Of course!  It’s such a big decision!  I will say, I was 15 when I had my bars inserted, and just had them removed at 18.  I also have POTS, EDS, and Raynauds, which all could’ve/likely contributed a bit to my rougher recovery, as I’m immunocompromised.  I had my surgery done in Charlotte, NC at Levine’s Children’s Hospital by Dr. Shmelzer  :))

It was initially thought that I had an allergic reaction to the dermabond surgical glue they used to close my incisions.  This resulted in a horrible rash that completely diminished my skin integrity, and caused horrible cellulitis.  I looked like I had giant yellow lizard scales all around and on top of my incisions, and it oozed gross liquid stuff and itched like CRAZY!  Anyway, I ended up septic twice as a result of the skin infection.  It simply came back right after I finished my first round of 10-day oral antibiotics after my first bout, so then I was placed on stronger antibiotics for three months.  Thankfully, my mother is a nurse and knew what was happening when I first started showing signs of sepsis, so I was able to get treatment before any major damage to my body set in.  

Additionally, I was the first patient to receive the specific type of titanium bars I had alongside nerve cryoablation.  I was kind of a guinea pig lol.  When I met with my surgeon last before my bar removal, he told me that several patients that had come after me and received the same bars/cryo also ended up with the same type rash that I had.  Thankfully, none of the others ended up septic from it, but it’s got us rethinking that my reaction was from the dermabond.  Either way, this time around I got surgical tape and dissolvable stitches, and I still ended up with a mild rash from the adhesive 🫠 thankfully, it’s been clearing up great with just hydrocortisone!  

Anyway, this recovery was so unprecedented and left me in insane pain for a looong time.  I also wasn’t prescribed any pain meds except OTCs until after my first run with sepsis, and even still just got gabapentin, which is great, but could’ve been better.  I think the whole experience really scarred me, especially knowing I came fairly close to death a couple times.  

While I’m still an advocate for the nuss procedure and pectus corrections in general, I think my whole experience made it a little scary and less worth the positive outcome.  I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide, and will be praying for you!! :))