week just to see how things are going. sincerely,kay

[jc3]

hi mamakay
i'm so glad that you wrote back. I really wanted to hear from you. I'm glad to hear things are going well and the scar is finally healed. That was tough to have to go through all that when you just got home. I did read about Blair getting the scar revision. I wouldn't even think about that right now, but maybe down the road she may want it. Nicole's has some aches and pains also every now and then. It is worse during school sitting at the desk all day. On the days that she doesn't have school she is fine, no complaints. So i am looking forward to the summer when she can heal up. I am looking forward on going to the dr. to see what she is allowed to do now. I freak out when i see her run because i don't know if she is allowed to do that. Just running like if she is getting out of the car and she'll run up to the door at her friends house. The other day she jumped down 3 steps in our house going down the stairs. I freaked out. So it's those things i also worry about. Did the dr. say anything about the shoulder pain? I've heard alot of people complain of that. I don't know if the rib grew in yet, i think it maybe growing in, but i'm not sure. I guess we'll find out in a few weeks at the dr.
They've been through alot and it makes me feel bad when she comes home from school she always lays down now on the couch from being uncomfortable in school. I just hope and wonder if they will ever feel "normal" again.
stay in touch i love to here how things are going for you guys and how she is feeling. I have not heard from "BillsMom" i know her son had surgery the same day as ours. She hasn't been on here.

Jennifer

[blairf83]

Yeah, no need to sweat the scar revision issue just yet. In the reading I did while considering whether to have it done, most sources recommended that the scar be a year or more old...

[Bill's mom]

Hi Jennifer,

Saw that you mentioned that I don't come on here and just wanted to let you know that I do. I just don't usually post.

Bill's continues to do very well. He had his 3 month followup and the doctor gave the OK for him to lift up to 20 pounds and even wear a backpack. (That makes me nervous!)

I laughed at your comments regarding worrying about tripping (or was that Mamakay?) We went for a walk the other day and he and his sister jogged most of the way. I was so worried he would trip and fall. He seems amused by my concern.

He never complains about pain and never seems to need to rest after school. I really think he has forgotten that he has those rods in there. Sometimes he'll indicate that the muscles in his shoulders are tight, but not really painful. When I ask him, he says that his back still feels weird when touched, but that doesn't really bother him either.

He's been to the orthodontist with no problem (I remember you were concerned about that) although they just tightened some wires. They did say when they do a procedure that will be invasive he will need the antibiotics.

All in all, everything is going great. Now if only he would do his homework! (I can tell things are returning to normal because that is bothering me again.)

Take care,
Susan

[jc3]

hi susan
I was so glad to hear back from you. I didn't think you came around here anymore. I am so glad to hear that Bill is doing great! He was such a trooper from the beginning. When nicole was still laying around at home, he was out at the movies. Well i am looking forward to going back to the dr. in a few weeks to see what she is allowed to do. That is the hardest part now to keep them from doing the things they want to do. About a month ago we had a snowstorm and i was so nervous with nicole going out in the snow and the ice.
well glad to hear from you stay in touch
Jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Jennifer,

I thought of you and Nicole yesterday when Jamie came home from school. Usually Jamie doesn't rest after school, but she did yesterday. They are doing testing right now and therefore, their classes aren't changing like they usually do. Jamie said she was tired from sitting in the same chair/same position for so long. Maybe that is part of Nicole's problem--does she need to get up and maybe move around a bit during class?

Jamie did mention last evening that she was a little sore and she hasn't complained of that for weeks so I know that is from sitting around too much in shcool yesterday. I know she will be sore later today as she starts p.t. today, and her legs are especially tight.

Mary Lou

[jc3]

hi marylou
Sorry to hear Jamie was feeling a little sore yesterday. Nicole doesn't get up during her classes, but she does switch for each period so at least she gets up for that. The last 2 days she has been busy after school so she hasn't been resting and is fine. We can't complain i never imagined nicole to do as well as she did after the surgery, did you? And look how quick Jamie went back to school! Let me know how physical therapy goes and tell me what they do with her, we haven't gone in a few weeks. My husband switched jobs and we are waiting for our new insurance cards.
Jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Hi Jennifer,

Nicole is doing fine. As we've all learned each kid is different and therefore they all heal at their own pace.

Jamie's therapy went well today. She did say her legs were a little sore after therapy when we walked up the steps at the mall afterwards. Mostly they are working on her legs at this point. Jamie's legs have always been very tight and in fact, she did some therapy for her legs and back several months before we even started planning surgery. She was in the pool for 1/2 hour-started out just walking on the treadmill; did some leg lifts to the front and back; did some squats; and did some bending from the waist. For the last few minutes she had to sit in front of the jets and just let the warm water hit her back. The therapist said we will probably do only the pool for the first three weeks and then move to other stuff and she will also be receiving a home program to do, which she still has from before, but we won't start that until they tell us to do so.

Life is good. Never thought any of us would be where we are this soon after surgery.

Mary Lou

[jc3]

hi marylou
the physical therapy will be good for jamie. Nicole hasn't gone in a few weeks since we are getting new health insurance and i am waiting for my new cards to come. I feel bad not getting her there though.
Nicole seems to be feeling better she hasn't been laying down as much and now they are off all week so she'll have a good week off.
how many days are you doing the p/t?

Jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Jennifer,

I'm glad Nicole is doing well. I'm sure the week off of school will be good for her this week. But try to make sure she doesn't just sit around and get stiff. We went to a family gathering Saturday and Jamie told me she could tell that evening that she was sitting around way too much. Is she doing any exercises at home that she learned in therapy or didn't you get that far along with therapy? I hope you get your cards soon.

Jamie goes to therapy twice a week for six weeks at this point and she will have a program to follow at home.

Mary Lou

[jc3]

hi marylou
they did give nicole some things to do at home but that was basically for her posture in the beginning and her shoulders. I don't know if you remember i was posting in the beginning that i was worried because her shoulders were really forward. The dr had said it was her guarding herself, but i was getting nervous that she would stay like that or that she got kyphosis (which she did not have before the surgery) so at p/t they were working on that alot, but her shoulders are perfectly fine now! Her posture looks beautiful. She was i guess just slouching herself in the beginning when she was in pain.
Jennifer