Teen is home for the holidays

A teenager who underwent major back surgery to help him walk is back home in time for Christmas.

Dylan Wilson has endured years of pain and discomfort due to a rare genetic condition that affected his back and made it difficult for him to play the sports he loves.

But 17-year-old underwent spinal surgery earlier this month to correct the problem and after 10 days in hospital he has now returned home to spend Christmas with his family.

Dylan told the Bermuda Sun: “I first started having problems with my back when I was 13.

“I remember one day I just could not even stand up the pain was so bad.

“Over the years I have seen doctors and chiropractors, but we never really knew what the problem was.

“And then this term at school it started getting really bad again.

“There have been days I could not even stand up straight. I would have so much pain in my left leg that I could not play basketball and baseball.”

In November Dylan once again returned to see doctors at King Edward Memorial Hospital and was then referred to a US expert.

The medical team was able to locate the source of the longstanding problem in Dylan’s lower back as well as diagnose the teenager’s condition as ‘spinalosis’.

A congenital defect in two of his lower spinal discs meant that nerves were being caught between the two vertebrae.

The teenager underwent a two-and-a-half hour operation on December 9 at KEMH in which metal rods were inserted between the two troublesome discs to keep them apart.

The surgery was a success, but Dylan had to undergo a further operation after the build up of fluids around the wound.

He was eventually able to walk out of hospital on December 19, just in time to spend Christmas with his two brothers, Brandon and Nathan, and the rest of his family.

The CedarBridge Academy pupil said: “I’m just happy to be home again and looking forward to spending Christmas with my family.

“I’m also hoping that I can get back to playing sport again soon.”

His mother, Madalena Wilson, added: “We are so pleased to have Dylan back home with us again.

“He may have only been in hospital 10 days but it seemed a lot longer.

“It’s a great Christmas present for us and for him to have him back home, and the operation seems to have been a success which is the most important thing.”