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I could have used a message like this one 30 or so days ago so here goes.
Onset. It "started" on the computer, pain radiating down my shoulder just above the elbow, triagle shaped (deltoids), across my back (trapezius) and up my neck. I hadn't done anything unusual that I could think of and comparing notes with another fitness instructor it sure seem like a rotator cuff injury or problem. It didn't hurt when I worked out, just mainly when I sat down.
Treatment, at the Internist's office: piss poor. The most insulting thing that happened was a green bean calling me 5 days later, telling my shoulder was clear but I had CAL-LI-Oh-sis. I said what?? SPELL IT. S-C-O.
Yeh, no doubt did you happen to see the rod in my spine? 24 hours later I got a voice mail, on a Saturday to call "this number" as my "doctor" had a voice mail for me. This time I heard the shoulder was clear except for some arthritis, and degeneration in the C-Spine. Henh? I hit the Internet. Oh cervical spine.
I got the "final" diagnosis from the receptionist who read me the radiologist's report word by word. Moderately severe degeneration at C5-C6. A few days later the skinny blond who does not exercise, P.A. finally returns my call. She basically says it's age, probably has nothing to do with my scoli, "just don't over do" and "use cold compresses" yada and take the Aleve (Naproxen), and "I don't understand people who over do when they work out."
In 1979, I was told post surgery not to lift anything over 10 lbs., for the rest of my life and I should be fine. I obeyed for years, dragging groceries up stairs, finding creative ways to move furniture when I was single etc. We all know we just want to forget about scoli but I have lived a constant life of "Don't forget about your back" and "don't let her move it, get your brother." Yada. "Should you being doing that? You're the one with the bad back."
"My poor, baby, what about your back?"
A couple of years ago, I became a fitness instructor and learned about muscles and form. It was an incredible cathartic treat for me, to "feel" muscles and to "use them" and to practice good form. I became goal oriented... I graduated to 10 pounds in each arm. It was a thrill. I grew to become a substitute for an instructor formerly with the NFL. Me, the scoli girl, me the girl who wasn't encouraged or allowed to work out as a child (13+). Me, the imposter.
I got a bill yesterday for $362 for over-minutes on my cell (home) phone. Can I tell you the fear and worry by myself and family since from September, Labor Day weekend, to November 2nd? I could have used an e-mail such as mine, today, just to consider or weigh that it might not be the scoli. I came here frightend and grew initially more frightened throughout the rest of the process, i.e. ohmygod, they are removing hardware???? I'm screwed because I have first generation Harrington Rod? I apologize. If you put it out there, and I saw it, I went there. Eek!
Eventually, the pain concentrated into a "pit" in my shoulder. I was so happy I drew on it, "Aha. That's you. That's the problem. Right there." I practiced pointing to the exact location so I could tell the doc-tah. Sometimes though the pain wasn't there at all. Meanwhile my husband was coming home to find me in all types of positions. Some nights I would just say, Ow ow ow, sorry honey, and he'd say that's okay, you're in pain.
I thought alot about my scoli and how damned I was. I never got to the self-pity phase because I had nothing "real" to go on. I did read here about the Harrington Rod predisposing me to disc degeneration. That may be, but not in my case. The disc is high above the top of my fusion. Girls, Boy(s), I am age'ed.
Herniated cervical disc (pinched nerve in the neck). By the time I had my follow-up 8 weeks into it, armed with MRI, I was experiencing no pain. Yep. Like 80 to 90% of most "normal" people it improved on it's own. Surgery is not inevitable for me and would be a last resort. I don't have to end my writing career, research, nor time spent at the computer or loafing with a remote.
If the pain had not stopped and I was unable to live a "normal" life here were some of the options. Physical therapy, to strengthen shoulders and neck. Epidurals. Traction (to pop the nerve out or whatever, which was irritated). Oral steroids or cortesoids. Surgery? Last resort.
I'd like to tell you I handled the fear well, but I didn't. I "coped". I bought micro-brews instead of a Miller Lite. I spent days with lost productivity. I escaped out onto the Internet and e-mailed friends. I got heavy into research. I came here and freaked myself out some more. I took an Advil every now and then because it was something I could do, but none of it helped, not even in prescription strength. Worry worry worry. I lifted little pink weights. I suffered a few "come uppances" from jealous women, "Well you did lift all that heavy weight."
I showed people my scar and it surprised them, "Yeah it's probably due to my scoliosis." The former fitness instructor who all that time....ah the appearnce of things right? I got moody, I got depressed and then I got my diagnosis and "sentence" from a professional.
Positives: I got you guys and I'm okay for now with being a scoli kid and even having some fun with it. My mama and I, for example, each took a thwack at MaryHou's initial doctor, the one who laughed at her pain and her "bad" back. I might buy MaryHou a virtual cold beer.
I have found a collective here that I have never had before and am ease at talking about our issues. I have found a "term" for myself that is not ugly to me, scoli girl.
I found freedom through education. MY doctor says I can lift anything I want, do anything I want. I intend to continue to avoid volleyball for awhile, however, as the P.A. told me to avoid holding my head back and looking up for periods of time. He was right. I forgot while cleaning a ceiling fan with a feather duster. I paid immediately so why fool around.
I got to meet an interesting man. I got to meet a rare man on this planet for now. The surgeon is black and he is respected. It pleased me on any number of levels but also being a genealogist, I know a little something about history. I know some of our surgeons may have some understanding of the psychic pain of a little girl who has been braced, but here was a man who impressed me anew, added to my sense of mystery to life.
