Ashley Pelico, Scoliosis Patient
Ashley's Story of Care
 Despite their best efforts, her spine continued to worsen and the curve became more pronounced. It was becoming hard for Ashley to carry her heavy schoolbooks, stand or sit up straight–it was even becoming hard for her to breathe. About Ashley
More About Ashley's Story
Ashley Tells Her Own StoryOne day in seventh grade, our school nurses screened us for scoliosis. I was sent home with a note saying that I showed signs of spinal curvature. I didn’t really understand what that little note meant for me and my life. But within a few months, I began having neck and back pain. We visited our family’s chiropractor who took one look at me and said that taking x-rays was not necessary for her to see that I had a severe case of scoliosis. Frightened at how much worse my condition had gotten in just a few weeks, I began to cry. In the meantime though, my mom took me to see three different doctors. The first two doctors were horrible.
Ashley's Essays Ashley shares her own experiences with spinal fusion surgery through two essays. After meeting him I understood why he’s one of the best. He explained everything to us, and took x-rays that showed that my scoliosis curve had progressed from 47 degrees to 60 degrees. It was clear that my curve was only getting worse and that surgery was the next step for me. I was very scared and worried. I knew that I would have a long and painful recovery after surgery. But, everything on the day of my surgery went really smooth. I began moving around as quickly as I could and the hospital staff were amazed at how mobile I was after only a few days. When I went home, I was walking around the block in no time and, two weeks later, I was visiting the mall, just like a normal teenager. Cindy Pelico Shares Her StoryWhen I found out that Ashley had scoliosis, I felt paralyzed. I didn’t know what to do for her or where to begin. So, I did what any parent would do - I hoped that Ashley wouldn’t need surgery. I took her regularly to our family chiropractor for
We met with three orthopaedic surgeons in the years following Ashley’s diagnosis. The first physician made a gross miscalculation in Ashley’s spinal curvature and infuriated me by nonchalantly shrugging off the mistake and, more importantly, having a callous attitude to our fear of having our child undergo such an invasive surgery. The next doctor was a very honest doctor who did not believe in unnecessary surgeries, however, he was devoid of any bedside manner and it was clear that his staff were all scared of him. Since it was important that Ashley felt confident in the doctor who would perform the surgery, I let her make the decision. I was in complete support of her when she told me that she did not want this man to be her surgeon. I was quite content with procrastinating on reaching a decision about Ashley's care until it became apparent that Ashley's condition had worsened significantly. At the gentle prodding from our family chiropractor, I began the task of finding a orthopaedic physicians we could feel confident about.
Finally, we were referred to Dr. David Skaggs. He truly turned out to be an amazing doctor for Ashley, and for me. He was compassionate, capable and reassured both of us. At one point while we were in his office, I felt so reassured that for the first time in three years I actually began to feel OK about Ashley having surgery. It was a good thing that we both became accustomed to the idea because Ashley’s curve was continuing to get worse. It had began at 45 degrees when we visited the first doctor. By the time Dr. Skaggs ordered a new set of x-rays for review, Ashley’s curve was at 64 degrees. It was clear that she would need surgery to prevent her from living a painful, disfiguring existence. Ashley’s surgery was a grueling six hours. While she was asleep, I did everything I could not to think of her lying on the operating table. But, now that the surgery has been completed, I cannot say enough great things about what it has done for Ashley. Within two weeks of surgery, she was visiting the mall. She even went on our annual family camping trip to Kern River only six weeks after the surgery! I am so grateful to have met Dr. Skaggs and the staff at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Skaggs has been blessed with an amazing gift to make such a significant impact in the lives of children like Ashley. And the nurses and doctors at the hospital were all amazing. I cannot thank them enough. Dr. Skaggs Provides A Surgeon's Perspective
However, had we not intervened with a spinal fusion surgery for Ashley, it likely would only have been a matter of time before she would have begun experiencing more severe consequences of her condition. One of the things that helps families like the Pelico family feel comfortable in turning over their child to one of our orthopaedic surgeons for care is the fact that we work on the most complex spine and bone conditions every day.
Before Surgery After Surgery In addition, the high degree of familiarity that our Childrens Orthopaedic Center has with this disorder is enabling me to pursue one of my many goals - the development of improved spinal fusion techniques for children. Children are often not finished growing when they come to me for scoliosis and other alignment surgeries. My
Young people often come in my office with low self-esteem because of a very visible physical dysfunction or deformity. I am proud to say that, even for some of the most complex scoliosis cases, we are able to transform these children and teens, after surgery, into young people who are not only standing physically taller but are happier and more confident about their lives and their futures. You Can Be a Hero for Patients Like Ashley
Supporting Care for Sick and Injured ChildrenCindy Pelico is convinced that she found the best hospital with the best surgeon and the most supportive staff to care for Ashley. Our hospital is able to provide a caring environment for our patients because of indviduals like you - people who are heros for sick and injured children. Consider supporting our efforts to provide care by making a gift today to support the Children's Fund - a special fund designed to support our hospital's ability to go above and beyond in our care for children. Cindy Pelico Donates BloodIn addition to serving as a Parent Liaison, Cindy regularly donates her blood for our patients at our on-campus Blood Donation Center.
All told, the care for children receiving treatment at our hospital results in our using approximately 2,000 units of blood per day. You can help us meet that need through your generous donation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
