Gidday Mates!! (Just for effect)
Yay!!!!! And the crowd let's out a cheer!!!!!! Today we had our FIRST appointment with our surgeon since the surgery! It's been a long wait!!!!
It's all good, good, good! She has gone from a Thoracic curve of 46 (finally got the number) down to 10!. He used Titanium rods (not Harrington like the dumbo radiologist had written in his report).
Also he did not use the pedicle screws only hooks because her bone structure was too petite - the smallest pedicle screw is 5mm and he said this posed to great a risk to use. The hooks are doing the job just fine.
The great EPIDURAL question - He used Epidural's ALL THE TIME for his Thoracic scoliosis patients. He said there was some risk, but it was minimal since the spine is exposed for surgery, they have a clear view of everything. He said they have found that the relief this gives to patients afterwards, far outways the risks. It is not different from the type used during birth, but obvioulsy it is higher up in the spine and doesn't affect movement of the body.
She has been cleared to go back to school, yay says mum, boo says Elysia!!
(she's busy packing her bag right now!)
Also - he said that after 3 months 80% of the fusion has taken place, so that's the time period to be extra careful, after that your pretty right except for the contact sports and being stupid!!!! (This may only relate to kids who are growing at a very rapid pace - maybe it takes longer for adults??)
When I asked him will she beep through the security at airports, he just laughed and said "maybe". We'll give you a letter!!!!
Well that's about it, I felt like saying, let's go out for dinner and chat about all this for hours!!!!!
So raise your glasses folks - here's to Scoliosis Surgeons everywhere and the wonderful work they do with our kids! At last we can get on with our lives!!!!
Cheers
Del
xx
Yay!!!!! And the crowd let's out a cheer!!!!!! Today we had our FIRST appointment with our surgeon since the surgery! It's been a long wait!!!!
It's all good, good, good! She has gone from a Thoracic curve of 46 (finally got the number) down to 10!. He used Titanium rods (not Harrington like the dumbo radiologist had written in his report).
Also he did not use the pedicle screws only hooks because her bone structure was too petite - the smallest pedicle screw is 5mm and he said this posed to great a risk to use. The hooks are doing the job just fine.
The great EPIDURAL question - He used Epidural's ALL THE TIME for his Thoracic scoliosis patients. He said there was some risk, but it was minimal since the spine is exposed for surgery, they have a clear view of everything. He said they have found that the relief this gives to patients afterwards, far outways the risks. It is not different from the type used during birth, but obvioulsy it is higher up in the spine and doesn't affect movement of the body.
She has been cleared to go back to school, yay says mum, boo says Elysia!!
(she's busy packing her bag right now!)
Also - he said that after 3 months 80% of the fusion has taken place, so that's the time period to be extra careful, after that your pretty right except for the contact sports and being stupid!!!! (This may only relate to kids who are growing at a very rapid pace - maybe it takes longer for adults??)
When I asked him will she beep through the security at airports, he just laughed and said "maybe". We'll give you a letter!!!!
Well that's about it, I felt like saying, let's go out for dinner and chat about all this for hours!!!!!
So raise your glasses folks - here's to Scoliosis Surgeons everywhere and the wonderful work they do with our kids! At last we can get on with our lives!!!!
Cheers
Del
xx
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