spinecor

[Pooka1]

Voodoo?

I'm a bit surprised at your surgeon using "voodoo" in association with Spinecor.

Someone edify me here but isn't there really only one possible mechanism -- compressing the growth plates on one side and allowing growth on the other so as to use growth to remove the curve?

I mean this isn't like Lithium where they can't figure out the biochemical pathway from among hundreds/thousands of pathways, especially given it might be novel.

I'm not a medical type but the scale of figuring out how bracing works for scoliosis seems much smaller/simpler than that for figuring out the biochemical pathway for Lithium and how it works to moderate bipolar disorder.

I know I keep bringing up Lithium but that is the only example I have ever heard of where a cure is found for some condition but they don't know why it works. Totally empirical. Bracing doesn't seem empirical at all. Quite the opposite.

[txmarinemom]

I have a personal story to share.

... snip, snip, snip ...

Which bring me to the letter. It was a plea for me to stop smoking.

... snip, snip, snip ...

I am reading this letter thinking, oh my god, what an idiot I am. Here I am asking my daughter to wear a brace to help correct her spine in the hopes that her future health will benefit, and I am still sitting here smoking. What a terrible example I’m setting. Could quitting smoking be harder than getting used to wearing a brace? What a hypocrite I am. Wow, it seems so clear now what I have to do.

Concerned Dad,

This post was particularly poignant for me. In Sept 2006, I realized my 18 year old son had started smoking. I'd been smoking for almost 25 years at that point ... since I was 13.

I watched my Dad die, at 67 (in 2003), of lung cancer.

I saw what it was doing to my face.

I was under NO impression it was in any way "good for me".

And I'd quit a million times ... never REALLY seeing myself at the point of cessation as a non-smoker. It was imaginable to think of sitting at the computer (which, BTW, is what I DO for a living), having a drink, etc. without a cigarette.

It took me seeing my child take it up to truly know I couldn't encourage HIM to avoid the same path my Dad did, and the path I was most surely headed.

(At this point, I hadn't even *thought* about surgery - and there's no way I could have had it if I were a smoker.)

On Sept. 26th, 2006, I declared I was quitting, and told my son I'd buy him gum/lozenges if he quit with me ... that if *I* could do it, surely HE could.

For the next 3 days, I tried go to cold turkey, and cheated with 2 borrowed cigarettes each day. On Day 4, I started the 4 mg lozenges. It took me almost a year to wean completely off them (surgical recovery finished off the occasional 1/4 lozenge - I was splitting them by then - I had a day), but I haven't had a cigarette since - and the split seconds that come (rarely) where I want one, pass as quickly.

My son quit, as well, and good thing: He enlisted in the USMC, and graduated Pfc. after 13 weeks at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. Boot's tough enough with 100% lung function!

Anyway ... I wish you the best in your endeavor. Use whatever aids help, but know the #1 key to success is really, TRULY wanting to quit ... and you sound like you're there! I believe everyone who does has their own reasons, and their own motivators ;-). Children, no matter their age, are pretty powerful ones ...

Regards,
Pam

[LeahsMum]

Laura that's terrific. I'm hoping for you that the positive results keep coming!!
Tammy

[RugbyLaura]

Jill, I was CONVINCED that Immi's was worse and was dreading the appointment.

Good luck to you and Katie!

[christine2]

Laura

Sorry for the slow reply but here it is. Excellent news!!! I must agree with you about wanting to stand on roof tops and yell check out the Spinecor. I know it is not for every child and every curve but for some kids it is a godsend. My daughter is leading a normal, fun life in this brace. I know we are not even close to being out of the woods but at least I know that we are doing the best we can for her.

Jill
I feel for you. About 1 month prior to our check ups, I need to start planning our trip. I get anxious and check my daughters back every chance I get. Sometimes I think it looks worse and have to have my husband look and he usually tells me that I am seeing things. I checked her back last night and I must say it looks as straight as her twin brothers!! The poor boy gets checked as much as she does. Paranoid me!! I am wishing you LOTS OF LUCK!!!

[concerned dad]

snip
.... I believe everyone who does has their own reasons, and their own motivators ;-). Children, no matter their age, are pretty powerful ones ...

Regards,
Pam

Thank you Pam and everyone else for the kind words. Yes, children are powerful motivators. I am over 1 week now. The only trouble is that I am not really able to put any substantive thoughts together yet, hence the ceasation of my seemingly endless posting.
And I do want to share some stuff about the Tanner Whitehouse Staging compared to risser (and the important implications for bracing trials) but my mind is still a bit distracted.
But perhaps a quick update on my daughters SpineCor. She is doing fine, no real complaints. I dont think we will necessarily stick with it for the "18 -24 months" listed as their minimum treatment, rather we will keep her braced till she reaches Tanner Whitehouse Stage 7 (she is at 5 now). We will be going back to Montreal in March and then to a "local" orthopedic guy in early summer for an out of brace spine xray and hand xray.

