So glad I found you guys!

[jrnyc]

my pleasure, Sharon...thanks for the compliment
he is our little Pookie Doodle

woof

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/...BlinkyBody.gif

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1290645453

[Elisa]

Pookie Doodle scares me.

Okay, just kidding, he's definitely adorable and reminds me a lot of our little poodle cross we used to have some years ago and she was our little baby for thirteen years.

Now that I have the day to myself I'm going to finish filling out the forms and faxing them over as well as attempt to get this house back in order and fold about six loads of laundry before I head back to work tomorrow through Monday.

[Elisa]

Check out this bus! Just wow!

http://www.shriners.bc.ca/bus/article.shtml

[jrnyc]

Sparky has a heart of gold...
he doesn't scare anyone...but HE thinks he is a big rottweiler...
actually, he is my little angel...who stays in bed with me all day long when i am in really bad pain...

Elisa, so glad things are proceeding well for your son...

Happy Thanksgiving!
woof

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1290644536

[Elisa]

Just talked to my son about the "cushy bus" and he right away said: "it's not really cushy is it, it's a small rickety bus with wooden seats right?" For half a second I gave him the look like he was right and he said: "thought so" and then I laughed and told him that each seat was like one of our Lazy Boy recliners and it had video games and stuff and then he asked how long the ride was from here to there and I said I think about six hours and he said: "can they drive slower?" He really does have a great sense of humour, lol.

I am just so grateful that someone who actually is a specialist in scoliosis is going to actually LOOK at him!

[Elisa]

Jess, our little dog Casey was such a lap pup and she too slept in our bed and she was our bebe. We only have cats now and two out of three often sleep in our bed or when I bring my laptop to bed during the day usually one of the kitty girls snuggle up with me and it feels so good.

Back to chinchillas, I need to dig up some really cute pics people have posted on one of the chin sites I frequent of chinchillas wearing Santa hats, Hallowe'en chins and Christmas chinnies. I know you'll just love them.

[michael1960]

Congratulations

Elisa

I have been away for a few days. It is great to read your update. I am so happy for you and your son.

I love the pictures of the bus. It will be like riding in your living room sitting in a recliner. What a great way to travel.

Keep us posted.

Mike

[Elisa]

Thanks Michael. I'm just so anxious to get going on this and have a full and proper diagnosis and go from there. It's so difficult to decide what to do when you don't even know exactly what's wrong. Very frustrating. And yes, I was really surprised to see those recliners in the bus and how comfy it looked. I knew it was going to be somewhat "plush" but I had no idea it was a motel on wheels.

[Elisa]

I got a call earlier today (Sunday) from the Shriners' gentleman checking in to see how things were going and if I'd filled out all their paperwork yet as well as the passport papers and I told him yes but I'm still waiting for a copy of my son's health record which I should be able to pick up tomorrow. Turns out the community nurse I spoke to on the phone says my son has missed one of his grade six immunizations and when asking her about it, it seems my son missed one shot b/c we moved at the exact same time they were giving them at his former school.

Just thought it was very nice of the man to call me on a Sunday afternoon to see how things were going. Oh, I did mention about my 'falling on my head' incident and he thought it was pretty funny. I'm going to finish up all the paper details tomorrow as I got a co-worker to come in for my shift.

[Elisa]

I was in Shopper's Drug Mart after work today and I noticed they had all their heating pads on sale. I bought one of those king-sized ones that can be used either dry or moist. I used to have a little heating pad that I often used on my lower back when it went out but of course practically a year to the day after I bought it, it stopped working and the warranty had expired. This one is a bigger, better one (apparently) and it has a five year warranty so we shall see.

Do you guys use heating pads on your backs when they get sore and does it make a difference? I know that it sure felt great for me but I don't have scoliosis, my son does. He just got home from school and hasn't tried it yet but I'm anxious to see if it does in fact soothe his achy back.

Besides heating pads, deep cream muscle rub and hanging upside down on an exercise bar, what else do you think we could do at home to help with his backaches?

[Elisa]

Sometimes I feel as though I'm talking to myself here b/c I keep replying to myself but I know you guys are listening even if you're not speaking. I was wondering if someone could change my handle to 'Pendulum'?

The decision to make on my son's back is probably the biggest decision we've had to make yet. I so want a proper diagnosis, but I am telling you that we, especially me is so scared of surgery. It's like you can't go back. I bet that's a cliche but it's true.

