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  • pre-op visit

    it's been a while since i've posted on here. but I wanted to give a little update on Ashleigh's scoliosis. Surgery is scheduled for 11/13. We went yesterday for her pre-op visit. The following is copied from another board I post on.

    Well 5 days until surgery. We went yesterday for her pre-op appointment. It was pretty boring LOL! They re-did her xrays, including bending xrays. But didn't really go over them in to much detail with us. I was curious to see if her scoliosis had progressed any, but the doctor didn't measure the angle of the curve. She's still a crooked sister (as my husband calls her LOL!) so surgery is still on. She will have 2 surgeons operating on her. We met surgeon #1 twice, but this was our first time meeting surgeon #2.

    Our original assessment that was sent in the mail to us said they would be fusing from T2-T12 . But after looking at her new Xrays surgeon #2 is saying it looks more like T3-L2 will need fused. He feels if they stop at T12 the bottom part of her spine will remain crooked. But he and surgeon #1 will go over the xrays before making a final decision and of course things could change once they open her up.

    They showed us a model of a spine with the rods and screws like Ashleigh will have. And the model was fused from T2-L1. So it was nice seeing what Ashleigh's fused back would look like from the inside. The fused part doesn't move at all, but the rest of the back is still flexible.

    Also showed us before and after Xrays from a patient who had basically the same curve degree as Ashleigh. Showed us how straight her spine was after they fused it.

    Surgeon #2 said he'd call Ashleigh's endocrinologist and get her diabetes orders for the surgery. I have what he told me, but they want a written order. We learned that surgeon #2 and Ashleigh's endo are actually friends. They've known each other since they were 5 years old. Graduated from HS together and now work 1 floor apart at the same children's hospital. How cool is that!

    Oh and Surgeon #1 originally told us 8 hour surgery 5 day hospital stay. Surgeon #2 says 4 hour surgery 7 days hospital stay! So basically surgery can be anywhere from 4-8 hours and she'll be in the hospital from 5-7 days.

    After the appointment we went and got lab work done. Then we went up to the surgery floor for our tour. Ashleigh was not impressed with the lady who gave the tour. For that matter I wasn't' either. She must be used to dealing with a lot younger crowd. Because she kept talking to Ashleigh like she was 6 years old. I kept thinking lady she's in the 8th grade, you don't have to talk down to her or in a baby voice.

    But she showed us the pre-op room. looks pretty much like the pre-op room at the hospital where Ashleigh had her scope done. Then she took us to the PICU and showed us one of the rooms. The rooms were bigger than i expected. There's a fold out couch for me to sleep on, and a family restroom. Plus room for AShleigh's bed all the medical equipment, a TV and a DVD player. Which means I'll be getting the titanic DVD for ashleigh. I told her if there were DVD players in the rooms i'd get her the DVD. And then we saw where the family waiting room was. Pre-op waiting room has a no food policy, but once you go back into the family waiting room you're allowed to have food or drinks. They just don't want people eating in front of the kids who are waiting to have surgery, since they can't eat.

    And that was pretty much it.

    Chris mom to 4 girls. Ashleigh dx scoliosis & Type 1 diabetes.

  • #2
    Well it sounds like you are ready. I would again remind you to remind everyone who walks into your daughter's room about the diabetes. Communications are always far from perfect and folks will be focused on the fusion recovery.

    Good luck.
    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."

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    • #3
      Good luck with her surgery
      Kara
      25
      Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
      Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
      T4-L2
      Before 50T
      After 20T

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
        Well it sounds like you are ready. I would again remind you to remind everyone who walks into your daughter's room about the diabetes. Communications are always far from perfect and folks will be focused on the fusion recovery.

        Good luck.
        which is why i am there I will be taking care of her diabetes. I'm not very trusting of people when it comes to her diabetes. I basically trust myself and her endocrinology team. That's it. Our family doctor put the mistrust in me. On the day she was dx he gave her 10 units of fast acting insulin and sent us home with no real instructions. She should have been sent to a children's hospital. She ended up passing out at home and had to be taken to the children's hospital by ambulance.

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        • #5
          Sound so exciting! I remember my pre op! I was all hyper and excited! Pre op was day before surgery and I had a "sleep over" at the hospital. She will be fine! Oh my god just thinking about my surgery and what happened makes me excited!

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Kat3573 View Post
            Sound so exciting! I remember my pre op! I was all hyper and excited! Pre op was day before surgery and I had a "sleep over" at the hospital. She will be fine! Oh my god just thinking about my surgery and what happened makes me excited!
            That reminds me of my second kid who was truly on board and eager to get on with it after seeing the recovery and results of the first kid. You didn't have that so you were just advanced. :-)
            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


            • #7
              Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
              That reminds me of my second kid who was truly on board and eager to get on with it after seeing the recovery and results of the first kid. You didn't have that so you were just advanced. :-)
              Aww thank you pooka! Idk why but just seeing mg nurses, my surgeon, all of the nice people who took care of me I'm just so happy to see them. It really motivates me to be a surgeon and actually help someone! I want people to remeber me and I know I won't ever forget my surgeon.

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