A week ago today, I got to meet Connie and her husband Ed, who I shared about in last week’s blog. Connie is in her 50’s, and had a progressive thoracolumbar scoliosis, with increasing pain, and even had some ribs removed from her chest wall when she was in California, since the ribs were rubbing on her pelvis / iliac crest.
Connie’s surgery went very well last week, and has been recovering well in the hospital, advancing on her physical therapy and occupational therapy. Her husband Ed has been a huge encouragement, and has stayed with her in her room, in his own separate bed.
This morning, Connie was discharged from Duke Raleigh Hospital next door to Hey Clinic, and came over to see me in Hey Clinic in between surgeries. Connie and Ed were both full of smiles, and had lots of encouraging words about their experience this past week — something she has looked forward to for a long time. Connie’s X-Rays look great, with excellent correction of her deformity, and an extra inch and a half or 2 inches in height. NOW her ribs are all lifted off of her pelvis, with her T3-Iliac wing instrumentation giving her a whole new shape and appearance. Her shoulders are nice and level, and trunk is well balanced over the pelvis from both the front and side view. She has excellent lumbar lordosis, and her huge hump on her left lower back is flattened out. I got Connie a light-weight lumbar brace, called an “Aspen”, which will give her a little extra comfort and support over the next few weeks.
Connie, Ed and I will stay in touch via the internet, and phone, and she will get X-Rays done locally, and sent to me periodically. While it may not happen, it would be nice to share a meal together in the years to come, when I am on west coast, or if Connie and Ed make the trip out to the East coast.
Connie, Ed and I got our picture taken together, as she gets ready to fly home tomorrow.
We exchanged handshakes and hugs, and Connie’s parting words to me were: “It was definitely worth the trip!”
Thanks to all of the Duke Raleigh Hospital and Hey Clinic Team who worked together to help Connie and Ed through this important journey.
Get well, Connie, and have a safe trip home. You look great!
Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
https://www.heyclinic.com
