Andrea and her mom were back for postoperative follow-up for her kyphosis correction I performed for her.
She has had other Blog entries earlier this year, with her dramatic change in posture, as well as quality of life as a teen-ager.
She actually did a several month project for an English class that included a “shadowing” program with Jaclyn, one of my physician assistants.
Today in clinic she showed us her final project, and told us about her 6 minute Power Point presentation on kyphosis and scoliosis.
She actually had to present her whole project, including a kyphosis and scoliosis educational brochure to a team of judges.
Andrea proudly shared that she got a perfect “100” on her project.
Over the years I have had several adolescent scoliosis and kyphosis patients do science and other projects with me and my staff.
We have also had many former patients and family members participate in our “shadowing” program, some of whom have already made it clear they want to work at Hey Clinic when they grow up and be a physician assistant or physician, or physical therapist, or radiographic technologist.
Strong work, Andrea!!
Andrea wants to be a school teacher when she grows up.
I can see already that she is developing the right skill set to be a very effective teacher!
Take care Andrea, and have a wonderful Christmas.
Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.HeyClinic.com
I had seen this 30 yo woman years ago at Duke, and had recommended surgery, since she had documented progressive scoliosis, and had increasing pain.
However, at that time she was not ready for surgery.
Since then, she has had another child, her third, and her pain has gotten worse as well as her posture.
She has an unusual curve pattern with a severe R thoracic scoliosis, but also severe kyphosis as well.
She now has to take Methadone once a day due to the pain, and is still working, with some difficulty as a waitress.
She is now ready for surgery, and wants it fixed now before it gets any bigger, and also correctly pointed out that it is safer and you get a better correction with an easier recovery if the kyphoscoliosis is fixed when you are younger.
As you get older, the curves tend to get stiffer which makes the correction more difficult, with less possible final correction.
This case points out the importance of looking at the whole 3-dimensional deformity for every patient. This woman’s thoracic kyphosis needs to be addressed as well as the scoliosis which is very apparent on the AP view. However, most patients with thoracic scoliosis are actually hypo-kyphotic, rather than hyper-kyphotic. Yesterday, for example, I saw an 11 yo boy who had 40 degree scoliosis, who had severe hyphokyphosis of his thoracic spine to the point where his thoracic spine was actually sunken in, or lordotic. These severe hypo-kyphotic scoliosis spines result in severe changes in lung volume, since the anterior-posterior (AP) diameter of the chest cavity is severely diminished.
During my almost 13 years caring for children, adolescents, and adults with scoliosis, I have seen several young adult patients who had documented progressive curves who ended up declining surgery for a variety of reasons. Several of these patients have then returned a few years later, like this patient, now ready for surgery. Some of these patients actually worried when they came back that I would be “mad” at them for not taking their advice years before. I always reassure them that I would never be upset or mad with them if they opt to not have surgery. I am not the “boss” -- they are the boss. I am just here to serve them in any way I can.
Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
http://www.HeyClinic.com
Heather had her scoliosis surgery back on August 20th this year.
She's 12 years old, and had a severe double curve.
Postoperatively, she did just great, and was able to start school 2 weeks after her surgery.
Her posture is now excellent, and she is not having any significant pain, and is back to all of her activities, doing well in school.
She hasn’t decided for sure what she is going to be when she grows up.
I told her I’d give her another year to decide.
Heather expressed some interest in seeing some of our surgical videos. I have to do some searching around this Christmas break to see if I can find some of her footage from her surgery this August.
Some of my teen-age patients especially enjoy having some of their surgery filmed. Some have even created their own life story before, during and after scoliosis/kyphosis surgery. One of my patients named Michelle did an amazing job on such a video. She actually narrated her whole scoliosis story, including introducing her whole family on camera in the preoperative area, with a huge smile on her face, explaining why she was excited about getting her curve fixed. The final scene in her movie was about 6 months later at the pool in the summertime, as she dove into the pool with a bikini suit, and talked about her new posture and its effect on her life.
Years ago when I was still on faculty at “Big Duke”, Duke Medical Center, I was filmed for the Discovery Channel performing a double scoliosis surgery for a young woman with a severe curve. That was QUITE an experience, to be shared another time.
Now we use video, including a special camera mounted in a sterile light handle to broadcast the view over the surgical field so the rest of the operating room can see, along with nursing and pre-med, physical therapy, and other students and orientees who can watch the surgery at a safe distance from the sterile field on a big screen HD monitor.
Just so our blog readers do not get confused: There are 2 recent Hey Clinic adolescent scoliosis patients who are on the Blog named “Heather” -- both with large double curves. The Heather who had her surgery in August is 12 years old, and the Heather who had surgery this week is 17. The dad of the 17 yo “Heather Scoli” dropped into clinic today to drop off some wonderful cookies to our staff, and got a chance to meet the 12 you “Heather Scoli” and her mom who was there at the same time.
On another note, our scoliosis surgery patient “Chelsea” from Wednesday this week went home to Wilmington NC this afternoon doing well. She went home around 50 hours after surgery, walking and eating well, and did well in the “Home Bound” Room today, where she practiced climbing stairs and getting in and out of a test automobile. We never rush our patients out of the hospital, which is a real blessing, but it is amazing how quickly our adolescent and young adult scoliosis and kyphosis patients are up and around, and wanting to go home.
Our 17 yo “Heather” who had her double curve scoliosis fixed yesterday did very well with physical and occupational therapy today as well, and will go home tomorrow or Sunday when she is ready.
Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
http://www.HeyClinic.com
Today was the last day of clinic at Hey Clinic for 2007, and there was much Christmas cheer at Hey Clinic.
Someone brought in red Christmas hats in for everyone in our clinic, including me, Dr. Hey.
I initially declined the opportunity to wear the red hat. I don’t think I have ever worn a red Santa hat before, actually.
However, I eventually caved into peer pressure, and while standing out in our “Family Room” where our guests gather, I put on my red had while fixing myself a cup of coffee.
As soon as the hat touched my head, magic happened...
Much to my surprise, within 2 seconds of my donning of the great Christmas hat I heard a very loud “HO HO HO!!!” and in walks a very jolly Santa Claus with 3 helper elves, spreading much good cheer and candy canes.
There seemed to be a very direct cause-effect with the Christmas hat and Santa appearing.
Santa then posed for a picture with our whole Hey Clinic Team, including our newest team member Janara!
2007 has been a blessed third year as Hey Clinic.
I shared with our whole Hey Clinic team how thankful I am for all of them, and how important it is that we all work together synergistically to best serve the patients and their families from all over the country. We have learned a lot this year, and have made a lot of improvements, and look forward to a wonderful 2008.
Many thanks to Craig and Will from Synthes who brought us lunch today, and are always faithful providing the necessary equipment in the operating room.
Thanks also to all of the caring nurses, therapists, administrators, scrub techs, nursing assistants, secretaries, case managers at Duke Raleigh Hospital and WakeMed Hospital who serve our pediatric, adolescent and adult patients with compassion and skill.
Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
http://www.heyclinic.com
Today, Katie, our “pre-Med” intern, who is shadowing me this week, caught a glimpse of what it was like for Heather’s parents to talk to Dr. Hey immediately after Heather’s scoliosis surgery today.
After several years of scoliosis tracking, then bracing, then awaiting surgery — how will Heather’s parents respond when they see the new X-Ray taken after her scoliosis is corrected?
It is so precious to be a part of special moments like this.
Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
http://www.HeyClinic.com
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
