Some good feedback on latest videos, and a couple new videos today

I got a couple of nice responses regarding the 5 video interviews posted from Friday's clinic, and a couple of emails back from the families who participated

Good evening Dr. Hey,

The video testimonies you posted certainly and greatly provide a wide range of circumstances and age group of people who travelled similar journeys toward a healthy straight spine made possible by your God given gift of healing. My son Charlie gave your blog of videos two thumbs up!

I am going to post your blog with these videos in my 3 homeschooling groups.

Thank you,

Madel

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I then got this note from Rachel's Mom, with an attached video.....

Dr. Hey,
This is a hip hop dance that Rachel learned on Saturday 8-17-13. It's her least favorite type dance but it just happen to be the choreography they learned this weekend so I thought I would share. She's in the pink tank top and black dance shorts. You have to follow her in the mirror to see some of it. She's a great dancer and I have to say this is probably the worst she's danced in a long time but I was more proud of her than ever!!
Thank you

Thanks for sharing guys.  I also posted some new video of today's surgery discussion and some interesting lessons from clinic yesterday.  Here are those videos.

Discussion of Patient concerned about Metal Allergy, and alternative treatments for scoliosis -- including extensive bracing and physical therapy.

Here's a good discussion I had with family regarding when to schedule their daughter's surgery

Here I am in the operating room going over today's surgery --- 60+ degree thoracolumbar collapsing curve, former adolescent scoliosis, now in 57 yo patient suffering badly with back and leg pain, trouble walking.

Here are Pam's X-Rays today right after I completed surgery, showing very good correction of her deformity, and very good balance.  We used our new Truss Technique for supporting the lumbar-sacral junction was used to help minimize stresses and decrease risk of hardware fracture at this high load junction.  Pam's curve progression from adolescence through adulthood, with declining quality of life and increasing pain is one reason why we encourage adolescent curves to be corrected at a younger age.  This allows us to get a better correction with a less invasive surgery, while allowing the person to enjoy many more years of better posture.

Spent some time this evening talking to a mom of a 16 yo boy who has a Grade IV spondylolisthesis with severe flat back syndrome and pain after surgery performed a year or two ago elsewhere.  These are tough problems.  More on that later. 

Great day.  Time for bed.  We have a complex anterior/posterior flat back syndrome surgery tomorrow for a lady who had fusion done elsewhere years ago, now with severe trouble standing and walking.

Dr. Lloyd Hey

Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

This past Friday at Hey Clinic --- 5 Hey Clinic guest families across the full age spectrum share their life stories on video.

After a nice couple of weeks off, last week I was back to work in the operating room in scoliosis surgery for adolescents and adults, and back to clinic as well next door at Hey Clinic.  I brought my new little camera and tripod with me into clinic this past Friday, and had some of our Hey Clinic guest families coming back for follow-up after scoliosis and kyphosis surgery who were willing to tell their story.  Wow!  I was blown away by what I learned from listening to their stories, and here they are for you to hear and see.  One of the cool things about our clinic is that we truly see the full age spectrum of spinal deformity, with literally moms with newborns/infants bringing in their kids in their laps, through the
small children with early onset scoliosis (see Maggie and her mom Lisa's video above in the red T-Shirts!) and congenital scoliosis, up through the MANY adolescents, then college/young adults and finally the adult groups.  Here are the several videos that I made, and figured out how to upload to YouTube and now share with you.  I even set up a YouTube Hey Clinic "Channel" -- woo hoo!  If you have any suggestions on how to do this better, let me know... I am open to suggestions.

Thanks to all the families who chose to share their stories. 

Dr. Lloyd Hey, Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery.  

http://www.heyclinic.com

13 yo Rachel 6 weeks after adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery returns to dance! 

David, Princeton Junior from Winston-Salem, NC shares his scoliosis story 

Mom tells her adolescent scoliosis journey, and her adolescent son's as well! 

Kate, from Hartford, CT tells her 30+ year journey with adolescent scoliosis through adulthood 

Pursuing Ballet and Dance Dreams After Scoliosis Surgery

July 23, 2013 -- email to Dr. Hey w photo from mom.

Hello Dr Hey

 Just a quick update on my daughter Haley. I can't believe it's been 2 and 1/2 years since her surgery. 

She was initially concerned that the surgery would negatively impact her dancing but in a few short weeks she'll be heading off to the North Carolina School of the Arts for her final 2 years of high school.

