Savannah - 20 months out

[Pooka1]

Thanks Balletmom.

I hope you son achieves his dream!

[pmsmom]

Congratulations to you both, Sharon!

[laurieg6]

I'm so happy for you Sharon. The news about Savannah is great and you so deserve some relief after all you and your daughters have been through. Congratulations and best wishes for continued health and happiness for all of you.

[Pooka1]

pmsmom and Laurie, thanks so much for your kind words.

[txmarinemom]

I was astounded yesterday when my son called home from college and said he had decided to major in molecular biology. He really wants to become a battlefield surgeon. We'll see if he has what it takes...

Ballet Mom,

Like Sharon, I wish your son every success with his dream ... yet that hope is superseded by one that there's no need for his services.

Best regards,
Pam

[txmarinemom]

Saying goodbye to our surgeons ... and our obsessions.

Yes, Ed puts it very well.

His sentiment comes at a particularly relevant time for me. I just saw Hanson for my (almost) 2 year post-op on Tuesday: Things are holding, I'm solidly fused, and my return to clinic status is "Come see me in 5 years or so unless you need me".

How strange.

Whether a patient or a parent, watching a curve or waiting on surgery just *immerses* your world in scoliosis. Life goes on, of course, but you don't realize how much of it must be on some version of autopilot until one day you realize, "I haven't thought about my surgery (or my back) in weeks! What have I been doing all that time??? Living life? What?!?".

A post-op friend (a few years ahead of me with surgery) and I were on a trip around California and Utah - almost exactly a year ago. She told me "You aren't really recovered until 2-3 years out", and at the time (feeling great, mind you) I simply couldn't see how that was possible. It is, I now see, and a large portion of that has to do with "mental recovery" - and scoliosis/surgery fading from your daily thoughts.

We put so much faith in our surgeons, they almost become a bit god-like in our perception ... and while one of the goals of surgery is to sever that relationship (surely, of much more import on our end as a patient - laff), it's still strangely bittersweet when you're released.

It's certainly not a feeling I ever expected, but I'll gladly learn to deal with it.

Regards,
Pam

[pmsmom]

Hooray! \o/