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Monday, December 15, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Scheduled
We spent last week in Minnesota talking with a neurosurgeon and her team discussing if Kathryn would benefit from having a surgery (SDR) to relieve the spastiscity in her legs. Dr. Dunn felt Kathryn would benefit from a rhizotomy and we spoke with the team in length about what to expect post surgery and the pros and cons. Our experience at Gillette was wonderful and provided us with a lot of information to process, but made Bryan and I feel confident Kathryn would benefit from the surgery short term and long term.
The surgery will take place at Gillette Children's in St. Paul, Minnesota and Kathryn will be in the hospital for medical rehab. for 4-6 weeks after surgery. We are working out the details for the family and are unsure of where everyone will be, but are positive everything will work out for the best. The surgery is scheduled for June 10th, 2009. We are looking for a house to stay in so we are able to take Alexis and Garrett with us and have had family and friends offer to come help. If anyone has any connections in the St. Paul, Minnesota area to help try to find an affordable place to stay for our family any help would be greatly appreciated.
The surgery will take place at Gillette Children's in St. Paul, Minnesota and Kathryn will be in the hospital for medical rehab. for 4-6 weeks after surgery. We are working out the details for the family and are unsure of where everyone will be, but are positive everything will work out for the best. The surgery is scheduled for June 10th, 2009. We are looking for a house to stay in so we are able to take Alexis and Garrett with us and have had family and friends offer to come help. If anyone has any connections in the St. Paul, Minnesota area to help try to find an affordable place to stay for our family any help would be greatly appreciated.
Kathryn's Cheer Competition at OCU
Kathryn performs this Sunday, Dec. 7th, at OCU with her cheer leading team!! They are scheduled to go on at 6:30pm. They sometimes run a bit ahead of schedule or sometimes a bit behind so keep that in mind if you would like to come. We would love to have you there!!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
UCO Cheer Competition
Kathryn performs at UCO at 3:00pm. I believe it will be at the UCO Field House, but I will confirm tonight at practice and make an edit to the post if need be. Hope to see you there.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Kathryn and Alexis turn 5!!
Kathryn and Alexis turn 5 years old tomorrow. I can't believe it has been five years since the day my two little girls came into this world. It was a long 6 days before and a long 15 days after, but it was all worth it to be able to share the moments we have with them.
Through the smiles, the giggles, the fighting between sisters, the love they have for their little brother, they bring life into the room with them. They have taught Bryan and me so much through their fight to survive when they were born to the strength they show to be able to deal with their individual challenges today. I wish them the happiest birthday any little girl could wish for.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Cheer Competition Schedule
We have the remaining cheer competitions still ahead of us.
November 15th or 16th at UCO
December 7th in OKC at OCU
December 13th at the COX Convention Center OKC
January 24th & 25th at the COX Convention Center OKC
February 7th & 8th at the COX Convention Center OKC
February 28th-March 1st Dallas Convention Center NCA All-Star National Championship
We would love for anyone who is interested to come watch. We don't know the time she performs until a few days before the competition so I will post the time as it comes available.
November 15th or 16th at UCO
December 7th in OKC at OCU
December 13th at the COX Convention Center OKC
January 24th & 25th at the COX Convention Center OKC
February 7th & 8th at the COX Convention Center OKC
February 28th-March 1st Dallas Convention Center NCA All-Star National Championship
We would love for anyone who is interested to come watch. We don't know the time she performs until a few days before the competition so I will post the time as it comes available.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Kathryn is on a special needs cheer leading squad with Empire Elite in Bethany, OK. She had her first performance today and she did GREAT!! This is Elizabeth, Kathryn's helper, in the picture. She is the sweetest girl who really enjoys working with Kathryn.Kathryn's squad received a standing ovation after their performance from the entire crowd. It was extremely heart warming to see the support of other parents and cheer leaders. We had a blast!! Her next performance is November 15th at UCO.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Upcoming appointments
We leave in about 4 weeks to travel to Minnesota for an evaluation at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare to see if Kathryn is a candidate for a surgery called a selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). It will be an intense 2 day evaluation with a team meeting at the end to discuss with us our options to help Kathryn relieve the spatiscity long term. We have included information about SDR. Bryan and I have spoken with several doctors about Kathryn having this surgery and we got a referral from her rehabilitation doctor to go to Gillette. They believe Kathryn could benefit in many ways from having this surgery and possibly prevent other orthopedic surgeries in the future. Alexis, Garrett, and Kathryn
SDR
A rhizotomy is a neurosurgery that selectively severs problematic nerve roots in the spinal cord, most often to relieve the symptoms of neuromuscular conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spastic diplegia and other forms of spastic cerebral palsy. In extreme cases, a rhizotomy may also be considered for a person suffering from severe back pain or a pinched nerve.
