spinecor

[jillw]

Concerned Dad, How did it go? We might have seen each other and not known it. Too bad. We were there yesterday. What time was your appointment? We were the first appointment (1pm ish) and the couple other families that arrived around when we did spoke french. However when we left, there were some other families in the room - perhaps you were one of them.

We had a good appointment. Katie's curves are basically holding steady in brace. They were measured at 2T and 5L which is actually a degree less than the last appointment. Of course there is the margin of error, but I have to say when I saw the xrays side by side her current xray did look a teeny bit straighter. I tell you, I was convinced it was bigger so this is a big relief. I think what it might have been is that since her thoracic curve is barely visible, that the lower curve looked bigger in comparison? Maybe that's what caught my eye?

Next week we are going to get out of brace xrays. Dr. Rivard doesn't find them necessary this soon in a situation such as katie's , but we're just doing it independently for our own edification. Since her correction has been mostly holding steady - yet it's too soon for corrections to become permanent (I think they have found that takes a minimum of 2 years), I would guess her curve after a couple days out of brace would be pretty close (plus or minus) to her original curve of 19/13 degrees? But we'll see soon enough....

[concerned dad]

Concerned Dad, How did it go? We might have seen each other and not known it.

Our Appt is next Week.

Glad to hear all went well. Hope you share the out of brace numbers w/us.

[jillw]

Concerned Dad, oh - I misread your post. Well, let's change that to Good luck next week. I hope you get good news!

I'll definitely share the results (whether good, bad or ugly! - but hopefully good or neutral) I put every visit so far in my signature so people can see the progress - i like to see people's trends/experiences etc also.

[christine2]

JillW

Excellent news!!! You must be so relieved.

My daughter has an appt the 2nd week of April. I have not started stressing out yet but I am sure that will happen soon. Dr Colliard really loosened the straps at our last visit. We are kind of in limbo till her major growth spurt. I must say though her back looks great. She swims once a week and I sit and watch her as she prepares to dive and can not take my eyes of her back. Her shoulder blades are so symetrical now. She gets a new brace this time. Thank goodness she has had this one for over 2 years and it is tattered!!

[Pooka1]

We had a good appointment. Katie's curves are basically holding steady in brace. They were measured at 2T and 5L which is actually a degree less than the last appointment. Of course there is the margin of error, but I have to say when I saw the xrays side by side her current xray did look a teeny bit straighter.

That's great news, Jill. Seems to be working so far.

I have to remember to read this thread for updates when they aren't posted in a new thread.

[RugbyLaura]

Great news Jill!

Good luck CD and Christine!

Immi had new lag straps at the last visit. They were £52 each They look much better though and are more comfortable.

[leahdragonfly]

Hi Jill,

Thanks for sharing your good news about Katie's latest x-rays. I will be very interested to hear how the out of brace x-rays go (and I think that's a VERY wise idea to check those). Wouldn't it be great if her numbers were decreased. Good luck!

Take care,

[mariaf]

Great news, Jill!!

I could not be happier for you!!

[jillw]

Thanks everybody.

Laura, I'd actually be pleased to pay 52 pounds....

I'd asked and new thigh straps are $500 and to replace the entire pelvic base including thigh straps would be $1500. It's not needed for functionality, but I thought for aesthetic purposes - especially since she changes in front of others during dance competition season and that brace is so far from the pristine white it used to be (christine, i know what you mean about tattered!) We didn't do it though - not as much because of the cost, but when I looked at our checkbook I realized that there were no checks left in it! They don't take credit cards for that and we didn't have enough cash to cover that. Really, we were quite unorganized this time. When we got to the border crossing the border agent said, "do you realize your passport is expired?" My husband and I's surprised "Whose?" must have been convincing since he let my husband into the country after he showed him a drivers license. Of course, getting out of this country isn't the hard part, getting back IN is the trouble so we spent the rest of the afternoon wondering what would happen on our return. Fortunately we were OK - the fact that the passport had expired only a few days earlier may have had something to do with it.

