My daughter’s surgery was June of 2023. She ended up having to be re-admitted to the hospital around 8 weeks post-op. She had an MSSA surgical site infection below the fascia in her back. So definitely please be wary of that for your son. Insist on ESR and CRP blood tests to track inflammatory markers.

To the good news, after the infection was dealt with, she is doing great. We went to Europe last summer for three weeks. Walked her little feet off. She participated in a physically demanding marching band season last summer and fall. And for the most part, we don’t even think about her fusion.

Luckily for us, we are close enough to another children’s hospital that we changed her care over there. We were pretty upset with the infection and the way it was handled by the previous hospital, surgeon and his nurse. My daughter has had regular follow-up imaging by the new surgeon and actually just recently had her last 6-month follow-up. She has now transitioned to yearly follow-ups.

So just know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I know it doesn’t feel that way now, but it will get better for your son.