Any advice on helping me prepare my 11 yr old daughter for back surgery to correct scoliosis?
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I'm 17 and I had my spinal fusion a year ago this summer. I am so glad I had it. I really was against it at first (b/c i was scared mostly) but now i see how much better i feel and look after having it.
My posture has changed tremendously, I had a hump that had started forming on one side of my back and that's gone, and I grew probably a full inch and a half to two inches! I had no idea how self conscious i was about my back until after the surgery, when i had healed this new confidence about me.
The part I remember being the most scary before-had was not knowing how things would turn out. I kept hearing how I might be limited for a while (and the not being able to bend a part of my back) and that freaked me out, but little did i know that i never did as much bending in that part as i thought anyways!
Just make sure you let her know that she will be able to do the same things she did before, after she heals of course which is only a few weeks. She can jet ski, run, rock climb, horseback ride, whatever, and is not "crippled" b/c of the surgery. Just make sure she is aware of the positive outcome and doesn't only hear the limitations of the first few weeks.
Oh and the scar, i don't know about how your daughter feels about scars or what type of surgery she is getting, mine was just a thin line all the way down my back. I kept bandaid tape on it when I went in the sun so it wouldn't turn purple and now you can't even see it anymore.
Also i get so many compliments on my posture now when before, if i had not had the surgery, i would have ended up a hunchback! Well hope this helped.
Good luck with the surgery. You won't regret it after it's all over and done with I promise!
educate your daughter and yourself. make an appointment with the surgeon and the nurse to discuss exactly what to expect before, during, and after. contact the OR and ask for a tour. visit the pediatric department of the hospital where she will stay afterwards to acquaint yourselves with the area. ask the surgeon to put you in contact with other children her age who have gone thru the same. knowing she is not alone will help tremendously. have her talk to her friends and family members -playing the role of teacher will empower her.
Allow your daughter to be part of the conversations that you have with the surgeon. The surgeon will give some very good advice.
Make sure she fully understands what she'll be going through. The more she knows, the less scared she will be. And tell her that everyone there is there to make her feel better and help her. Let her know that you'll be right there for her and it will be over before she knows it. Also, don't mention it over and over to her or in the family. If you make it a big deal, it will only stress her out more. Good luck to you and good luck recovering, 11 year old!
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