QUESTIONS ABOUT 8 YEAR OLD
ALICE ROGERS (tarprent(AT)gte.net)
Fri, 15 Jan 1999 16:48:36 -0500
Hi,
I was amazed at the quick response from this list!! You guys are great.
So many of you wrote that I'm going to attempt to answer all your
questions in this one message.
Sabryna had a 'cold' for about a week prior to the back pain. Nothing
severe, just sniffles, low grade fever, and general aches and pains.
All her extremities were working properly prior to the 'attack' for
want of a better word. She did not trip and fall or bump into any
thing, her legs just folded up suddenly and she fell. The weakness
detected by the neurologist was in her right leg only. She still had
full use of both legs but there was pain radiating from her lower
back into her legs.
In the hospital she had an MRI (but only to the T3 level) which made
no sense because her pain and swelling was lower than T3. She had
X Rays and a bone scan, plus the usual blood workups. She was given
a steroidal anti-inflammatory and antibiotic in the IV. There was no
spinal puncture or mylegram done because her parents refused permission
to perform any invasive tests without evidence that they were necessary.
Their stance was as a last resort only, our family has had some very
bad experiences with spinal punctures of any kind.
I'm not sure what pain meds she was given, either in the hospital or
as RX to take at home.
Just received a call from my daughter----she took Sabryna to their
Chiropractor who X rayed her lower back and there is obvious scoliosis
in the bottom 6 vertebra!! Her lower spine goes left, right, then
left again! The bottom vertebra, L5 I believe, is cocked sideways and
the disc is compressed and bulging. The area of the disc bulge is
exactly where the lump was. The Chiropractor is going to contact a
friend of his who is a spinal injury specialist to consult on her case.
He is not ruling out myelitis and definitely wants that diagnosis
proven or disproven before proceeding. He did a preliminary adjustment
which greatly relieved her pain and she is sleeping peacefully for the
first time in about 4 days!!
Again, I thank all of you very much for your concern and I'll definitely
write to let you know how she is progressing.
One thing I have to add here, if I insult anyone, please accept my
apologies in advance----I am furiously angry at the incompetence of
the doctors attending this child! If the curvature of her spine was
so evident in one X Ray why in the thunder didn't the hospital rad-
ioligist see it!!?? Did those people even look at the X Rays they
took? My daughter brought the X rays home with her so her husband
could see them and the curvature is very obvious to both of them! I
think I'm going to suggest that they find a good attorney!
I will say an extra prayer for each and every one of you.
God be with you.
Alice