[txmarinemom]

... I am over 1 week now. The only trouble is that I am not really able to put any substantive thoughts together yet, hence the ceasation of my seemingly endless posting.

Hooray for you, Concerned Dad! The first week is the hardest, and you did it ;-)! This week won't exactly be a walk in the park, but it won't be nearly as tough as last week: It gets MUCH easier - and soon (maybe as soon as the end of this week - and no later than Week 3 or 4), the physical cravings - if you're having them - will be gone.

I'd completely forgotten about the challenge to concentrate, feeling spacey, and trouble remembering things I experienced immediately following cessation until you wrote that, but I had it too. The lozenges alleviated those for me - along with sleeplessness, irritability, jitters, along with a multitude of not pleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Even if you decide to stick it out without nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), your mind will clear again soon. Hang in there.

Although you've pretty much cleared the hump of any physical addiction (the psychological aspect is more of a battle), your body still needs special care.

Be sure to drink LOTS of fluids to flush lingering toxins from your system and keep yourself hydrated. Water's best, but orange juice is great also to replenish the vitamin K depleted by nicotine.

Just a note ... dark green veggies also provide vitamin K, but watch your vitamin K intake if you're on Coumadin/Warfarin. Vitamin K can decrease the effect of the drug. Although my Mom doesn't smoke, she did just start on Coumadin, and the vitamin K effect was really stressed.

Also, if you take any regular meds, you might want to ask your doctor if the doses should be adjusted; nicotine screws with how your body metabolizes some medications.

If you have a weak moment and cheat, take it for what it is. I know it's hard, but you just have to forgive yourself and move on. One stutter step isn't worth throwing in the towel ... just pick up where you left off and keep seeing yourself as a non-smoker.

You've come so far ... keep up the good work! I look forward to hearing of your continued progress. ;-)

Best regards,
Pam

[RugbyLaura]

Sharon, thinking back to it, I have to confess that I was a little zoned out when the voodoo word was used. I think he used it in defence of my (our) decision to allow flexibilty in Immi's out of brace hours. I think his point was that according to the protocol, 12 active hours per day should be spent in brace, plus 8 sleeping, leaving 4 out of brace. His feeling was that not enough is currently known about this issue - perhaps this was, in his opinion, the voodoo part. He was happy for us to adapt the hours to suit as long as it was 'about right'. I will now make sure she has an hour less sleep if she has an extra hour out of brace

I remind you that he has no vested inerest in the brace and played no part in inventing it or writing the protocol.

Concerned Dad, well done you! I have a(nother) confession... I am an ex-smoker . I gave up in December '07. It is hard at first, but well worth the effort. I tried a cigarette in November and wondered why I had ever enjoyed them. I do miss it a little though and even now enjoy the feeling of taking a deep breath in. However, I am now concerned that any health benefits gained by giving up the dreaded weed have been outweighed (literally) by the additional 20 pounds I'm carrying around. That's the next battle. *Sigh*.

Laura

[Pooka1]

Voodoo science

Oh that makes more sense. The choice of hours to be worn is driven at this point by picking some numbers and trying to be consistent for the research as far as I can tell. That is, they have published no data to the effect that the present regime is just enough and not overkill. It might be overkill or not enough. Nobody knows.

[RugbyLaura]

Immi's xrays

Hi here are copies of Immi's xrays:

1) from June '07 http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/u...ura/june07.jpg

and 2) Feb '09 http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/u...aura/feb09.jpg

[CAmomof2]

RugbyLaura,

Wow - you can sure see the difference - great!!! Hope it continues!

[LeahsMum]

Excellent results!! Is the second xray at 24 degrees? A huge difference, makes you feel so much better when you can see what the brace is doing for yourself doesn't it.

[jillw]

JenMom, you had mentioned before that you were looking into the cost of a spare bottom for the brace. What did they say it would cost?

My daughter's pelvic base is yellowing and the bottom straps are looking quite mangy. I'm not sure if they'd be replacing the whole brace at the next appointment, but if not I wouldn't mind having a new bottom for those occasions when she's changing in front of other children.

[concerned dad]

We're flying back to Montreal Wednesday. I am guessing that the examination will be quick, refit the brace and another xray. Am I correct? Any advice on what to do in the area of the hospital while waiting for the appt? Any nice little cafe's?

[christine2]

Concerned Dad
I posted to you and others on the other Bracing site. Good luck at your visit. I can not give you advice for your wait time because we always drive and are right on time for our appts. ( difficult to do when flying) They docs in Montreal are always on time, no waiting. Again good luck and if you think of it can you ask Dr Rivard about the progression test they have been working on.