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  • nicoles 1st appointment

    Just wanted to write and let you all know that yesterday we went for nicoles first drs appointment since surgery. It went very well. Dr. said everything looks good and her curve is now 19 degrees from 61. That sounds good to me. The nurse took off all her steri strips that were left and cleaned her back Ouch! She wasn't happy about that. Dr. ordered physical therapy for a month starting next week. I was wondering if everyone else had to do that or if it's because she is still very stiff. I asked about her shoulders looking hunched forward when she walks and he said that she is doing that. She claims she is not, but i guess they will work on that in physical therapy as well. He said she is not ready to go back to school as of yet, but whenever she feels ready she can go, took her off percocet and switched to vicodin and to go off them when she feels ready and that was about it. We will go back in 3 months from now. Today was a good day for her and i think everyday she does a little more.
    Jennifer

  • #2
    Hurray! So glad to hear the wonderful news. I'm sure the PT will help. Do you have to go to a PT at the surgeon's place or can it be done by a local therapist?

    Hope the recovery continues well. ~Laura
    30y/o
    Upper curve around 55
    Lower curve around 35

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    • #3
      Jenn, I've been watching for your update as I remembered you were having a follow up appointment on the 29th. That is an amazing reduction in Nicole's curve!! I am starting to get nervous about Alex's surgery - we are going to schedule it for June, 2005. Our surgeon said he wouldn't need physical therapy. I wonder if its because of the amount of vertebre fused? He is hoping to only fuse 3-4 of Alex's vertebra. Anyway, I'm glad to hear Nicole is doing better little by little and I would bet she will feel lots better when she starts PT. It will get her moving and help with the stiffness.

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      • #4
        Jennifer,

        I'm glad that the appointment today was good, overall. I would have not let them pull the steri-strips off... wasn't there room for negotiation? How painful for her! It's done and overwith now... I'm glad she's moving forward with her recovery. Good luck with the PT. I'm sure they did that for her because of her walking and balance. Hopefully it will help her feel confident in her body again. Keep us posted!
        Carmell
        mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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        • #5
          nicoles 1st appointment

          hi laura
          i don't have to go to the dr office for the pt they gave me some places on a list and it just so happens there is one right near me. I hope it helps her.
          jennifer

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          • #6
            nicoles 1st appointment

            hi carolnj

            thanks for thinking of us. We're hangin in there. June is a good time for alex's surgery at least she won't have to miss school. I'm sure she will be fine by the time school starts to go back. It should help i would think with her recovery that the fusion will not be too big at all, so she should do very good. I don't know if the surgeon wanted her to have the physical therapy because of the amount fused or maybe because she is still not moving great and stiff. I hope it helps her she is nervous about going she thinks it is going to hurt. I'm sure she will be fine though.
            thanks again for thinking of us
            jennifer

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            • #7
              nicoles 1st appointment

              hi carmell
              i know i can't believe they took off the steri strips but i had a feeling they would since she wouldn't get her back wet and there were still alot on there. I'm glad they did it though she survived and at least i know they are all off and its clean and it looks good. But she wasn't happy. They did wet it tough with something so they would come off easy. I did tell the nurse that she wants to let them fall off on their own but she said "oh no, it's time for them to be off". Oh well, i tried. I hope the physical therapy helps her along.
              i'll keep everyone updated on her progress
              jennifer

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              • #8
                Yeh! Jennifer for you and Nichole,
                I'm glad the visit went well.
                I have not been told about any PT but will not be surprised if it is mentioned in the future.
                We are still dealing with this incision reaction where it has not wanted to heal and is very open and deep still.
                Does it ever end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now with the dds antibiotic thing which I think my daughter will be a canidate for.
                She too has braces so ANOTHER reason to be on guard and nervous wondering if she needs antib's for routine brace adjustments.
                Tonite she went upstairs to sleep (for the first time) in our bed and we thought about where we were 4 weeks ago today....
                It has been a hard road and it's still hard. She gets depressed but Fri I will meet with the school to discuss her tutoring and work as she is not ready to go back , especially untill that hole in her back heals. I think having some school work to do will help her mentally. When do you think Nichole will go back?
                Let us know what kind of pt they have her do..
                Later, mamakay
                now 16 yr old daughter
                with worsen 65 degree upper curve
                surgery Nov 3, 04

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                • #9
                  Also Linda and Carmell,
                  Thanks for sticking in here with us new scoli moms, we appreciate your advice and links you have kindly put here....

                  Just a note on Steph's 3 week appt. They took an xray so we got to see the rods and were told she went from 65 to 22.
                  I think she is fused from T4 to L2.
                  She said it was scary to see her back that way, but she notices her spine IS different.
                  Kay
                  now 16 yr old daughter
                  with worsen 65 degree upper curve
                  surgery Nov 3, 04

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                  • #10
                    nicole's 1st appointment

                    hi mamakay
                    Does the incision where it is open hurt Steph? I'm sorry about all that for you. She will be fine though. When do you go back to the dr? Since our drs appointment nicole seems to be doing even better. Yesterday while she was walking she said her back didn't even hurt (it didn't last all day though) It only seems to bother her when she is getting up from the couch to walk around. While walking around it doesn't really bother her. I think maybe hearing from the dr. that everything is good has something to do with her feeling better. She will go back to school after x-mas break if everything keeps up and she can start half days and work her way up. The tutors are going good, they come everyday. It will be good for Steph to start doing some work and take her mind off everything.
                    I'll let you know how physical therapy goes
                    jennifer

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                    • #11
                      Hi Kay,

                      Just another quick note about the incision that isn't healing well. Have you considered seeing a plastic surgeon who specializes in wound care for her? It's been 4 weeks now, and if it is still that deep and open, I would consider getting another opinion, just to make sure nothing else happens. I know of a few kids who have spina bifida. They don't have feeling/sensation in their lower bodies so pressure sores and surgical incisions don't heal well. Staying on top of the healing is very important. Braydon has actually been seeing a plastic surgeon since his latest surgery in September. It seems his scar on his ankle/leg from his surgery in March healed as a keloid scar. Its very painful for him. He's had 3 series of injections to reduce the puffiness, and goes again next Tuesday (Dec. 7) for the 4th set of injections. The injections seem to be helping. We also continue to put Vitamin E gel on it and rub it several times a day. Vitamin E works well, but over time. We don't put anything on his back scars because of the repeated nature of his surgery. The more you mess with them between surgeries, the more chance of them not healing well. In this case, what isn't broke, don't fix.

                      My point (after lots of rambling) is that a plastic surgeon who deals with these kinds of wounds can tell you if you are on the right track, treatment-wise or not. Good luck! Oh, and thanks for the nice comment about Linda and I. It helps to know that my "gift of gab" is useful sometimes. LOL
                      Carmell
                      mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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