Preparing for Surgeries

This last Tuesday Annie had two doctor appointments to help prepare her for her two surgeries coming up.  We first met with her GI doctor to discuss reflux/aspiration and diet/weight concerns.  Our scoliosis doctor required this consultation with our GI in preparation for her spinal fusion later this year.

Annie can easily get past her fundoplication, so there are concerns about whether it is intact enough to safely proceed with the spinal fusion.  Often children can develop aspiration pneumonia after a spinal fusion and our orthopedist wants to take precautionary measures.  So Annie is having an Upper GI study done tomorrow, although we anticipate good results.  The last time her fundo was examined was during an endoscopy two years ago and it appeared perfectly intact.

Her height and weight are steadily increasing, which is good.  Annie is 55 inches tall (which will grow to 57-59 inches after the spinal fusion) and is 60 lbs.  We'll continue her current diet to keep adding a few extra pounds on her before surgery. 

After the GI we saw her pediatrician for her pre-op appointment for her double patellectomy this week.  I don't think I have ever been more excited for her to go through surgery!  Annie has been in so much pain lately and I'm looking forward to taking the first step to eliminating her pain.  I know it could be a long 6 weeks of recovery, but I often think that the pain from recovery will be much easier to tolerate and control than the pain of her dislocated knee caps.  Any time we move her--to transfer her to/from her chair, or to change her diaper or get her dressed--she cries and screams at us in absolute pain.  It's impossible to do those tasks without hurting her, so we just try to go as fast as we can, then try to soothe away her tears.  I'm looking forward to finally being able to move her, dress her, and hold her more easily and comfortably!