Cooper's Curve

Last year in the Spring, I noticed that Cooper's hips looked offset. It looked like he wasn't standing up straight although he was. I decided to bring it up to his doctor at his 8 year checkup in April so she could make a note and keep an eye on it. At that checkup, we watched Cooper walk and bend over and walk some more. The doctor was a little puzzled because his spine seemed straight but everything else seemed slightly cocked. She said we should watch it and look at it again at his checkup next year unless I noticed it get worse before then. Well, by October, about six months later, I could tell that his hip looked more dramatically cocked so I took him back in. She then sent him for Scoliosis and chest wall X-rays.

 Sure enough the X-rays showed a curve of about 15 degrees in his lower spine. Since Scoliosis is very rare in kid's under age 10, we were sent on to a Scoliosis specialist. By now, it is November. The jest of the specialist's visit was this..."I will be seeing Cooper a lot because Scoliosis is rare under age 10 and we have to watch him carefully. I want to check him again in two months. If the curve gets worse in that time, I will need an MRI to check for spinal abnormalities."
So fast forward to early February. The new X-ray showed that in just two months Cooper's curve had changed 7 degrees from a 15 to a 22! He also has a curve up higher that is at 13 degrees. Not good. We were then sent for an MRI. The doctor said since he is young we have to make sure that it wasn't a problem with his spinal cord. He explained that it could in fact just be Scoliosis but he had to rule everything else out. I always pray but boy did I talk to God a lot in the time leading up to that MRI! I was just begging that my super active, healthy boy could remain just that --healthy and active! The MRI was also scary because Cooper had to be put under. The orders were for three complete scans so it would take about 2.5 hours. Poor Cooper was so nervous just not knowing what to expect and getting an iv. We had great nurses and we knew he was in great hands. He did great and then we just had to wait for results.

Praise GOD, the results showed that it is in fact just Scoliosis. Check out that lower curve! We couldn't believe it! The nurses couldn't believe he has not been in pain. Thank the Lord he hasn't been!

After seeing these results, the nurses couldn't believe he is not in pain. 

The tough part of all of this is that Coop still has lots of growing to do and with growth the curve can get worse. Our next step was to get Cooper measured and have a brace made for him. He will wear a brace until he is done growing--so for many years!They say each brace fits for about 10-14 months before you out grow it.

Luckily, he only has to sleep in it for now and as long as the brace keeps his curve from changing he can continue that. If it gets worse, he will have to go to a 23 hour a day brace. YIKES! He will have X-rays again in three months. Hoping and praying things will hold steady.

He got his brace a few weeks ago, Cooper has been such a trooper! The brace is definitely not comfortable. He cannot sit up in it and I have to help him get it tight enough at bedtime. But he has only had one night where he was holding back tears cause he was so tired and just couldn't get comfortable. SO proud of him and how tough he is being! 

I will keep you posted on Cooper's curve!