Sigh.
When you are a momma of a kiddo (or two ;)) rockin' Spina Bifida, there are a few things that always run through the back of your mind.
- How is that shunt working?
- How is their urine looking today? Do I think they are still UTI free?
- Are their bowels up to par?
- Is there any tethering going on I can't see?
There are a few more, but I'd say those are the big ones. A little cold, every flu, every bout of crankiness, you question if it could be more. I don't think this is a bad thing, I think it is just being an aware parent, and part of what goes along with the job of raising a kiddo with some extra health considerations, but regardless, it is always there.
Today we saw our orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Segal. He answered #4 for us for Madi. Bummer. We knew this day may likely come, but it's a day that I think every parent of a child with spina bifida dreads.
Before our appointment, the nurse wanted to do a spine x-ray, as at our last appointment, Dr. Segal mentioned she had a slight curvature to her spine and he wanted to check it out. Turns out there is a curvature. A big curvature. She has scoliosis at about 50%. That's fairly major, and the ramifications of that percentage are not so wonderful.
There is a good chance Madi is so curved because her spine is tethered. Every child with spina bifida that has had a back closure surgery IS tethered, however, if that tether becomes symptomatic, it's time to treat it, which means a
de-tethering surgery.
The good news is that a de-tethering surgery may stop the progression of the scoliosis. Dr. Segal said anything over about 40% curved is not often fixed with the surgery, but it would hopefully stop the progression. The downside of the surgery is that about 10% of children come out with less functioning than before the surgery. It also leads to more scar tissue, which can then lead to more tethering, which then, of course, can lead to more surgeries to de-tether the spine. It's a cycle that you do not want to enter unless you have to, though it is important to address the issues and have the surgery if it is necessary, as degeneration can progress by not doing the surgery.
Dr. Segal wanted us to see Dr. Moss, our neurosurgeon, and talk to him about Madi's symptoms and the possibility of surgery. Thankfully we were going in to see him next week anyway, so the timing is perfect. Madi also has to get fitted for a scoliosis brace. She will need to be in the brace the entire day, unless she is standing, or unless she is sleeping. I made an appointment with Ron, our go-to guy at Hangar, for this Friday. I am praying this will be an easy transition for Madi and that she will not hate the brace. Tami, our PT, came with us to the appointment (This is the first one she has been able to come and I was so thankful to have her at this one... that was totally a God thing) and asked Dr. Segal what that means for her mobility. Does that mean she has to be in her wheelchair at home, or can she still crawl and climb as normal? (As of right now, wheelchairs stay in the car for when we are out and about, and we crawl, get held, or stand in the house. I know we can't/won't do this forever, but for now, I feel it is best for the girls.). Dr. Segal said that there would be know way we could stop Madi anyway, because she has such a determined personality, so there is really no point in trying. He said Madi can resume normal routines in the brace, so that is great news!
Before we agree to the surgery, there are a few things I feel need to be done at our appointment with Dr. Moss, her neurosurgeon.
- Madi's x-ray today was taken sitting up. Because her left hip is dislocated, though, and her right hip is not, her body doesn't sit level. Though I do fully believe she is curved, I think the percentage may be accentuated because of the way she sits. I would like them to x-ray her again, but this time laying on a table, so that we can see how the spine looks at that point. If it's still 50%, then that's ok. It is what it is. I just want to make sure. Also, if it's slightly off, and she's at say 30% or so, then the detethering may help to reverse the scoliosis, which would be amazing.
- I would like to try and establish a baseline for Madi's spine, as this is the first time we have checked for scoliosis. Madi had a sedated MRI done about 2 years ago where they checked her spine. I would like Dr. Moss to review the scan, specifically looking at it for the degree it is curved, and compare it to her current x-rays.
After we review those two things and talk with the neurosurgeon next week, we will likely have a game plan for how to proceed. I will keep everyone updated.
Though today's news was not what we were hoping for, we know everything will be ok. After drowning myself in Starbucks and talking things through with David and my mom, I feel more at peace about how to proceed. Madi is such a spunky and determined little girl, and I know she will not let this slow her down. Though it looks like a setback, I know in reality it will make her stronger. I wish you could have seen her today. She was in her HKFOs, standing tall. She walked (with Tami holding her hands) right up to Dr. Segal, looked at him in the face, and said, "I want to walk by myself!" I fully believe one day she will. We have been talking about getting her a device like a TAOS or gait trainer to help her be able to walk independently, but Dr. Segal says he does not think it would be a good fit for her, as it would do too much work for her. He also fully believes that she will get to the point where she can walk on her own (meaning walking in her HKFOs using a walker or her arm crutches, without needing the help and support of an adult) one day, sooner rather than later, and told her that. He told her to keep working hard and getting stronger, and that she would soon be doing it on her own. That answer seemed to satisfy her :).
Please be praying for wisdom and guidance for Dr. Segal, Dr. Moss, David, and I. Choosing surgery is not always an easy thing to do, especially when it is not life and death and there can be so much grey area, but sometimes it is just so important (like it was with her vesicostomy surgery). The idea of another surgery with more anesthesia, more antibiotics, and more recovery time, is not ideal, but we really want to do what is best for Madi in the long run.
Thank you for praying for our family and for walking our journey with us. Your love and support truly do mean more than you will ever know!
