After recent events pertaining to Lauren’s latest medical update (please refer to the blog entitled, ‘A Detour in Lauren’s Journey’) it took some time for us as parents to analyze and digest the information that we had received. We are not parents to accept everything as “hook, line and sinker.” The news we received will forever change the course of Lauren’s life and journey. And we are not expecting everyone to know and understand what that feels like unless you have walked the path we are travelling. But I believe Lauren as been done an injustice. Is anyone to blame? You tell me.
Lauren as already visited the Children’s Shriners Hospital in Montreal, three times. Each time was for an assessment to see if she was a good candidate for the ‘selective dorsal rhizotomy’ which would release some of the spasticity and tone i her muscles which would allow her to have a chance at some form of mobility. Three times we were sent home.
In order to be even considered for this surgery, Lauren’s hips were required to be in good condition, which they weren’t. So in 2016 she underwent a reconstructive hip surgery (Osteotomy) to correct her hip. This left her leg 1.5 cm shorter then the other. At that time the other hip was out of socket a little but not bad enough for surgery and they were hoping that maybe it would correct itself. This was performed at the Janeway Children’s Hospital in St.John’s.
The reasoning for the corrected surgery of the left hip to be a failure was due to the fact that her muscles were so tight (so spastic) that they pulled the hip out of socket and the ‘good hip’ was now 50% out of socket as well. Now she was definitely not going to be considered for the rhizotomy surgery. Our hopes crushed!
You may be wondering, where am I going with this? What’s your point? The point is this; if the rhizotomy surgery was done on our last visit (November 2017) and the tightness, the spasticity of the muscles surrounding the hip were released, they ‘may’ not have been pulled out of socket like they are today. And Lauren’s hip surgery would not have been in vain, she would not have one leg shorter then the other (for now, no reason) and she would have at least a chance of walking or at least a form of some mobility.
So to sum it up, we are discouraged, hurt, angry and left with nothing but questions and what ifs’.