Back to Cambridge for Final Appointments and X-Rays

We are now getting closer to the surgery date of 5th December and had to return to the hospital so that they can do their final pre-operative checks and tests.  We managed to get everything booked on one day again which made life much easier.

So, today Chris had the following appointments:

  • X-ray: Today they took the final images of his spine that will be used to decide how much of his spine needs to be ‘fixed’.  They took a total of 4 x-rays: two side-bend x-rays, a lateral x-ray and a full spine x-ray.
  • Lead Paediatric Nurse – We spent almost an hour with Sally, the lead nurse who will look after Chris on the day of his surgery.  She went through a very detailed pre-admission form with us and then did blood, urine, MRSA and ECG tests on Chris and finally checked his height and weight.  His height was 1.72m (he should be considerably taller post surgery!)
  • Mr Conlan – he reviewed the x-rays and went through the surgical procedure with us once again answering our final questions.  Steve then signed the forms giving our permission for the surgery and accepting the risks associated with this form of spinal surgery…I’m trying hard not to think about those

I had been anxious about today, but once again everyone we met was so helpful, kind and well informed that we all relaxed and felt very reassured that Chris will be in safe hands. It is now just a matter of days until the ‘Big Day’ is here.  And the only thing Mr Conlan said that made me stressed was that if Chris has any signs or symptoms of a cough or cold when the surgery is due they would have to postpone the surgery by 6 weeks.  So – no pressure there then – I just have to keep him fit and healthy for the next 9 days…easy in a school full of coughing and sneezing children!!

Surgery Date is Confirmed!

We finally have a date for Chris to have his spinal surgery – Friday 5th December.  It’s still a month away, but it is the brilliant surgical team that we wanted of Mr Conlan and Mr Crawford.

I feel relieved and terrified at the same time now.  Very happy that we can get the correction done this year but really anxious about the surgery itself – it is such a big operation to put Chris through and yet these teenagers seems to bounce back from it really quickly.

Now that we know the date we can start planning for it and I have a long list of jobs to work through:

  • Ask my mother-in-law to look after the dog
  • Work out who will look after Anthony while we are in Cambridge (although I already know what he’ll say – “I’m 17 mum and I’m fine to look after myself”)
  • Find a hotel near the hospital that we can stay in
  • Book some physio appointments for Chris the week prior to surgery – this will help to get his back muscles ‘smooth and relaxed’ rather being ‘tight and knotted’
  • Sort out how I will manage my clients’ work in December
  • Get Steve to plan the days off that he needs
  • Confirm the date with school and work out how long Chris will be absent and how to help keep him up to date with all his GCSE courses
  • Speak to the company who is leading the school expedition to Kyrgyzstan and see if they will still take Chris with them in July 2015

And most importantly make sure Chris is fit and well on the day of surgery.  The fact that he is still playing football and taking part in matches makes me anxious as I worry that he may be the victim of a bad tackle and have an injury that delays the surgery!