I was very nervous taking her to the audition since their ballet program is very competitive. I even suggested she cover her back so no one would make assumptions. But no one noticed her limited flexibility or the 12 inch scar, they only noticed her passion. Scoliosis and the surgery haven't stopped her from following her dreams.

We will always be great full for you and your staff and feel blessed by her positive outcome.

Sincerely,

Lisa C -- Haley's mom 

Haley's mom emailed me last night with this photo and update on her daughter Haley, and gave her permission to share this with all of you..  We often get the question from adolescent scoliosis parents:  "Will scoliosis surgery stop my son or daughter from pursuing her dream to  ... dance, play lacrosse, play soccer,  swim competitively, play college sports, go to Broadway.... you name it.  The answer in virtually all cases is "No, he or she should be able to pursue those dreams and remain very active through life.  

Thanks for sharing Lisa!  Dr. Lloyd Hey, Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

Neal, back to kayaking and enjoying life again after spondylolisthesis surgery

I got back this week to doing spine surgery again after a nice week off last week, including some kayaking, and reconnecting to family.  So far this week we've done scoliosis and kyphosis surgeries on several patients, ranging in age from 11, 16, 17.... all the way up to age 67, who needed a complex anterior/posterior scoliosis and kyphosis reconstruction along with osteotomies and laminectomies!!    She was quite a "pretzel", and really suffering bent over and to the side, and barely able to walk.

 We also helped a 26 yo woman from Fort Worth, TX who came here with painful spinal hardware put in about 12 years ago.  She is a very thin young lady, and the hook hardware was quite bulky.  Her hardware was removed, and had a robust fusion.  She heads back to Texas tomorrow.  One of our teenage kyphosis young ladies went home today about 2 inches taller and very happy with her new posture!  Our 11 yo patient is a "rock star" over at WakeMed Children's Hospital walking the floors postop day 2, anxious to go home tomorrow.  Our summer research projects are going well with 3 summer interns working along, as well as many visitors / mentorees.  Never a dull moment.

We've also seen a bunch of second opinion consultations this week on children, adolescents and adults with scoliosis, to discuss whether or not to pursue scoliosis bracing, vs. alternative methods vs. surgery.

Our 17 yo scoliosis young man that we straightened up today did great and gave me a big "Thank You" this evening --  with about a dozen people in his room, including I believe half of his church youth group!

 I got a chance to meet all of them, pictured below, right after the surgery.  What a support group!  Apparently their friends and neighbors put up signs on this young man's lawn yesterday to wish him well .... that is just awesome!

Got the following nice note from a gentleman who runs a  chamber of commerce here in North Carolina that I performed a lumbar spondylolisthesis surgery on about a year ago, doing great, finally back to the quality of life he wanted to enjoy including kayaking!!!  Thanks for your note, Neal and photo of you with your kayak.

"Dr. Hey,

What a week it has been at Atlantic Beach.  Many miles a day walking,
biking and kayaking.  I am doing things I thought I would never do
again.  I even put the kayak in and out of the water by myself!  Every
day I am thankful for miraculous healing and for your work. -- Neal "

Time now to get some rest.  Big clinic day tomorrow.

Hope you are all doing well.

Dr. Lloyd Hey

Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

http://www.heyclinic.com

quick update.... second opinions for scoliosis bracing.

It's been quite a while since I've taken a breather to sit down and write a blog post, but things have been going well with plenty of interesting families passing through our doors at Hey Clinic, and over at Duke Raleigh Hospital and WakeMed Children's Hospital.

The past several weeks, we've been focusing mostly on adolescent and early onset scoliosis surgeries with kids being out for summer.  We've also done scoliosis surgery on a 24 yo woman school teacher who is also out for the summer, who had a painful collapsing kyphoscoliosis.  Recently it seems I've seen quite a few younger guests and their parents doing second opinions for scoliosis bracing, as well as some for surgery as well, including a few for potential revision scoliosis surgery.  As we've shared in the past, I think it is important to make sure your adolescent is not only included in the scoliosis brace decision, but actually is fully aware of the long-term, daily 18 hour a day minimum requirement, that could last for several years.  At the end of the day, the adolescent also has to realize that the brace is not a guarantee that the curve will not progress, and it will not improve with the brace.  Surgery may still be necessary down the line.  Taking time to go over the choice is a good idea!

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