[jrnyc]

hi Elisa
moist heating pads are great...and easy...i used to use a hydroculator (splg?)...but you had to BOIL it, then wrap it in a towel, then wait for it to cool off enuf to not burn you!! so i really appreciate moist heating pads..i have a big one also...i need it for lumbar...entire lumbar area, as no shots, blocks, nerve killers, etc, have worked (i once got completely pain free for 3 whole weeks...from sacroiliac joint injections...it was heaven...and so sad when it disappeared, and the pain was back, full force!)
i have not found anything else that soothes the pain a little bit, no rubs, creams, etc...so i have no suggestions for you...
hot showers help me pretty much the same way the heating pad does...

just remember that what you do for your son will lead to a better life for him...all you can do is consult the best surgeons, weigh the pros and cons, ask their opinions as to how his future would be without surgery, and go from there...you are his number one advocate...you and your spouse....no one else in the world cares more about his well being...so that will lead you to do the best thing for him!

best regards...
jess

[leahdragonfly]

Hi Elisa,

I read every day but sometimes don't have time/energy/helpful thoughts to share. Keep posting--you are not alone!

I love my heating pad, I used it every night before my surgery and I lay on it for awhile each day now at 7 weeks post-op. I think heating pads are great for achy muscles. See if your son likes it.

I understand how monumental the decision is for surgery for your son. I think however that things will seem much clearer once you have all the info, and have met with at least one qualified pediatric orthopedist. I think this lag time after diagnosis and before seeing the ortho is extremely difficult--I know it was torture for me (we had to wait 9 weeks--seemed like eternity). You are doing a great job using this time to learn as much as you can about scoliosis, which will allow you to understand what the doctors tell you. Knowledge will make the decisions seem a little easier...still extremely scary when it's you baby, to be sure.

Hang in there, and keep posting here. We're listening! Have you read any of the scoliosis books (by Michael Neuwirth or Dave Wolpert)? If you have not heard of them I can get the exact titles for you. They are worth reading.

Take care,

[Elisa]

Jess, Gayle, thanks for the input and yes please do post the title of the books and I'll look into getting and reading them. I didn't mean to imply that you guys have to reply to everything I post, I was just rambling on and then I noticed I was the only one saying something but hey, at least I don't talk to myself in real life. At least I don't think I do.

I probably am obsessing over this whole thing and it's way more complicated than I first thought and so much conflicting information. Overwhelming. It's just that. I can't stop thinking about it and researching and reading and then worrying and then feeling so confused and more overwhelmed.

"A twisted spine is better than fusion."

^^ This is the quote that won't leave me alone.

The heating pad I bought yesterday doesn't seem as hot as my old one so I'm going to pick up a different one today and see if it's a bit hotter. Maybe I just remember my old one being better, not sure.

[Pooka1]

"A twisted spine is better than fusion."

^^ This is the quote that won't leave me alone.

Tell that to the following people:

1. folks on oxygen because their lungs were crushed from the curve
2. folks in constant debilitating and harrowing pain who could be helped with fusion
3. folks who have much earlier and worse degeneration in the spine due to simply having a curve over the years leading to great pain (might be the majority of non-fused scoliosis folks)
4. folks who could look and feel completely normal with fusion
5. folks who are in a wheelchair because they refused fusion (for good reason prior to the present surgical approaches or for not so goods reasons now that there are good surgical approaches)
6. folks who are DEAD from their curves. N.B. this crowd won't be too responsive nor are there very numerous luckily.

I'm sure the pediatric orthopedic surgeon will have the statistics for you.

It is easy to get the wrong idea around here that the main difference between folks who get fusion and those who don't are in the same boat physically and simply came to a different concluson. That is simply not the case.

Rather the actual situation is that most of the people who get fused do it for valid medical reasons and often have no choice. This group includes virtually all the kids. I had no choice with either of my kids and I think that is the rule rather than the exception with kids.

People who don't get fused for the most part do have an actual choice or who could be helped with fusion but are too afraid. This group is dominated by adults though there are a few parents of kids who are clearly in surgery territory.

There either is or is not a valid medical reason to fuse a patient. When there is, the weight of the evidence in hand is that fusion is a better choice than no fusion. This is obvious from the fact that insurance pays for fusions which are extremely expensive.

The rest is commentary (and ignorance and fear).