Cheer Leader Kendra and her family tell her Adolescent Scoliosis Surgery 4 Weeks Postop

Just finished up very busy week including a nice clinic day today seeing some postop and new and follow-up scoliosis and kyphosis patients.   Kendra, a "flyer" cheerleader and her family tells her story here, where her scoliosis surgery helped her greatly with her breathing, and her new posture!  You look awesome Kendra!!  Have a great summer.  Dr. Lloyd Hey - Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery http://www.heyclinic.com

Can my son / daughter play lacrosse / contact sports after scoliosis surgery?

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Justin
Date: Wed, Jun 18, 2014 at 4:56 PM
Subject: Lacrosse Pictures
To: Dr. Hey
Dr. Hey,

Just wanted to share a few pictures with you from this past lacrosse season.  It went really well.  We got to the playoffs for the first time in school history and managed to go all the way to the third round!   Thanks to you I've been able to play 3 years of physical sports.  But I know God has a plan and this is only the beginning!  I will be attending Cedarville University in the fall, majoring in business management and a minor in digital film.  Thank you for everything you have done for me.  I truly don't know where I'd be today without your gift.

Justin

--Justin gave his blessing to share his story and photos with all of you!  Congratulations Justin on your high school graduation, lacrosse recovery and success and future plans!  Dr. Hey

Here is a link to an older blog I wrote that included Justin's scoliosis surgery description and recovery:   http://drlloydhey.blogspot.com/2013/01/hey-clinic-week-in-review-we-eat-sleep.html

Here is content from that January 2013 blog: 
"This week I also saw Justin, and his mom.  Justin is a teenage lacrosse player, who had a very severe upper thoracic congenital scoliosis with growing severe shoulder asymmetry.  His preop X-Ray reminded me of a patient I got to help treat as Dr. John Hall's Chief Resident at Boston Children's years ago.  I actually brought Justin's X-Rays to a Boston Children's Hospital Grice Lecture Conference, where I presented his case to Boston Children's Orthopaedics alumni --- many of which are leaders in the field now and/or Chairmen around the country and around the world.  I got lots of different opinions on how to best help Justin, but everyone thought it would be hard....

Well, it was pretty hard, doing a upper thoracic osteotomy with congenital vertebral body hemivertebra excision, and complex instrumentation due to his quite mis-shapen vertebrae.  He had one of the worst thoracic hypokyphosis deformities I had ever seen, requiring special instrumentation techniques to pull his chest wall "out" where it was sunken in toward the heart and lungs.  He has done great postop, and is very pleased with his new posture and chest shape.

Justin is also an avid lacrosse player, and by doing a very strong construct, we were able to allow him to go back and play lacrosse starting back within a couple of months of his surgery, similar to Lexi who we treated from Baltimore.  Justin's mom and dad were very concerned that Justin's Lacrosse would be OVER if he had his scoliosis fixed, and even considered waiting until he was in college to have his scoliosis fixed.  They are not glad they had it done when he was  still growing, and get it fixed when curve was smaller.  "



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Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Introducing the New Hey Clinic Website

We are very excited to announce that the Hey Clinic has a new website! We have several new patient testimonials, an updated page with our current team and their biographies, and additional information about the Hey Clinic's mission.

Something that we are most proud of is that you can now search by either age group or diagnosis. The Hey Clinic treats patients of any age group and is currently accepts patients with scoliosis, kyphosis, or spondylolisthesis.

• Scoliosis – a side-to-side curvature of the spine producing an “S” or “C” shape
• Kyphosis  – (kyphoscoliosis) an exaggerated curve that causes a rounded or hunched back
• Spondylolisthesis – a condition that happens when a vertebrae slides forward or backward over the vertebrae below it

In addition, you will be able to continue making online appointment requests by using a link on the home page. Our new website is also filled with any information new patients might need about insurance or obtaining a physician referral. 

We are always looking to add more written testimonials on the Hey Clinic website. If you are a Hey Clinic patient interested in sharing your story, we would love to have you compose a short story about your surgery and recovery. It is always incredibly helpful for others contemplating surgery to see such positive and successful post-operation testimonials. 

Will I be glad I had my scoliosis fixed as an adult 1 year, 2 years... 5 years... 10 years later?

