So glad I found you guys!

[Elisa]

That is an amazing correction! Did Dr. K do that one also? If so, together with your son's correction, Dr. K is an artist.

Yes, Dr. Krajbich did Donovan's surgery. Amy, Donovan, Elias and me all travelled down to Portland together back in January and both boys were assigned to Dr. K as he does the more complex surgeries apparently. I keep in contact with Amy all the time on facebook. :-)

Add: I am going to keep putting the aloe gel on Elias' scar as he says it feels good but whether it really makes a difference, who knows. I think that's funny about your daughter's dress. She sounds like a character, haha!

[Elisa]

Ed, when you're right you're right. I just received an email from one of Elias' teachers who has been following along via my blog and she too does not think it's a good idea to have him go back to school for the month of June as there tends to be a lot of "bumping & jostling" going on and I think with it being so close to the end of the school year it will only get worse. So it's settled, he isn't going back. She is arranging for some work for me to pick up and bring home to him instead as well as I will meet with her soon to discuss Elias' needs for high school. She's such an awesome lady!

I picked up the Bio Oil as it was on sale at London Drugs for ten bucks so I thought what the heck. It smells nice too. I also put some on his stretch marks. I don't have any stretch marks to try it on *gloats* but I'm going to try it on the stress lines under my eyes mostly caused from this whole ordeal, lol.

[laurieg6]

Elias's back and shoulders look so straight and even, Elisa!

His scar will definitely keep fading with time. Make sure to keep it out of the sun this summer. He should probably keep a shirt on all summer, even at the beach, maybe even wearing a swimming shirt in a pool. I also found a very thick titanium dioxide cream to be helpful for covering and protecting Alexander's scar if he insisted upon taking off his shirt in the sun. So far this year in the Northwest though, sun hasn't really been a problem, has it?

[Elisa]

Hey Laurie, the weather up in these parts has been so dreary. I think we've had maybe two or three days of sunshine and that's it. I always feel bad for those who take off camping expecting it to be nice and it isn't. I am a total fair weather camper and I absolutely hate being outside when it's wet, windy and cold, bleh.

Yes, Elias looks much straighter now and his shoulders are much more even. He still does have a small right rib hump though but considering what he had before, he looks amazing. The oil is helping to take off the rough skin where his staples were pulled out and it keeps it all so nice and supple so I'm going to keep applying it. He is so not a beach/pool person, never has been. Hates the sun, heat and even the light so there's no chance of him taking off his shirt, lol.

[laurieg6]

Hi Elisa,

I'm glad the oil is helping and I know what you mean about the lack of sunshine. However, Alexander was just in Victoria, BC with his school's marching band and he actually came home, for the 2nd year in a row, with a really bad sunburn on his face and hands. Last year, we didn't really think about sunscreen because it had been so dreary up until the trip to Victoria. But this year I went out and bought three different kinds so he could choose the texture and type to bring and apply. But he "forgot" to put it on until after the parade on his 2nd sunny day there. I just hope that this year he doesn't blister... He's not really an outdoorsy kind of kid and he hates sunscreen so there's not much I can do if I'm not there to remind him to put it on...

Alexander still has somewhat of a rib hump too I guess but I can't really see it on Elias.

[Elisa]

Aww, Victoria, my hometown. Miss it at times but am glad to be somewhere quiet. It really is a beautiful place to visit though. Too bad your son got so sunburned on his face. Actually we had a day or two with sunshine recently and of course I overdid it b/c I was desperately missing the sun and of course I sat out too long in my backyard soaking it all up and I too burned my face, mostly my forehead as well as my chest and left arm. No chance of doing that again any time soon b/c it's back to being cloudy, boooo.

You probably can't see Elias' little rib hump in the pics b/c the shots are taken straight on and it's only when he turns to the side that you can kinda see it and that is only with his shirt off. When he's wearing a shirt I honestly don't think anyone could tell he had a major scoliosis. Heck, not a lot of people knew he had a 110* curve with significant rotation before his surgeries b/c he'd always wear such baggy tops.

[Elisa]

~Five weeks post-op, oiled up, and he’s getting some meat on those bones & bum!

[JenniferG]

It looks to me like Elias's scar has faded quite a lot since the last photo. Perhaps there's some thing to this Bio Oil!

I didn't use anything on mine and it faded much more slowly but it's quite pale now, after 2 years.

Is Elias walking a lot? Does he have a good appetite?

Does he have to pinch himself to realise it's over and he's now got a straight back?

[Elisa]

It looks to me like Elias's scar has faded quite a lot since the last photo. Perhaps there's some thing to this Bio Oil!

I didn't use anything on mine and it faded much more slowly but it's quite pale now, after 2 years.

Is Elias walking a lot? Does he have a good appetite?

Does he have to pinch himself to realise it's over and he's now got a straight back?

I think the Bio Oil is making his scar smoother at least but if you can notice a different from the last pic then that's great. I'm around him too much to tell I think. The real reason I like the Bio Oil in all honesty though is b/c I use it as an excuse to check out his back twice a day to see how good it looks and I get to touch it too. I'm not telling him that though b/c it would creep him out, lol.

He doesn't walk a whole lot other than around the house and yard but we have gone out for breakfast and did a bit of shopping last Saturday and he was fine. Yesterday we had a bit of sunshine and bbq'd some wings and we all hung out in the back yard and he cruised around, played with the cats and then sat and read his book for a while. I'm trying to get him outside more so he can get a bit of colour as he's very pale still.

