Musings on a doctor visit - hip dysplasia, etc.

[Guest guest]

I took Evan to the spina bifida (SB) clinic here last week and wanted

to post some of the stuff discussed in case it helps anyone else on

here who feels like they are constantly bucking the docs.

The orthopedic clinic recently used Evan as a case study and Evan's

feet problems were presented to a room full of docs, fellows and med

students. There were at least 4 or 5 of the top attending docs there

and maybe 20-30 docs, residents, fellows or med students. Their

consensus was that Evan should have a surgery on his feet that would

involve putting screws in the side of the ankle that was growing

faster than the other so that the other side could catch up. The

screws would remain and grow into the growth plate and/or bones of

the foot. I don't like the idea and have researched quite a bit on

it.

At the SB clinic I for the second time talked to his orthopedic

surgeon regarding this surgery. I told him of a doc in Missouri who

fixes club feet without surgery and who said in an email (he hasn't

seen Evan) that he would not put screws. We talked extensively and I

expressed that I possibly was going to see this other doc and then I

told him I felt like I was going against some top experts who had

been in that room recommending this and that I knew I didn't know as

much as they did, yet I didn't want to leave any stone unturned in

avoiding surgery. The ortho surgeon said to me, " You know what the

best thing you've ever done for Evan was? "

I couldn't imagine what he was going to say, but here it is:

" The best thing you've ever done for Evan was when you refused hip

surgery for him several years back. "

I couldn't believe it since this guy was one of the ones recommending

the hip reconstruction (for hip dysplasia) surgery way back. He

further said that when something isn't working right on the body

their first reaction is to suggest they fix it but in Evan's case he

was doing great without it and if he'd had the surgery . . . well . .

.. I was like, " Well, thanks for telling me that. Certainly makes me

feel better and not like I'm always bucking for nothing. " When I had

researched this, the odds were 50% success rate in Down Syndrome and

50% success rate in Spina Bifida and since Evan has both, I didn't

think this was good enough odds.

We then discussed mainstream medicine a little and alternative where

I told him I thought Evan had been helped about 50% by mainstream and

50% by alternative. I told him I thought mainstream medicine was

this straight little narrow road and he interrupted to say, " No.

First, it's not even paved, and it's not straight. It's a primitive

dirt road full of curves. " I had to laugh as did he. It was a good

visit and we chatted about 30 minutes or so on Evan, etc. At least I

came away knowing I had to get the non-surgery Missouri doc out of my

system first before I think about this surgery. He told me the guy

in Mo. was good, they had thought of trying to bring him here and

while he didn't think he could help Evan, he was agreeable to us

seeing him and making sure what was possible.

Not sure why I'm posting this other than to encourage everyone once

more to do the research before just going along with those docs.

Sometimes they obviously secretly agree with you when you buck them.

Priscilla Kendrick, married 29 years to Darrel and parents of 9 kids including

Evan, 10, born with Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida

" My strength is made perfect in weakness. "

" My grace is sufficient. " II Corinthians 12:9 KJV

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