The sensory nerve roots are first separated from the motor nerve roots. Electrical stimulation is then used to identify the nerve fibres that are to be cut. Those producing the problems are identified and selectively cut.
In spasticity, rhizotomy precisely identifies and severs the damaged nerves that don’t receive gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), the core problem for people with spastic cerebral palsy. In this case, those nerves which, due to not receiving GABA, generate unusual electrical activity during the testing phase are considered to be those producing too much muscle tone, and are cut, while the remaining nerves and nerve routes carrying the correct messages remain fully intact.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy is the process of accessing nerve rootlets through an incision in the back, selecting problematic nerves, and severing them.
Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Surgery at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
Selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery is one method that Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare uses to reduce spasticity, a type of muscle tightness caused by a lack of normal communication between the brain and spinal cord. Many children who have cerebral palsy experience spasticity.
During selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery, a surgeon identifies and cuts individual nerve rootlets that are contributing to a child’s increased muscle tone. We apply electrical stimulation to nerve rootlets that carry messages between the child’s leg muscles and spinal cord. When stimulating a nerve rootlet triggers an abnormal reflex response, we cut that rootlet. We don’t cut rootlets that trigger normal responses when they’re stimulated.
Rhizotomy surgery permanently reduces spasticity. The procedure doesn’t correct muscle contractures, bone deformities, weakness, poor motor control, impaired balance or other problems associated with cerebral palsy.
The Surgery
A surgeon makes an incision low in your child’s back and creates a window in the spinal canal, near the spinal cord. The incision provides access to sensory nerve roots that carry impulses from muscles to the central nervous system. We separate the nerve roots into smaller rootlets — usually five to 10 per nerve — and stimulate each rootlet with a small amount of electricity. Our surgical team watches for resulting electrical or physical responses in your child’s muscles. When stimulating a nerve rootlet triggers an abnormal reflex response, we cut that rootlet. We don’t cut rootlets that trigger normal responses when they’re stimulated. We might test more than 100 rootlets during a selective dorsal rhizotomy. The procedure can last three to four hours. When complete, it permanently reduces your child’s spasticity.
SDR
A rhizotomy is a neurosurgery that selectively severs problematic nerve roots in the spinal cord, most often to relieve the symptoms of neuromuscular conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spastic diplegia and other forms of spastic cerebral palsy. In extreme cases, a rhizotomy may also be considered for a person suffering from severe back pain or a pinched nerve.
The sensory nerve roots are first separated from the motor nerve roots. Electrical stimulation is then used to identify the nerve fibres that are to be cut. Those producing the problems are identified and selectively cut.
In spasticity, rhizotomy precisely identifies and severs the damaged nerves that don’t receive gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), the core problem for people with spastic cerebral palsy. In this case, those nerves which, due to not receiving GABA, generate unusual electrical activity during the testing phase are considered to be those producing too much muscle tone, and are cut, while the remaining nerves and nerve routes carrying the correct messages remain fully intact.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy is the process of accessing nerve rootlets through an incision in the back, selecting problematic nerves, and severing them.
Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Surgery at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
Selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery is one method that Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare uses to reduce spasticity, a type of muscle tightness caused by a lack of normal communication between the brain and spinal cord. Many children who have cerebral palsy experience spasticity.
During selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery, a surgeon identifies and cuts individual nerve rootlets that are contributing to a child’s increased muscle tone. We apply electrical stimulation to nerve rootlets that carry messages between the child’s leg muscles and spinal cord. When stimulating a nerve rootlet triggers an abnormal reflex response, we cut that rootlet. We don’t cut rootlets that trigger normal responses when they’re stimulated.
Rhizotomy surgery permanently reduces spasticity. The procedure doesn’t correct muscle contractures, bone deformities, weakness, poor motor control, impaired balance or other problems associated with cerebral palsy.