His appetite is great, similar to what it was before the surgeries/traction and we figure he lost about 8 pounds during the weeks away but I can tell he's put a few pounds back on already especially on his upper body and face but his legs are still kinda scrawny.

Yes, he seems to be thrilled with his new shape but I'm the one pinching myself all the time to see if it's for real.

[Elisa]

Touched base with Bill M. today after work while in front of the grocery store. It’s still on that me (and possibly Elias) will attend the last meeting of the year at the Shrine here in Campbell River as a guest(s) to tell ‘our story’ about Elias’ scoliosis, how nothing was being done about it with BC Children’s Hospital and our five week stay in Portland Oregon while he had two surgeries and halo/weight traction to correct his 110 degrees spine. Their wives will be there too and there is a dinner and of course wine I’m told. I wasn’t going if wine wasn’t served, lol.

I am honoured to be asked to be there and talk about our journey as I have no idea what I/we would have done without the help of these fine people. I look forward to visiting with them to let them all know how things went and how well everything is going now. Definitely going to bring some before and after pics/xrays of Elias’ spine to show them all. I know some have been following along the blog but others haven’t so I’m sure they’d appreciate the story and it is a wonderful story. These guys and their wives are awesome!

[laurieg6]

I totally agree that the Shriners are a very special breed of people. I try to give them donations whenever I can. They were ready to fly us out to PA for an appointment at the Philadelphia Shriners before Alexander's surgery but we chose to have the surgery with a local surgeon instead.

[mariaf]

Touched base with Bill M. today after work while in front of the grocery store. It’s still on that me (and possibly Elias) will attend the last meeting of the year at the Shrine here in Campbell River as a guest(s) to tell ‘our story’ about Elias’ scoliosis, how nothing was being done about it with BC Children’s Hospital and our five week stay in Portland Oregon while he had two surgeries and halo/weight traction to correct his 110 degrees spine. Their wives will be there too and there is a dinner and of course wine I’m told. I wasn’t going if wine wasn’t served, lol.

I am honoured to be asked to be there and talk about our journey as I have no idea what I/we would have done without the help of these fine people. I look forward to visiting with them to let them all know how things went and how well everything is going now. Definitely going to bring some before and after pics/xrays of Elias’ spine to show them all. I know some have been following along the blog but others haven’t so I’m sure they’d appreciate the story and it is a wonderful story. These guys and their wives are awesome!

I got goosebumps reading this. Over the past several years, I've made friends with many local Shriners and even a few of their wives. They truly are a special breed.

I'm sure it will be a very enjoyable evening. Sometimes I'm not sure who gets more out of these things - folks like me and you, who get to meet the people behind the incredible care our kids have received; or the Shriners (and their wives) because you will see how much they LOVE hearing about the kids they have helped.

Somebody once told me that once you become a Shriners patient, you become part of their family.

I have found that to be true.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Elisa...

Over the 20 years I've been involved with scoliosis patients, I've heard hundreds of stories. Most of them are, unfortunately, pretty boring. Not so for Elias. If you were local, I'd definitely ask you to come speak at our next spine conference. Elias story would definitely be inspirational, especially for other scoli parents. You should put a PowerPoint presentation together and go on a road show!

I think I mentioned to you that one of the UCSF fellows this year is from Vancouver. If you're interested, I'll make sure he knows how to contact you. One never knows where it might go.

Regards,
Linda

[Elisa]

Took Elias for his 6 weeks x-rays this afternoon here in CR and handed them the ‘order’ to send a copy down to Portland as well as a copy to me. I went to go into the room with him like I did before and the tech wouldn’t let me in. I told her I had a few questions and she kept me at the door and said I could ask there and I told her never mind and went and sat down in the waiting area.

I’ve never been told that I couldn’t be in the room while he had his x-rays so either I’m thinking she is just a snot, or she was miffed b/c I took my kid out of country for surgery and now we’re back looking for follow up stuff to be done and results are to be sent to the US. I have no idea really why she wouldn’t let me in but it was odd that I wasn’t allowed in the x-ray room as that was not an issue before.

Now, I could have put up a fuss and said that he was underage (14) and that I insist that I be present but I just let it go. What I really wanted was to stand behind the glass and see his x-ray being taken behind the Cobb grid. I didn’t get to see that but I will be sent the x-rays on CD as well as the report which is fine.

This is a pic of Elias’ back/incision exactly 6 weeks post-op. He is doing really well and doesn’t have much in the way of aches and pains but the first thing he does every single morning is head to the hot shower after waking up b/c he says that it helps a lot with the muscle tension.

[titaniumed]

Elisa

Nice to hear that Elias is doing so well. Hot showers are pretty much “standard procedure” for us....

I wouldn’t worry about this x-ray tech at all....snot or not, it doesn’t really matter much. Again, x-rays are pretty much “standard procedure” for us...

I did have to get pushy with a tech once on the phone as I wasn’t going to accept the “we only forward to the Doctor” story on my CT discs. I’ve had records lost years ago, it usually happens when a Doctor retires and the office moves. Its obvious my records hit a dumpster at some point. It no wonder insurance premiums are shooting through the roof down here.

That would be great if you guys could come down to UCSF...for the scoli conference... I agree with Linda, Elias’s case was not boring, to keep it simple. Put it this way, lets just say it was far from the standard “elective” scoliosis case that is so common.

Ed