We have a surgery date!

[Cheryl M]

Wow, I can't believe that is three of us on the 28th. We'll have to keep each other updated on their progress through this forum. Prayers to all of you and God's blessing on the 28th of November and all the Dr's involved.

Cheryl

[AnnLF]

Wow...this is remarkable. I think it's a good sign, don't you? I agree that we should keep in touch with each other...our own little support group. I'll be sure to include both your daughters in my prayers. The November 28th girls....

Lizzie (her curve is 73/65) starts banking her blood tomorrow. Have you guys started that yet?

And thank you Mocity-- our daughter will be going off to college in the fall. She wants to go to a Big 10 school and do the sorority thing, so I enjoyed reading your post.

Ann

[monie]

Hi guys, congratulations to all of you on getting your dates! I had my surgery on the 23rd of September, and being one month post op, I have to tell you that it was definitely the right thing to do. I do not regret it all. I know that as parents, you're worried for and about your kids, but just keep being there for them, and I guarantee they'll get through it a lot easier. My mom flew in for the surgery, and even though I'm an adult, I reverted back to 'five year old' status. I was like a child again. She was awesome though. She was there for and with me through the whole process, and I have to say that knowing that she was there, made it about 300 times better for me. Good luck to everyone. I hope everything works out fine. You sound like strong, loving, supportive parents, and I'm certain that this is what'll help your children through... Good luck.

www.bentoutofshape.blogspot.com

[dancermom]

I was told that we couldn't start banking blood until about 10 days before surgery time. Plus my daughter only weighs about 104 lbs. so she barely weighs enough to give her own blood. My husband, myself and our 17 yr. old son all have the same blood type so we will donate. But, our daughter says that she doesn't want to donate blood - she doesn't want to be stuck any more than she has to and really is nervous about it. There are 4 of us (including a family friend) that should be able to donate for her surgery so I think we are covered.

I hope that all 3 of our children come through amazingly well for their surgeries. It is so scary thinking about it but the time will be here before we know it.

Thanks for the support. My daughter has a triple curve as of now. I think the top one is 43, the middle 35 and I'm not sure about the bottom one. The doctor said that because she still has an immature spine that the potential is great for her curves to keep getting bigger. She has been in a brace for over a year now and the curves keep slowly increasing. She also has a wedge in her vertebrae at L1, so I am not exactly sure what that means or how it will impact how far down the doctor has to fuse.

Connie

[Cheryl M]

Connie,

Our Dr. said that Briann doesn't have to donate blood. I think the latest here is that it weakens a patient before surgery but he feels because they recycle the blood she loses (they send it through a purifying machine and back into her body) that chances are she won't even need any. We're hoping this is the case and we're not going to have her give.

Her top curve is around 70 and it started at 42 just 9 months ago. Hindsight says we should have had surgery then but our dr. wanted to try everything to prevent it. Her bottom curve has gone from 37 to 55. Quite obviously the brace isn't working for her. He thinks her fusion will be t4 to L3. He also said she may be able to return to school after 2 weeks....I think that's doubtful.

I will remember all of the November girls in my prayers.

Monie, Thanks for your words of encouragement and hope you continue to heal more and more everyday.

Cheryl

[KRIS ATKINSON]

My daughter almost went to surgery with Dr. Wattenbarger, who Cheryl is using for Briann. I think he changed his "methods" somewhat since we went to Shriners. At the time of Erica's surgery, Wattenbarger was still having the kids pre-donate blood, but Shriners (Dr. Pete) told me that he would very likely change that due to recent findings in the medical field. Dr. Pete said that Shriners had just recently stopped encouraging the pre-donation for the same reason that I notice Dr. W has stopped. Erica ended up needing no transfusions, thank God. Dr. Pete did say that Shriners gets their blood for transfusions from the Red Cross, which is very safe in the Carolinas, compared to some states. In states where they "pay" for blood, it tends to be more likely to get contaminated blood than here, where people don't sometimes donate to get money. I know that any doctor will allow the parents to override their recommendations, as far as I know. Since we trusted the blood donation of the Red Cross, we didn't pre-donate. I forget where Dr. W gets blood, if it is necessary. I assume it is the Red Cross. I'm glad to hear things are going so well. Erica now weights 93 pounds, by the way. Before I cancelled her surgery with Dr. W, I received a call to schedule her blood pre-donation, so I had to cancel that as well. Apparently they were going to have her donate even at less than 100 pounds. Good luck all of you! Kris

[dancermom]

I am glad that Elizabeth is not going to donate, especially now that you all have shared about the patient being weakened by donating. I hadn't even thought of that! This is all so strange to think about. I do pray that none of our girls will even need any transfusions.