The Surgery
A surgeon makes an incision low in your child’s back and creates a window in the spinal canal, near the spinal cord. The incision provides access to sensory nerve roots that carry impulses from muscles to the central nervous system. We separate the nerve roots into smaller rootlets — usually five to 10 per nerve — and stimulate each rootlet with a small amount of electricity. Our surgical team watches for resulting electrical or physical responses in your child’s muscles. When stimulating a nerve rootlet triggers an abnormal reflex response, we cut that rootlet. We don’t cut rootlets that trigger normal responses when they’re stimulated. We might test more than 100 rootlets during a selective dorsal rhizotomy. The procedure can last three to four hours. When complete, it permanently reduces your child’s spasticity.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Kathryn's Journey- Cerebral Palsy Info.
We realize our friends and family may want to know more about Kathryn's journey with cerebral palsy. We have started this blog to answer some common questions and keep you updated with what progress she is making. Since there are many different types of cerebral palsy we will start with explaining Kathryn's. I hope you find the information interesting and informative. We thank you for your continued support.
Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. Cerebral palsy can be caused by trauma to one or more specific areas of the brain, most likely occurring sometime between fetal development and infancy. The disorders associated with cerebral palsy are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves, but instead by faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain. This disrupts the brain's ability to properly control movement and posture. The area of the brain in which trauma occurred will determine the affects of the condition.
Cerebral palsy has different forms and one such form is spastic diplegia. Spastic diplegia is when both legs are affected by cerebral palsy. A patient may have difficulty walking because of tight muscles in the hips and legs, causing the legs to turn inward and cross at the knees. This causes the legs to move stiff and awkward causing a characteristic walking rhythm known as the scissors gait.
Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage in the outer layer of the brain, the cerebral cortex. Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy affects nearly 70 to 80 percent of patients and is the most common form of cerebral palsy. Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy symptoms include increased tone, or tension, in a muscle. Normal muscles work in pairs and when one group of muscles contract, the other group relaxes, allowing uninhibited movement in the desired direction.
Complications in brain-to-nerve-to-muscle communication prevent the normal degree of muscle tension. Muscles affected by spastic diplegia cerebral palsy become active together and block effective movement. This results in the muscles of spastic diplegia cerebral palsy patients to be constantly tense, or spastic.
Cerebral palsy can be classified by the way it affects movement or by the number of limbs it affects. These classifications can be combined to describe severe conditions such as spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. In spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, all four limbs are affected; both legs, as well as mild affects in the arms are present.
Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy tends to affect the legs of a patient more than the arms. Spastic diplegia patients have more extensive involvement of the lower extremity than the upper extremity. Patients with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy will eventually have the ability to walk. Patients with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy are typically characterized by a crouched gait. Gait analysis and proper treatment can correct toe walking and flexed knees, which are common attributes of spastic diplegia
Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. Cerebral palsy can be caused by trauma to one or more specific areas of the brain, most likely occurring sometime between fetal development and infancy. The disorders associated with cerebral palsy are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves, but instead by faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain. This disrupts the brain's ability to properly control movement and posture. The area of the brain in which trauma occurred will determine the affects of the condition.
Cerebral palsy has different forms and one such form is spastic diplegia. Spastic diplegia is when both legs are affected by cerebral palsy. A patient may have difficulty walking because of tight muscles in the hips and legs, causing the legs to turn inward and cross at the knees. This causes the legs to move stiff and awkward causing a characteristic walking rhythm known as the scissors gait.
Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage in the outer layer of the brain, the cerebral cortex. Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy affects nearly 70 to 80 percent of patients and is the most common form of cerebral palsy. Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy symptoms include increased tone, or tension, in a muscle. Normal muscles work in pairs and when one group of muscles contract, the other group relaxes, allowing uninhibited movement in the desired direction.
Complications in brain-to-nerve-to-muscle communication prevent the normal degree of muscle tension. Muscles affected by spastic diplegia cerebral palsy become active together and block effective movement. This results in the muscles of spastic diplegia cerebral palsy patients to be constantly tense, or spastic.
Cerebral palsy can be classified by the way it affects movement or by the number of limbs it affects. These classifications can be combined to describe severe conditions such as spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. In spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, all four limbs are affected; both legs, as well as mild affects in the arms are present.
Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy tends to affect the legs of a patient more than the arms. Spastic diplegia patients have more extensive involvement of the lower extremity than the upper extremity. Patients with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy will eventually have the ability to walk. Patients with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy are typically characterized by a crouched gait. Gait analysis and proper treatment can correct toe walking and flexed knees, which are common attributes of spastic diplegia
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