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  • Originally posted by Gryffindor View Post
    I have noticed that she still has a shoulder out of balance. In the hospital it seemed like everything had balanced out with her shoulders and hips but the one shoulder being higher than the other is very obvious now that we're home. Could this be from her laying in bed using her netbook so much?

    Do you think this will work itself out in time? Or, should she be doing some form of physical therapy? In fact, has anyone had their child in PT after a fusion? And if so, did it help?
    My one daughter had the opposite shoulder higher for several weeks. She was despondent about this and hammered me on the point. The surgeon assured us it would eventually even out and it did but it took a while. No PT involved.

    The other daughter came out with even shoulders and it stayed that way.

    This difference, along with the difference in correcting the compensatory curve makes me think they actually had two different classes of T curves (Lenke type curves) despite being identical twins. This is reason #8,908,483 why twins studies are most likely flawed when studying scoliosis because it isn't just genetics but also epigenetics and several other factors that are hard to control within a study.
    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

    No island of sanity.

    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
    Answer: Medicine


    "We are all African."

    Comment


    • Hi again. My daughter's right scapula protruded quite a bit after surgery. It is definitely resolving and looks much better. (She is also very thin, like Cheyenne, so I think everything probably just shows more?).

      I really don't know why this is, except maybe that things were just pushed so out of place by the scoliosis that it takes some time to go back into place? And maybe Chey's is more noticeable now than in the hospital because there is less swelling?

      I, too, would love to hear from others about this. I have heard of others having scapula surgery, so maybe all cases of this do not resolve?
      Jill, mom to 14-year-old daughter who had spinal fusion surgery (T3 to L1) June 21, 2010. (Pre-op curves 52T and 30L.)

      Comment


      • I would not remove the steri stripes. They will fall off when ready. At DD's 2 week ck up there was still tape in spots - surgeon said let it fall off on it's own.
        Dee - Mother of two daughters, both with scoliosis KateScoliKid (16yo) 52* Lumbar curve
        Fusion Surgery 2/9/10 T-11->L-3 @CHKD Norfolk VA
        Jes (20yo) T 3 -> L 3 w/ Kyphosis

        Comment


        • Thanks for advice!

          Gryffindor:

          Thanks for all your advice on what Kristen may need after the surgery. That makes me feel alot better, to figure out what we may need.

          What do you think about stairs. We have bedrooms on the 2nd floor or the basement, but not the main floor. Do you think that is going to be really hard?

          How is cheyenne doing this week? Hope all is going according to plan! Hope you are ding well, too!!!!

          Kristen's MOM

          Rosa
          Kristen's Mom
          --------------------------
          Diagnosed at 12 with 23 and 16 degree curves

          Comment


          • rosa: One of the requirements for Chey to be discharged was that she would have to be able to do stairs (we don't have any). Her PT at the hospital took her to one of the fire stairways and had her go up and down several times, with him right behind her just in case she started to fall. She did fine.

            Chey's doing very well. Finally, some of the tape is starting to fall off but the sticky portion of the tape doesn't want to come off her skin. It will eventually wear off in time so we're not too worried about it.

            Her incision looks amazing. Our surgeon was absolutely correct when he said there wouldn't be much of a noticeable scar. Once it's healed I think it's going to resemble a very thin, pink, pencil line down her back.

            She's gearing up to go back to school and trying to get caught up on assignments.

            She's gone clothes shopping and makeup shopping and was able to hold up pretty well.
            Mother to 14 yo Cheyenne. Surgery 8/23/10 Shriners, SLC.

            Comment


            • Chey's complaining of a sharp stabbing pain in one of her shoulders. I'm making an appt to see her primary care physician tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this?

              She said it feels as though one of the screws or rods is stabbing her in the shoulder. I know that's impossible because of where the pain is located. It's too far away from the incision site. I'm thinking it's her muscle readjusting after the surgery. She's saying it doesn't feel muscular and really wants to go see her Dr.

              Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We can't see her surgeon until they're back out here at the beginning of Nov.
              Mother to 14 yo Cheyenne. Surgery 8/23/10 Shriners, SLC.

              Comment


              • Originally posted by Gryffindor View Post
                Chey's complaining of a sharp stabbing pain in one of her shoulders.
                That sounds vaguely familiar with one or both my kids. I will ask them about it and report back.
                Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                No island of sanity.

                Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                Answer: Medicine


                "We are all African."

