Doctor Consultation for Scoliosis Surgery

Taken while ice skating 1/12

Thursday last week we had the office visit with the orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Michelle Caird.  We came into the interview armed with a stack of questions that were answered and it helped to settle us a bit.  Bill was amazing.  He ran that part of the interview and was able to keep his head clear and take notes. My ears were ringing from the blood pressure spike and adrenaline in my system - making my head buzz.  It's really going to happen.  It turns out that we have mutual friends, and seeing her react warmly to the mention of it, put me more at ease than the answers to the questions did.  It shouldn't surprise me I guess, but that was an excellent example of how differently Bill and I are wired.  He needed the facts, I needed the relationship in order to feel comfortable with the procedure.  Don't get me wrong.  Knowing what was going to be going on is vital to me too, I just have a hard time thinking and being logical when my heart is racing.

There were some very important questions we had to ask.  Bill had a print-out two pages long about infection rates, if Jess needed to donate blood ahead of time, what kind of metal they were going to use, if there would be interns helping her (it's a teaching hospital) and what role they'd be playing, etc.  Those were the big ones to me, but there were lots more.

During the course of the visit, we told Dr. Caird about the thorasic spasms that she's been having along her shoulders (twitches that pull her arms back in a way that reminds me of a baby's startle reflex).  We'd attributed it to the scoliosis since the apex of her largest curve is there between her shoulders.  But Dr. Caird doesn't think it's related, and is sending us to see a neurologist before we make the date of the surgery in order to track down the cause of that.  They are supposed to call today to set that appointment. 

Before we left she sent us to radiology for xrays where they had Jess bend in many different positions so that they could assess how flexible she is, this being the tool to determine the size rods they'll use, and exactly where they'll place them.  Depending on how steep the lower curve is, they don't always straighten a patient completely, not wanting to put them on a tilt or off balance.

As far as dates for the surgery, we are looking for a "sweet spot" after mid-term tests and before spring break for making the date of the scoliosis surgery.  This way, she'll have at least one week in there that she's not falling behind on school work during recovery.

The best part of it, is that Jess seems more engaged - participating in what's going on and not emotionally running from it like she had in the past.  She only stuck her fingers in her ears once, when we were talking about the nitty-gritty gory part.  It seems to me that her desire for the surgery might stem from wanting the endless PT and chiropractic visits to finally stop.  Even though there will be large amounts of pain.  She keeps telling us that she has a high pain tolerance, and speaking as the one who used to spank her bottom, I'd have to agree.  But this will test and try her on levels she didn't even know existed before, and while I don't want her taken by surprise with it, I also don't want her fear of pain to keep her from doing what will be best for her. 

This leads us into logistics for what to do with arrangements in the house while Jess and I are in the hospital for a week, and then she is in intensive recovery for the next three.  We are thinking of putting her bed down on the main floor until she's recovered.  She won't get the best sleep while everyone is a wake and down here with her (though the drugs she's going to be on might not make that a big deal) but over the course of her recovery she won't be left alone in her room this way either.  Also, it might mean that Kim needs to get her license sooner rather than later, because I won't be able to pick her up while I'm in the hospital and she can't get home on the city bus (doesn't go far enough west to get her home). 

It's good though, thinking about all the logistics involved with getting her home and the long recovery pulls me out of freak out mode and into planning and coordinating mode.  That's good - right?  (At least until the day she's going into surgery, then I'll quietly freak out again in the corner.)

On to other news.  Lyss is now registered as a freshman at EMU and goes in for her orientation on March 20th.  Depending on when the date of the surgery is, I might need to find someone to sit with Jess while I go with Lyss for her orientation, I think she needs a parent with her and this is right in the middle of Busy Season for Bill, making him unavailable (possibly).

This is a pic from the web of what ours looks like.

Oh!  And our washing machine broke.  *blink blink*  You know in the grand scheme of things, when you stack it up next to the bigger problems, a broken washing machine seems like not such a big deal.  La!  The repair guy is supposed to come today to either fix it, or pronounce it dead.  I have a friend from church I'm taking to her doctor visits today so I'm hope full that I will be home when he comes, but it might be delayed.  With all the balls to juggle in the air, it's good to remember that some of them bounce.

So, that's the update.  Some of you have called or written to ask how the consultation went, because you were praying (thank you) and so you already got this replay of events.  For those of you who have been praying and waiting, thank you for engaging with the Holy Spirit on our behalf.

*side note*  The repair man just called while I was writing this post to set the appointment for coming to look at the washing machine today, and it turns out that I will be able to see them in the afternoon, when all the Dr. visits for my friend is over and after I've picked up Kim from school.  Nice.