Preparations before Scoliosis Surgery

PART 2

Arrive at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Thanks to Bella & Desy for this beautiful and cutie bear

In this moment I am so willing to get surgery in the first trip to Malaysia, so I getting done my Pulcher Bags work, bring all stuffs and start raising funds its a big money actually I dont know whether I could get surgery or not if there is no help from my dad’s family (I want to say thankyou to my grandma, uncles, aunties it is because of your help I could get surgery in time and live happily right now)

And so after prepared all that I’ll be ready in case doctor say I will got surgery  immediately. Arrive at KLIA 1, we follow the sign for the baggage claim then appropriate to what I read that bus ticket counter locate on KLIA 2, so we bought KRL ticket to get on KLIA only in 2-3minutes.

Tips: KRL ticket RM 2 each. Then KLIA 2 to Malacca RM 30 each, much cheaper than taxi KLIA 1 -  Malacca cost Rp 700.000

It tooks 2.5 hours with the comfort bus ad so cold inside! I kept thinking about the surgery during the trip. Arrive at Malacca, we were dropped at Bus terminal then we ordered Grab to Crown Hotel (why I recommend this? Because of affordable price, very clean and comfortable, it only took 5 minutes to Mahkota Hospital) we met a lot of friendly person in this city, grab’s driver who told us about Malacca tours and the foods.

Meeting with Dr. Lee Chee Kean

2017, 6th July at 7 o’clock we ready to go to Mahkota Hospital, doing registration for appointment that turned out to start at 01.00 pm but because of many are registering we should register in the morning. They ask me passport number, name, malaysian phone number, email.

To get rid of curiousity we were register on Doctor x (as my family recommendation), different from Dr. Lee , the Doctor x staff directly write the covering letter for rontgen. While waiting for both doctors, we go to 1st floor Xray lab, and there are many who are queue, and I wait till 12 oclock , They get my rontgen with stand up and lying position a couple times then we wait the result till 2pm.

 

Tips: Dont forget to buy Malaysian Sim Card, so the doctor can contact us when needed.

While I wait for my result in xray lab, my mom wait near the Dr. x room, but the strange thing is the staff do not let my mom enter. Then at 1 pm, Dr. Lee’s Staff call me , she said Dr. Lee already there. So we decided to meet Dr. Lee first

Dr. Lee ask us what is our language? Mom said Melayu is ok. He is a middle aged man with a very neat, white and clean room. He ask me how and since when I know about scoliosis, what kind of treatment that I already get through, then he check on my back and my nerves respond. Examine my Xray result , Dr. Lee said its a wrong rontgen for scoliosis. They should take full image from upper neck to coccyx and it only take in 1 position which is standing up. But no problem Dr Lee still measure my degrees as much as possible. I’am more and more not sure about this Dr. x they have failed me in the first place other than untidy, dark room and unfriendly service from their staff. Also I met the former patient who came back to this Dr. x because she felt pain again after surgery in many years.

Back to Dr. lee, he explain carefully what is scoliosis, the types and causes, treatement, before and after surgery. Because of my scolio detected when Im in puberty then my scolio is non idiopatic type. Till now there is no explanation why this is happen and unknown cause it also not genetics.

More than 45 degrees, the treatment only surgery

Stages of activity after surgery

Dr. Lee said this can’t be done at Mahkota hospital due to insufficient team and equipment especially scoliosis surgery is one of major operation. So he referred me to meet with his senior Professor Kwan Mun Keong and Prof Chris Chan Yin Wei at University Malaya Specialist Center – Kuala Lumpur. There is complete equipment and teams, scoliosis specialist clinics that have been dealing with scoliosis patients since 2006, and are noted to have handled 1,000 x operations without ever failing.

After that we go to hotel to take some rest, Dr lee directly calling to Prof Chris that time and make us an appointment, we never expected that the doctor could be so helpful and care of us. Dr. Lee called me and gave me Prof Chris number, he also inform me that Prof Chris will be at hospital 2pm tomorrow. Me and mom preparing trip to KL and hotel booked. We also had a walk in the city of Malacca from the evening, very beautiful I even forget my initial destination to Malaysia :P

The Screw , made in Germany (Johnsons) best of the best

Super comfortable bus with massage machine on the passenger seat

Back to KL using this Bus depart on 7.30 am On time, here every transport arrive and depart on time, they even depart 2-3 minutes early from schedule. So we arrive at Mahkota at 5am (bought ticket and wait bus here) we arrive at KL sentral 12 oclock then we ordered Grab to hotel drop our luggage there and Prof Chris text me what time we arrived at hospital, and I said 2pm Prof. So surprisingly for me Prof/ Doctor here could call patient personally like that.

Unlike in my city, we only allowed to face to face only less than 5 minutes and he said the only way out is surgery. Thats it. No further explanations, he will stand up and gave his hand (sign we have to shakehand and go out of his room)

 KL Sentral (well organized)

Meet Prof Kwan & Prof Chris at UMSC

This hospital is very large with 3 main towers: Main, South, East. We dont know that we dropped at south tower so we have to ask 5-7 people to finally reach the 10th east tower.

