FIVE YEARS POST OP UPDATE

*****To start at the beginning of our scoliosis journey go here

Yesterday Sydney had an appointment with Dr. Newton for her five year post op check up.  It's been two years since we've seen him.  We arrived and she changed in to a gown and went in to the room to get a current x-ray.  Once that was complete we were taken in to the exam room to wait for Dr. Newton.  While we waited, nurse Amy came in to the room to see us.  She is Dr. Newton's nurse and was a big factor in making us all feel very comfortable when Syd was facing her surgery. Amy is everything you want in a nurse and an advocate.  She was so involved and we really got to know her five years ago when we spent so much time together.  She walked in the room and immediately hugged Sydney and studied her.  We did not see Amy at our last appointment two years ago so it had probably been four years since she had seen us.  In that time, Syd has gone from a 13 year old girl still partially recovering from her surgery to a 17 year old young woman who is about to become a senior in High School.  It was great to see them reunited.  Amy, of course, asked about Jack.  She remembered him being such a champion for Syd and being the one to feed her ice chips and put a cool cloth on her head right after surgery.

When Dr. Newton came in he brought three visiting Doctors with him.  He is rarely alone because someone is always trailing him to learn more about scoliosis and its various forms and treatments. He informed us that the x-rays looked great and that Syd's back looked exactly as he had hoped it would.  He took some measurements, asked a few questions and was on his way.  He told us to come back and see him in five years for another check-up.

Sydney had agreed to participate in a long-term study which follows patients for 25 years post operation to document their recovery.  This meant we had to stay and a representative from the study came in and asked a few additional questions and and took some photos of Syd's back.  Once she was done we were free to go and we won't have to go back again for another five years.

I must say it is such a relief to be five years post op.  For various reasons I have gone back to revisit Syd's diagnosis and the decision we made to have the surgery.  That was such a tumultuous time for all of us and it felt like we would never get to this point.  Yet, here we are and we have no regrets about the decision we made and are so very thankful for all of the doctors and nurses that cared for Sydney along the way.