Concerns - Update

The neurosurgeon's office called back today. They definitely want Katelyn to have another MRI. I will be picking up her script tomorrow and getting everything scheduled for as soon as possible. Fortunately, we have a friend that does the MRIs at the hospital, so we're hoping he'll be able to work Katelyn in (very busy schedule there). The neurosurgeon will then see Katelyn after the MRI and we'll determine what's next.

Tethered cord surgery is pretty common for kiddos with SB, so it's something that we were well aware of... I've had a gut feeling since we received Katelyn's referral (almost a year ago) that she would need surgery soon, but we needed to have her home for a while and watch her for symptoms. Here's a description of tethered cord from one of the many websites out there...


What is a tethered spinal cord?
A tethered spinal cord is a condition where the spinal cord is pulled down and stuck or fixed to the spinal canal. The spinal cord normally floats inside the spinal canal. As a child grows, the cord must be able to move freely inside the canal. If her spinal cord is stuck down as she grows, it will stretch like a rubber band and symptoms will start developing. Nerve damage can occur if this problem is not repaired. The surrounding blood vessels are often fixed down, too, so the spinal cord does not get enough blood. This also causes nerve damage.

Symptoms of nerve damage may include:
Back and leg pain
Weak and numb legs
Changes in bladder and/or bowel control.


So, that's where we are right now. Throughout all of this, Katelyn has been her normal happy self. She does get frustrated when her feet and legs don't do what she expects them to do, but that's to be expected. She still complains about her back hurting, but it's not a constant pain at this time... and it usually goes away after I rub her back for a little while. Again, our main focus is to correct this before any permanent damage is done... that's why it's important to get the MRI done as soon as possible and figure out where to go from there.