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  • Laurie,
    Good luck with your pre-op appointment tomorrow. After seeing your surgeon, I'm sure he'll put you at ease. He'll probley talk to you about his plan in the surgical room. How long it will take, which vertebra's will be fused, ect. I'm so happy they finally let you's donate blood. It can be so fustrating waiting for the surgery date as it is. But when things are held up for one reason or another, it makes it doublely nerve racking. Now at least you can rest easy, if Josh needs blood, he'll have his own. Best of luck to you's. And please keep us posted on his recovery, ok.
    Sincerely,
    LeaEvelyn

    Comment


    • Thanks!

      LeaEvelyn:

      I can never think of anything catchy to put in my title lol

      Thank you for your thoughts. I just popped online to check for any additional questions I should ask and was glad to hear from you. We're pretty prepared, I'm hoping, but it can't hurt to double check.

      One more out of town trip after tomorrow for the blood donation. Did you ever hear of that EMLA cream that you can put on your hand so it's numb for the IV? When we did the hospital tour they told us to mention it to our doctor.

      I'll keep everyone posted!!

      Laurie
      Laurie
      mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

      Comment


      • Good appointment!

        Our appointment went very well today. The doctor had to have more x-rays done just to see if there was any progression since late January. Everything looks to be the same. She answered all of our questions, I think we were there just over an hour today. She checked Josh out and had him bend around for her but otherwise that is about it. I can't believe his surgery is in a little over a week. She did say that even if Josh has a slight temp or anything the night before, no matter what has to be juggled around, she won't do surgery.

        Just an update!

        Laurie
        Laurie
        mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

        Comment


        • 10 more days.....

          It looks like everything so far is a go. Josh donated his 2nd and final unit of blood yesterday, and then we had to go to the hospital where he's having surgery and fill out mounds of paperwork and give more blood. There was a nurse on that floor that worked in the peds unit where the kids would be after surgery, and she was very helpful and told us every single thing of what to expect. And she didn't sugarcoat it, either. I think Josh was kind of shocked a few times, but it is what it is, as I'm sure everyone who's been thru it can attest to. We have our final pre-op today with his primary doctor in town. I can't believe it's coming so soon, it seems like we'd never get here. I just want to thank everyone so much for your support and the wealth of info that I've found on here.
          Laurie
          mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

          Comment


          • Hi Laurie,
            I'm sorry it has taken so long for a reply from me. Did you ever get to use the ELMA cream? Shane had used that before. It was when he was little, and had to have a blood test done before he had tubes put into his ears and tonsels removed. It worked wonders for him.

            It doesn't seem that long ago and we were in your shoes. Time sure goes fast once your on the other side of surgery, and the worries are much less. Shane just had his 15 month post op check-up this past Thursday. He made out wonderfully, everything is staying as it should, nice and straight, horayyyyyyy!!!!!! But you know what? Even now, it was still nerve racking waiting to see his x-rays and his doctor. But they looked wonderful. I always get nervous waiting, old habits die hard I guess.

            You'll be in my thoughts and prayers for a successful surgery for Josh and a speedy recovery too!!! Good Luck with everything, and if you ever want to e-mail me directly, let me know and I'll get you my e-mail address, OK.
            Sincerely,
            LeaEvelyn

            Comment


            • Hello again!

              LeaEvelyn:

              Hello! It really does help to talk to people that have been in my shoes and have come out of it with a good story to tell. I'm still just worried sick about it and hope I can get thru this week without going crazy. It helped seeing the doctor and having her answer our questions, but when it's your child being cut open, it's just so hard, as I'm sure you know. I would love your email addy, if you want to send me a private message or however. I would greatly appreciate having the support if you've got the time

              We did get a prescription for that emla cream stuff, and the doctor gave us some patches to put over it. They said do it once you get to the hospital. When we did our pre-op blood testing, etc. that day at the hospital, they also said the surgery was 8 hours. I'll have to ask the doctor on that as she originally said 5-6 hours and that she'd need all of that. I'm wondering if they're counting recovery room?

              Thanks for listening again!

              Laurie
              Laurie
              mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

              Comment


              • Hi Laurie,
                I tried to send you a private message, but it kept coming up that it didn't reconize your user name. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I just wanted you to know that you may reach me at llentz5525@yahoo.com. I'm from Michigan. And my son had his spinal fussion done at age 13 too. He is doing wonderfully now.

