The Great, Good, and Bad

The Great: Jeremy is home...for good. No going back to this job! Yah! And on top of that, he has an interview November 29 for a job that would be steady and closer to home! We've been waiting forever to hear something! So excited. This would be such a blessing for us right now...financially, mentally, physically.

The Good: No more back brace, at least until the next visit to the ortho. doc in February. Love the new doctor. So friendly. Very professional and thorough. He really listened to what I had to say and my thoughts on congenital scoliosis (which is what Colin has...basically just means he's had it since birth and that it is caused by spinal anomalies. The other type comes with growth and usually doesn't include anomalies). He too feels that the brace will not keep the curve from increasing...if it increases, it will most likely happen regardless of whether or not he is braced...which is a long in depth story for another day. And, no spinal fusion confirmed...he said he would wait until 1. the curve increases much more and 2. he is much older and closer to being done growing.

The Bad: Our last ortho. doc hadn't checked the vertebrae in Colin's neck for more than 2 years, basically the entire time we have seen him. I questioned the new doc. about this and he looked through the charts to verify...he requested we have it done right then because he noticed a decrease in Colin's neck movement from the last time it was noted. (2 years ago...rghhh) A few of his neck bones, which just like his back-not a single "normal" vertebrae, have fused...they have grown together and become one bone, thus limiting his movement. Some have shifted and basically his neck bones are all just a big jumble, jigsaw puzzle-like looking thing...no good way to describe it. What this means...nothing major regarding fixing, etc...unless it gets worse or interfers in breathing, apnea, etc...but, we have been told that we need to take extra precautions to avoid traumatic injury...thus, No Football, No Hockey, No Wrestling, No Karate, No Trampolines. Jeremy and I are kind of looking at this as a neutral, his health is not currently jeopardized by it...just something we need to be more aware of. I called it a bad because Colin would consider the No Trampoline a definite bad. Thankfully we won't have to cross that bridge until summer.