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  • Pre-op results

    We went to our pre op appointment yesterday and I got all the stats on what is going on. Our last visit with our doctor had been in October and Keri's curve was at 53 degrees. Her doctor did more x-rays yesterday and her curve has progressed to 65 degrees. She will be having a Posterior Thoracal(spelling?) Lumbar Fusion from T3-L4. He will be using shavings from her right ribs for the bone graft. He closes the incision with dissolving stitches and covers them with steri strips. She will not have to wear and type of brace afterwards! She did have to go back today for an MRI. He wants to make sure there is nothing else going on in there because her curve has progressed so quickly. Now that all the pre op stuff is done, we only have to get through the surgery on the 25th. The surgery is scheduled for 7:30 AM. I will keep everyone posted.
    Talk to you all soon.

    Kim
    Keri's mom

  • #2
    Kim,

    I've been waiting to hear from you. Sounds like the appointment went okay. I'm sorry to hear that her curve has increased, but at least you know the surgery is soon and hopefully it won't progress any further.

    I think a lot of doctors use dissolving stitches and steri-strips which I am glad they do. Could you imagine having staples? Ouch!

    We'll all be thinking about you on the 25th.

    Mary Lou

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    • #3
      Haha I actually did have stables to stitch me up for at least one of my surgeries. My mom had to take out about half of them some time later after I got home and was recovering. The rest had to be taken out by the doctor. The good news is that it really didn't hurt that bad taking them out. Bad news is of course that my scar is not real pretty. I'm so glad that they are using the desolving stitches more and more. They are great. Sad but true but I've seen people who have had the same or close to the same surgery without stables and I am so jealous of how small and neat the scar is. So that's a good thing for your daughter! I hope everything goes well for you and your daughter. Let us know!
      Last edited by Littleone1016; 01-11-2005, 07:00 PM.
      Jennifer

      26 years old. Diagnosed with severe Scoliosis/Kyphosis and CMT at the age of 8. Have had a total of 6 surgeries, 4 on my spine and 2 on both of my feet. Including rod removal surgery. I am fused from T-2 to T-12.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Kim

        My very best wishes to you and your daughter. I hope everything goes really smoothly and well for for you. Dissolving stitches make the prettiest and neatest scar (well I think so) I've only ever seen staple scars and dissolving stitches scars, and I thought the staple scars look a little scary and not quite as pretty and I bet your daughter is pleased with not having to wear a brace afterwars.

        Good Luck

        Alison

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        • #5
          I had staples for my abdominal surgery. It's coming up on 5 yrs old, and I can still count the number of staples I had... I have a funny little row of white dots on each side of my scar.
          Mine weren't uncomfortable (either being in, or being removed... though I did turn a bit green at the gills when the Dr. took them out) but it seems like staples would be uncomfortable for this particular surgery... you lay right on them for most of your recovery.
          Both me and my riding student had dissolving stitches and steri strips, and our scars turned out fabulous (exception being the top of my scar... but... that's not too common)
          Blair

          Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
          Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
          Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
          Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
          February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
          September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

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          • #6
            Hi Kim:
            My daughter is going in Feb. 15th for posterior surgery. Her doctor is planning to use the "donated" bone fragments - yuck and he started talking about rods and screws - but he lost me there. She had to have an MRI done also just as a precaution, I guess when it moves quickly there is the possibility of something pinching in there. Anyway it's rare but they do the MRI just in case. Her curve is at 67 degrees and she's been complaining more lately of back pain, etc. I don't remember him mentioning stitches, but I'm going to ask - the dissolving kind sound good to me. We have to be in at 6:00 AM so we're going to stay at a hotel near the hospital the night before (Valentine's!) and it has a shuttle to the hospital. I've heard from others the waiting is the worst of it and I'm beginning to see why! - How about you?
            Did she have to donate blood?
            Melinda
            Last edited by AC13; 01-15-2005, 07:36 PM.

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            • #7
              Melinda,

              My daughter just had posterior spinal fusion December 7, 2004 and she had both an MRI and also a CAT scan before her surgery. I think it is pretty common to have an MRI done before surgery, just to make sure there aren't any problems with the spinal cord, etc. Jamie did donate blood. They wanted four units but she was only able to donate two units and they used both units during her surgery. As for the waiting before surgery, we got lucky--her surgery was just before Christmas so we were busy shopping, make arrangements for at home tutoring, etc. so we were really busy for the few weeks before surgery.

