Any tips????

[Cloudy]

I will probably have my surgury next spring
should i even worry a little this early
I am worrying because i dont even know that i will or will not have it........(tho i hope i will) -my back hurts a lot
And if you have any tips on questions to ask my doctor in august than please Write away
Veronika

[Jen-jen]

Hiya!

Hi Veronika,

I'm 16yrs old but i found out that i had scoliosis when i was 13. Don't worry about worrying (pardon the expression lol), I started worrying as soon as I discovered I had scoliosis, let alone a couple of weeks before an appointment! You're doing better than me! lol.
Questions for you to ask your surgeon depend a lot on you. For example, are you sporty?? Because if you are then you might want to know what he thinks your recovery times will be. And ask if you think you're done growing yet because if you have the op soon and havent finished growing, it can grow slightly after you've had surgery and i've seen many people who were annoyed at that.
And have you got a date for your surgery? because if not, I recommend that you ask if they have a rough idea when you'll have it because I wasn't given a date for ages and it completely cocked up my life... ( I quit my dancing, badminton, bball and job as i thought the op would be soon but it wasnt lol
).
Another point I'd ask about is what the op actually involves. You probably really dont want to know all the gory details but you need to... I wasnt aware of half the things that would have affected my recovery time and i would have been soooo scared if id not asked and not been prepared for it!!
hope some of this helps and if you want, just email me or summat. lol

jen x x

[LeaEvelyn]

Hi Cloudy,
It is a very good idea to take a list of questions for your doctor when you see him/her in a few weeks.

My advice to you is use a notebook. That way, you can keep track of the questions that you ask your doctor. Leave a space inbetween your questions for the answers you get, and don't remove the pages. For each appointment, use a new page. I myself, accually stapled my sons appointment card on the page I was using next.

I have kept a record of all the questions that I have asked my sons doctor over time. I still have that notebook today, and refer back to it often. It was the best thing I ever started. I just wished I'd have started it sooner. I didn't think of the notebook, until after I was told he needed surgery. My son is now 17 months post op and doing wonderful.

I hope this has helped.
Take Care, and good luck to you. If your looking for someone your age to talk to about what sort of questions you should be asking your doctor, go to www.spinekids.com it is a wonderful place for children with scoliosis.
Sincerely,
LeaEvelyn

[Snoopy]

LeaEvelyn,

Thank you! I thought I was the only one who walked into the doctor's office with a folder/notebook. It drives my almost 15 y.o. daughter crazy!!! lol Jamie is 20 months post-op and her last appointment was in March and her next appointment isn't until October. If I didn't look back at my notes from March, I wouldn't know what questions to ask. I've always made it a point also to keep track of the degree of her curvature before surgery from one appointment to the next.

Mary Lou

[LeaEvelyn]

Hi Marylou,
Yea, when I am waiting to see my son's doctor, the waiting room is always full. Do you know that I'm the only one carrying my trusty notebook. I truely think it is a very important part of his appointments. I get so nervous about what we are going to hear, that I will forget the important questions if there aren't written down. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in this. It's good to hear your daughter is doing so well. My son is 17 months post op and is also doing wonderful.
Take Care
LeaEvelyn

[Ca2roline]

Last year i had my surgery in june and before hand, i was so worried and jumbled up that we had an extra appointment scheduled with my doctor/surgeon for just questions. Heres what i asked-

1. How many operations like these have you performed? (this gives you an idea of how experienced your doctor really is with this surgery.)

2. How well do most people turn out afterwards? (also to help with your doctors experience.)

3. Where would my back be fused? (have your doctor show you on your back where he/she thinks they will most likely fuse, like from *here* to *there*)

4. How quickly will i recover?

5. What will my physical capabilites be in the future? (like, can i still ride horses? Will i still be able to dance?)


also, if your doctor can't answer questions like these fully, then you might need to look for a better doctor. also, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a second opinion, even if you like your doctor. Find another orthopedic doctor and talk to him, because he could be even better or it will make you fully decide you like your doctor you allready have. But DONT go into this operation without having your full trust and confidence in your doctor. If you didnt like him/her it might make your anxiety worsen.

for more question and answers, try looking in your library/ online for books specificly about undergoing surgery. They answered a lot of my questions too, and they can even help answer very personal questions that are unconfortable to ask someone else.


hope that helps!

keep us updated,

Caroline