Good luck and good grace, to all of you. CK
Onset. It "started" on the computer, pain radiating down my shoulder just above the elbow, triagle shaped (deltoids), across my back (trapezius) and up my neck. I hadn't done anything unusual that I could think of and comparing notes with another fitness instructor it sure seem like a rotator cuff injury or problem. It didn't hurt when I worked out, just mainly when I sat down.
Treatment, at the Internist's office: piss poor. The most insulting thing that happened was a green bean calling me 5 days later, telling my shoulder was clear but I had CAL-LI-Oh-sis. I said what?? SPELL IT. S-C-O.
Yeh, no doubt did you happen to see the rod in my spine? 24 hours later I got a voice mail, on a Saturday to call "this number" as my "doctor" had a voice mail for me. This time I heard the shoulder was clear except for some arthritis, and degeneration in the C-Spine. Henh? I hit the Internet. Oh cervical spine.
I got the "final" diagnosis from the receptionist who read me the radiologist's report word by word. Moderately severe degeneration at C5-C6. A few days later the skinny blond who does not exercise, P.A. finally returns my call. She basically says it's age, probably has nothing to do with my scoli, "just don't over do" and "use cold compresses" yada and take the Aleve (Naproxen), and "I don't understand people who over do when they work out."
In 1979, I was told post surgery not to lift anything over 10 lbs., for the rest of my life and I should be fine. I obeyed for years, dragging groceries up stairs, finding creative ways to move furniture when I was single etc. We all know we just want to forget about scoli but I have lived a constant life of "Don't forget about your back" and "don't let her move it, get your brother." Yada. "Should you being doing that? You're the one with the bad back."
"My poor, baby, what about your back?"
A couple of years ago, I became a fitness instructor and learned about muscles and form. It was an incredible cathartic treat for me, to "feel" muscles and to "use them" and to practice good form. I became goal oriented... I graduated to 10 pounds in each arm. It was a thrill. I grew to become a substitute for an instructor formerly with the NFL. Me, the scoli girl, me the girl who wasn't encouraged or allowed to work out as a child (13+). Me, the imposter.
I got a bill yesterday for $362 for over-minutes on my cell (home) phone. Can I tell you the fear and worry by myself and family since from September, Labor Day weekend, to November 2nd? I could have used an e-mail such as mine, today, just to consider or weigh that it might not be the scoli. I came here frightend and grew initially more frightened throughout the rest of the process, i.e. ohmygod, they are removing hardware???? I'm screwed because I have first generation Harrington Rod? I apologize. If you put it out there, and I saw it, I went there. Eek!
Eventually, the pain concentrated into a "pit" in my shoulder. I was so happy I drew on it, "Aha. That's you. That's the problem. Right there." I practiced pointing to the exact location so I could tell the doc-tah. Sometimes though the pain wasn't there at all. Meanwhile my husband was coming home to find me in all types of positions. Some nights I would just say, Ow ow ow, sorry honey, and he'd say that's okay, you're in pain.
I thought alot about my scoli and how damned I was. I never got to the self-pity phase because I had nothing "real" to go on. I did read here about the Harrington Rod predisposing me to disc degeneration. That may be, but not in my case. The disc is high above the top of my fusion. Girls, Boy(s), I am age'ed.
Herniated cervical disc (pinched nerve in the neck). By the time I had my follow-up 8 weeks into it, armed with MRI, I was experiencing no pain. Yep. Like 80 to 90% of most "normal" people it improved on it's own. Surgery is not inevitable for me and would be a last resort. I don't have to end my writing career, research, nor time spent at the computer or loafing with a remote.
If the pain had not stopped and I was unable to live a "normal" life here were some of the options. Physical therapy, to strengthen shoulders and neck. Epidurals. Traction (to pop the nerve out or whatever, which was irritated). Oral steroids or cortesoids. Surgery? Last resort.
I'd like to tell you I handled the fear well, but I didn't. I "coped". I bought micro-brews instead of a Miller Lite. I spent days with lost productivity. I escaped out onto the Internet and e-mailed friends. I got heavy into research. I came here and freaked myself out some more. I took an Advil every now and then because it was something I could do, but none of it helped, not even in prescription strength. Worry worry worry. I lifted little pink weights. I suffered a few "come uppances" from jealous women, "Well you did lift all that heavy weight."
I showed people my scar and it surprised them, "Yeah it's probably due to my scoliosis." The former fitness instructor who all that time....ah the appearnce of things right? I got moody, I got depressed and then I got my diagnosis and "sentence" from a professional.
Positives: I got you guys and I'm okay for now with being a scoli kid and even having some fun with it. My mama and I, for example, each took a thwack at MaryHou's initial doctor, the one who laughed at her pain and her "bad" back. I might buy MaryHou a virtual cold beer.
I have found a collective here that I have never had before and am ease at talking about our issues. I have found a "term" for myself that is not ugly to me, scoli girl.
I found freedom through education. MY doctor says I can lift anything I want, do anything I want. I intend to continue to avoid volleyball for awhile, however, as the P.A. told me to avoid holding my head back and looking up for periods of time. He was right. I forgot while cleaning a ceiling fan with a feather duster. I paid immediately so why fool around.
I got to meet an interesting man. I got to meet a rare man on this planet for now. The surgeon is black and he is respected. It pleased me on any number of levels but also being a genealogist, I know a little something about history. I know some of our surgeons may have some understanding of the psychic pain of a little girl who has been braced, but here was a man who impressed me anew, added to my sense of mystery to life.
Good luck and good grace, to all of you. CK
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