My scoliosis, and looking back on 2009. . .

[mgs]

I am heading out the door for a NYE party, but I didn't want to leave this year behind without saying. . .THANK YOU, my forum friends, from the bottom of my heart for making my surgery this year doable.

I'm 48 years old, and had an 86* thoracic curve (and a smaller, yet significant, lumbar curve). One day, in June, as I was getting my mail, "I'm having my back fixed" popped into my brain, seemingly out of nowhere. Before I went back into the house, I called my husband (he was at work) on my cell, and told him what I wanted to do. In the next week or two, I was sitting in Dr. Tribus' office. Before I left that first appt, we scheduled my surgery. I was fused on 8/25 from T-3 to L-3, with some rib segments removed. There was a post-op lung complication, which kind of ate up Sept, but I'm pretty much recovered from that now.

Every New Year's Eve, for the last 5 years or so, I have sat at my friends' annual party and thought "this time next year, I'll be 20 lbs thinner! I'll do it!". . .and every "next year" I felt bad that I hadn't lost the weight. Tonight, thanks to my post-surg "pain diet", I am 30 lbs thinner. Any woman who has struggled w/taking off unwanted weight can understand how happy this makes me.

Last NYE, I never dreamed that I'd be where I am (straighter, hardly any rib hump, and thin to boot!) THIS Dec 31. I am soooo blessed. And, I couldn't have faced the surgery and those difficult early post-op weeks nearly as well if it hadn't been for the info and for the encouragement and support that I got right here. This place is very special to me.

A happy, healthy, blessed 2010 to all!!

[kt2009]

I couldn't agree with you more! Though I'm having a quiet celebration this year, unlike years past, I'm proud of myself for doing what I did. Though I've gained back 5 of the twenty pounds I lost...I'm also realizing even if I gain back everything...my torso is so much flatter due to me not being so scrunched! I'm still a little "curvy," but I look so much better and feel better about myself! I'm even thinking of getting braces (again) for my teeth and really feeling good about how I look!

So glad we could "do" this thing together...the August ladies and everyone else. And I'm happily passing on the encouragement to others.

Happy New Year to everyone!

[Jimbo]

Happy New Year, have a great one

[joyfull]

Thanks to everyone...

I want to add my two cents to what mgs wrote. This site is contributing to my developing the courage to face the surgery that I have been avoiding for 46 years, since I was diagnosed at age 11. In fact, I am actually looking forward to being straighter and taller and to the reduction in the rib hump! My best wished to everyone for a healthy and peaceful new year and thanks again for you generosity in sharing your experiences.

Joy

[RitaR]

I'll put my 2 cents in here. I know NYE is over with - Happy New Year - I spent NYE quiet, as well, sitting on a couch at friend's house wishing I was home with my heat pad. But, I just want to say, also, that this forum (together with my wonderful husband, son and rest of family) are the sole reason I make it through with all this pain I go through everyday all day. It just helps knowing you are not alone in this whole world with this Scoliosis thing. Hard to believe there are other people who are just as miserable as we are, some more so, some less so - but, it's basically the same thing. I know it sounds like we all complain, heck some of us sounds like all we do is whine - but even that makes it just a litlte easier to cope.
So, thanks to all my new found friends here at this forum - hang in there with me while I wait for July to get here - I love having someone to talk to about this. I think my husband gets tired of my complaining to him all the time, but he takes it in stride - he's my BRICK!
So, Happy NY to everyone....

[JenniferG]

mgs - you sound like you are on a high thanks to the success of your surgery. I was too. Still am, to a degree. After the lead up to surgery, the worry, the fear, the wondering (all made easier by this forum) and then to have a good result, is just overwhelming...in a good way!

I doubt I am alone when I say I am a more grateful person, more appreciative of so many things and many people since my surgery. It certainly changes things - not just our spines.

[mbeckoff]

Thanks to this forum I feel so much better about my surgery.
I am going to have it either the end of Feb or the middle of March.
I still feel so nervous about it but at least I feel that here I have found peoples that understand what I am feeling

I am glad that I have found this forum

Melissa

[asccbodypro]

Happy New Year to everyone! Like everyone else, I am going to add my 2 cents in :O)

For those who have had their surgeries, I think we can all appreciate where we came from, where our recoveries have taken us and where we will go from here. I must say that I learned so much about not only myself and my courage but also my relationship with my husband. I have learned that not only do I (and all of us) have more courage than most, I think our perserverance is unwavering. I have always known that my husband is an amazing person. Not only was he sitting and waiting through two surgeries 1 week apart....the first 7.5 hours and the second 13 hours, he did this while studying for college finals. Once home he never left my side except for class. His ability to nurture me through this adventure and his compassion when I had those weak moments that we all go through make me believe he is definitely the strong of the two us.

Your right Mgs, any woman who has ever had a moment in time with weight issues, we can all jump for joy when those unwanted pounds begin to drop. I had baby weight that I couldn't loose completely due to not being able to move, but lost that and more. A total of 50 pounds all together. The weight loose has not stopped. Up until just the past two weeks have eaten well, no problems. I think my metabolism is returning to normal and I'm chasing a toddler who never stops. I have not moved this much in 5 years! I have lost most of my muscle from my bodybuilding days so I hate to see myself this thin but I will get it back some day so I'm not overly concerned. So all in all life is good.

Hope eveyone has a great New Year and you all continue to feel better!