Orthopedic Surgeon Appointment Today

Doctor McKenna from SJCH recommended an Orthopedic Surgeon that resided next door to his practice for an evaluation.  Let me first say I did like the way this doctor was.  He had a great demeanor and was straight forward about things.  This picture is from that visit today.  As you can probably tell his heart is enlarged.  The spine is curved to the right (severe scoliosis) and crushing his right lung.  The only option is to do spinal surgery to straighten out the spine but from a cardiac (heart) standpoint that is not an option at this point.  In fact the mortality rate (death rate) is VERY high due to the cardiac status of Kody's heart.  This is now put him at high risk for cardiac and respiratory failure.  His curve has went from being 60 degrees to the right to being 115 degrees to the right.

Okay now that is all the technical information that we have gotten today.  This all puts a knot in the back of my throat that I cannot seem to clear.  Essentially this means with his lungs and heart already at risk for failure that something like pnemonia would be fatal.  I am going to set up the appointment due for the Cardiologist, this February, sometime this coming week.  My heart sunk at this appointment in a way that I cannot quite explain.  Here is this totally happy, bright, handsome young man and he is handed this load to bare.  He has made it very clear he does not want any surgery and we will respect his wishes.  Afterall, if he cannot control the disease process then at least he can control the medical interventions.