Lynn, who just celebrated her 10 year anniversary of her scoliosis surgery with me, send me her story today and said it would be ok to share with all of you.  Enjoy!  Dr. Lloyd Hey - Hey Clinic.

"My scoliosis developed late in my life not really impacting me until my mid-forties. My first signs were that of discomfort, feeling like I needed to have my back stretched or popped. I tried chiropractors and massage therapy which provided short term relief. I also remember asking coworkers of mine to walk on my back to make it feel better! When I was about 47 I started having friends remark about my posture and that I needed to try to stand up straight, which of course irritated me because I was standing as straight as I could. Due to the increased curvature of my spine from age 47 to 51 when I had my surgery I lost three inches of my height. My spine not only curved it "humped" over. As the curvature increased I begin to feel uncomfortable internally - feeling nauseous, light headed and experienced shortness of breath. About the time I met Dr Hey and scheduled my surgery my symptoms had progressed to numbness and tingling in my legs. I truly believe that had I not had surgery I would be confined to a wheelchair if even still alive.

Immediately after my surgery the physical symptoms of nausea and light headedness disappeared. I was in the hospital at Duke for five days and then went home and begin feeling like a new person. I love to walk and fortunately it was part of my post surgery prescription. A week after I returned home I had worn out the wheels on my walker and had to get them replaced! Recovery from the procedure went very smoothly with minimal discomfort.

Today at 61 I am healthy and happy thanks to Dr Hey.

Lynn

Sent from my iPad"

What motivated Dr. Hey to become a scoliosis / spine surgeon? The story started 36 years ago today.

June 5, 1978 was a "game changer" day for me for sure.  At age 16, I was a really good "tinkerer" and mechanic.  I could fix and restore just about anything: motorcycles, outboards, lawnmowers, old wooden sailboats... you name it, I could fix it. .But, 36 years ago this afternoon, heading home from a "fix it" job fixing someone's boat, I got hit by a car, and in just one second my whole life was turned upside down.  One second a care-free teenager, the next second I was on the ground, with severely crushed leg, bleeding very badly.  After crying out to God to spare my life, I saw help coming with a nurse who put a tourniquet on my leg... then the ambulance arrived with my best friend's big brother Terry to hold my hand on way to hospital.... to a caring pastor who happened to be there in the ED to be with me til my parents could arrive... to Dr. Mark Pitman, who was willing to step up and try to save my leg and my life... and the many other caring physical therapists, nurses, nurse's aids who cared for me over those next 3 months in the hospital with 11 surgeries and countless setbacks and disappointments.  But there was always an encouraging smile, a listening ear, and a compassionate response that kept me going through it all.

There is no doubt that God used this very "bad thing" in my life to change my heart and direction, working through countless caring people to bring healing in more ways than one.

I am forever indebted to all of them, and every morning I wake up, and put both feet on the floor I remember:  Life is a gift.  But I remember in a special way each year on June 5.  Thank you Dr. Mark and Charles Pitman, Barbara Bader, Physical Therapist, mom and dad, brother and sister, Pastor Brown, and countless friends, family members and caregivers.  Life is a truly a gift, and you gave my life back to me so I can now share it freely to serve others with the same compassion you shared with me.

Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
http://www.heyclinic.com
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

What is Long-Term Outcome for Adult Scoliosis Surgery at 10 years? Lynn's 10 year report.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Lynn
Date: Wed, Jun 4, 2014 at 2:51 PM
Subject: 10 YEARS!!
To: "hey>

Hello Dr. Hey,

 I am writing you in honor of what is about to be 10 years since your performed my miracle surgery – June 15^th ! That is the day that will be much celebrated by me as it is every year. I promise you that not a day has gone by that I don't think of you with thankfulness in my heart. I am still walking miles every day, working out at the gym and even doing yoga. Your expertise as a surgeon has given me the highest quality of life that allows me to appreciate every day on the planet.

I hope at some point our paths will cross again either by visiting your clinic or perhaps seeing you at Beaufort (if you still visit the coast). I would love to give you a hug and look you in the eye and let you know how very much I appreciate you Dr. Hey.

Thanks for everything and all the best to you always,

Lynn

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 Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS

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