A Follow Up

 FB Post (by Sarah):

A follow up to yesterday’s post to answer some questions I’ve received.

I was born with Spastic cerebral palsy. We learned that the spasticity if not treated would lead to atrophy of muscles, stiffness and could eventually lead to organ failure.. I was given an age expectancy of 50-60 years old. (The orthopedic surgeon told us this)

The only way to permanently stop the spasticity is to remove the signal. (You can take meds, get Botox injections, or have a baclofen pump installed…but these aren’t a permanent solution)

So, the neurosurgeon performed a selective dorsal rhizotomy (which is usually performed on children and very rarely on anyone over 25–although knowledgeable surgeons like mine are accepting more adults)

During the procedure they removed a section of my spine to expose the sensory nerves. They then tested all the sensory nerves that lead to both legs. They severed the connection to the ones that misfire. In my case the doctor cut 70% of the sensory nerves in my right leg only. The left nerves were firing correctly. They then replaced my spine back into its orginal place.

Now my brain has to remake connections. I can use muscles I have never used before, but I also have to relearn things. I’ve relearned to walk and sit/stand in two weeks.

I’m currently working on uneven surfaces, balance and stairs. The goal is to use summer to make the most of the time for connections to be made. The best connections are usually made in the first 3 weeks - 3 months. But, if I continue the work, the positive results can increase for 3-5 years.