Not sure where to start, help please?

[Momof3]

My 13 year old daughter is scheduled to have anterior/posterior spinal fusion with pedicle screws and bracket for a level 3 spondylilosthesis on May 25 of this year. Dr. Andrew king is the spine surgeon performing the operation. My daughter has been dealing with this for a few years now. I am still not 100% convinced to go through with the surgery. I have had several opinions but I guess I am just scared. Is anyone on these boards familiar with this surgery or disease? I'd appreciate anything.

Thanks

Michele

[carolnj]

Hi Michele,

My son had anterior surgery last June 22 when he was 16. Its amazing to me that we are coming up on his one year anniversary of his surgery. I am not familiar with the disease your daughter has but I wanted to post and try to encourage you.

My son has scoliosis and had a 31 and 45 degree curve. His surgeon felt that the top curve was compensatory and would straighten if his primary curve was corrected so he only fused the lower curve. He was correct and my son now has balanced curves both at 24 degrees. He didn't lose any mobility and we are hoping he is totally released from his restrictions at his appointment next month.

The decision to have surgery was horribly difficult, but ultimately, after second opinions, we decided it was better to get it done than to wait and have it possibly progress and then have him facing a more complicated surgery. The discs below his primary curve were already starting to show signs of slipping due to the uneven pressure exerted on them from the curves.

I wanted to cancel the surgery up to and including the morning we took him to the hospital but in the end, it was the right decision. It was so hard to watch them wheel him off into the operating area. I stayed strong in front of him but I really thought I was going to pass out at that point. I had spent the prior 6 months going back and forth between thinking we were making the right decision and wanting to throw up from the fear that we were making a horrible mistake. I would bet all the parents on this site will tell you they were terrified.

His surgery went well and his surgeon was very pleased. He was in the ICU for 3 days and then a regular room for 2. He recovered at home through the summer. The first three weeks were the toughest but once he started feeling more himself and gained confidence to go out in crowds again (at first he was worried about someone jostling him or bumping into the side where his incision was) his recovery just took off.

Looking at him now, you would never guess the trauma his body went through at such a young age. He is 6'2", 205 or so, he works part time, is going to prom and graduating in June, going for prom weekend and then starting college in the fall.

This is so hard on the parents who have the responsibility of ultimately making medical decisions for their children that can potentially affect them for the rest of their lives. But, if you are confident in your doctors, have done all your homework, have obtained second and even third or fourth opinions and are still advised that surgery is needed, then, at that point, you just have to trust your instincts. I firmly believe a mother's instinct is always going to lean to the best interest for her child.

Is your daughter having any pain? How does she feel about this surgery? My son was fully involved in the whole diagnosis and decision making process and he just said "If I need it, I'd rather it be sooner than later."

Also, there is a great website for kids with spine issues called http://www.spinekids.com/ that your daughter might want to check out and maybe talk with other kids facing similar surgery.

Good luck and please post again to let us know how everything works out.

Carol

[Snoopy]

Michele,

I'm not sure if I can help you or not, but just wanted to let you know your daughter isn't the only one with Spondylolisthesis. My daughter has a grade II Spondylolithesis (about 27%) and although she had a spinal fusion with instrumentation to correct her Scoliosis and Kyphosis, her doctor chose not to fuse her spond. He told me since she wasn't having any pain he wanted to preserve as much mobility as possible, and that's why he didn't fuse any lower than L2. He watches the spond. very closely and thankfully, it hasn't changed at all and Jamie has never had any pain from it. In fact, had she not developed Scoliosis, we might have never known about the spond. Good luck.

Mary Lou

[Momof3]

carolnj-thanks for your story. My daughter does have pain in her lower buttock area, not constant, but often enough. I too, have kept her invloved in the decision making and she is not crazy about the surgery but feels she needs it. All the feelings you describe I have, the nauseating and passing out feeling, I hope I can be strong.

Snoopy, I am glad your daughter is doing well. I have heard that under grade 3 it is not all that noticeable. Thanks for the support.

I will follow up after the sugery.

[scoliXsurvivor5]

check out

where are you guys? if you are anywhere near maryland. check out Paul Sponseller at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. He is amazing. i was supposed to have 2 days of 12 hours of surgery from both sides, but he reduced me to a 1 day only 7 hour posterior surgery...he really was heaven sent!
if you can check him out. the surgery is painful, but you can fight though it. and itll be worth it in the end.





Good luck to your family and your daughter!!!!

[scoliXsurvivor5]

and sorry,.....mine was scoliosis but Paul Sponseller is head of Orthopedics, so if he cannot assist you, im sure he can refer you to whomever best can.

good luck again