                When the hospital called us to confirm his surgery date, they had him set up for a six hour surgery. Our surgeon told us it would take him about four hours to complete. With his second surgery, it was the same, the hospital had him down for a six hour surgery, but the doctor told us it would take him about two to three hours. So I assume, the hospital must book the room for longer than necessary, just in case something happens to make the surgery run over.

                Please send me an e-mail if you need me for anything. Remember, I been through this exact same thing not too long ago. You take care, and give my best to Josh.
                Sincerely,
                LeaEvelyn

                Comment


                • In surgery....

                  Josh is in surgery right now. They took him in around 7:45 and the nurse came out a few minutes ago to let us know that so far everything was going smoothly.

                  Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers!
                  Laurie
                  mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

                  Comment


                  • Hi Laurie ,
                    I'm sure things will go smoothly for Josh. Please keep us posted on his progress, OK. My thoughts are there with you!!! Take care.
                    Sincerely,
                    LeaEvelyn
                    Last edited by LeaEvelyn; 07-10-2006, 09:49 AM.

                    Comment


                    • The Schroth Method

                      Hi there Laurie. My name is Nicole. I am posting in regards to your second question, about there being any successful non-surgical approaches (i.e. exercise/physical therapy) to treating scoliosis. Yes!! In countries such as Germany, Israel, Spain, and now the U.S. there is a highly accepted form of exercise treatment of scoliosis called the Schroth Method. It began in the early 1900's and has evolved into a radically successful way of re-training your body to accept a new, correct posture. It address all aspects of scoliosis; both physical and emotional. Such as breathing diffaculty, pain/numbness/tingling due to uneven forces on the body due to curvature of the spine.. it also address the mental stress that comes from the asemetrical nature of scoliosis. It gives the patient a level of control over their scoliosis that surgery cannot.

                      You probably have not heard of this method of treatment before. This is because it was introduced in the United States a few years ago. However, the physical therapists that I can direct you to have been trained by doctors overseas who see patients rapidly. In fact the waiting lists to be seen in Schroth Clinics over seas can be months. That's how widely accepted this method is in other countries.

                      Please write me back with any questions. I would also like to add that I myself have 3 curve scoliosis and can relate to the challenges that your family is facing in chosing a treatment. I know that waiting and seeing, bracing, waiting and seeing, spinal fusion surgery was not enough for me.

                      Thanks, hope to hear from you soon.

                      Comment


                      • Out of Touch

                        Hi Everyone!

                        I just wanted to check in. I have been out of touch lately. We have had a crazy month including getting a new computer, so I have been trying to get everything transferred from the old one.

                        Laurie - I hope everything went well with Josh's surgery. I was thinking about you even though I couldn't post just then.

                        Hope everyone else is doing well. We are trying something new with Graham. We went to a physical therapist here who has created a whole program for treating scoliosis, including special equipment and everything. It's called Pneumex, some of you may have heard of it. Our original therapist said he wasn't sure how proven this system was which is why we didn't try it originally. However, once the surgeon said that Graham may not have to have surgery, we decided to try it. What have we got to lose (except quite a bit of money since our insurance doesn't cover it)? He has been going for about 6 weeks and they have corrected his "lean", the amount his spine leans forward, by 6 degrees. So, we will see how it goes from here.

                        I will try to keep up with everyone from now on!

                        Katy

                        Comment


                        • Successful Surgery

                          Katy:

                          Hello! I've been not quite as active on the board myself. Josh keeps me pretty busy! As of Monday we are 3 weeks post op. It was the hardest thing we've ever done, but seeing Josh stand up straight and tall that first day after surgery, I had to bite my lip to keep from bawling. I never thought we'd get to this point after all the setbacks we experienced. If there had been another way to have done this, I would have, but we just didn't have any other options. Pain management was an issue when we first got home, and at our 10 day post op appt that was taken care of and Josh is doing wonderfully well. He gained almost 3-1/2 inches in height. All in all we still have a long road ahead of us.

                          I wish you very well with Graham's treatment and hope it continues to bring you success!

                          Not sure what the post op curves are but we will find out soon!
                          Laurie
                          mom to Josh age 15, double curves 77T/55L Posterior spinal fusion done at age 13 on July 10, 2006 from T2 - L5 Now 35T/25L

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