So glad I found you guys!

[Pooka1]

Wow that's such great news! Maybe they can cut the traction period short given the great results so far? I wonder if they have a target angle after which they stop traction.

Anyway, I am very happy for both of you!

[Elisa]

Wow that's such great news! Maybe they can cut the traction period short given the great results so far? I wonder if they have a target angle after which they stop traction.

Anyway, I am very happy for both of you!

From what I gather, they will keep going with the traction as long as it gives results... "a few more weeks I was told" and the goal is to reach 40lbs. sometime before April 19th.

We're dealing with constipation at the moment and they've given different things since his surgery but still nothing happening. I just got back from OHSU, the health food store there and bought some prunes so he's eating them now along with popcorn, raw veggies and water and if that doesn't do it... enema time I'm told. >_<

[texfinn]

Elisa,

I have been following your story for quite some time and wanted to formally jump in and just say how happy I am for you and for Elias. It has been quite a journey and I am glad you are finally getting some great results.

You are an amazing Mom and Elias is such a great kid. Thank you for sharing your story with all of us.

mati

[Pooka1]

Yes I agree.

This thread is epic in scope.

[Elisa]

I'm glad you guys are enjoying my thread/updates and I wanted to share our story with you b/c you've all been tremendously helpful from day one and continue to be helpful and encouraging every single day. I also hope our experience helps others either now or in the future even if it's just in some small way. Thanks again for being here when I needed you the most. :-)

Elias is cruising the hallways in his walker and he looks so much stronger today. I think the news about his x-ray has been really encouraging to him.

hdugger, I don't mind the weather the way it is as I'm inside most of the time and the view is still amazing.

[JenniferG]

Great to hear Elias is "cruising the hallways" and the catheter is out. Hopefully for good this time. Perhaps being able to go to the bathroom on his own might help the constipation problem too. Figs, stone fruit, pear juice, anything with bran, will all hopefully help too.

Keep up the good work, you two.

[Elisa]

Thanks Jennifer.

Bodily functions have returned (no intervention required)
Second IV is out
Pain is minimal
Mood is good

I'm going shopping tomorrow!

[titaniumed]

They should be able to get a pretty darn good correction out of him. I’m wondering what the surgeon thinks? Maybe 30 degrees after its all said and done? Too much correction isn’t the best thing....Both my curves are probably about 30 degrees each, and I’m doing great.

Glad to see the catheter is out! Man-o-man!
Ed

[Elisa]

They should be able to get a pretty darn good correction out of him. I’m wondering what the surgeon thinks? Maybe 30 degrees after its all said and done? Too much correction isn’t the best thing
Ed

No, we haven't discussed anything about correction Ed, I'm sure we will though closer to his second surgery. Why is too much correction not a good thing, what does that mean?

[JenniferG]

Wonderful news!

[titaniumed]

Its rare that we get corrected 100%. Sometimes you will see girls with much smaller curves that come out pretty straight, but usually it runs about 50%. Surgeons don’t really like to cause rare neurological problems by overcorrection, stretching and pulling too hard on things.

If he comes out with a 30 or 40 degree curve, it sounds pretty good starting with a 110 degree thoracic curve. I would be extremely pleased with that.... You can ask the surgeon, they usually make the call during the surgery.

He might have a little rib hump, but that should be ok. It will be a huge improvement.
Ed

[Pooka1]

In terms of amount of correction, based on my "super-scientific" study with n = 2, I think it's a complex function of curve type, curve magnitude, curve flexibility, and balance issues.

I think they will sometimes leave some curve that they could have straightened if it is needed for overall balance. I am guessing that is why my one kid still has measurable curves and the other doesn't even though they both had T curves.

Elias may end up with a very small curve if it is of the type that can be hyper-corrected and if that increases his overall balance. Also for certain types of T curves, the more you correct them the more correction is driven spontaneously in the lumbar. So my one kid was hyper-corrected and has no T curve nor does she have any lumbar curve now. The other kid was corrected a lot but still has a measurable scoliosis (>10*) both in the structural T curve and in the compensatory lumbar curve. I assume that was done for balance issues associated with that type T curve.

That said, the overall vibe I am getting is that hyper-correction, while now more and more possible with pedicle screws and young spines, is not necessarily necessary. I saw one study where of the incidence of pain many years out did not differ between people who were corrected a little versus a lot. That might suggest the importance of balance over correction.

I really have no idea. I've run some of this by the surgeon over the years but not all of it so it should be considered spitting in the wind.

[Elisa]

Okay, thanks, that was helpful guys. His scoliosis wasn't even noticed until he had a 47* Cobb angle so if he could even get back to somewhere around there that would be fantastic. At that point his top right side of his back looked a little more 'muscular' than the other side and we were sure it was b/c of spending too much time at his computer in a certain position and that he had overdeveloped his right side a little bit but of course that wasn't the case. Compared to the 110* with significant rotation he ended up with... he looked great at 47*

No more prunes for him today!!

[mariaf]

Wow, down to 60 degrees from where he started is awesome news!!! Congrats!!!!

[JenniferG]

"If he comes out with a 30 or 40 degree curve, it sounds pretty good starting with a 110 degree thoracic curve. I would be extremely pleased with that.... You can ask the surgeon, they usually make the call during the surgery." - Ed.

I would be extremely pleased with that as well. As you say, you barely noticed it at 47 degrees so anything less than that, he will look great. I was reduced from 68 to 22 and only a trained eye would notice. But more importantly, there's no pain.

So far so good Elisa!