Karen,
I hear you, sister! I actually cancelled my surgery a couple of months before it for the very reasons you are describing. However, mine wasn't scheduled with Dr. Lenke, and also I'm 38. I'm putting mine off for a couple of years, and then I will have to take the plunge--and hopefully with one of the docs in St. Louis at that point.
I think you are probably doing the right thing by having the surgery. The chances of having something cataclysmic (sp?) happen are really very small. My surgeon has said smaller than the chance of getting struck by lightning. I think it's just more real for all of us on the forum because we saw what happened with Joyful. But I keep reminding myself that what happened to her wasn't so much because of scoliosis, but could be the result of any major surgery. Not that that makes it better, but maybe gives it a little more perspective.
On another note, my grandmother is 95 and very healthy and lucid, except that she has severe scoliosis and debilitating back pain that keeps her from leaving the house. She has to have a full-time nurse to help her in and out of bed and to use the restroom. Hopefully if we have this surgery, we will avoid ending up in that situation one day.
I will be thinking about you and praying for you. It is a major risk, but probably one worth taking in the end.
Evelyn
I hear you, sister! I actually cancelled my surgery a couple of months before it for the very reasons you are describing. However, mine wasn't scheduled with Dr. Lenke, and also I'm 38. I'm putting mine off for a couple of years, and then I will have to take the plunge--and hopefully with one of the docs in St. Louis at that point.
I think you are probably doing the right thing by having the surgery. The chances of having something cataclysmic (sp?) happen are really very small. My surgeon has said smaller than the chance of getting struck by lightning. I think it's just more real for all of us on the forum because we saw what happened with Joyful. But I keep reminding myself that what happened to her wasn't so much because of scoliosis, but could be the result of any major surgery. Not that that makes it better, but maybe gives it a little more perspective.
On another note, my grandmother is 95 and very healthy and lucid, except that she has severe scoliosis and debilitating back pain that keeps her from leaving the house. She has to have a full-time nurse to help her in and out of bed and to use the restroom. Hopefully if we have this surgery, we will avoid ending up in that situation one day.
I will be thinking about you and praying for you. It is a major risk, but probably one worth taking in the end.
Evelyn
Comment