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“From the moment Sydney could stand in our lap holding on to our hands we knew something was wrong. Her spine was in the shape of an “S.”
Baby Sydney’s spine was not developing correctly because of scoliosis that was pulling her back 80 degrees out of line. By the time she turned three, surgery was inevitable if Sydney’s curve was to be corrected.
Eric Loveless, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, was consulted and turned out to be a good choice to perform the surgery, for he is as attentive to the family dealing with complex medical issues as he is to the children he treats. After fielding “a million questions,” he finally told Sydney’s family that “it’s not a matter of if we do surgery; it’s a matter of when.”
So, in July 2007, Dr. Loveless attached a Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Rib to one of Sydney’s ribs and to her lumbar spine. It is adjusted every 6 months to increase the amount of space in Sydney’s chest for her lungs to grow. Had her condition gone unattended, Sydney would develop severe deformities of the chest, spine and ribs – and this would’ve prevented her from breathing normally and would have been harmful to the natural growth and development of her lungs.
Mrs. Aviles reports that “from 2007 to the present Sydney has undergone 8 surgeries and countless MRI’s and emergency visits, but with the blessing of modern day technology it has been the difference between ‘life and breath.’ We are half way there with maybe 8 more surgeries to go until Dr. Loveless can fuse her spine,” barring no complications.
“At about the age of ten or eleven Sydney should be able to do what most girls do; ride a bike, dance, swing, wear clothes from Justice and not worry about dressing to cover her bulky brace.”
“But if you ask Sydney she will never complain– she will simply hold up her index finger and say her wish is to be straight as the #1.”
We’re betting she will!
You may keep in touch with Sydney’s Journey on her blog:
http://sydneyaviles.blogspot.com/ |
