So glad I found you guys!

[mbeckoff]

You both will be in my prayers. Please let us know when he gets out of surgery

Melissa

[Elisa]

Thank you Melissa and I will let you all know how the surgery tomorrow goes. I might be spending a bit more time online while he's in surgery b/c I don't have my sister here this time to keep me occupied.

~Surgery tomorrow!

On another note, I re-read a couple of my recent posts and noticed that I've been spelling 'wait' as 'weight' and I'm sure it has to do with having to deal so much with all these weights during his traction. I'll probably be spelling it that way for years now, lol.

[Singer]

Very best wishes for a successful surgery tomorrow and a quick recovery after that!

[Pooka1]

I am so glad that the hospital is a such a lovely place since you guys had to spend so many days there. Small mercies.

The most important thing is Elias will have a back after tomorrow that he can live with probably for the rest of his life. Everyone can move on. It's going to be sweet. :-)

[Pooka1]

More chinchilla pictures!

They have such opulent, palatial homes!

And I would be surprised if there are any other chinchillas with more toys! Toys are so important.

I'm sure when you get home you will be shocked at how they and the cats have grown up and gotten so big!

What time is the surgery tomorrow? I'm glad to hear it will only be 3-4 hours long. He's got some of the screws in so that will save time.

[JenniferG]

Tuesday has arrived on this side of the world. Thinking of you both. You're on the home straight! Hope it goes as smoothly or even better than the first one. Elias is not going to recognise this new back of his. What an amazing journey and you've made it such an inspiring story.

[Elisa]

They have such opulent, palatial homes!

And I would be surprised if there are any other chinchillas with more toys! Toys are so important.

I'm sure when you get home you will be shocked at how they and the cats have grown up and gotten so big!

What time is the surgery tomorrow? I'm glad to hear it will only be 3-4 hours long. He's got some of the screws in so that will save time.

Yes, I do tend to spoil them all but it's hard not to b/c they're so darn cute and love it when they get new things... just like people. I order pretty much everything online b/c the pet shops carry crappy stuff that isn't even good for chinchillas and it's way overpriced. They all have big wheels (see pic attached, not my chin though) that I've ordered from the US.

Elias' surgery is scheduled for 7:30 AM. They just had a little get-out-of-traction party for him with chocolate cake from Trader Joe's and it was so good. His last supper tonight will be sushi and water, he's so adventurous, lol.

Hdhugger is coming to see me tomorrow so I'll have some company after all. She's so nice! :-)

[MJB]

Thinking of you both!!! Best of luck tomorrow! Please update us when you can on how he is doing!

[titaniumed]

Finally, the big day has arrived! (almost)

A date we all wait for, with anticipation and fear....
Might the skilled surgeon straighten his spine, and install all his new gear...
Many will notice his straightened back, which will no longer be out of whack
but in the end, I think I’m going to have to go out for a beer...


Cheer’s and best wishes. Things are going to be fine.
Ed

[Pooka1]

Ti Ed, a true Renaissance man... :-)

[Elisa]

Today's X-Ray

This first picture is from today’s x-ray (they’re reversed). It was taken while Elias was sitting down which crunches up your spine a bit. I’ll find out the measurement of it tomorrow but it looks pretty good.

The second one was taken on March 22nd. before he had his first surgery & halo traction and he is lying down which stretches your spine out. You can see how crunched up he is even though he’s lying totally flat on his back in the operating room.

Met with the anesthesiologist a little while ago to touch base for tomorrow morning and everything is a go. We are both really looking forward to getting this final stage of the three-stage process to correct his spine over with so we can move on with our lives back home in beautiful Campbell River.

Ed, you're funny and I am dying for a good ole Canadian beer or two...!

Edit: Looks like the pics are not in order. Obviously the really crooked one with the vertebrae markers on it was taken just before his posterior release on March 22nd.

[Pooka1]

Wow huge improvement so far!

He's got some major rotation at the apex of the curve. The one set of screws are almost directly side-on like I imagine anterior screws appear from the front. I suppose that is expected in a curve of that magnitude.

My one kid was torqued up very much but the surgeon was able to take out virtually all of it. I bet Dr. K does the same with Elias. The screws make this possible.

Good luck for tomorrow. Big day. The first day of the rest of Elias' life.

[Elisa]

Yes, he has "significant rotation". It will be interesting to see what the final results will be. I was looking back on some pics I took of his back on March 19th. and it's really obvious that the right side of his neck is quite a bit shorter than the left side. No wonder he had so much neck pain when the traction was first put on as those muscles on his right side were yanked up a lot. He looks so much more even now at the top of his shoulders even though his neck hurt like hell. That was his main complaint about the traction.

[leahdragonfly]

Dear Elisa,

The big day is finally just about here, and you have so many of us here who will be waiting to hear the good news that surgery is over and Elias is safely to the other side.

You sound wonderful, calm, positive and resolute. You and Elias will be in my thoughts all day tomorrow. Please update when you can.

Does Elias know he has an almost cult following here on the NSF rooting for him and his new spine?

Fondly,

[texfinn]

Elisa,

I am keeping you both in my prayers. Please keep us posted on how it goes. Your journey has been amazing and we are all now completely emotionally invested in Elias' well being. I can't wait for the "after" picture!!!

Best wishes,
Mati