Jessica from Discovery Channel Dr. Hey TV Show Comes back to Hey Clinic 10 year reunion!

Ten years ago last month, Jessica had scoliosis surgery with me at Duke University Medical Center.  Her story was featured on Discovery Channel’s show called “The Hospital”, which was a wonderful series of patient and physician stores from Duke Medical Center, similar to recent Boston Med show on ABC.

Jessica was a pharmacist her 20’s at the time with a severe scoliosis, and only 4 feet 10 inches tall.
After surgery she was two inches taller, measuring the magical 5 feet!
I will never forget that day in the operating room, and also in the clinic when we were all crowded in with the cameras and crews.

Bill Hayes was the producer of that show, and did an awesome job.  He has produced other successful documentary-type reality TV shows for Discovery Channel — he has a very thoughtful spirit.

Jessica’s story has been shown many times on TV over the past 10 years.  I loaned my copy of her video to a student years ago, and never got it back --- Jessica offered to send me a copy, which I would love to see again.

Jessica shared with me that she did have a baby 3 years ago, no problem with delivery, etc with her scoliosis.  They were able to do a spinal anesthesia, and she did bring her X-Ray into the hospital to show the obstetrician and anesthesiologist as I suggested, so they knew where the hardware and fusion ended.  People do listen to me!

She’s done great over the past 10 years, but had a flare up of some back pain when lifting something heavy a few days ago.  She may have given herself a small annular disc tear, which will likely heal up well with conservative therapy.

It was so good to see Jessica back, doing well 10 years later!  Time does fly.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Encouraging letter we received today from mom of two adolescent idopathic scoliosis patients who had surgery with us recently with severe curves

By Pamela B. – 8/27/2010

I have been wanting to write  this letter for a long time but words, at times, does not seem to express how grateful and thankful that God has used Dr. Hey for His purpose and mission to bless people, like my children, for the gift he has given us.  Let me just say that Dr. Hey has operated on both of my kids.

Derek, 17 years old, was complaining about back pain and he also stated that he had problems running.  When Derek first visited Dr. Hey in June 2008, his curve measured at 64 degrees; his right shoulder was higher than the left with the scapula more prominent than the left.    After a family discussion, we decided it was best for Derek to have surgery.  This was a hard decision, because who wants their child to go through major surgery?  I prayed about it and God gave me the comfort I needed.  Derek was scheduled for surgery on August 4.  His scoliosis measured close to 78 degree angle.  There was one thing I remember when Derek woke up from surgery.  He was crying, but he said, “Momma, thank you so much for allowing me to go through this.  It does hurt now, but I don’t regret having surgery at all.”   Wow, what can a parent say to that?  After staying in the hospital for a week, my husband and I took Derek home and we walked him every day.  He did very well but I was so nervous, as a mom would be, for my son was going away to college in a few weeks.  I wanted Derek to stay home the first semester and then go to college.  But Derek assisted on going and said, “Mom, I am going to be fine, I have to be a man and I will be alright.”    Well, Dr. Hey, Derek is doing great!  It has been over a year and he is so confident in himself and still feels that the surgery was the best thing that happened to him!   My husband and I do too!

Now, after looking at my daughter I knew in my heart that her back was worse than Derek’s.    My husband and I didn’t want Kayla to be operated on because she was so young.  But Dr. Hey reassured us; the younger the patient, the faster the recovery.  Kayla was 13 years old when she was operated on by Dr. Hey.  Kayla’s scoliosis measured close to a 90 degree angle prior to surgery.    Kayla recovered a lot faster than Derek and she is doing great!    She loves to dance, sing and she wants to take another class in tennis!   We totally trust Dr. Hey and would recommend him to anyone.

Dr. Hey, as I mentioned earlier, words can not express how I feel but I am going to try…Thank you, thank you so much for being a true blessing in my kids life.  You are a blessing from the Lord. You do not know how much it meant when you prayed for my kids, our strength, your strength and the hands of your team before, during and after the surgery.   Every time we joined together as one and prayed, I knew in my heart our Heavenly Father was in there with you and your staff and that, gave me so much comfort.    Below is a personal thanks to each of you:

Dr. Hey- We love you and please continue to bless others through your gift- your prayers and hands.

Jenny – Thank you so much for being there for my kids especially Derek – you were always so patient and kind answering my questions and concerns. Thank you for everything.   

Brittany – Thank you so much for being there when I had so many questions for Kayla and her medicine- you were always on time and always made me feel good even when I may ask dumb questions, thank you for your care and kindness.   Thank you, for everything.

