The picture I’ve posted today is the best example I can think of.
Have a look at these screws and trust me when I say they are very, very, carefully positioned. These have not been Black & Deckered into some rawlplugs and then given a hefty thump with a hammer to make them flush.
No. These little babies have been meticulously placed, to within an ‘nth’ of the spinal cord. I use the term ‘nth’ as the exact measurement escapes me. It was a ‘somethingth’ of a millimetre. Close enough to make me feel faint.
These are what have hoiked my daughter’s spine back to an angle which can medically be described as ‘still a bit wonky but by God a hell of a lot straighter than it was’.
It was a spinal fusion operation. After these rods and bolts were fitted, bone was laid over the scaffolding and given the chance to fuse with her spine, so it has now 'set' forever, at this new, improved angle.
This is what is inside my daughter’s back. This is what has stopped her spine continuing a deadly curve that would eventually have harmed her internal organs and started to crush her lungs.
This is a genuine, 24 carat gold (well titanium), unequivocal, it blows my mind every time I consider it, will you look at the size of those bolts, they’re sticking in her spine for God’s sake, how the hell do they have the balls to even do that, the air conditioning failed in the operating theatre you know, seven hours it took, I have never been so frightened about anything, MIRACLE.
Did I mention it was free on the NHS?
Video is The Stranglers - Straighten Out
Did I mention it was free on the NHS?
Video is The Stranglers - Straighten Out
For all the bad press the NHS does do some astonishing things.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of the NHS. Not blindly so - sometimes criticisms are valid, and I think the NHS can occasionally fall down when it comes to day to day, mundane care. But when it comes to the big stuff, you're right, it's astonishing.
ReplyDeleteNone of our family had much to do with the NHS till my daughter was born 23 years ago, at 2 lbs10 oz, 28 weeks and diagnosis(after 2 years) of PWS. Then we saw a lot of docs and i was grateful we didn't live in America... She had this op: too, when she was 11 and had the Isola Rods installed in a( very long) 7 hours.They were tweaked out every year and replaced once, and taken out just as she left high school,as she had a recurring infection on one of the rods.Hope your daughter is continuing to gain benefit of this amazing technology.
ReplyDeleteX Beth