Hi, my name is Anna, I am almost 15 and I have scoliosis.

We decided that I needed surgery and the date was set : Nov 19th 2009 Although it was later canceled dew to problems with the anesthesiologist, and the fact that I didn't want blood transfusions used in my surgery. But some problems still remained : 1. my curve was getting worse 2. I was constantly in pain 3. I still needed surgery . So I did some research and came across the Helen Devos Children's hospital web page. And found that they were the first in the country to do pediatric bloodless surgeries in the U.S. I did research on the surgeons and we decided to call. I later got a letter in the mail saying my appointment was for March 2010! We called and explained my curve progression and set up another appointment for November 17th 2009 at 8 A.M.! amazingly that night I got on spine kids and a newer member Haley asked if anyone had heard of a Dr. Halanski one of the two surgeons that do the bloodless spine surgeries up at Devos! I was amazed and talked to Haley for awhile and soon exchanged e-mails and became friends she had a surgery scheduled for December 8th 2009

NOV 17th 2009
The day soon came for me to go to Devos and I was nervous and still not entirely sure who my surgeon would be. A nurse took my weight and height measurements . I was then shown into a small room and given a gown and weird pants to put on Ugh! Dr. Cassidy came in then . He would be my surgeon along with Dr. Halanski Dr. Cassidy was very nice and answered all our questions he said if we chose to go with them he would fuse T11 to L3 far less then the other surgeon wanted to do ! so I was happy about that we scheduled surgery for the next available slot December 21st 2009! I would be having a posterior spinal fusion. I also found out my curve was then was eighty-five degrees L and around 55 degrees T ! we then went to talk to the people at the hospital in charge of the blood avoidance program . I had blood tests done and met Dr. sanfilipo from it and Cecilia the program coordinator were really nice and gave me vitamins to build my hemoglobin count up a little . Haley and I messaged almost every day and that encouraged both of us .

DEC 4th 2009 PRE-OP
Again we were up there for pre-op this time they took "Bending ex-rays", and discussed more about the surgery . And we left feeling confident and me nervous . I told Dr. Cassidy "You better do a good job on the 8th" ha ha it took him awhile to figure it out

DEC 8th 2009
My nerves were running like crazy. But Haley's surgery was four and a half hours long half of what they expected and she did great !

DEC 20th 2009
Staying at the hospitality house connected to the hospital I Finally got to meet Haley in person ! we had a lot of fun although looking back I have to applaud her for getting out at twelve days post-op! we had pizza and talked for awhile. Mom took pictures of my back that night for a before and after thing. I pained to go to bed at 9.P.M. no later. but it was already 8:30 when I got out of the shower and my parents were watching a movie. so I watched it too and went to bed around 10.P.M. but did fall asleep until 11:45 that night !

DEC 21st 2009
BEEP.... BEEP.... BEEP I lifted one eye open to stare at the clock it was 4:30 A.M.! My Dad had set his cell phone to go off then. I had to be at the hospital at 5:30 A.M.! I stayed in bed for awhile but finally convinced myself that I wouldn't get out of this. So I got up,got dressed. And got nervous I went down stairs hoping to get on the computer. and messaged Haley " HI Bye I'm going back to bed" not really but I wished I could have. I went back up stairs, and we headed on down to the first floor to the door that connected to the hospital . We were directed to the area for surgery waiting . I walked down to an unbelievably crowded room and was asked some questions by the registration woman and was given a wrist band .

Then I waited until a nurse came and called my name and led us to a room and gave me some hospital clothes to put on . Later they brought me in a lap top . I got on spine kids, and then a nurse came and took me to get me measured and weighed one last time . I then went back to the room and another nurse came and took a blood sample, asked me my name ,age and scanned my wrist band. I then got a "bravery gift" I picked a beany baby monkey that reminded me of my baby nephew.then I was pushed in the gurney to the pre-op room .Were many people were running around in scrubs and those blue surgical outfits I then met my nurse "Wendy" who happens to also be Haley's neighbor what a small world! I then met Dr. halanski and spoke with Dr. cassidy again then the anesthesiologist. He started a drip in my hand and explained when I woke up I'd have some more in my arms and what they were for. I then noticed my Mom crying and then that my Dad was as well. then I felt my own eyes stinging . It was soon time for them to wheel me back to the operating room. I remember the room behind the doors was cold I saw Wendy again ,and the anesthesiologist then placed a "oxygen mask" over my nose and mouth. I was awake for awhile but soon every thing went black.