              Melinda and Kim,

              Have you contacted your daughters' schools yet? I would at least contact the guidance counselor and let them know of the upcoming surgery and get things going from the school's end. They should help you out with setting up homebound tutoring, books in the classroom when they return to school, etc. Best of luck.

              Mary Lou

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              • #8
                Staples too

                My daughter for her second surgery had staples (and the dissolving stitches) just because she had a staff infection and they did not want it opening up by any chance. They don't hurt but feel weird she said coming out. Her surgery was in 1/2003. She has little white dots along her back and one side seems more pronounced than the other but she is very fair and this may help hidding them more. She will be going for another surgery this year to put back the hardware they took out since she curved again. I hope they use the staples again even though they don't look so great just so she does not get another infection. She actually is okay with the scar. She even wore a semi-backless dress to a banquet last year. She is a pretty well centered teenager. There are some girls nowadays that won't go out of the house with a pimple on their face. Wishing everyone well.
                Rita

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                • #9
                  Mary Lou: Thanks for the advice. How did your daughter do with the blood draws? AC has never had anything like this done. I have contacted the school and we're meeting with her teachers next week or week after. We are planning to do a 504 Plan which is accommodations for medical reasons - not educational. This will put in place things like her leaving class a bit before everyone else so she's not bumped in halls, having an extra set of books at home, having help carrying her books at school, being excused from PE, etc. But they are saying we won't qualify for tutoring help unless she is out over 4 weeks. Our doctor is predicting it won't be that long but ??? (who knows). I'll contact a private tutor if I have to - especially for the "new" math they are teaching 'cause I sure can't help her with that! One of her teachers told her he would just "excuse her from the work she misses". I don't want that either though in case she misses something important. Thanks for your support!

                  Rita: Why did they remove the hardware? (If I might ask). I thought they usually left it in. I'm sorry that she has to have another surgery - or was that in the planning all along? You know, the best thing about this situation is that it's teaching our kids to not stress the little stuff!! Best wishes!
                  Melinda

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                  • #10
                    Reason they took out hardware

                    Melinda,
                    They took the hardware out because the first surgery she received a staff infection from this and they said that it would not go away since the metal keeps the infection in her body since it attaches for some reason medically I can't remember at the moment. The doctor stated she was fused and would not curve anymore but here we are again having another operation. I even said she looked like she did curve and was told she didn't. I think I know my own childs body. I have an x-ray that we were given 11 months after her hardware was taken out and put it up against the new one we got recently and they look pretty much the same. I can't wait for the next doctors appointment to have it measured and to prove my daughter and I were right and the doctor was wrong. I just hate being lied to. I would have brought it to the local doctor here but it for some reason was in another envelope. What I have been seeing on these forums is that you can even curve after you have finished growing and are an adult. I just don't think they tried hard enough to get rid of the infection especially when I have seen on these boards that it can be accomplished. I guess no mother wants their child to go through this once but to have it done 3 times and two during her high school years is a shame. Any other questions, let me know.
                    Rita

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Melinda,

                      How old is your daughter? Jamie is 13 (and in the 8th grade) and did just fine with the blood donation. If she is able to donate, great, but don't sweat it if she can't. Depending on your insurance, you, your husband or someone else could donate for her.

                      I'm glad you've talked to the school already. Jamie's school has been great. She had a note from the doctor for homebound tutoring for up to six weeks (district allows five hours per week)--she had a total of 2 1/2 hours! She returned to school 1/2 days one day shy of being four weeks post-op. The doctor said she could return full days this Wednesday, but I convinced them to let her start back next Monday as the marking periods ends this Friday and it would just be less hassle. One thing I suggest that you might not have thought about yet, talk to the school and find out how they will handle fire drills once she returns. The principal tells Jamie's teacher ahead of time and she leaves and goes to the office.

                      If you have any other questions, please ask. The more informed you are, the better off you and your daughter will be.

                      Rita,

                      My heart goes out to you and your daughter! I agree--it is hard enough to go through this once, let alone three times. I see you are from PA, may I ask the general area? We are about 15 minutes from Harrisburg and Jamie goes to the Children's Hospital in Hershey. Where is your daughter being treated?



