Madeline Sara: Pre-op Appt

My Journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

"On the girl's brown legs there were many small white scars. I was thinking, do those scars cover the whole of you, like the stars and the moons on your dress? I thought that would be pretty too, and I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."
- Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pre-op Appt

I just had my pre-op appt today and everything seems like it's all lined up.

We're working out an insurance issue. My insurance company denied coverage for the surgeries, but my surgeon isn't concerned. They are going to resubmit the claim and he's pretty sure they will end up covering it when they make a coding change on my paper work.

I'm getting ready to donate 2 pints of my own blood, which I'll use if I need to have a transfusion post-op. I have to do one this week and one next week, so I'm hoping they don't have any trouble getting me in quickly. I have to make sure I have time to resupply so that I'm not weak for my first surgery.

I feel ready now for surgery. It seems like this is the right thing to do now and I'm exicted to finally fix my hip problems. I have total confidence in Dr. Ellis and I'm sure he's going to take good care of my hips.

4 comments:

CynthiaJune 1, 2010 at 6:01 PM
You probably get a lot of this but I'm going to say it anyway...you are one brave chick. Would you like to borrow a couple of slaves...uh, cousins while recuperating? ;-)

I'll put you on the prayer list at the church where I'm the interim. Much love to you.
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AnonymousJune 1, 2010 at 6:47 PM
Ten days and counting...
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AnonymousJune 1, 2010 at 6:57 PM
You go girl. Look out world Madeline's going to get back in action.

Best wishes from Barb and Gary
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JanJune 1, 2010 at 9:20 PM
Prayers will continue for you.
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Up until September of 2006 I was a tenacious soccer player. In a league game I remember racing to the ball as my opponent pursued me. I beat her to the ball, planted my foot and cleared it. As I cleared the ball my knee dislocated. Searing pain engulfed me. I remember my coach carrying me off the field. Little did I know how much my life had just changed.

I was diagnosed with a rare, incurable connective tissue disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which meant that I had to quit soccer. For me, this was extremely difficult. Soccer had always been something I defined myself by, having to throw that all away was not easy. Since then I have seen over thirty physicians, spent countless hours at physical therapy, have had a smorgasbord of medical tests, and a number of surgeries.

My disorder has been extremely life changing. Not only has it ended my soccer career, but it leaves me challenged on a daily basis. In the beginning this was a life change I wasn’t ready to accept and on many occasions it tore me apart. I did not want to live my life as a fractured person. This was not going to just disappear over night nor was it something that I could cry away. This was something that was out of my control and I couldn’t do anything about it. I realized though, that there was something I could do. I had the power to decide how to let it change my life. Right then I had a decision to make, and I had total control over it. This could ruin my life and destroy me, or it could become a positive experience for me and make me grow as a person.

I chose to take control. Here I am now, a few years later and I am very happy with my decision. I can genuinely say I am thankful for what I have been though and all the medical procedures that I have overcome. Because of this I am a stronger person. Because of this I know who I am and who I want to be. And, because of this I have grown up.

Orthopedic Surgeries

June 05- Bilateral Removal of Accessory Navicular Bone (Foot)

January 08- Left Knee Reconstruction (tightening of the patella tendon, MPFL, and surrounding tissue)

October 08-Right Knee Reconstruction (identical to left knee reconstruction)

December 09- Left Knee Re-Reconstruction (patella osteotomy, moving patella tendon to adjust the q-angle, replacement of MPFL with cadaver ligament, and tightening of surrounding tissue)

June 10- Right Hip Scope

June 10 (2 weeks after scope)- Right Hip Open

December 10- Left Hip Z-Plasty & Scope

February 11- Right Knee Re-Reconstruction (identical to left knee re-reconstruction in 09)

Madeline Sara

My Journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pre-op Appt

4 comments:

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