Preparing for Complete Spine Fusion Surgery
August 26, 2010
Monday is the 1st appointment to prepare all for Johnathan's biggest surgery yet. Dr Anderson from St John's Hospital in St Louis will be doing the surgery, along with his team of fellow docs. We have ortho, general surgery, pulminologist and GI docs all coming together for the surgery.
I have chosen St Louis and Dr Anderson because I do not agree with Childrens Mercy's idea that breaking docs down into limited specialties is beneficial to the patient, at least not when you have one doc for spine and another for arms and legs...they are a package deal. Johnathan is a quad by brain default, not because he structural can't. I would not want the fact that he is now a quad to deter any impulse decisions in thinking. Not to say anyone would, but when my experiences there have shown me that they are so easy to diagnose based on his CP diagnosis, I don't even want to know what else they may or may not do based on that same fact.
Besides all that, I have to know and totally trust the doctor. Dr. Anderson has doen the other ortho surgeries on Johnatahn in the past and is aware of the unforseen issues that always seem to arrise. I am very confident in him and his team.
So, Monday is sedation x-rays, to see just how straight and untwisted my little pretzel can get. Sedation is always scary from the first attempted IV poke to the 24 hours after when the meds finally wear off. Then Tuesday we meet with the pulminologist to get a basic association and see if he feels there are any red flags for the strength of Johantahns lungs in this lengthly procedure. We do have that little rattle ever since the H1N1, but have not had anyissues with it.
Once all that is done, docs have until the 15th to give me their plan of attack. I feel it will be from front and back and palcement of his feeding tube will also have to change. Big, I know.
We have 3 potential surgery dates all in October, but again, the team will need abit to set that final date into play. We will be between the hospital and the rehab facility for a minimum of a month. It will be hard on the family, but I know it is best for Johnathan. I will be confident in my new crash course by the time we return home and able to do wht is necessary to keep him safe and on the road to recovery. Love the fact that it will minimalize the guessing game of what ifs.
Please keep Johnathan in your prayers.
I have chosen St Louis and Dr Anderson because I do not agree with Childrens Mercy's idea that breaking docs down into limited specialties is beneficial to the patient, at least not when you have one doc for spine and another for arms and legs...they are a package deal. Johnathan is a quad by brain default, not because he structural can't. I would not want the fact that he is now a quad to deter any impulse decisions in thinking. Not to say anyone would, but when my experiences there have shown me that they are so easy to diagnose based on his CP diagnosis, I don't even want to know what else they may or may not do based on that same fact.
Besides all that, I have to know and totally trust the doctor. Dr. Anderson has doen the other ortho surgeries on Johnatahn in the past and is aware of the unforseen issues that always seem to arrise. I am very confident in him and his team.
So, Monday is sedation x-rays, to see just how straight and untwisted my little pretzel can get. Sedation is always scary from the first attempted IV poke to the 24 hours after when the meds finally wear off. Then Tuesday we meet with the pulminologist to get a basic association and see if he feels there are any red flags for the strength of Johantahns lungs in this lengthly procedure. We do have that little rattle ever since the H1N1, but have not had anyissues with it.
Once all that is done, docs have until the 15th to give me their plan of attack. I feel it will be from front and back and palcement of his feeding tube will also have to change. Big, I know.
We have 3 potential surgery dates all in October, but again, the team will need abit to set that final date into play. We will be between the hospital and the rehab facility for a minimum of a month. It will be hard on the family, but I know it is best for Johnathan. I will be confident in my new crash course by the time we return home and able to do wht is necessary to keep him safe and on the road to recovery. Love the fact that it will minimalize the guessing game of what ifs.
Please keep Johnathan in your prayers.
Posted by Tonni Brende.