Shelbi, Meredith, Melissa, Jennifer, Tiffany, Tracy, Sue – You are a great team and always so cheerful! Thank you for coordinating the surgeries, appointments and billings and especially for your kindness!    You know the old saying, first impressions last forever and you have far exceeded that impressionJ

Love you with God’s love,

Darryl and Pamela B
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Pamela and Darryl,
Thanks so much for this very encouraging note to all of us.  It means a lot.
Thanks for also allowing for us to share it with others through the blog.
Take care!

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Today's surgery: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Yesterday's surgery: Severe cervical myelopathy

This morning we straightened up Grace, a delightful 13 yo young lady from eastern North Carolina who had a 51 degree right thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).
T5-L1 instrumentation and fusion with evoked potential monitoring.
Surgical time:  2 hrs 20 minutes.
EBL 375 cc
Correction:  excellent.
Complications:  none.

Wow — what a difference from the 105 degree scoliosis correction I did last Thursday, that I shared about in the last blog!  A 50 degree curve seemed like a walk in the park!  There really is an advantage of fixing the curves when they are a bit smaller (40-50 degree range) compared to much larger.  The smaller curves are more flexible, less rotated, and probably a bit safer to fix.  Surgical times are also much less ---  half the curve size, half the time!  This emphasizes the importance for careful longitudinal follow-up for children and adolescents with scoliosis and kyphosis.  A stitch in time saves 9, or at least makes the job much simpler to fix!

Yesterday we helped an attorney from eastern North Carolina who was losing the use of both arms, and had clumsiness in both arms and legs.  His MRI showed severe spinal stenosis at C34 and C45.  I took the pressure off the spinal cord anteriorly with 2 level ACDF procedure.  His arms and legs felt better in the recovery room, and he went home today doing well.  He has a huge wonderful family, who were all here, including his 3 boys, their wives and his grand kids!  Great supportive family.

Yesterday I also helped a lady who had severe spinal stenosis at L34 and L45 above an L5S1 instrumentation and fusion I had done for her back at DUMC – Duke Medical Center back around 10 years ago.  She’s doing well now, getting up and around.

Carly, our 105 degree adolescent idiopathic scoliosis from last Thursday did great, and went home from hospital this past Sunday looking great.

Hope you are all doing well.


Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic

Carly's Postop X-Ray from 105 degree Preop scoliosis

Yesterday we straightened up Carly, the 11 Yo w 105 degree Preop curve.

Carly is doing well today and got extubated right after surgery.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

Today's challenge: 105 degree scoliosis in 11 YO girl

Surgery went great at WakeMed (for Carly with a C).
Notice the lung compression on MRI. Her pulmonary function tests were abnormal.
Nice correction.
Surgical time: 5 hrs 8 min.
Complications: none.
Ebl: 500
Blood transfused: none.
Great day!

Our 14 Yo scoliosis young lady from Monday (Karly with a K) was wandering halls w her parents looking quite straight an happy. She went home from Duke Raleigh Hospital this am.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic.

14 yo young lady w 44 degree thoracolumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis fixed this morning

I am back after a nice one week break, including a wonderful family reunion.
This morning I was "back in the saddle" and stopped in to see Karly and her family. Karly is obviously well loved: she had over a dozen people here, who all squeezed into her Preop room forming a circle of prayer led by her youth pastor. What a great group!

Her surgery this am went great. We go a great correction w T10-L3 instrumentation.
Surgical time: 2 hr 50 min.
Complications: none.
Postop location: large private ortho room w bed for mom or dad. ( not enough for everyone I saw this morning!!!)

It is good to be back. Hope you are all doing well.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic

75 up woman from Fort Walton Florida w 67 degree curve fixed today

She had severe progressive back and leg pain w trouble walking and progressive deformity.
T4-iliac wing instrumentation and fusion, laminectomies an osteotomies.
Ebl: 1800 cc.
Surgical time: 4 hr 30 min.
Complications: none.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic

14 up girl from Virginia w 59 degree Thoracolumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis straightened up today

3.4 cm Preop trunk shift to right.
Surgery time: 3 hrs 25 min.
Blood transfused: none.
Complications: none.
Correction: excellent.
Mom and patient will be psyched w the correction!

We did similar curve yesterday in 67 Yo who dis well and saw 26 Yo w sMe curve w severe pain after 3 pregnancies with progression of her curve.

Good week so far!
Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery