My Son’s 3rd Surgery

8th December 2024 was the day my almost 4 year old son went through a surgical intervention to externally assist with stretching his spinal curves.

I can't say the waiting was easy. With praying, hoping and accepting, thoughts of worry, grieve, sadness and pain were racing in my mind.

For such a young age, to go through such an aggressive procedure, I thought: How could his small size body tolerate this? How will he adjust to all this? What could happen?

Then I remember the possibility mindset. What is possible in all of this? What if he makes through all that? What if his body could tolerate this? What if his spinal curves adjust to the new position?

Finally, the waiting time completed and I was called to the operation room to meet my son. The nurses and doctors’ eyes and body language indicated worry of my reaction when seeing my son.

There he was on the bed. His eyes were shocked looking at the screws and metal ring fixated around his head. He didn't cry immediately. His eyes were full of fear and anxiety.

I and the doctors encouraged him to move his legs and hands. He could move them gently. When his father arrived, his facial cheeks and lips were shaking and he started tearing and crying gently.

I was about to cry with him but I hold my tears and comforted him instead.

He kept requesting to wake up and sit. But the doctors advised to rest on the bed and wait for the physiotherapist to come the following day and assist him with sitting, standing and walking.

Yes, this is a very painful memory but also the hope, faith and beleif that this shall also pass keeps us moving consistently and persistently.

Finally I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to his doctor, Dr. Sultan Al Kalbani, the spinal orthopedic specialist, who accepted wholeheartedly to take over my son’s challenging case and initiated the necessary action steps to make his surgery in Khoula Hospital in Oman possible and successful.