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  • Gemma Surgery went well

    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.
    SJC

  • #2
    Thanks

    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

    Comment


    • #3
      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
      30y/o
      Upper curve around 55
      Lower curve around 35

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you for sharing! My sons surgery in March 17th, your experience is very helpful! I hope Gemma is feeling better soon! Many hugs!
        SARAH ~Mother of 3~ 11 year old son had a Posterior Spinal Fusion on March 17, 2005. He had a 77*, right thoracic curve, and was fused T4-L1. His curve is now less than 10 degrees* He is doing great!

        Comment


        • #5
          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!
          Blair

          Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
          Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
          Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
          Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
          February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
          September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

          Comment


          • #6
            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
            now 16 yr old daughter
            with worsen 65 degree upper curve
            surgery Nov 3, 04

            Comment


            • #7
              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
              now 16 yr old daughter
              with worsen 65 degree upper curve
              surgery Nov 3, 04

              Comment


              • #8
                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....
                Blair

                Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
                Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
                Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
                Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
                February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
                September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

                Comment


                • #9
                  awesome

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

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    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...
                    Blair

                    Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
                    Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
                    Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
                    Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
                    February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
                    September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      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

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        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.
                        40-50 upper curve

                        20-30 lower curve

                        surgery August 10!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          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

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            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
                            now 16 yr old daughter
                            with worsen 65 degree upper curve
                            surgery Nov 3, 04

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              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

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