Tomorrow is D day...please pray for gabby!!!

[gabs mum]

Hi everyone,
we are here in hospital.
Gabby is having an MRI as we speak.
She is first up tomorrow.
I hope to update you all
Thankyou to everyone who has been so helpful and kind.
One last request

PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR GABBY....OR MANY

I hope so much we are doing the right thing.
I guess it is normal to have last minute doubts.

Thankyou all
Donna.

[jrnyc]

HI Donna
it is now almost 3 a.m. monday morning on east coast of U.S.

my prayers go out for Gabby for a smooth, successful surgery & the start of a smooth healing process....may she come to have a life free of pain & full of health & happiness...

best of luck
jess

[JenniferG]

I too, was first up on a Tuesday for Dr. Askin. I was wheeled into the holding bay at 7.30 am. It's 6.35 pm Monday evening so Gabby will be going to the Holding bay in about 13 hours, for the benefit of those who wish to include Gabby and Donna in their prayers.

Donna, Gabby has such a wonderful surgeon in Dr. Askin. He will take very good care of her. I had other patients tell me this about Dr. Askin and found it to be true so I am telling you. Not because I think it will stop you worrying or doubting, but hopefully it may enable you to put your trust in him tomorrow.

Sending very best wishes and looking forward to your first post, post-op!

[WNCmom]

Thinking of Gabby. I was in your shoes a year and two weeks ago. This will be a long day for you, but it sounds like she is in excellent hands. We'll be waiting to hear.

Mary Ellen

[mgs]

She's in my prayers throughout this day. So are you.

I had my surgery 3 months ago, and as challenging as it was (both the waiting and the first few post-op weeks). . .I am sure I would have found it LOTS harder to bear if it were one of my children rather than myveryownself. I have 5 kids, and any difficulty hurts TONS more when it's them, rather than me.

I look forward to your "hopped the fence" post. . .even though difficult, I think in some ways it's easier after the surgery - the dread is gone. You'll get through December, and (because there always is a silver lining) you and your daughter will be even closer for having weathered this together. Hugs!

[laurieg6]

Best wishes to Gabby for a very successful surgery. Soon the hardest part of the scoliosis journey will be over and she'll be on the road to recovery.

[momof2girls]

Hi Donna,

I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you and Gabby and that you are in my prayers. I hope her surgery goes well and she has a great recovery.

Wednesday Lauren will be 4 weeks post op and she is doing great. I have no doubts now about the surgery. It was the best thing for her. Hopefully you will feel the same way.

Charlene

[jjsmom]

Gabby and you are in my thoughts and prayers. Best wishes.

Barbara

[momw/scoli]

Hi Donna,

You and Gabby will be in my prayers tomorrow. My 14 year old daughter had surgery May 28 and she is great!! The coolest thing happened the day of her surgery. They were having an end of the year assembly and I texted one of her friends mom and told her they were wheeling Emily back for surgery. A teacher found out about it and the entire junior high had a moment of silence for Emily.
The first two weeks were very difficult, but before you know it scoliosis won't be a constant worry in your life. Emily was fused T1 to T11. She had two curves. The bottom curve wasn't fused, but it went from 43 to 25 by itself.
She is going to physical therapy to help with posture, left shoulder pain, and desensatation of her scar (I think that's what they call it). She actually did a back bend on Saturday to mark her 6 month anniversary after surgery! She finishes physical therapy next Monday and has her six month check up on December 9th. She plans on returning to basketball as soon as her Dr. releases her. Life goes on after surgery! Kids are amazing they recover so quickly!

Becky (mom to Emily 14 and Callie 11. We found out Callie has a slight case of scoliosis one month after Emily's surgery. Callie is wearing a Providence Brace. Her curves are 15T and 11L.)

[ddb]

Donna - thoughts for Gabby and your family as you go through this tough time. As her Mom this has to be the hardest time... it will be for me. Tomorrow your be on the healing side. Best to you and wishes for a fast recovery for Gabby.

Dee

[Katie12YROLD]

How are you all doing?

Hello Gabby's Mum, I hope you are doing well. Is she still in the hospital?

[JenniferG]

I too, am wondering and checking every day. It's early on the 6th day and Gabby's surgeon generally keeps his patients in hospital about 10 days. He was also my surgeon and I was in 19 days But I suspect Gabby will be home well before then!

[gabs mum]

We are home.

Hi!
Just a quick reply as i have lots of unpacking to do.
First of all...Thankyou so much for all of your thoughts and prayers.
Our journey was a very bumpy one.
Gabby had a huge sensitivity to either to anasethic or the epidural. No-one is really sure what happened.
She took three hours to breathe on her own after surgery.
She then spent the next 3 days in icu.
She was paralysed by what they thought was the anasethic and epidural so they put her on a pca to help with any pain and discomfort.
Slowly things started to strengthen in her legs and left side but the right was noticebly weak and numb.
they did an mri on her neck and discovered that the spinal cord in her neck was very swollen and pressing on her spine. They were even more confused.
We were given not so good news by the head of icu in an interview room
We both fell to pieces with our two boys next door in the waiting room.


I said i would keep it short didnt i.

To cut a long and diffucult story to tell, short....We are now home. She has nearly regained strength and feeling in her body apart from her right arm and hand and part of her torso.
We feel hopeful that we are seeing signs that it is still slowly returning and are praying so much that she has a full recovery.
I cannot express how much prayer has helped me to this point and I know it will continue to.
I would be interested to hear if anyone else had this kind of reaction to either drugs.
One doctor told Gabby that he thought that it would be best that she never drink alcohol as she metabolises drugs very slowly.
Of course they are still dumbfounded as to why the spinal cord in her neck would be so swollen.
The surgery itself went well.
She obtained a fantastic correction. Before...58 degrees and 54 degrees....now....12 degrees and 8 degrees!
Couldnt be happier about that.
So sorry I havent been up to updating you all.
I am looking forward to delivering more good news as Gabby makes a full recovery.
Love to all
Donna.

[jrnyc]

Hi Donna
that poor baby....how very much she has endured! prayers go out to Gabby for a full recovery...& to you for the strength & fortitude to care for her...for all your family to care for her....

try to get enough rest yourself so you can nurse your daughter through this most difficult time...

with best wishes for healing & recovery
jess

[Pooka1]

Wow very sorry to hear about the neck swelling and drug reaction but glad to hear she had a great surgical correction.

It seems impossible to predict some things.

I certainly expect her right side will recover just as her left side has already. I bet she has a full recovery.

Best regards,
Sharon