07/03/12 part 2

Jules has spent an uncomfortable day while her situation was assessed by the ICU and neurological teams.  We had arranged to transfer her to the Mater private hospital to be operated on by a specialist orthopedic surgeon.  After making this decision it became apparent that their ICU unit had no quadraplegic nursing capability and that was cancelled.  The specialist then offered to assist the neurosurgeon at the TGH but was refused.  Apparently there are some medical politics involved.

It was now 2:30PM in the afternoon and the TGH neurosurgeons decided that Jules would be better served by being operated on and treated in the spinal care unit of the PA hospital in Brisbane.  They have arranged an ICU bed and she is to  be flown to Brisbane by the RFDS sometime after 7PM tonight.

It has been a day of frustrations. poor Jules is conscious, aware, and able to engage in conversation.  She understands the situation pretty well and is fearful and frightened.

 

The situation is that vertebra C5 is fractured into a number of pieces and the large anterior piece has broken a longitudinal ligament and compressed the spinal cord.  Vertebra C4 and C3 have some posterior pieces broken off which require removal but as I understand it are not threatening the spinal cord.  The operation tomorrow is to remove the piece of C5 and replace it with a bone graft in the correct position to decompress the spinal cord, metal plates will be fastened to either side of the spine to effectively fuse the vertebra between C4 and C6 then it is wait and see with lots of in patient physio: at least 4-6 months, and a similar time of outpatient physio and then a lot of work at home to keep working on things.  Some recover, some improve, and some don't.  We are hoping Jules is in one of the first two categories

We are trying to stay positive and hoping for good outcome.  The next few days are important.

Val and Norm