We live in Oklahoma and our surgeon will be Dr. Herndon. He has an excellent reputation around here and I feel like he is a very good doctor. We were told that Elizabeth would be in the hospital for 6-8 days with the first couple of days in the pediatric ICU. I am anxious to find out how far the doctor is going to have to fuse.

Cheryl, Briann's curves really progressed quickly. Did the curves progress that much even with her wearing the brace? Elizabeth was told she could quit wearing her brace about a week before having the bending x-rays and then that gives her the month of November to be brace free. I am just worried that her curves could really increase dramatically without wearing the brace up until surgery time.

Take care everyone and thanks for the prayers. I will keep all the November girls in my prayers too!

Connie

[mocity]

When I had my surgery in 1989 I pre-donated my blood with no problem. I did end up needing the transfusions so we were glad I had donated. This was when AIDS was somewhat "new" and people were freaked out about it so everyone was pre-donating.

[Maggie]

Its great that you got a date! I hope everything goes really well for you.

[Cheryl M]

Kris,
Dr. W pretty much left it up to us about donating blood but I believe he would get it from the Red Cross because that it where Briann would donate if we were to decide to do so.

Connie,
Dr. Pete at Shriners told Briann she could throw her brace away back in August when we saw him. He said it was doing no good. Her curve was at 60 at that time. I just couldn't bring myself to let her do that so she wore it at night until we went to St. Louis and found that her curve was at 70 on Oct. 11. She's back to full time because I just feel we have to do everything we can to hold her curve where it is. I need to see what Dr. W thinks about when we should discontinue the brace before surgery. We see him for a class, movie, anesthesiologist, hospital tour on 11/16. I have a list of questions already.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Cheryl

[AnnLF]

Hi All,

Well, Lizzie (actually, another Elizabeth!) banked the blood today. Our doctor never really offered another option. But, it went fine, which I'm hoping is a sign of good things to come. My husband went with her to donate -- how about that for father/daughter bonding -- and he got weak and light-headed! Lizzie never flinched and my husband called her "tough as nails."

Here's yet another coincidence: Our pre-surgery day-long appointment also is November 16!

Keeping the November girls in my prayers, Ann

[Cheryl M]

Yet another coincidence, Briann's first name is Elizabeth. Glad the blood donation went well for Lizzie. I call Briann Lizzie sometimes. Usually Lizzie Lou just for fun.

Prayers for the three Elizabeth's and Elsa's daugher....the November girls!

Cheryl

[Cheryl M]

Hello every1! this is cheryl m's daughter, briann (aka elizabeth!). my mom just told me about all you guys having the same surgery date and name as me, and i think that is just sooooo cool! i am now praying for your daughters like crazy, and i will be thinking of them on the 28th. tell them i say hi! also, i think i "heard" that one of your daughters got on spinekids sumtimes, and if she does then my name is m&mgurlie on there. i luvvv spinekids soo much, and it has helped me alot!
i will be thinking of you guys!!
§BrIaNn§

[dancermom]

That is too cool that we have 3 Elizabeth's having surgery at the same time. I will also be praying for Elsa on Nov. 12th. My daughter is called Lizzie by her friends at school. I sometimes call her that but most of the time I call her Elizabeth.

I need to call the hospital to set up a tour of the pediatric unit and figure out what else we need to do. I feel kind of lost but maybe after seeing the doctor on Nov. 7th we will know more about what we need to do next. I am also going to talk to the doctor about what he would suggest with the brace during the month of November. I had thought about her just wearing it at night but it sounds like that didn't help Briann at all.

This really helps to have you all to talk to.

Connie

[nikyergen]

Like Kris's daughter, my daughter did not pre-donate blood. Shriners in Portland is the same way about purifying the blood they lose and putting it back in their system. It was a relief to know we didn't have to do that one too. The first thing the doctor told us when he came out was that there was no tranfusions needed. We were pretty thrilled.

Good luck on your surgeries, all of you. You will soon be on the other side with new and improved backs. Yeah.

At our house we talk about Crystal's old back and her new back.

Kris-Crystal had her check up yesterday, 7 months from surgery. Her back is healing great. You would of laughed to look at her x-ray. She forgot to take her belly ring out. So, now there is a cute little piggy on a chain on her x-ray. The doctors and nurses got such a laugh out of it. She is now on the surgery list to get her feet fixed. He was hoping that would be before her next appointment in April.

later,
Nikki