I'm new here.
I found out in the sixth grade that I had scoliosis (same year I got my period-what a year). My parents took me to an orthopedic, (I can remember...how much I hated him. Like this was all his fault. Guess that's just part of being 12). I wore a Boston Brace for 4 years 23 hrs a day, out growing two.
I felt like a thumb on a hand full of fingers growing up. I felt different, depressed, and mad, very mad.....and felt like everyone knew... I kept a lot of these feelings inside.
I know now why I was supposed to be different.(one of my dear friends just found out that her 15 yr old has diabetes. She has to wear the pump. She's mad, frustrated. I try to explain to her Mom ....what she is feeling....I feel like I can really relate to her. I have felt those feelings, you just want to be like everyone else, you just want to fit in....and you don't. I know why I had scoliosis, to make me who I am today. Feeling different actually made me strong, made me want to be different and not get into the things most teens experiment with. I was a good girl for the most part, did a lot of baby sitting and enjoyed it.
Well, 15 years of marriage and two wonderfully, beautiful children later I find myself staring down the road leading to aging with Scoliosis. During the pregnancy of my second child (10.8lbs 23") I experienced a knot in my spine (feeling like it would break if I forced it, so I massaged until I could stand upright) Then there was the pain radiatin from the hip eventually down the leg and arm. My gen physician had an insert created to make up the difference in my hips....this has helped tremendously. Limits the styles of shoes I can wear, (stinks in the summer, I'm a die-hard "barefooter").
Now I am noticing that I am giving way to the top curve, when washing dishes or not realizing what I am doing I'll find I am WAAAYYY over to the left. I've not caught this in front of a mirror, sure it looks funny.
SO, I visited my local orthopedic today, just to check on things. He did xrays and said that my curve has increased 5 degrees over 10 years. ( I went prior to getting pregnant - at Mom's wishes ). I thought I could just climb back into my brace, because as bad as I hated that thing, I would gladly suit up now if it would prevent pain further down the road.
He mentioned if the pain in the lower back, hip runs down the legs ...he would send me to a specialist and look at surgery. That scares the bee gee bees out of me. I'm considering not updating my parents on this news. They already wonder if they should have opted for surgery. At the time I was braced they had numbers they used, and my curves didn't fall into the surgery range, and I was the good girl that followed their direction and wore the brace.
I am a Wuus when it comes to inflicting pain upon my self. Childbirth is the only exception.
Well, I have gone on long enough thanks for listening, and for any advice on this journey.
I found out in the sixth grade that I had scoliosis (same year I got my period-what a year). My parents took me to an orthopedic, (I can remember...how much I hated him. Like this was all his fault. Guess that's just part of being 12). I wore a Boston Brace for 4 years 23 hrs a day, out growing two.
I felt like a thumb on a hand full of fingers growing up. I felt different, depressed, and mad, very mad.....and felt like everyone knew... I kept a lot of these feelings inside.
I know now why I was supposed to be different.(one of my dear friends just found out that her 15 yr old has diabetes. She has to wear the pump. She's mad, frustrated. I try to explain to her Mom ....what she is feeling....I feel like I can really relate to her. I have felt those feelings, you just want to be like everyone else, you just want to fit in....and you don't. I know why I had scoliosis, to make me who I am today. Feeling different actually made me strong, made me want to be different and not get into the things most teens experiment with. I was a good girl for the most part, did a lot of baby sitting and enjoyed it.
Well, 15 years of marriage and two wonderfully, beautiful children later I find myself staring down the road leading to aging with Scoliosis. During the pregnancy of my second child (10.8lbs 23") I experienced a knot in my spine (feeling like it would break if I forced it, so I massaged until I could stand upright) Then there was the pain radiatin from the hip eventually down the leg and arm. My gen physician had an insert created to make up the difference in my hips....this has helped tremendously. Limits the styles of shoes I can wear, (stinks in the summer, I'm a die-hard "barefooter").
Now I am noticing that I am giving way to the top curve, when washing dishes or not realizing what I am doing I'll find I am WAAAYYY over to the left. I've not caught this in front of a mirror, sure it looks funny.
SO, I visited my local orthopedic today, just to check on things. He did xrays and said that my curve has increased 5 degrees over 10 years. ( I went prior to getting pregnant - at Mom's wishes ). I thought I could just climb back into my brace, because as bad as I hated that thing, I would gladly suit up now if it would prevent pain further down the road.
He mentioned if the pain in the lower back, hip runs down the legs ...he would send me to a specialist and look at surgery. That scares the bee gee bees out of me. I'm considering not updating my parents on this news. They already wonder if they should have opted for surgery. At the time I was braced they had numbers they used, and my curves didn't fall into the surgery range, and I was the good girl that followed their direction and wore the brace.
I am a Wuus when it comes to inflicting pain upon my self. Childbirth is the only exception.
Well, I have gone on long enough thanks for listening, and for any advice on this journey.
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