                Comment


                • we are just about 2 weeks out from surgery , just got home yesterday , my sons shoulder has been bothering him since day 2, the doctors said it is normal , hopefully everything checks out for Chey.
                  Kelly
                  mom of Cameren 12 yrs. old
                  Chiari,retroflex odontoid,syringomyelia,scoliosis
                  Chiari decompressions 6/2005,5/2006
                  Syringopleural shunt 6/2009
                  Boston Braced off & on 6.5yrs
                  scoliosis surgery- 9/15/10 T4-L4 Dr. Bridwell
                  Fell & broke finger,surgery 3/2011

                  Comment


                  • I hope this turns out to be a minor blip in the healing road for Chey.

                    My daughter also complained of very sharp pains near her right shoulder, and it seems like this was several weeks out from surgery. We would sometimes give valium if they were really making her uncomfortable. They did eventually go away!
                    Jill, mom to 14-year-old daughter who had spinal fusion surgery (T3 to L1) June 21, 2010. (Pre-op curves 52T and 30L.)

                    Comment


                    • Fingers Crossed: Did you have it checked out by a MD to see what was causing the pain?

                      I still think it's the muscle readjusting. Alas, they did not send us home with an valium, and even if they did, I doubt she'd be willing to take it. She hates taking pills that much.
                      Mother to 14 yo Cheyenne. Surgery 8/23/10 Shriners, SLC.

                      Comment


                      • Sharp Pains

                        I missed all of this ! At least I help with stabbing pains. Both of my girls and now one of the twins are and have dealt with this. Valuim seems to work well.
                        Glad surgeries went well. The shoulder thing must hae been hard- glad it worked out alright!!!!!

                        Comment


                        • Hi again:

                          Yes, I should have said I did call the nurse practitioner and after talking with her we both thought this was "normal" healing pain and it did go away. I think this kind of pain coupled with other symptoms like oozing or heat near the incision or constant (rather than stabbing) pain might have warranted a check to make sure there was no infection . . .

                          I often think back to when my daughter was being dismissed from the hospital, and the nurse told her that she would know when she overdid it because she would feel pain. And, still, she does have some pains now and again and usually she knows what she did to bring them on (too much bending, for example). So, I keep reminding myself too that this is going to take a long time to heal all the way/fuse and there are going to be new pains once in awhile.

                          Of course, I'm not saying you shouldn't check this out. In particular since it is bothering Cheyenne so much.
                          Jill, mom to 14-year-old daughter who had spinal fusion surgery (T3 to L1) June 21, 2010. (Pre-op curves 52T and 30L.)

                          Comment


                          • Chey is feeling much better today. I have an appt scheduled with her primary care physician for this Friday to get the go ahead for her to go back to school next week.

                            For those of you with daughters that have gone through this surgery:

                            1. How were your daughters able to shave their legs?

                            2. What about clipping their toe nails?

                            It's the small things like this that we really weren't/aren't prepared for. I never realized just how much bending it took just to get ready in the morning!

                            Does it get better the further away from the surgery you get? Do they get some/any/a lot of their flexibility back? Or, do they simply have to learn new ways of doing things?
                            Mother to 14 yo Cheyenne. Surgery 8/23/10 Shriners, SLC.

                            Comment


                            • Wow - Chey is getting ready to go back to school... Congrats!!

                              Yes as time goes by it does get better and better. There were times I've have to ask if she should be doing that, and she'd tell me all good = no pain.

                              Now at 7 months post op not much stops her. Her scar is so faint in spots it's hard to see.

                              Tell Chey good luck with school. I'm sure she's ready to get back to normal.
                              Dee - Mother of two daughters, both with scoliosis KateScoliKid (16yo) 52* Lumbar curve
                              Fusion Surgery 2/9/10 T-11->L-3 @CHKD Norfolk VA
                              Jes (20yo) T 3 -> L 3 w/ Kyphosis

                              Comment


                              • Cheyenne's first day back at school was rough on her but she made it through the full day! She came home, ate dinner and immediately fell asleep.

                                She said that everyone couldn't believe how tall she had gotten. Everyone kept asking her where she'd been and she'd tell them the truth. I told her she didn't have to tell anyone if she didn't want to and that I definitely didn't want anyone touching her back.

                                The only part that she's having a really hard time with is the bus ride to and from school. Since she can't bend, she's having to sit on the very front of the bus seat. Every time they hit a bump she's getting flung up in her seat.

                                EDIT: She's up but in a lot of pain. I'm going to keep her home today. I knew the first week back was going to be "iffy". I honestly didn't expect her to make it through the full day yesterday. We'll see how she's feeling by mid-day. If she's feeling better, perhaps we can drop her off at school for her last 2 classes of the day.
                                Last edited by Gryffindor; 10-05-2010, 07:32 AM.
                                Mother to 14 yo Cheyenne. Surgery 8/23/10 Shriners, SLC.

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