I just got permission to name the wonderful surgeon who fixed Son’s spine (you need to see previous post). His name is Peter Woodland and I am trying very hard not to fall in love with him – hehe! Son took this photo from Peter’s computer at our last appointment.
And here is a picture I took today of Son’s brace-free back:
Thank you, Peter Woodland!
jmgoyder 
How wonderful! I keep saying it, but it is 🙂
Hope recap not too boring – good record for me as much of it was a little bit of a blur because I was soooo anxious!
Not at all boring – good news is…wonderful!
Thanks, Tilly – you are a champion! Juliex
Beautiful! And what a relief for son! 😀
~ Lynda
That kid has been through a bit hasn’t he!
It’s hard not to fall in love with some doctors, especially when things turn out so well.
I have been falling in love with a few lately!
This is so wonderful! YAYIEE! 🙂
So very happy for the both of you.
Thank you so much, ElysiaK! Jx
Love!
Yes!
How wonderful.
Hi,
It must be great for him to have the brace off, just fantastic. 🙂
So wonderful!
Holy Cow! What an incision line ! Hope he is feeling well and standing tall 🙂
When the scoliosis went crazy, Son seemed to suddenly get shorter. In fact, he did get shorter because his spine grew every way except up. Now, he is towering over me again – a lovely thing!
Oh Julie… This brings tears for me!! I am just so happy about this. Son’s spine looks awesome. I hope his pain is nearly gone by now too. Beautiful boy he his… So pleased to hear this good news:) miracles can happen…. 🙂 xo
He has no pain at all now – it is amazing! Thank you Robyn and I wish so much the same for you! Juliex
🙂 music to my ears! When we first met and I learned he had fusion I was worried – but of course projecting my own experience. Then I quickly told God that this boy must heal well, and felt better knowing his fusion was indicated because of such a dramatic scoliosis curve. I knew he would do well – and am so thrilled this has now come to pass ~xo
And I am telling God to heal you!
🙂 Go for it Julie — I am having a few choice words with him/her myself 🙂 Your situation included !! xo
That is just amazing! I had no idea the spine could curve so much and so fast in a kid, and your photos document it nicely.
It was terrifyingly fast. Apparently this kind of ‘idiopathic scoliosis’ happens and worsens during a growth spurt during teenage years and most commonly with girls, not boys. I hope these two posts will be a kind of ‘warning’ to watch your kids’ backs to anyone who needs to know. Exacerbation of a spinal curve can happen very quickly and, even though I had seen Son’s 40% curve on an X-ray, it wasn’t visible to the naked eye. Then not long after he took his shirt off to change after a football game and I gasped at the “S” of his back – truly horrifying at how quickly it has gotten worse.
And I am wondering how much flexibility he now has with all that fusion. Does he bend over with a perfectly straight back? Will he have side to side flexibility?
He is miraculously very flexible from side to side and, because his top and bottom vertebrae are still as they were, he has some bending flexibility too.
Must be great to get the brace off. His back looks great – nice and straight.
When I had a broken ankle a few years ago I was in the waiting room for a check-up a few weeks after my operation. A young girl of about 16 came in with a brace on her leg. She had been born with a defect which caused the bones on one leg to form incorrectly.
She had had an operation to cut the bone to allow new bone form in the space to lengthen the leg. A brace was fitted and she had to adjust screws every few hours to help lengthen the leg and cause more bone formation.
She lived in one of the islands off the West Coast of Scotland and had to make the trek to Glasgow Royal Infirmary every few weeks to get it checked.
What a wonderful girl!
Looking much better. He’s so lucky medicine has advanced so much. There was a time he would have been stuck without hope of help.
Very lucky – very fortunate!
Awesome!
Very true!
Quite an improvement! Wow, that sure is a lot of fusions – 12 vertebrae!
Yes, Son has always had to do things rather dramatically!
All I can say is, “WOW!”
Pretty amazing isn’t it – yeeha!
fantastic outcome Julie – now he can work on becoming a famous rock star!
He’s working on it! Doing Cert. 4 in music and lots of band lessons and we sing in the car – hehe!
Awesome!
Incredible isn’t it!
This is so beautiful, I am so happy for you both, dear Julie, Blessing you all and Blessing this doctor too. Love, nia
Thank you nia so much – Jxx
YAY for son, and thanks to Dr. Woodland!
Thanks RD!
I fell in love with the doctor that delivered my second child…So glad you’re experiencing Son’s success, my friend. Good for him! He’s looking good!
GREAT NEWS! Congratulations to Son! Like a bird let out of a cage, I’m sure. I fell in love with the doc that delivered my second child. Enjoy your weekend.
You too!
What a day! YAY YAY YAY
^5 (that’s a high 5)
R
Ha – you are a great person Rhonda – glad you interpreted the high 5 for me – ha again!
Congratulations to your son for going through such a tough surgery and recovery so bravely. I’m sure living with long rods along his spine won’t be fun but much better than the health risks and everyday troubles of scoliosis.
It’s so weird having all that steel inside his body but so far no ill effects!
Wow ! Stunning result, Julie.
(tell Son, I think that cute little backside of his peeping over his jeans is a sight to behold LOL).
I’m not sure if I’ll tell him this or not – hahe!
A brilliant surgeon, and one with an empathetic manner = a really good outcome. I can understand why you feel the way you do, Julie 🙂
Since I got his permission to write this post he will have read it so will probably not look me in the eye at our next appointment – haha! Maybe I’ll take him a rose just to make it even more awkward!
Wow! what a difference. so glad everything went to plan in the op and ming is doing great! x
Wow! I am in awe of what has been done by the good doctor and his team and what Son (and you) have been through!
It is incredible! I am so grateful.
Thank you, Dr. Woodland.
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