Those of you that have read my posts from last year will remember that our 7 yr old daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis. We have been making her wear her brace at night while she sleeps per the Doc's orders.

Recently we switched Doc's because he declined to renew with our insurance company.

We took our daughter to a new Doc and he ordered an MRI. The old doc NEVER mentioned having an MRI done...even though we told him that she complains of back pain on occassion.

Well....we FINALLY got the MRI done. Tried 2 times to no avail and finally had to take her in as an outpatient and have her put to sleep to get it done. It went really well.

Yesterday we went back to the Dic for the results.

Our daughter does NOT have scoliosis.

She has a mass on her spine that is causing the spine to curve.

It will have to be removed in surgery and the Doc is saying that he's hopeful that it's benign (sp?). He says that he's seen this before and the majority of them are. We are praying that it will be.

After the surgery though he cannot make any guarentees...he says that she will straighten a little though may never straighten completely....but she will NOT curve any more.....NO NEED FOR THE BRACE! There never has been a need for it.

The last Doc that we took her to was supposed to be a specialist in scoliosis and should have done the MRI and knew what to look for. But no....he just said....put a brace on her when she sleeps and come back in 6 months.

Luckily we found this new Doc close to home and he actually knows what he's talking about....and we've only seen him twice.

So....now at least we now what is causing it. BUT....surgery scares me....but it HAS to be done....and hopefully the mass will be just that and nothing more.

We've spent so much money on braces and sleepless nights because she was so uncomfortable in it to find out that she didn't even need to be in one.

We could have already had this taken care of 2 years ago.



<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I'm so sorry Priss. I feel so bad for your little girl.

- Kimmy

Oh, I'm so sorry that you and your DD are going thru this, Miss Priss. It must be frustrating to know your DD had to deal with wearing that brace unnecessarily. Surgery does sound scary, but it's great that you now know exactly what's wrong and how to fix it.

Thankfully, your old Dr. didn't renew with your insurance co., otherwise you likely wouldn't have known about the mass!

I'm sure your DD will come thru surgery just fine. But, as a mom, I understand your anxiety...we're SUPPOSED to be concerned about our babies! It's our job <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Lori

I'm so sorry that your daughter and your family have been put through all this additional turmoil needlessly. I hope that the surgery is successful and the mass is benign.

Our DD has mild scoliosis and a condition that caused her vertebrae to fuse in her teens (making her very short-waisted) (as did her paternal grandma), but has never needed a brace. She was overabundantly blessed in the chest area, which caused additional stress on her back, so she had a reduction when she was 19.

I can only imagine the fear and apprehension you must be going through now. My prayers are with your daughter, you and your family.

One of my friends at work just went through this with his 7 year old. The mass turned out to be benign, and the surgery went well.

I would sure call up the other doctor and give him a piece of my mind.

Miss Priss,
What an ordeal your family has gone through. I'm glad your DD will fianlly get the care she needs.

You are in my prayers

Miss Priss, you and your family are definately in my thoughts and prayers. This only serves to remind me that doctors are not all knowing and second opinions will only help us in the long run.
Thanks for that reminder. In the meantime, I hope your little one glides through the surgery and you are able to put this issue to rest at last!

Actually ... I would have my attorney send the MD a "lawyer-letter" .... it's called "delay of diagnosis".

May not be worth much $$$ compensation ... especially if the outcome is as good as it is likely to be .... but, (BAD PEP) I would send the lawyer-letter anyway (and I work in health care)

Huh???????

Joke ! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

MissPriss -

I think the best thing to do is give the doc a piece of your mind. When my son was a baby, I gave him a bath and didn't realize that with an uncircumsized child, you had to slide the foreskin back over the tip.

Well, his penis swelled up huge. I took him to the ER, and it was on a weekend. The ER doc thought it was an infection, and gave us meds. My poor son went like this for 2 days, SCREAMING his head off constantly.

Finally I took him to a different hospital ER and a urologist saw him. Right away, he knew the problem. He just slipped it back like it should be, and everything was fine.

I went directly to the first doc, and let him know what happened. I think that was some very good training for him, because I was not too happy. But to me it is better to talk directly, so that another mistake isn't made.

