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  • SRS Celebrity Spokesperson Wins Tournament

    Stacy Lewis, 26, won her first LPGA tournament today by 3 strokes over the #1 ranked golfer in the world, Yani Tseng. If you go to www.srs.org, there is an interview with Stacy and Dr. Boachie. I don't know if he ws her surgeon or not. She has been the celebrity spokesperson for scoliosis for the past 3 years.
    From age 11-18, she wore a brace 18 hours a day and took it off only to play golf. After getting a golf scholarship at Univ. or Arkansas, she had to have surgery and couldn't play golf for a year.
    Throughout the entire tournament, they showed her before and after x-rays and talked about the toughness of Stacy which they attributed to her dealing with scoliosis for years. No one expected her to beat Yani Tseng, but she ended up winning by 3 strokes coming from 2 strokes back going into the last day of a 4 day tournament. I am so thankful that I didn't wear a brace during my teenage years, but I know that many of you did. I probably would have become a total introvert. Stacy was interviewed everyday of the tourmanet and was always asked about dealing with scoliosis and how it had made her the tough competitor that she is today.
    Karen

    Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
    Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
    70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
    Rib Hump-GONE!
    Age-60 at the time of surgery
    Now 66
    Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
    Retired Kdgn. Teacher

    See photobucket link for:
    Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
    Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
    tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
    http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

  • #2
    I love this story!!!!!!!
    Fused T-3 to L-3, Aug 25
    Hardware removal surgery, Nov 2, 2010
    Fused T-10 to L-2, osteotomy, Feb 22, 2011

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by golfnut View Post
      I am so thankful that I didn't wear a brace during my teenage years, but I know that many of you did. I probably would have become a total introvert. Stacy was interviewed everyday of the tourmanet and was always asked about dealing with scoliosis and how it had made her the tough competitor that she is today.
      That's an interesting point.

      Actually it would be interesting for the adults here who wore a brace as a kid to talk about how it felt and if they have any lasting psychological effects.

      I'm guessing it would be dominated by folks who wore a brace and needed fusion or else they wouldn't be here on the forum. That might or might not reflect the effects of brace wear in the cases that didn't require fusion as an adult.

      It also might be interesting to present what is known or thought to be the case about the rate of unecessary brace wear to the folks who didn't go on to need fusion to see if it changes their opinion of their bracing.
      Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

      No island of sanity.

      Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
      Answer: Medicine


      "We are all African."

      Comment


      • #4
        Pooka, here is my take on wearing my brace-

        I wore my brace from age 15-18 for 23 hours a day. I was only able to take it off at night for a shower and exercises. Trying to sleep SUCKED. (It feels like deja vu right now, with trying to sleep and get comfortable post-op...) I was the shy, brainy type; glasses and braces, the whole geek bit, so it was devastating at first. I was not exactly a hot chick before the brace, now who would want to date a girl in a back brace, too? I found out that the ones who wanted to date me were nice guys, ones who didn't care that I was in a brace. It sure cut through the questions of what a guy really wanted out of me on a date!

        I had a friend talk me into trying out for freshman rally squad. Tryouts were in front of a few teachers, and being a brain, I liked the teachers, so I was able to make my way through it. Barely. We made the squad. It was so out of character for me, but it helped me with my shyness. I actually liked it. I tried out the next year (in front of the whole student body) and made varsity. And here is where it gets aggravating. Right after I made it, I was put into my brace. My rally advisor called my mother and told her that I needed to quit, because I didn't have the "right image" anymore. My overprotective mother was furious. I was feeling down enough as it was- how could she tell me to quit! My mom went to the principal and the advisor backed down. These days, that teacher would have been in a lot of trouble.... So, long story short, I stayed on the squad. I think I was an inspiration for the other girls in braces, showing what a person can overcome. Some of the girls just quit doing everything and were feeling sorry for themselves.

        I also ran track in the spring. I remember bruises, lots of aches, and raw spots from the brace rubbing and putting pressure on me.... (Did anyone else use Ampubalm, a balm to toughen skin for amputees?) But I was determined to keep on living. I guess I may have been shy, but I was showing signs of stubbornness even back then!

        Back to the original question Pooka asked about how it affected me... I think it made me stronger. I learned to accept that sometimes bad things happen and you have to just figure out a way to deal with it. And to look at the bright side, and appreciate the lessons I learned. I became much more active, which I truly believed helped me to postpone surgery for a lot of years. I was strong. I really believe that my scoliosis would have progressed much more rapidly during the teen years if I hadn't have worn the brace. It did during the period that they just monitored me before putting me in the brace. So I started out adulthood with less curvature than I think I would have had. Then I kept active and strong from then on, further postponing it. If I hadn't have worn that brace, I think I would have progressed and had surgery while young, with Harrington rods. Sure glad I waited...
        I also would still be a more introverted person than I am now. I am not shy anymore. I surprise even myself with some of the things I get myself into nowadays! It really brought me "out of my shell". Both the figurative one and the literal one!! I would not wish it on anyone, but I do feel it made me who I am, in a lot of ways. I wasn't going to let scoliosis stop me from doing anything!!!
        Jenee'-52
        Bend, Oregon

        Braced 3 years in high school
        Lumbar 70'+ Thoracic 70'+
        I had 3" shrinkage in 6 months...