                      Mary Lou
                      Last edited by ; 01-17-2005, 05:54 PM.

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                      • #12
                        Hints for school

                        My rods were taken out out 13 months after they put them in for the same reason as your daughter (staph infection). I was told that when the infection doesnt show up right away that it slowly builds up to the point that pretty much nothing but taking out the rods will stop the infection. The way my doctor explained it to me was that my body rejected having the rods and the only way to stop further infection was to take out the bars. I too was about 13 at the time.
                        If I can put my two cents in about what your daughter has to go though for school and how I dealt with it. I had a terrible time in school, especially jr. high. The first thing I did was deal with the adults. If your daughter feel comfortable talking about it, have her sit down with all her teachers and tell them what SHE thinks she might need in class. Many times the teacher will go above and beyond what the district will do. I had to fight to get a second set of books, because that just wasnt done. Another really helpful thing for me, again if your daughter is comfortable with it, is to ask for some time from the teacher when school starts (or wherever she is in the school year) and take 15 or 20 mins to explain to the class what is wrong with her, show off her brace maybe even explain that she can't bend or pick things up well. This made a big difference in the kids in my class. They didn't have to like me but it took the bit out of making fun of someone when that person didn't care who knows whats wrong. I'd be more than happy to help her gather a few interesting facts (like how in midevil times they would put you on a stretch machine and stretch you for hours at a time thinking the back would un-curve itself) and the basics to tell her classes if you would like me too.
                        Kids can be so cruel and there were many days that I went home crying to my mom about what kids have said...it went far enough that I almost got a restraining order on a few kids who found out where I lived and tormented me. Most people don't have to deal that, but showing other's that you are comfortable with yourself takes alot of wind out of the sails of most bullies.
                        Jennifer

                        26 years old. Diagnosed with severe Scoliosis/Kyphosis and CMT at the age of 8. Have had a total of 6 surgeries, 4 on my spine and 2 on both of my feet. Including rod removal surgery. I am fused from T-2 to T-12.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Mary Lou - answer

                          We live in Nazareth and we hope to get approved at the Shriners Children Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Betz is who we would see. The ortho doctor that we had to see in this area is not up on these types of surgeries. We actually had to change doctors so this one was recommended. We needed a recommendation from a ortho doctor and were given Shriners. We went to her old doctor in 2003 and then a foot doctor and a neurologist to see why her feet were numb and tingly. All these tests and nothing. I kept asking them if it could be that she curved and everyone of these doctors said no. The surgeon as I said before said no. Don't get me started on this again. Anyway who is your daughter seeing in Hershey? That is the next place we will go to after we see what happens to Shriners. We went to Dupont in Deleware and that is where her old doctor was. Let me know of any doctors you researched and how you like the one you have. Thanks.
                          Rita

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                          • #14
                            Littleone - reply

                            Littleone,
                            We were told that the metal in the rods were what was keeping the infection in her body. Infections attach to the metal and are hard to get rid of. I also understood this infection to be that if the rods were not taken out it would not go away but have seen others on these forums that did take antibiotics and the infections went away. The only thing they tried was bioxin and this was given to her by the general doctor and nothing was even tried by the ortho doctor. Question: How old are you now and have you curved any after the rods were taken out? How long has it been since they were removed? Just curious. Thanks
                            Rita

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                            • #15
                              Rita: You are so right - Mom's just KNOW when something is wrong. Doctors need to start honoring that and listening to concerns. How frustrating to have to go through that and I hope you are proven right and the doctor has to apologize!!

                              Mary Lou: AC is 13 1/2 and in 8th grade too!! She is doing really well - not too scared or nervous yet. She is taking flute lessons and just talked to her teacher today who has been through surgery (I'm not sure what kind) but could relate and was able to ease her mind a little bit. 4 weeks wow! Oh, I hope she can go back that soon. Thanks for the idea on the fire drills - something that hadn't even entered my mind! We are meeting soon with teachers and school nurse to go over everything.
                              I think AC is most concerned about pain, IV/catheter, and privacy (bathroom). One thing I think is kind of strange is she has said she doesn't want us in there when she is out, watching her and waiting for her to wake up. I told her too bad, we will be there!

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