Guest guest Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Carol, Is this your doctor? http://www.allaboutmydoc.com/surgeonweb/page.surgeonhome/dr.Smi th Kathy > > I just pulled out my old scrapbook from my back surgery in 1974. The > hospital (Children's in Oakland, CA) charged $3,364.65 for a 14 day > stay, the surgeon (Dr. ) charged $1,894. for the surgery > and the application of the Risser cast. The anesthesiologist charged > $575. The GRAND TOTAL WAS: $5,833.65!!!!!!!!!! Oh, the good old days!!! > You can't even have a gall bladder surgery for that now, can you???? > > My mom gave me the old bills when she went thru some of her stuff some > years ago, so it's interesting to look at. I also found out I needed 4 > pints of blood from the Blood Bank of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical > Association. > > The doctor's answer to some of my parents' questions (via letter) > were: " With regard to your question of how the patients do that have > similar surgery, I might point out that they enter into full activities > and have very few in the way of physical limitations. Most of them can > bend over and touch their toes, and very little actual loss of > functional back motions is noted. We do not allow the boys to play > contact sports for two years following their surgery as it takes at > least this long for the spine to regain its normal strength. In > general, they do well and function as normal individuals. " > > Then in a letter that he wrote me back when I had some questions about > 6 months after the surgery was performed: " Your fusion extends from the > fifth thoracic vertebra to the fourth lumbar vertebra and involves 12 > vertebrae. The lower curve was the worst one in terms of angulation. > The upper curve correction was from 56 degrees to 37 degrees on the > initial film; and the lower curve went from 73 degrees to 35 degrees > therefore, we gained about 50 per cent correction of your deformity. We > expect to lose some of this with settling; but the main reason for the > surgery, as you know, is to prevent further deformity; and any > correction that we get is just icing on the cake. " > > I don't know if any of you lived in the Oakland Bay area in 1974, if > you did, you were probably too young to remember my surgeon. I've > always wondered what happened to him and if he's till alive. He was in > his early 50's I believe, then. His name was King , Chief > of Orthopedics, Highland General Hospital, 1411 E 31 st St., Oakland, > CA 94602. The reason he did his surgeries at Children's, is because > they had the casting table and other equipment necessary for these > fusion surgeries. He actually lived in Walnut Creek. I have a picture > of him sitting with me in my cast along with an intern. He moved to > Texas a couple of years after I had my surgery, and I lost contact with > him. Always wondered if he kept practicing in Texas. He was originally > from Texas. > > I also saved an article from the TIME magazine edition of Feb. 24, 1975 > Medicine section--and it talks about scoliosis and the Harrington rod > surgeries. One excerpt I found interesting: " In more advanced cases, > surgery is necessary. The most common operation for scoliosis was > developed about 10 years ago by Houston's Dr. Harrington, and is > now perfomed on about 80% of all patients requiring surgery. Doctors > implant thin steel rods next to the spine, placing them over the bone > and under the back muscles. The rods, which are attached to the > vertebrae with metal hooks, are then tightened--much like a set of > orthodontic braces--to force the spine to straighten. At the same time, > the spine is fused to give it additional strength. " > > Thought some of you might find this interesting!!!! > > Carol V. (CA) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 When I clicked on that link, it just took me to the " allaboutmydoc " homepage, and then it asked for a password and user ID. I guess I could try the doctor locater portion, but I didn't know if that would help, because I never knew what area of Texas he went to. I'm sure he's retired now, and he may not even be alive anymore--he's in his 80's, if he's alive. Carol V. > > > > I just pulled out my old scrapbook from my back surgery in 1974. > The > > hospital (Children's in Oakland, CA) charged $3,364.65 for a 14 > day > > stay, the surgeon (Dr. ) charged $1,894. for the > surgery > > and the application of the Risser cast. The anesthesiologist > charged > > $575. The GRAND TOTAL WAS: $5,833.65!!!!!!!!!! Oh, the good old > days!!! > > You can't even have a gall bladder surgery for that now, can > you???? > > > > My mom gave me the old bills when she went thru some of her stuff > some > > years ago, so it's interesting to look at. I also found out I > needed 4 > > pints of blood from the Blood Bank of the Alameda-Contra Costa > Medical > > Association. > > > > The doctor's answer to some of my parents' questions (via letter) > > were: " With regard to your question of how the patients do that > have > > similar surgery, I might point out that they enter into full > activities > > and have very few in the way of physical limitations. Most of them > can > > bend over and touch their toes, and very little actual loss of > > functional back motions is noted. We do not allow the boys to play > > contact sports for two years following their surgery as it takes > at > > least this long for the spine to regain its normal strength. In > > general, they do well and function as normal individuals. " > > > > Then in a letter that he wrote me back when I had some questions > about > > 6 months after the surgery was performed: " Your fusion extends > from the > > fifth thoracic vertebra to the fourth lumbar vertebra and involves > 12 > > vertebrae. The lower curve was the worst one in terms of > angulation. > > The upper curve correction was from 56 degrees to 37 degrees on > the > > initial film; and the lower curve went from 73 degrees to 35 > degrees > > therefore, we gained about 50 per cent correction of your > deformity. We > > expect to lose some of this with settling; but the main reason for > the > > surgery, as you know, is to prevent