Post op visits

[jc3]

hi marylou
i was just reading your post to carmell and i just wanted to write to say that i can't believe Jamie is doing tutoring at school already! Wow, she is doing great. There is no way nicole would have been able to do that or go anywhere at two weeks. So it sounds like she is doing wonderful. About the steri strips; nicole had a check up appointment when she was 3 1/2 weeks post op and had not gotten the steri strips wet. It wasn't because she wasn't allowed to get her back wet, it was for fear that the water hitting her back would hurt. Anyway, when we went for the check up they cleaned her back with alcohol and took off all the steri strips. She was not happy about that at all.
Keep everyone posted on her progress!
Jennifer

[mamakay]

Marylou,
You are not butting in at all, I am glad someone doesn't mind me blabbing along here. I know we all need to compare and support each other so let's go girls.
Okay I am also shocked how quickly Jamie is moving around and even going to school already!! I hope she doesn't get too tired.
How is her pain level? What a trooper!!
I know Ste was not looking forward to the steri strips being pulled off by the Dr so I interviened and asked if we could do that at home, he probabaly will say yes then you can take your time... I personally don't see the hurry, I think they just want to see their "work". Steph had some on untill the 5th week, those things are strong!
Sleep was like having an infant, at least Jamie has a good grasp on controlling her pain already. Now comfort is probably hers and others biggest issues at night. It sounds like she is one of those who recover in the more early time than some so hang in there and I think you've got a good idea of questions. Keep in touch, also I agree we do our work as moms and don't expect thank yous...but it's nice when it is noticed...kay

[mamakay]

jc3,

YEOW! How did Nic stand that alcohol steri cleaning?! I think our Dr was in a hurry for his next appt so fortunatly we didn't have to do that.
Thank you for being glad for our recovery, yes I am starting to relax a bit, except now she feels so good she is driving and with all this holiday traffic it is even more scarey.
I have to hope she (and others) use good judgement, does anyone else have teenage drivers right out of surgery? The Dr said she could drive so it is hard to argue too much.
I think that is good if the school told Nic to drop a class, they have enough on their plate and then she can concentrate more on the subjects she likes and must do. That was some of the reasoning for Ste dropping 3 classes.
Yes Ste has been out alot, she and her friend have been to many resturants and some shopping early in the day. Her torso seems longer so I guess that was a good excuse to go to the mall and look for some shirts. Does Nic seem longer?
Ste is 16 and in 10th grade so it sounds like they aren't far off from types of classes and homework. Maybe the schools have different ways of tutoring.Her tutor comes over for a short while, she is nice and easy to get along with.
We go to the Dr shortly after Christmas to check her healing again, then I expect him to release her to go back to school, I am nervous about that too. I don't know if sitting that long all day will hurt. I wonder how long Jamie sits at her tutoring?MaryLou!!??
Have you let Nic go out and about much, on her own or with friends?Is she still in pain and taking something?
Untill Later,..Kay

[mamakay]

Carmell,
Funny how the chain works , you give us strength and we give it to you too.
You have alot of energy to keep up with your family and stay on this board so regularly. I see also you are on other threads so don't feel like you have to respond every time.
I hope your husbands prognosis is not bad. (We all have to be patient with them.)
I'm happy your daughter doesnot need the surgery.Do they monitor her curve?
Have a Happy Holiday and let us know how things turn,Kay