I was satisfied in thinking that what happened to my baby would not happen to another.

Miss Priss,

I'm going to chime in here on a purely medical level....spinal masses are actually not that uncommon, and your daughter's young age will be very beneficial for her recovery.

A couple of things to consider with regards to the surgery...

If available in your area, ask for Intraoperative Monitoring for her spine. This is a type of monitoring that will 'watch' the spinal cord during surgery. It can help protect against many of the risks associated with spinal cord surgery. Most insurances cover the costs associated.

If you can, get to know and choose the anesthesiologist. This is often overlooked, but will be a key factor in the surgery itself, as well as recovery. Pain management will be important.

Try not to worry too much. Spinal cord surgery (scoliosis, tumors, cysts, lower back problems, neck problems) is actually pretty common now-a-days. In fact, I monitor at least 3 per week now. So while perfectly understandable to be nervous, try not to let it consume you. Your daughter will be more at ease, and you will be more at ease.

You guys will make it through just fine....and with shining colors!

My best wishes for you and your little one!

wasn't meant as an insult...I've been lulled in the feeling that my doc knew all about it and had me on the right course of treatment only to find out later that, boy, was she wrong. To make a long story very short, it turned out that her overdosing me on her 'script was the cause and NOT the cure.

Thanks to an observant Neurologist who just happened to be in the ER that night.

My view is that we can sue all we want. But will that really change anything? I think it is much better to confront the doctor and let them know the mistakes we feel they made.

Another perspective - count the blessing that the previous doctor declined to renew - God hid a little blessing in that one and delivered it up in a possibility of permanent healing for your daughter.

Trust me believer.........your "view" is quite the norm today, as my skyrocketing malpractice premiums ($64,125.18) to cover me for January through June of this year can attest to. Your other point is well taken. I can tell you this though..........most doctors know when they "screwed" up. THEY KNOW !!!!!!!!!! WE KNOW !!!! (still, this is NO EXCUSE for f-ing up

A wily old tall, thin grayed haired professor of surgery once told me when I was a surgical resident mucking up someone's abdominal laporatomy----(sticks finger into my mask (and breaking the sterile field-no less) "Son, if you are gonna do this for a living, you better be damnnn sure you know what you are doing and do it right, you can't be F-ING around with people's lifes here). Guy, made me want to $hyyt my scrubs, but the effect was made on me. I carry that whenever we start the music in the OR and make the first cut. The day that I lose my fear of hurting someone on the OR table, is the day I pack it in and take the LSAT and go to Law School.

Unfortunately the system as it is today does not provide an avenue for admitting one's mistake so easily.....A sad fact of reality. I have erred in judgement in my career, and I have no doubt assisted or have been the primary reason someone is dead today (it comes with the "training")-as you may know, EXPERIENCE in medicine comes from "bad judgement" ......I know this is certainly no solace for the one's who may hurt along the way.....

"Unfortunately the system as it is today does not provide an avenue for admitting one's mistake so easily....."

Well, LM, that is very sad. In my case, my baby son just had to endure lots of pain for a couple of days.

But I did talk to the ER doc. He was not very familiar with uncircumcised infants. So there.

I guess we can all sue, and try to get some money. But does that really help our medical care? I don't think so. It would be much better if a doctor could feel free to admit to a mistake (and not do it again). Otherwise we have a system where no one will admit what really happened.

Well...I certainly didn't intend to raise a stink here with my anger.

I was very angry when I found out that this could have already been taken care of...BUT....I don't intend to take any legal measures.

We intend to move on and get this problem fixed finally so our daughter can lead a more fulfilling life.

Thank you to those that replied and will pray and keep her in your thuoghts.

Miss Priss, I'll pray for the very best outcome for your daughter.

It sounds like this new doctor thinks your daughter tumor-born curvature won't negatively affect the quality of her life. No brace! That is so great! Hopefully another personal data point will help keep hopes high, so I thought I'd share with you...

I do have a scoliosis and a kyphosis, have had since childhood. Only a medical professional or lover would know my body is slightly off. It hasn't affected the quality of my life one bit. In fact, just two days ago WSo declared that I had a great body! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

and I will pray,
Jinx