        Surgery Jan 10, 2011
        9 hours
        T3 to S1 with pelvic fixation
        Both curves now 35'

        Possible revison for Flatback Syndrome
        Non-fusion
        Loose/broken hardware-awaiting CT results

        Here is the link to my before and after pics..
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt......&highlight=

        Comment


        • #5
          Jenee' that's a great testimonial. Thanks for writing it.

          Sharon
          Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

          No island of sanity.

          Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
          Answer: Medicine


          "We are all African."

          Comment


          • #6
            Sharon,
            Would you want to start a thread asking about the psychological effects, if any, of wearing a brace during teenage years? I am afraid that many will miss your post otherwise and I would really be interested in reading the replies. I also wonder if many who wore a brace and then later had a fast progressing curve and needed surgery felt that it made little difference in the outcome. I can't imagine wearing one for 7 1/2 years like Stacy Lewis, but she is definitely a fighter on the golf course now. Maybe it makes you who you are in some cases.
            Karen
            Karen

            Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
            Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
            70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
            Rib Hump-GONE!
            Age-60 at the time of surgery
            Now 66
            Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
            Retired Kdgn. Teacher

            See photobucket link for:
            Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
            Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
            tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
            http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

            Comment


            • #7
              Yes, that would be a good thread....

              and Yes, great story, Jenee'...hope you are still coming along well.

              Another of the many reasons I've appreciated this forum: I was never braced and always wished I had been until I read forum posts, as I had the erroneous impression that it would have taken care of the scoli at an early age. A friend noticed my curvature in a dance class when I was 15ish and it wasn't named until about age 18 by a doc observing a lung x-ray. I felt a bit ruffled that my family wasn't taking my "weird back" claims a little more seriously and now it was too late. I've read so much of the controversy on this forum about bracing- I wish it could be determined that it was effective or not into the adult years. I missed that boat but may not have changed my destiny anyway. I do have to agree with Jenee' that devotion to fitness was helpful in managing this condition. But that is just conjecture on my part- we don't seem to know yet if our curves are pre-ordained or subject to outside influences. I can't wait until we know that one.
              Amy
              58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
              Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
              Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
              2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
              Exercising to correct

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks for posting Karen....I was following her on Saturday but lost track on Sunday and didn't realize she had won....there is hope for us yet!!!

                As for wearing a brace, I wore one for 2 years and it was AWEFULL...I was already a shy geeky kid and the brace made it even harder and pushed me into a shell that I didn't get out of until my 20's. That was my choice and I could have handled it better, live and learn I guess.

                Rich
                Pre-Surgery Lumbar 65 degrees
                A/P Fusion T10-Pelvis by Dr. Christopher Good
                Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA 3/17/10, 3/18/10
                Post-Surgery Lumbar 19 degrees, and 2" in height

                Comment


                • #9
                  Stacy wins again!

                  Stacy Lewis won her second professional golf tournament today. I love to see scoliosis people succeed at anything they attempt. She is certainly a tough competitor. I followed her in a tournament last summer in Springfield and would have loved to have had the opportunity to talk to her.
                  Karen

                  Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                  Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                  70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                  Rib Hump-GONE!
                  Age-60 at the time of surgery
                  Now 66
                  Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                  Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                  See photobucket link for:
                  Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                  Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                  tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                  http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Karen, the article said her surgeon "saved" a level or two....
                    do you know where i could find her X rays that are supposed to be view-able online....?
                    i am assuming she is fused above the L4 level...
                    the article mentioned they wanted to be sure to preserve her mobility needed for her
                    golf swing....
                    any pix you could direct me to would be appreciated....

                    thanks....
                    jess..& Sparky

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Jess

                      Here you go. Scroll down.
                      http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/feature...is-article.php

                      Ed
                      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                      My x-rays
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        We see Stacey regularly in Australia and she gets the same routine here. I wonder if she gets tired of the scoliosis angle. She's certainly become a pin up girl for scoliosis surgery. Good on her!
                        Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                        Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                        T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                        Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                        Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          thanks, Karen
                          ineresting that he adjusted the surgery to help not interfere with her
                          golf swing...it is good thoracic correctiopn only was required...
                          i am amazed that you can play gold with fusion to sacrum....
                          absolutely amazed that you can swing the club...and happy for you!

                          jess

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Jess,
                            I am playing better than I expected, although I don't hit the ball quite as far with most clubs as I did before surgery. I hope that will improve as I play more. Have you watched the video in my signature? It was taken the first day I played golf after my surgery. You can turn when fused to the sacrum . . . it's just more of a one piece turn instead of twisting.
                            Karen

                            Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                            Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                            70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                            Rib Hump-GONE!
                            Age-60 at the time of surgery
                            Now 66
                            Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                            Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                            See photobucket link for:
                            Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                            Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                            tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                            http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Karen,

                              Thanks for updating this thread. I especially enjoyed reading the article to which Ed posted the link. I really liked her perspective towards playing golf after having to watch others practice for months during her recovery period. Although I am not a golfer myself, I can relate to the change in perspective following surgery. Recently, I have been watching our tennis players playing in our local league and telling others that maybe 2013 I could return to league play. It is inspiring to read success stories like this young golfer and even your own return to playing golf again. Thanks again!

                              Donna
                              Female - 49 yrs old at surgery
                              Surgery 5/5/11 - Dr. Bridwell, St. Louis
                              Fused T3-L3
                              60 degree thoracic curve corrected to 30 degrees
                              Tennis player & returning to the courts!
                              http://s1050.photobucket.com/profile/walkingmom1/index

                              Comment

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