There I text Prof. Chris that I arrived and he came to me with a friendly smile and we were escorted to 9th floor Rose Ward, Then me and sister were checked at the examine room.

The examine same as Dr. Lee and my xray once again cant give clear result , because the xray only show small part of my spine not whole. With that my degrees estimated about 70 or more which is worsen since my last check. And I knew that getting older doesnt stop the curve getting worse. Prof Chris explain to us with power point , the different is we are not in the consultation room, but only at the administration desk in front of patient room.we were introduced with Prof Kwan a very tall man and his face like a super model (my mom said :p) then Prof Chris continued with explains the dangers of scoliosis if left untreated, then a wushu athletes who have undergone scoliosis surgery and get the world champion. So we are very convinced there is no problem after scolio surgery we live like a normal person.

They have the patient community that have been undergone surgery , on facebook, whatsapp, some of them were from Indonesia so feel free to contact them later when we back on Indonesia and ask them how it feels post op , even he gave me 2 handbooks (english & Indonesia version) that explain what should we do and dont do before and after surgery (tarining, vitamin, pantang, etc)

The thing I love the most on Mawar Ward is a board on the wall that containts a lot of picture few days after the operation and their family and they all smiling give each comments about their experience. This is sure so strengthen me and I realize Im not alone.

You're not alone

After that Prof Chris took us around to one of patiens room, the girl was operated on Wednesday and it was Friday, which mean this is her 3rd day , Prof Chris helped her to get up from her bed. She could walk to toilet already! Wow surprisingly.. her lip are not pale. And Prof said operation does not require the blood transfusion, because the operation only took 3 hours.

My mother was very surprised because according to previous doctors scolio surgery could take more than 5-6 hours. Prof said because here the op done by 2 expert prof so the op can be done within only 3 hours or less so not loss a lot of blood that can endanger patient.

Prof Chris also took us around to the surgery preparation room and saw the surgical team. a very sterile room, all blue, and cold. Prof Chris had asked us what hotel we were staying in, and had several hotels near UMSC, how we got to know Dr. Lee, my mother said we intend to find some doctors in Malaysia, and he said "no problem, you please go find a lot, think first, find what is best for you" He also advised to "Enjoy Malaysia" haha and he drove us to the main lobby at UMSC east tower, so the next time we came here we do not get lost.

Then with a wonder look to my mom we go home, this is all not get charge? This is so different with the “5 minutes only” in Jakarta, then it turn out that Prof Chris thought that we are already spent a lot of money to go from Jakarta to mallaca then to KL so there is no need to spend another just when you already take a decision to op you can register as a official patient at UMSC

with Prof Chris

Then we back to hotel , my mom call one of patient’s parent Mr. Subagio and she join whatsapp scoliosis group. We got a lot of information from that, so happy to hear many testimonials from them who already through the op and live normally now. We got so many help especially from Miss Susan , one of malaysian got surgery 3 years ago, we decided to back to Indonesia to discuss the op schedule.

The younger you do the op, the result will be better because bone flexibility still good and you can have much correction. But if you do not do op, the curve will increase more and more day by day. If the bent already reach 100 degree then to do an op is too much risk and not every doctor will do that.

The important thing to remember is op cant straighten spine to 0 degree ( too dangerous and inhuman) op performed not aiming for aesthetics, adding height, beautiful body shape, its all just bonus. The only purpose is to balance your body to save patients from the dangers of increasingly severe scoliosis such as the potential pinched lungs, uterus and other organs that can be fatal.

We also ask several things that worried by parents and patients such as:

1.      What things that post op patient cant do after 6 months?

 All can be done, just like normal people. after passing from 1 year, like carry a heavy burden, Includes sports such as gym, swimming, karate, wushu, etc.

2. What is the effect of surgery on pregnancy? Nothing, pregnancy and childbirth are all normal .. instead if not doing surgery the uterine space will be more narrow and not good for baby growth.
3. Is there any possibilities that the spine will be bent again after op?

No, because it already locked by screw.

Several instructions before and after op:

1.      Make sure you bring pillow to prop the back in the car during the discharge of hospital, because patients after surgery can not sit too long

2.      Bring towel big and small size, socks, slippers, outboard bra, shirt with front opening button (patient cant raise hand after op)

3.      Commonly used personal medicines (stomach pain, fever / flu, constipation, sanitary napkins, kiranti, eucalyptus oil, etc.) there are many patients with stomach ache or fever post op.

4.      Snack and instant drink like milo, biscuit, also glass , spoon, plate, thermos because hotel and hospital not provide.

5.      Tell the driver to slowly especially when there is a hole in road, post op patients really sensitive to this till 3 months.

6.      Prepare the sitting toilet and shower for a bath. Because the patient has not been able to bend / squat / carry weight .

7.      Make sure the equipment / clothing / personal items of the patient at home are in proper or above the patient so that patients do not need to reach the floor to pick up the stuffs.

See you at part 3: Scoliosis Surgery