[jc3]

hi mamakay,
wow, i can't believe steph drives. I didn't know that. Yes, that would make me nervous. Here it is 17 with drivers ed and 18 without to get a license. Just driving with nicole makes me nervous it's the other people driving you have to be careful of. Nicole's torso is longer also. It's funny when everyone said she would grow i thought she would need new pants, but it wasn't the pants that didn't fit her it was the shirts. Nicole has been going out shopping with me and for the first time went over a friends house last weekend and she said she felt fine. Nicole's tutors come for 2 hours each subject. So everyday she has a tutor and sometimes 2 a day. Steph sounds like she is doing really good out and about. And yes, it hurt when they took her steri strips off. Also, she takes 1 pain pill in the morning and 1 at night. She used to take one in the middle of the day but recently seemed to cut that one out. I haven't even mentioned it to her if she doesn't ask i am not mentioning it. This morning she woke up and said her throat hurt I'm been so careful for her not to get sick.
Keep in touch
Jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Oh, where to start. It seems that everytime I start writing, I end up writing a book! I'm learning that every child and every school is different from scoliosis screening to tutoring. Our school provides up to five hours per week total. Jamie did fine with only one hour of tutoring on Monday but we made sure to take a pillow. She was exhausted afterwards, but was happy to be out of the house.

I've also learned that it is true--the younger you are when you have this surgery, the better you do. I never thought we'd be where we are today.

Nicole's shirts don't fit--Jamie's pants don't fit! She has always been so thin that she needed to buy jeans at Old Navy with the adjustable waist band and now we had to undo all the waistbands and we might have to go a size larger. I think that is just from her hips being more even.

Kay, you are right-Jamie is a trooper. At just two weeks after surgery she went from 9:00 p.m Monday night until 1:30 a.m. this morning without pain meds! I am so impressed/shocked at her recovery. As a mom I worry that things are going to fast, but she rests when she needs to; sleeps when she needs to and asks for pain meds when she needs to. She had her two week check-up today and the surgeon says she is a kid who obviously tolerates pain well. Today's x-rays showed Kyphosis is 33* down from 72* and Scoliosis is 14* down from about 46*. We are thrilled! No more hump, which she is happiest about. They removed the stitches today, but left the steri-strips, thankfully they didn't pull them off! We were told she can start getting her back as wet as she would like and the strips will come off on their own. He wants to see her back in six weeks and will probably start some p.t. then. Are you ready for the shock of the day? SHE IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL HALF DAYS STARTING JANUARY 3RD!!!! Since he won't be seeing her again until Feb. 3rd, we are assuming she will be going half days for a month. That was a goal Jamie and I had set for her, but didn't really think it was a realistic one. Don't worry, if she can't tolerate that much school, we will make other arrangements.


Tell Nicole and Steph to hang in there. I'm glad your girls are now only their way to a great recovery. We have been fortunate to have had such a smooth recovery. I constantly reinforce to Jamie that she needs to rest because as far as she's come, we really don't want to go backwards now.

Mary Lou

[Carmell]

Just a quick note about removing steri-strips... After 2+ weeks, if the incision is very closed and no signs of redness or any pulling apart of the incision, you can put bacitracin or neosporin ointment along the incision/steri-strips. This helps lubricate the glue and also helps keep infection out (if there is any). The steri-strips should fall off within a day. Usually overnight when turning in bed, or in the shower when the water hits them. I've never had to do more than 2 rounds of bacitracin with Braydon's steri-strips (3 days apart). It works very well for him. His skin is very dry (living in a very dry climate doesn't help) so the steri-strips seem to stay on permanently. Braydon's LEAST favorite part about having surgery is any form of tape, including steri-strips. Having this bacitracin method helps relieve a lot of anxiety and stress at our house. Before I found out about the bacitracin plan, he would have residual steri-strips on his back for 6+ weeks post-op. It was an awful mental struggle. No more! YIPPEE.

Kay - yes, Kara's scoliosis is monitored every 2 years (now that she's fully mature). Having Braydon's long-term visits with the ortho means we are always checking on something. Kara included. We always hope and pray that her scoliosis stays stable. So far, so good.

Mary Lou - I almost went to Boston a couple of years ago, but couldn't afford it. I have some cyber friends in your area, so if I ever find that money tree, I'll come out to visit! Maybe in my next life... LOL

Happy Holidays to all!

