Quote:
Originally Posted by Stacy2012
I have identical twin sons and they both had pectus Carinatum. Carinatum is where the bones protrude out, excavatum is where the bones push in. Carinatum is easier to fix, providing you catch it early enough. You have to treat both of them before the age of 18 while the bones are still flexible.
20 years ago surgery was the ONLY option, and most doctors didn't even bother to treat it, and insurance said it was cosmetic. Things have changed since my boys were little, today there are options, and it is realized that indeed it is more than cosmetic, but much is still unknown to the "modern medical" doctors.
Back 20 years ago bracing was not common. I almost flew my 4th grade boys to Brazil since my research showed limited dr's who believed in bracing over surgery. Thankfully God lead me to a man on the cutting edge of new technology, but my boys were among his first patients. Today he has several locations and is a thriving pectus therapy in New York, New Jersey, and Arizona.
Why did I do it??? Have you seen that gosh awful surgery they want to perform???? They go in and break all the ribs and breast bone to place a bar, close them up, wait 6 months, the do another surgery to take the bar out. N O W A Y. Recovery is AWFUL.
God lead me the correct path, and I am still thankful today. If you heard the whole story you would be amazed. Long story short....2 boys, so double the tests and costs. Because I found this man at the beginning of his trying to get doctors to join him in this therapy, I never paid a dime. 2 kids, means 2 MRI, 2 ekg, 2 stress test, 2 cat scans, list is long. I never got a single bill and thats only part of the story. God is good.
p.s. today they can take their shirt off and you would never know they had it.  |
That is wonderful! They are lucky to have you for a mom!
The surgeries are similar, but for our son they would break the ribs and insert a steel spring contraption which they would have to go back in and expand periodically. The results are not guaranteed and it can revert to the original condition. It is barbaric, but I might have chanced it when he was young if I knew how it would affect his future. He weighs 140 at 6'4" and cannot go without a shirt in public. It is sad, and can be life threatening if he exercises.
The odd thing is, my rib cage is very large, larger than my bust. It is extremely unattractive, which I am past caring about but it was tough when i was younger being over 6' tall, flat chested, and having these ribs. I looked like Jim Carey when he would do the female body builder skit. Our bone structure is so odd as a family.
Thank you for responding. A fascinating story.