further deformity; and any > > correction that we get is just icing on the cake. " > > > > I don't know if any of you lived in the Oakland Bay area in 1974, > if > > you did, you were probably too young to remember my surgeon. I've > > always wondered what happened to him and if he's till alive. He > was in > > his early 50's I believe, then. His name was King , > Chief > > of Orthopedics, Highland General Hospital, 1411 E 31 st St., > Oakland, > > CA 94602. The reason he did his surgeries at Children's, is > because > > they had the casting table and other equipment necessary for these > > fusion surgeries. He actually lived in Walnut Creek. I have a > picture > > of him sitting with me in my cast along with an intern. He moved > to > > Texas a couple of years after I had my surgery, and I lost contact > with > > him. Always wondered if he kept practicing in Texas. He was > originally > > from Texas. > > > > I also saved an article from the TIME magazine edition of Feb. 24, > 1975 > > Medicine section--and it talks about scoliosis and the Harrington > rod > > surgeries. One excerpt I found interesting: " In more advanced > cases, > > surgery is necessary. The most common operation for scoliosis was > > developed about 10 years ago by Houston's Dr. Harrington, and > is > > now perfomed on about 80% of all patients requiring surgery. > Doctors > > implant thin steel rods next to the spine, placing them over the > bone > > and under the back muscles. The rods, which are attached to the > > vertebrae with metal hooks, are then tightened--much like a set of > > orthodontic braces--to force the spine to straighten. At the same > time, > > the spine is fused to give it additional strength. " > > > > Thought some of you might find this interesting!!!! > > > > Carol V. (CA) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Kathy--I was able to get on the website by typing in www.surgeonweb/page.surgeonhome/dr.--then I found it!!! I think that's him!! Maybe I was mistaken about him being in his 50's 32 yrs ago when I had my surgery!! If Cam says I can send her an e- mail with an attachment, then maybe pictures of him and me after my surgery can be posted. I think I'll write a letter to him. I've got the address now. The bio sounds like him....so I think it is! Carol V. > > > > I just pulled out my old scrapbook from my back surgery in 1974. > The > > hospital (Children's in Oakland, CA) charged $3,364.65 for a 14 > day > > stay, the surgeon (Dr. ) charged $1,894. for the > surgery > > and the application of the Risser cast. The anesthesiologist > charged > > $575. The GRAND TOTAL WAS: $5,833.65!!!!!!!!!! Oh, the good old > days!!! > > You can't even have a gall bladder surgery for that now, can > you???? > > > > My mom gave me the old bills when she went thru some of her stuff > some > > years ago, so it's interesting to look at. I also found out I > needed 4 > > pints of blood from the Blood Bank of the Alameda-Contra Costa > Medical > > Association. > > > > The doctor's answer to some of my parents' questions (via letter) > > were: " With regard to your question of how the patients do that > have > > similar surgery, I might point out that they enter into full > activities > > and have very few in the way of physical limitations. Most of them > can > > bend over and touch their toes, and very little actual loss of > > functional back motions is noted. We do not allow the boys to play > > contact sports for two years following their surgery as it takes > at > > least this long for the spine to regain its normal strength. In > > general, they do well and function as normal individuals. " > > > > Then in a letter that he wrote me back when I had some questions > about > > 6 months after the surgery was performed: " Your fusion extends > from the > > fifth thoracic vertebra to the fourth lumbar vertebra and involves > 12 > > vertebrae. The lower curve was the worst one in terms of > angulation. > > The upper curve correction was from 56 degrees to 37 degrees on > the > > initial film; and the lower curve went from 73 degrees to 35 > degrees > > therefore, we gained about 50 per cent correction of your > deformity. We > > expect to lose some of this with settling; but the main reason for > the > > surgery, as you know, is to prevent further deformity; and any > > correction that we get is just icing on the cake. " > > > > I don't know if any of you lived in the Oakland Bay area in 1974, > if > > you did, you were probably too young to remember my surgeon. I've > > always wondered what happened to him and if he's till alive. He > was in > > his early 50's I believe, then. His name was King , > Chief > > of Orthopedics, Highland General Hospital, 1411 E 31 st St., > Oakland, > > CA 94602. The reason he did his surgeries at Children's, is > because > > they had the casting table and other equipment necessary for these > > fusion surgeries. He actually lived in Walnut Creek. I have a > picture > > of him sitting with me in my cast along with an intern. He moved > to > > Texas a couple of years after I had my surgery, and I lost contact > with > > him. Always wondered if he kept practicing in Texas. He was > originally > > from Texas. > > > > I also saved an article from the TIME magazine edition of Feb. 24, > 1975 > > Medicine section--and it talks about scoliosis and the Harrington > rod > > surgeries. One excerpt I found interesting: " In more advanced > cases, > > surgery is necessary. The most common operation for scoliosis was > > developed about 10 years ago by Houston's Dr. Harrington, and > is > > now perfomed on about 80% of all patients requiring surgery. > Doctors > > implant thin steel rods next to the spine, placing them over the > bone > > and under the back muscles. The rods, which are attached to the > > vertebrae with metal hooks, are then tightened--much like a set of > > orthodontic braces--to force the spine to straighten. At the same > time, > > the spine is fused to give it additional strength. " > > > > Thought some of you might find this interesting!!!! > > > > Carol V. (CA) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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