There's An S on Her Back!

When Aubrey was little I noticed a little curve in her back. Our pediatrician said it was nothing. (Our Ex-pedi, now.) She was officially diagnosed after an x-ray in 2005 with Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis. Her curves were 27 (thoracic) and 30 (lumbar) degrees. By January of 2007 her degrees had progressed to 44 and 28 degrees. She received her 1st brace at this time. And surgery was scheduled.

Vertebral Body Stapling~

For patients with progressive moderate scoliosis (less than 45°) who are still growing (girls up to age 14 and boys up to age 16), intervertebral body stapling of the convex (outer) side of the anterior spine may keep the curve from progressing. With the convex growth plates held in check, continued development of the concave (inner) growth plates should stabilize the progression and may allow some slight correction of deformity as the child grows. (From spineuniverse.com)

We went to Philadelphia to Shriner's Hospital to Dr. Betz (the best at this surgery) in April 2007. Our second trip there by now. Due to the angle that the surgeons have to go in, they had to deflate her lung, then insert a chest tube during recovery (one of the scariest parts for me)! X-rays just prior to surgery showed her upper (thoracic) curve at 47 degrees! She had progressed so quickly! Scoliosis usually hits during puberty, so it is unusual for hers to be so aggressive, so young. After the staples were inserted, she x-rayed 25 degrees!

So since surgery, we take x-rays every 6 months and check degrees. And our little Miss keeps growing! So Aub and I are on our way to Philly tomorrow(her 4th trip there) for a new brace (her 4th). I'm way nervous about driving around there by myself (they have no mercy!) and getting around by myself. So pray for us. I won't be posting until next week some time.

{Stacey and MacKenzie gave Aubrey the Build-A-Bear and even made it a brace ~ Thank you, guys, it is so special to her!}