Meet Monica

The Global Spine Outreach volunteers first met Monica in Chihuahua, Mexico on our first mission there in May 2015. Monica has a rare disorder that makes it difficult for her to move her joints, called arthrogryposis. She had three previous spinal surgeries to correct her kyphoscoliosis before meeting the GSO team, but those surgeries failed her. In December 2015, Drs. Rinella and Mundis and the GSO team performed her surgery to correct her kyphoscoliosis. Monica’s kyphosis was the most severe and the biggest concern for the team as it had progressed to 140°. The surgery GSO Drs. Rinella and Mundis along with our Mexico surgeon partner, Dr. Enrique Rosales performed was a Posterior Spinal Fusion from thoracic levels 1 to 12 and they also performed a vertebral column resection (VCR) at T5. This surgery corrected a good amount of her kyphosis (which could be seen from the bump in her back) and should keep her kyphoscoliosis from progressing. We look forward to seeing Monica and getting her latest update on how she is doing when the team sees her next in Chihuahua in August 2016.

A Letter from Monica

Gracias:

Por ser la persona mas especial que he conocido en mi vida. Gracias por darme esperanza y gran amor. Te quiero aunque no te conozca mucho y aprecio mucho su ayuda. Siempre estara en mi corozón.

“El Amor y compasion son necesidades, no lujos sifal taran la humanidad no podria existir."
-Dalai Lama

Thank you:

For the most special people I’ve ever met in my life. Thank you for giving me hope and great love. I love you even though I do not know you well and I appreciate your help. You will always be in my heart.

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
-Dalai Lama