Shriners Hosptial Greenville SC

[dawndd]

Has anyone had experience with the Shriners Hospital in Greenville, SC? We will be seeing Dr. Benjamin Allen who is the Chief of Staff. I assume he will be the one to do the surgery.

[KRIS ATKINSON]

I notice there seem to be 2 doctors I can find at Shriners Greenville who apparently do the surgery: Allen and Stasikelis. Anyone know anything about them? Thanks. Kris

[KRIS ATKINSON]

Mary Ann, this is responding to your private mail to me. Hope you don't mind, I will answer you questions for all to see. I took Erica to Shriners for her initial visit only, for a day. She is on the "waiting list" as your son is, for surgery this summer. You sound like she had to have "another surgery." There was no previous surgery. She was scheduled for surgery with Dr. Wattenbarger, in Charlotte, for mid-June, but I cancelled that surgery when we decided on Shriners. She turned 14 last September, so it sounds like our kids are the same ages! Dr. Pete Stasikelis (sp) is the surgeon we met with and requested, simply because we haven't met Dr. Allen. We were told that we will get whoever is available when they have an opening, possibly, and that we can turn down the date if we don't want that surgeon, but we can't actually pick the surgeon for sure. Dr. Pete (he goes by that) described the surgery in detail, and I asked questions in addition. I had spend many, many hours on the internet, this forum, and reading books about whatever I could regarding surgery before our appointment, so I probably surprised the staff with my indepth questions. You may want to read my responses to the stuff on these forums, which you are welcome to do. That may answer lots of your questions about what I have said on this forum. I am eager to tell you more, but if you find the answers already out there, tell me what you still need. Erica's curve is 68, and increasing as she wears the brace, I assume. Dr. Pete wanted to do the surgery in May, and had just convinced us that we couldn't afford to wait until she gets back from a mission trip in Puerto Rico in June, when the scheduler told us he is booked up through the end of June, so we have to wait anyway. They put her on a fast-track, and said she is the top of the fast-track list, basically that we can't afford to wait in line, or something. Must not be too urgent, or I assume he would postpone someone's surgery and fit her in. I am reluctant to call and debate this issue with Shriners, at the moment. I don't feel a month earlier would do that much good anyway. I will continue on another message, in case my computer drops this line. Kris

[KRIS ATKINSON]

message continued: I assume Shriners' doctors, Allen and Pete, use the same methods, so I will tell nfomation I got accordingly: Shriners will use bone from her hip/rib rather that the bone bank due to their opinion that her own bone does better with fusion over time than from the bone bank. Wattenabarger said he would use the bone bank. Shriners will keep her (and me) for about 2 weeks, while Wattenbarger and my insurance would recommend 5 days. Shriners has her admitted on a Thursday for testing through Friday, then waits til Monday to do surgery, so the 2 weeks includes the pretesting, etc.,and lets her stay longer until she can handle the longer ride home. Wattenbarger had me schedule 2 separate trips to the Charlotte hospital for pretests, etc. a week or 2 before surgery. I prefer only driving once, then staying there without paying, my self. Shriners recently stopped using predonated patient's blood, due to analyzing research recently. Wattenbarger may/may not have analyzed the research, but as yet, he would have had Erica start predonating about a month before surgery. Shriners said they have found that this weakens the patient, and they may not have needed transfusions anyway if they had not depleted the blood so recent before surgery. Also, the Carolinas are one of the safest places for getting tranfusions from donations. Some other states pay for donors' blood, thereby allowing less safe donors to slip through. Also, I had read about reusing the patient's blood from during surgery. I raised the concern that it can be contaminated during it's flow in the room as it is filtered, etc., before they transfer it back in. He said there is more contamination with blood sitting on a shelf during the month before surgery than in the surgery room as they collect it. I'll send this now

[KRIS ATKINSON]

continued: Dr. Pete is much stricter than others regarding activities post-surgery, but I appreciate that safety. He recommends no physical activity, biking, etc., for a year. The fusion takes a year to completely fuse, so it makes sense, although I suppose that is a personal desision within each of us. He disapproves of snow skiing due to the likelihood of injuries, anyway, but he know doctors who ski. I don't plan to restrict Erica after the year is over, regarding skiing, since she already knows how to ski. He also frowned on ever horseback riding again. This I will evaluate as needed, since we just ride when we go to rental places anyway, seldom. The swimming restriction of 1 year, I plan to evaluate as needed also, because she is not aggressive as a swimmer, so I see no need to prevent relaxing in an uncrowded swimming pool as the desire strikes say, a month after surgery. Good luck and let me know what you still wonder and discover. Maybe we will be at Shriners together!? We are expecting to be informed in a letter early in June for surgery in July. Erica is very active with God, is a Christian, as I am, and enjoys studying the bible and religious music. God will help us all through all this. Kris

[nikyergen]

Kris,
I am enlightened by your experience at Shriners. I hope that you too will become an advocate for Shriners. They are incredible. I am so glad you were willing to check out Shriners. I think you will be very happy with the care your daughter will get, you will get treated well too. I felt very comfortable with Shriners for Crystal. Because of their wonderful care and her following doctors orders she is doing remarkable. She is going to school full days now and we take a walk everyday after school, with her market lamb. This wouldn't of been possible without Shriners.

Lot of love and prayers for you all.

'til later,
Nikki

[Tess]

Greenville Shriners

Hey!

I am now 31 years old. I had surgery at the Greenville, SC Shriners way back in 1988, when I was 14. I had two rods put in and part of a rib removed. It has been 17 years since my surgery and I have never had any major problems. I lead a very active, athletic life and it is really not a major issue anymore, except for a little shoulder and neck pain once in awhile. Plus, I can't do some of the more advanced Yoga poses (who can??) (<:

Dr. William McNamara did my surgery. I have no idea whatever happened to him, but he was absolutely wonderful!!! If anyone's heard about him, I would love to find him.

Anyway, this procedure has REALLY improved in the past 17 years!!! I did not have any major problems back then, so imagine how much better it is now! I did get a bout of pneumonia post-op, but I that was because I was bed-ridden for a few weeks. Now, I hear that you're only stuck in bed for a few days!

Anyway, my life with scoliosis hasn't been too bad. Most people are shocked when I tell them because they really didn't notice it! It was never a factor when I was dating. You notice your scoliosis more than anyone else.

Good luck and God bless! ---Tess

[KRIS ATKINSON]

Tess, thanks for the uplifting report! My daughter is scheduled for surgery there July 18. Kris