Surgery Dates

We saw Dr. Wenger on Monday and now have the dates for Kate's surgery locked down.  She is getting the left leg done on January 31,  and the right leg on February 14th.   Happy Valentines Day, right?

Dr. Wenger went through all the x-rays and pictures with us and showed us exactly what was going on and what he thought we should do.  It's all kind of long and complicated but here's the short of it.  Kate's femur heads are pushing up into her pelvic bone right near her growth plates,  which will only make it easier for her femur head to push through as the growth plate area is not strong.  I am telling this in very simple terms,  it's easier for me.  Anyway,  they will be taking a triangle section of bone from each thigh and using it to reinforce the pelvic bone.  At the area where they take the bone from the thigh they will be placing a steel plate.  If you look at the photo you can see the triangle piece and then a kind of drawing of what the steel plate will be like.  The plates will be removed in a couple of years.  Yay, more fun to look forward to.

Secondly, your femur heads naturally go into your pelvic socket at a kind of angle that puts pressure in the socket.  This is great for non-Marfan people whose bones are not soft,  but stinks for Kate.  They are going to realign her femur heads so they place more pressure going up instead of at an angle.  That way the pressure will be on a stronger surface where the bone is not so thin.  This will not interfere with her range of motion.

We had the option of spreading the surgeries out in several different ways.  We have chosen to do them 2 weeks apart which decreases the total time in the cast and wheelchair by about a month.  First cast will go all the way down the left leg to right above her ankle and up around her hips.  When she gets the second leg done,  the cast will go to both ankles and there will be a bar between them just like Mandi's cast was.  She cannot put ANY weight on her feet for about 10 weeks all together.  The cast will stay on 6-8 weeks depending, and she will be in a wheelchair for 4 weeks after the fact.  We are just aiming that by summer Kate will be back to her regular self.

Kate had a couple of difficult days with the news but seems to be alright now.  She will still say she doesn't want surgery,  but after the Dr.  explained what may happen if we don't do the surgery,  she is a bit more compliant.  I guess people with this condition,  if not caught early enough and treated,  can end up getting hip replacements in their late teens early twenties.  Also, pain and arthritis,  difficulty walking, etc.  He did explain that this was fairly rare and gave us some info to read about procedure.  This SHOULD fix things until Kate is around 50 years old or so.  She may need a hip replacement at that age.

That's a lot of information.  Probably more than anyone needed but it should cover everyone's questions.  Maybe.  I hope. 

Oh,  I'm putting off school for a few months.  I think I have a solid nursing job right here at my own house, which I am fine with.  I'm kinda partial towards the patient.