Hi
Larry - how are things with you all? we took Mikenzi back
to St. Louis Tuesday and she got the leg and hip portion of her
brace cut off! she can sit now - walking and standing is
still very difficult. the brace still goes low enough that
she can't bend over from a standing position, in order to keep
her spine from too much twisting and turning. the doctor
said everything looks pretty good. still a long time before she
can be without a brace or before the spine is considered totally
fused. she also can't be around other children (besides
her sister) for 4 to 6 weeks for fear of being shoved or pushed
down or tripped, etc. so now we start extensive physical
therapy - which she hates, naturally. but she is still
being a pretty good trooper. however, along with the
"good" news comes the "bad". from her
incision site up to the base of her neck has started to curve
somewhat. the doctor had warned us about that before the
surgery - that once the vertebrae that were causing the problem
were removed, the curve could move on up or down the spine.
since we had been there three and a half weeks ago, the
curve had increased about 6 degrees. but the doctor says
it might come out of it on its own once she is up and moving
around instead of just laying. at least the portion they
fused is still straight and growing properly. we've
decided that for right now, we are going to concentrate on the
good - being mobile - and try not to worry about the bad. the
doctor says he feels any corrective procedures would be quite a
ways down the road.
so, did Joanna find out anything different when she went to the
doctor? I know sometimes it seems like going to the doctor
isn't even worth it when you continue getting bad news or no
news. and how is your father doing? i can't imagine
the burden you are carrying now - and yet you still find time to
help others! like I've said before, the world needs more
special people like you! take care and we'll talk to you again
soon!
Hi
Larry - how are things with you all? we took Mikenzi back
to St. Louis Tuesday and she got the leg and hip portion of her
brace cut off! she can sit now - walking and standing is
still very difficult. the brace still goes low enough that
she can't bend over from a standing position, in order to keep
her spine from too much twisting and turning. the doctor
said everything looks pretty good. still a long time before she
can be without a brace or before the spine is considered totally
fused. she also can't be around other children (besides
her sister) for 4 to 6 weeks for fear of being shoved or pushed
down or tripped, etc. so now we start extensive physical
therapy - which she hates, naturally. but she is still
being a pretty good trooper. however, along with the
"good" news comes the "bad". from her
incision site up to the base of her neck has started to curve
somewhat. the doctor had warned us about that before the
surgery - that once the vertebrae that were causing the problem
were removed, the curve could move on up or down the spine.
since we had been there three and a half weeks ago, the
curve had increased about 6 degrees. but the doctor says
it might come out of it on its own once she is up and moving
around instead of just laying. at least the portion they
fused is still straight and growing properly. we've
decided that for right now, we are going to concentrate on the
good - being mobile - and try not to worry about the bad. the
doctor says he feels any corrective procedures would be quite a
ways down the road.