[Bill's mom]

Mary Lou - I haven't been on the board for a while, but catching up today I noticed your exciting news about Jamie going back to school & I wanted to share what happened to us. My son was one of the kids who had surgery on Nov. 3. Like your daughter, his recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. He went back half days the last week in Nov. It was working out UNTIL the school district said he had to come back full days or stay home. Since he couldn't sit for a full day (his back muscles would hurt if he sat too long) we chose to have him stay home. It's something you might want to checkout before Jamie ventures back (altho it may not even be an issue for your school district). We're now planning on his return full days on Jan. 3.

Carmell - As everyone says you are inspirational. We'll all be waiting to hear how your February appts go (for Braydon & your husband). You are awe inspiring.

Happy holidays everyone.

[jc3]

Just to add on the school thing. Nicole is returning to school after christmas break as well and our school was very accomodating. They said that she could go 1/2 days or as many classes as she could, but then i found out the catch. They do not know if she only goes 1/2 days if they will still give her a tutor for the classes she doesn't go to. I'm still waiting to hear back from them on that. I am hoping that she for a week she goes half days and by the second week back she will be able to sit all day. She will be 9 weeks post op by then. For you who had children who had surgery is this about the time that they were able to go back full time??

Jennifer

[Bill's mom]

Thanks for the clarification Jennifer. That was the case with Bill also. If he went back part time he wouldn't be eligible for the homebound program (tutor). We could have worked around that OK but he also would have been marked absent in every class that he wasn't attending and we couldn't figure out a way to get around that. So, that's why we opted for him to stay home until he could go full days.

Susan

[jc3]

hi susan
how is bill doing?? Nicole is doing so great! We had a slow start but she really has come along. I can not believe that she had this surgery 7 weeks ago (i think it's seven now) you see, i'm even starting to loose count. I am going to send her half days the first week back and then she will go full days. i really hope that she will be able to sit all day.
keep in touch
jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Susan and Jennifer....

Thanks for the heads up about Jamie returning to school 1/2 days. I never even thought about what the school would say. Her math teacher has been her tutor for the past week and she asked if Jamie was coming back only in the mornings or afternoons and I told her I planned to send her back when she has her pods (period of the day---math, science, etc) and the way their schedule works out, every other day the pods are in the morning and afternoons the other days. I don't see any sense in sending her to school just to sit through gym class when she could be resting at home! Our doctor wrote for Jamie to have home bound tutoring for six weeks but I wasn't planning on doing that after she returns to school. Now I have a lot more to think about over Christmas break! I will be checking with the school district Jan. 3 about continuing tutoring, how she will be marked/graded for the classes she misses, etc. She will only be missing cooking class, French, band, and things like that so I hope it won't be a problem.

From the things you two have gone through, I'm so glad Jamie had her surgery when she did (eighth grade) as opposed to waiting until next year when she is in high school. I wish both of your children the best when returning to school.

Carmell....thanks for the steri-strips advice!

Mary Lou

[Mary Lou]

Sorry, I forgot to add this to my last post. Jamie doesn't go back to her doctor again for six weeks so we are assuming she will be doing half days until then. That will be exactly one month of half days. I think I better check into that with the school as well.


Mary Lou

[pat]

school

Hello!

Things sound like they're going great with all our post-op kids! I'm happy to read all your posts. My Jamie had her surgery the end of October; we had her "return to school" meeting yesterday. It went well! She'll go swimming every morning; I'll bring her to school for a couple hours, then a van takes her home. The plan is to do this for about a month, then she'll still continue swimming in the morning, go into school late, but stay till the end of the school day. The school will still provide tutoring 3 x a week, as long as she needs it. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!
pat

[jc3]

marylou
definitely ask the school about if she will get a tutor while going half days. They did not mention anything to me that she wouldn't be able to get it while doing 1/2 days until one of the tutors told me to ask and when i brought it up that's when they told me they didn't know if she would still be able to get them. So i would ask. I'm still not sure yet if she can get them or not they said they would get back to me and they haven't.
jennifer