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  • Mother going for surgery Aug 31

    Hi everybody,
    I'm new at posting. My mom is going in for surgery on August 31st in San Francisco. She's 73. She has severe scoliosis and it's squishing her lungs. Her surgeon is Dr. Serena Hu. I just wondered if you all would pray nice things and think good thoughts for her. Her name is Betty Newton and she's a trooper. She also has a really good heart, in more ways than one.

    Thanks, and bless you on your journeys.
    Laura Brittain

  • #2
    I hope and pray that your mother's surgery and recovery will be successful and uncomplicated. Quite a surgery for a 73-year old to endure....how many vertebrae will be fused?

    Renee

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    • #3
      Most of her spine

      Hi guys,
      Most of mom's spine will be redone. Then if she's ok they will do some work on the rib hump. She's quite a trooper. So determined. I have a lot of respect for all of you who've had the surgery, even who've had to live with this condition.

      Take care,
      Laura

      Comment


      • #4
        I will certainly be thinking of and praying for you and your mother tomorrow. So, will she possibly have a 2nd surgery (for the rib hump) if everything goes well tomorrow?Please let us know how she's doing whenever you are able. Take care-

        Renee

        Comment


        • #5
          I hope everything goes well for you mother. I will be thinking of her tomorrow. Please let us know how things go.
          Brandi
          Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
          Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
          L1-S1
          Dr. William Lauerman
          Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
          Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
          http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

          Comment


          • #6
            six am tomorrow morning!

            Just found out Mom's surgery is at 6 or 7 a.m. tomorrow (August 31st). The surgeon showed Mom's xrays to her students and other doctors as a "challenge" case. Mom hasn't once mentioned being nervous, although I think she might be. She says you just have to put one foot in front of the other.
            They're going to do one back-straightening operation tomorrow and maybe conclude it in a second operation on Saturday. T2 to L5.
            Probably they won't change the rib hump. I wish I knew her curvatures so I could post them.

            She is a cute, little, almost old lady. Very pretty.


            Bless you... all...
            Laura

            Comment


            • #7
              Praying things are going well for your mom right now.

              Comment


              • #8
                Laura,

                Prayers and positive thoughts for your mom and you. She is blessed to have a daughter like you.l

                Chris

                Comment


                • #9
                  God love her Laura. I am sure he does and you, he loves us all. I am praying for you and will do tomorrow. It is 5.43pm Friday night 1st September here in Australia. So I will have a little longer for my prayers.
                  Bless you both. I love her philosophy . Just put one foot in front of the other ,I think there is a lot of people who could learn a lot from that.

                  Macky xx
                  Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                  Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    surgery went well

                    Hi,
                    Mom's surgery went well yesterday. Instead of a 7 hour surgery, which we expected, it was only 4 and a half hours. Instead of doing more surgery today, which they said they might have done, they may or may not do a rib hump removal in a year. By then she'll be a tender young 74 year-old.

                    Last I heard she was still "asleep", (held under with the medicine), but they're waking her up today.

                    They are so good at this operation now, it's quite remarkable.
                    I will post when I hear that she's awake. From here on out it's just recovery, travel, lots of work.

                    Dad, who hadn't ever been on a commercial flight before this trip to SF, said that when they wheeled her out of prep and he and she exchanged a few words she looked calm. And she looked sort of triumphant, he said.
                    Her determination is so vast.

                    He said this surgery could add 5 or 10 years to her life. She really couldn't breathe well before and had to nap continuously throughout the days. She could nap anywhere instantly.

                    So, good luck to all of you in your days. Thanks for the prayers, that meant so much. I was a bit nervous. So was my sister.

                    She'll hopefully be bossing the nurses around soon. (Hee Hee.)

                    Laura

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      So glad to hear the surgery went well. Your mom sounds like quite a woman! Best wishes to you, hope your mom's recovery goes as well as her surgery. Take care-

                      Renee

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        So glad to hear Mom's well. Please keep us posted on her recovery.
                        Brandi
                        Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
                        Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
                        L1-S1
                        Dr. William Lauerman
                        Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
                        Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
                        http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Oh Laura, I nearly cried when I read your post. I am so very happy for your family. Wow the power of prayer. The operation took a much shorter time than expected and then no second operation.
                          I wish you all the very best and a quick and succesful recovery for your wonderful mum.

                          Macky
                          Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                          Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Laura great to hear your mum went well in her operation. She is a trooper!!!
                            Keep us posted on her recovery.

                            Lee xx
                            Had surgery May 28th 2007 Anterior/Posterior getting fused from T3 - L3

                            http://curvedgirl.blogspot.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Mom's recovery

                              Hi guys, hope you're well.

                              I told Mom about people's prayers and good thoughts when I was in the hospital the past few days. She smiled. She's drifting in and out of that necessary dance with pain killers. She has good nurses, great doctors, and does her Physical Therapy daily. It's been a week since the operation and she is slowly recovering, but without any complications. The doctors say she is doing fine and can possibly come home to San Diego in about a week. We'll see. She's still too weak to move. When she does it will probably be by ambulance.

                              It's been a little bit surprising to me to see how long she's in bed, unable to function. That's because of the highly-necessary meds. But she does eat a little, comb her hair, sit up with help...

                              I'm writing down this experience in the hope that it will encourage and help educate others. I figure if my little old 73-year old mommy can do this, it may be a flag of hope for someone else. Seems like this surgery is often covered by insurance and government programs, so...
                              But her scoliosis was so severe it would have killed her eventually.
                              We'll see if this helps her lungs. She looks taller.

                              Above all, my mom hasn't shown any fear. So that's good. She is good and dopey right now, though!

                              Thanks for listening!

                              Take care, all,
                              Enjoy your days.
                              Laura

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