Sharon, are you aware of the "New Posts" function on the boards? it's across the top in the blue border next to the "search" function. That's what I always hit when coming to this board because it shows a summary of the threads that have new info since the last visit and I can decide which ones of those I want to open up and read.

Christine, Good luck with your appointment. I seem to recall that Halley has an appointment coming up very soon also.

Gayle, It would be nice to see an improvement, but Dr. Rivard had said in their experience the brace works more slowly and subtley and that they wouldn't expect to see a reduction in the curve yet (out of brace) I believe it would take at least 2 years for that. So if I see a reduction, realistically I would attribute it to the fact that the couple/few days that I'll keep her out of brace prior to xrays weren't quite enough to let her back relax to it's true curve. Nonetheless I'd LOVE to see a reduction, but I would be cautious about what they meant. It's more that I want to make sure I'm aware of what progression there might be. I scheduled the two appointments so close together so that it would be the "same" curve getting xrayed....i mean what is the liklihood of her growing and having her curve change in less than a week?

Maria, I'm actually headed to Philly for the xrays. I'm looking forward to meeting the folks down there - i'd started to post it on the vbs board but it was part of my post that disappeared and i did't have time to repost that part yet.

[mariaf]

Maria, I'm actually headed to Philly for the xrays. I'm looking forward to meeting the folks down there - i'd started to post it on the vbs board but it was part of my post that disappeared and i did't have time to repost that part yet.

I'm sure you will love the folks in Philly, Jill. Which doctor are you seeing and when is your appt.? Best of luck!!

[jillw]

Christine, so your daughter is approximately 9 years old? (just doing the math from your signature). I know Dr. Rivard said 11 is approximately when the spine growth speeds up (of course it varies based upon the maturity rate of the child). So I guess in another year things will really be telling. It's amazing that even after Dr. Coillard loosened the straps considerably that the in brace curve was only 1 degree. It must make you very happy to see her straight back as she swims. I find myself admiring straight spines in general these days....if it was my daughter, I'd be thrilled!

[christine2]

Jill

My daughter will be 9 in May. She is going to follow my foot steps and will be tall. She is almost 2 inches taller than her twin brother. My husband & I have been marking "the wall" tracking her height. We were just talking about getting on a regular schedule measuring her so we can keep track and know when to be super diligent about her brace, not that she is not compliant now.

Hey your results are amazing too. Your daughter must look as straight as mine.
I will make a mental note to make sure I have checks in my checkbook for our next visit We just got our passport cards. So we are safe there.

[emarismom]

Congratulations Jill!!

That is great news!! You must be thrilled. I did go ahead and get an out of brace xray at the 18 month mark. Unfortunately, the curve did not reduce at all. I am sticking with the brace and Emily is very compliant so I am hoping that at 2 years or 2 and a half we will see some reduction. Being as she will be 11 at that point, I can't see us stopping using the brace at such a tender age.

[CAmomof2]

We're flying back to Montreal Wednesday. I am guessing that the examination will be quick, refit the brace and another xray. Am I correct? Any advice on what to do in the area of the hospital while waiting for the appt? Any nice little cafe's?

We were just there yesterday (Thursday). Flew in as well. There isn't much of a waiting period. They get you in and out very quickly - a bit too quick I feel - esp.
Dr. Colliard. She doesn't seem to like many questions asked.... Not sure if anyone else has run into this???
Dr Rivard will answer anything you ask on the other hand.

Our daughter is 9.5 and has been in the brace for 6 mos now. She started out at 27* and is at 14* now. No change this visit - was told this is good as she grew 3 cm.

We are getting the blood test to see abt the progression gene (not sure what the test is called) when we go back in August. He said that they need both parents there to take blood samples as well.

Hope your daughter has good results!!!

[christine2]

I think that Dr Colliard is also not as "comunicative" (if that is even a word) as Dr Rivard. But I think that is how the "team" works. She does all the measurements and he does all the decifering. I am fine with that because I feel like I can talk to Dr R about anything and he will take as much time as I need. He has also called me or e mailed me anytime I had a ?.
Great results. No change w/ that amount of growth. You must be very happy .

I am going to ask about the progression test the next time I am there.