Hope for Ellie after life-saving operation
A teenager has taken her first steps on the road to better health after pulling through a potentially life-changing 13-hour operation in Spain.
But Ellie Gray, 18, may not know for a year if the surgery – unavailable in the UK – has been a success.
Neurosurgeons, who spent twice as long operating on Thursday as expected, duetocomplications,saythey cannot be sure of the longterm outcome.
Andtheyhavealsowarned her mum Janine, 48, and dad Neil, 50, who are keeping a bedside vigil at the Barcelona hospital, to expect an initial rough recovery.
So far, they say the operation, to fuse her skull to her spine and relieve the symptomsofthedebilitatinggenetic condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), went well.
Janine said: “The operation went well but was much more complicated than they anticipated and lasted more than 13 hours.
“We’ve been told to expect a rough recovery for the next week or so. This was major brain surgery and more extensive than any of us was expecting
“We are with Ellie and we’ve been warned it will be rough, so obviously we are focussed on her.
“The surgeons seemed happy that they had achieved what they set out to. Ellie is on the intensive care unit and will stay there for the time being.
“Timewilltellwhetherthe surgery has been successful, it will take up to a year to fully recover.”
With no UK hospital able to perform the operation, the familysoughttreatmentoverseas.
Limited to surgery in the US or Spain, they set about raising£94,000tocovercosts, with £37,900 so far pledged.
To add to the family’s concerns, Janine, a former medical statistician, also suffers from EDS and requires similar treatment.
Ellie is expected to be hospitalforabout12days,buther parents have been warned it could be longer.
In total, they say they may have to remain in Spain for a month while she recovers.
Ellie, of East Boldon, was aged 12 when diagnosed with aChiarimalformation,which is a hindbrain hernia, and a cyst on the spine known as syringomyelia.
Sheunderwentmajorneurosurgery to prevent deterioration of these conditions, which adversely triggered other symptoms.
Fouryearslater,doctorsdiagnosedEDS,whichcauseslax ligaments, and she has since suffered rapid health loss.
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/just4children/elliesfusion.