5.26.16 Ortho Updates

Recent appointments have been going well for Aimee. She is remaining healthy and not having any signs of decline. This week's appointment was with her orthopedic surgeon. They took a few pictures:

The top, ridiculously unnecessary picture (in my opinion), is of Aimee in a sitting position with Ed and I holding her up by her arms. The second is Aimee laying flat with an x-ray tech and the doctor pulling her apart in what is called a traction x-ray. The last one is of her hips. 

So, there is good news. Her hips have completely healed from surgery. It is time to look towards scheduling the follow up surgery to remove the hardware, which will not require any bracing or intense recovery. 

Other good news, with traction to see how straight they can get her spine, they measure a 40 degree curve, which has not significantly progressed over the past 6 months. We will be meeting this fall in a combined appointment with a new pulmonologist and the orthopedic surgeon and getting new spinal x-rays. They will discuss together how Aimee's lungs are doing in her body structure and at what point we would need intervention. As you can see from the pictures and, especially, if you place your hands around Aimee you would feel the distortion of her rib cage because of her spine. You can also see the pelvis tip, though that isn't affecting her lungs. ;) 

While REALLY thankful that there is not a current need to intervene further, the mere existence of this conversation shakes me. It is a frightening surgery that is not one and done like the hips. But, I choose to not focus on that future event. Today is bright with good news.