Teen to Teen: "I Know What You Are Going Through"

Story by Melissa Howell
Photography by Steve Kast

Stephanie Sherman

Each year, dozens of adolescents attend a Preoperative Spine Fusion Class at The Children's Hospital. The teens all have idiopathic scoliosis, or scoliosis that occurs for no known reason in otherwise healthy individuals. The teens often have two things in common: their spine curves are severe enough to require surgery, and they have concerns about how a spine surgery will affect them.

This is where 15-year-old Stephanie Sherman can offer guidance. Sherman, and other teens, who have undergone spine fusion surgery, come back to the Spine Fusion Class to share their experiences and lessen their peers' concerns.

In May of 2005, Sherman's pediatrician discovered a bump on her spine, and sent her to Mark Erickson, MD, chair of the Department of Orthopedics at Children's. She was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis. Initially, she was treated with a brace, but her curve became severe enough to require surgery. At the time of her surgery, her curve had progressed to a 90-degree angle, which is considered extremely severe.

"Sitting was at times uncomfortable, and I would get short of breath when walking," Sherman said. "My left hip also was sore because I had been leaning to the left."

In July of 2006 she decided, along with her family and physicians, to have spine fusion surgery to straighten her spine; this involved surgeons placing a rod on either side of her spine with 24 screws, and a six-day hospital stay.

"I'm glad I had the surgery," Sherman said. "Standing, sitting and sleeping are all more comfortable. I feel healthier after my surgery."

This is the message she shared recently with 10 patients and their families who were facing spine fusion surgery.

"I told them it's not as bad as you think it's going to be, you have lots of good pain medication," Sherman said. "A couple of weeks after the surgery you can start moving around, but you might be in pain. Be hopeful and don't dread it. I feel good that I can say, 'it's OK, don't worry about it.'"

"A picture is worth a thousand words," said Elise Benefield, RN, clinical coordinator for the Spine Center at Children's. "Most of these patients have had no previous surgery or hospital experience. The favorite part on the class evaluations is often the former patient speaker. And the teens who have been through the surgery are always pretty willing to share their experience."

Sherman said that before her surgery, she was very self-conscious of the lump on her back, but now is open to talk about it. "I feel good about helping others to not worry," she said.