RECOVERY ROOM
I woke up later in the recovery room I saw my Mom sitting by my bed and my Dad standing on the other side . "How straight"? The first thing I asked "VERY" answered my parents they saw the ex-rays taken after the surgery in the O.R. I started to cry a little "How long was it"? I asked four hours they said oh "How much blood did I lose"? A fourth of a cup or so [hardly any!] "Oh how long was it?" I asked again ... and again I was pretty out of it I closed my eyes but I could still hear my parents talking and heard Mom say she was going for lunch. I woke up a half an hour or so later and asked Dad if Mom were still at lunch he said she was , the anesthesiologist came and asked how I was I said "OK" and they said they could move me to the PICU

PICU
Waiting In my room was my Mom,Cecilia Wells, a friend of ours who drove three hours to be with my parents while I was in O.R. Cecilia said bye and so did our friend and I think I said bye too but I'm not sure of that I was soon asleep again . My Mom stayed that night and my nurse was a guy I remember that .... he and the other nurses came in every hour or two too turn me that HURT! I was so stiff . I later woke up in the middle of the night or so, rubbed my right side but it wasn't there or so I thought it was a pillow but it wasn't . The epidural had numbed the right side of my stomach . That scared me a little but the nurses came in and kept turning me every half hour or so and that helped.

DEC 22TH 2009 Day Two
Well I still had problems with feeling in my stomach and legs. Dr. Cassidy came by too see how I was , said my curve before the surgery was 90*!

The nurses made me eat crackers UGH ! absolutely NO desire to eat. the Physical therapist came and with the help of a nurse got me to sit up. That hurt A LOT and then I slowly slid my legs off the bed and they had me stand up. Now that hurt and then sit in a soft chair. They said I only had to sit there for thirty minutes but she didn't come back for one and a half hours! I wasn't very happy but they had a pediatric bed brought in and took me to the normal room out of ICU. That night a woman came in my room and started talking about "the dogs" What dogs? "Oh you spoiled the surprise "said my Dad WHAT? I asked again I found out therapy dogs were coming and I was one of the kids chosen to be visited ! I loved that because I really missed my Labrador "Maddie" and the dogs really cheered me up!

DEC 23TH Day Three
Well Dr. Halanski came by early this morning, and said he would bring my ex-rays tomorrow. I got all my tubes and drips taken out. And I walked to the railing out side my room and back.Sat up in a chair again for a half an hour. And ate jello and crackers, and got measured today.

My nurses are really nice and have to come in often to "boost" me in bed. That's were they grab the sheets under me and lift me higher in bed. Being almost 5"7 and in a pediatric bed isn't all that great.

DEC 24TH Day four
Dr. Halanski came by again,and brought the ex-rays taken in O.R. I think I cried after seeing them I never dreamed they'd be so much straighter the degree guess was L40ish and T15-20 and were they fused 5- I also walked to the corner of the isle, were the elevators are .And then was wheeled to the ex-ray room for more ex-rays, that wasn't very fun . Unfortunately I didn't get a very nice nurse and she ended up making me walk all the way around the "block" of the nurse station. Even though I was dizzy and tired from earlier. The head nurse and my favorite "Sarah" wasn't happy when I told her I was dizzy and what the other nurse made me do.But I had a rough night and got up a lot and had Sarah walk with me down the hall and managed the "block" again.

DEC 25TH Day five
DR.Halanski came by again and took my bandage off, replaced it with a less thick one that felt really good.Took a couple walks,The Doctor said I could probably go home in a day or two.

DEC 26TH Day six
I was told I'd be released to day! And walked three times already in the morning, after climbing some stairs I was told I could go.But since we were two and a half hours away from home. We decided to stay the night at the hospitality house.

DEC 27TH HOME!
The ride was bumpy, and we had too stop every half hour so I could get out and walk. I fell when I got home and that REALLY hurt. Then I took a long nap when I got home .

DEC 31
Well I fell again because I was stressed out, and wasn't thinking and fell out of the chair. That really hurt and Mom called the hospital and the surgeon's P.A. said it probably was nothing ,and unless the pain didn't go away I should be OK.

JAN 3
I stopped taking some of my meds and I no longer felt sick. And walked around the house a lot and that makes me tired but feel good.

NOW
It Is a long recovery which I am still doing. I can now get out and go shopping and other places I recently went for my six week check up and found out my bottom left screw is coming out [may or may not be caused by the fall] So I am not waiting for surgery number two to fix the screw. I am making good progress despite the screw and Dr.Cassidy said I should even be able to show my dog at fair this summer . And even with the screw problem I am confident it can be fixed and I am glad I went ahead with the surgery

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