My sister, my inspiration

Listen to Colton and Lena talk about their relationship.  My little sister, Lena, was born in Denver, Colorado, on Feb. 24, 2000. My recollection of that day and the weeks that followed is hazy — not only because I was just six years old, but also because I was being shuttled between several relatives while my parents attended to some “medical problem” my sister had, which I couldn’t really understand. The words spina bifida didn’t mean much to me, but between my parents’ solemnity and the fact that — as it was explained to me — the doctors needed to cut into my sister’s back with a laser, I started to get an abstract, naive idea of the seriousness of the whole thing. Lena with her adoring big brother, Colton. There is currently no cure for spina bifida. From day one, my little sister has faced difficulties most of us will never have to confront. Things most people take for granted can be made magnitudes more complicated by spina bifida. After an initial detethering surgery, Lena essentially had no complications from spina bifida for the first few years of her life, and even when some urological issues did eventually arise, they were able to be kept in check. For many years, everything that had plagued the first weeks of my little sister’s life had become virtually invisible to those who didn’t know her otherwise. She took up swimming, lacrosse, soccer, theatre and cultivated the surreal sense of humor she carries with her today. My sister is l...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Carlos Estrada Dr. Lawrence Karlin Dr. Mark Proctor spina bifida Source Type: news