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  • my brace...

    My brace is just a peice of plastic... Why do i let this peice of plastic ruin my life? I look around and see all the kids running free without a care in the world. Why can't one of them be me? Why me, why do I have to have this peice of plastic? Just because i am coverd by this peice of plastic do i have to cover who i am or who i was? Am i a different person because of my brace? Do people think i am weird? Why me? WHat did i do to deserve this? Are all my tears worth this? Why do i cry at night? Does anyone else know how i feel? Why do i wish that one day i can be like you or her? Why do i wish i could just sleep one night without a brace on? Everyone else is so lucky... they just haven't figured it out yet. Do other people think why me? I hate my brace and i wish i didn't have one but in a way i feel lucky... Some people have only a few months to live because of a diseas or sickness... Do they think why me? I have a friend with scoliosis and we talk about how lucky we are in a way... But what about those who have nothing wrong with them? Do they care to think about how lucky they are? Well.. i have to admit that before i found out i had scoliosis i never knew how lucky i was. Now i know. I would give anything to be like i was. I wish i could change myself. But i can't. I have to except my brace and i have to except my scoliosis... although i don't want to. One of these days i will be able to be free from my brace... and untill then i have to wear my brace and just try to be.... the one and only me!

    Please e-mail me cheerbootyshaker@yahoo.com

    - Hannah 13 IN

  • #2
    bummed out

    Hi Hannah.

    My name is Cristy and I'm 32 years old and I can remember where you are right now like it was just last week. You're so right and seem so much older than 13. No, people don't know how lucky they are. And yes, you are luckier than some. But..hey, it's okay to get down about it--it stinks to have to wear a back brace. I know. I was there myself.

    I remember that in my brace guy's office was a picture of this girl who wore a brace but she won a beauty pageant. I thought about her a lot when I felt really ugly because of my brace.

    I am a tall person and before my brace I really hunched over and on my wedding day...I stood tall and I have to say that I really looked beautiful. Is that too conceited? I mean, I felt so beautiful and it was like I finally turned into the princess I spent all that time hoping I would turn into.

    Yeah, it sucks right now. But y'know there are always stupid people who will make you feel weird...but then you have friends who hardly even notice after a while. And, you're the same beautiful person you were before...and I always was too...but couldn't see it even though I'm sure so many people around you see your beauty.

    Go shopping! I made it a personal mission to find clothes that really hid my brace. I really got creative. BIg thrift store blazers and slightly baggy jeans--it actually was pretty cool.

    It doesn't last forever Heather and you'll be happier and healthier and you'll go on to have a wonderful life and y'know what? You'll be kinder to people in your life because you know what it's like to feel this way. It's okay to get sad about it sometimes, but truly...I promise...you'll look back and be thankful that you did it now.

    I always thought I'd start a huge bonfire and burn my "piece of plastic" as you called it when they finally told me I was free...then I realized that the fumes would kill me just when I was free of the damn thing! I simply threw it away with such happiness. You'll be there. This is a challenge...but it isn't forever.

    Keep sharing with your friend. That's so great. I didn't know anyone else with scoliosis and the Internet wasn't even invented yet when I was going through it! Keep writing too Heather. I'm an English Professor at a college and I really think you have talent.

    Cristy

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    • #3
      Hey, thank you!

      Thanks so much for talking to me. You made me feel so great. I never really have had a person tell me the things you just did. It helped me a lot! I am sure the words you told me will help me so much. Right now i am working on writting a book. It is my dream to be a writter. I will be sure to add what you wrote to me. Thanks so much for your reply. I am glad to know that there is people like you out there that will take time to say something like you did. So thanks! I will remember you!!

      -Hannah 13 IN

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      • #4
        Hello Hannah. My name is Laura. I am also 32 years old and, like you, wore a brace at around 13 yrs. old. At the time I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me. I agree 100% with what Christy said. You will get through it. My mom actually mentioned to me last week that she found my brace in her attic. I told her I wanted to have it so I can show my husband and two children what I had to go through. Thinking back on it now makes me feel like I overcame something and it made me stronger. I remember being concerned about childbirth and if my scoliosis would make it difficult for me. Good news. It did not. I had two normal pregnancies. I'm not sure if you were thinking about that but just in case you were.... Hang in there. You will be okay.

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        • #5
          Hi, Laura. I was just wondering. Since i hve scoleosis, is it likley that my kids'l have it too?
          Rebecca(13 year old library volunteer)
          ~~Rebecca, 15 years old, 10th grade~~
          I was braced for 2 years and 4 months
          I went through 3 Boston Braces
          Original curve~34*
          Curve in 1st Brace~9*
          Curve in 2nd Brace~14*
          Curve in 3rd Brace~27*
          Curve after bracing~34*

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          • #6
            I have read that there is a small increase in your childrens chances that they may get scoliosis. It does not mean they will. No one in my family has it but I do.

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            • #7
              babies & scoliosis

              Hello ladies.

              This is Cristy again. I actually found this website last week because I was investigating that exact question. Most of the sites I found said that there is a 7-10 percent chance that your child could have scoliosis. So, those sound like pretty good odds to me. I know how we all went through it and would hate for our children to have to go through the whole scoliosis thing...but just imagine how if it happened, and God willing it won't, we'll be so much better prepared to help our kids through it.

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              • #8
                hey everyone!

                I hope my kids don't have scoliosis! (even though i am only 13) But my aunt Kristi had scoliosis and i am guessing she passed it to me. My doctor told me that it does get passed! But my mom and older sister didn't have it... Hopefully by the time i have kids there will be different ways to treat scoliosis so my kids don't have to go through this! well i am gonna go watch a movie. Later ladies!

                -Hannah 13 IN

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                • #9
                  Hannah, hang in there.

                  Like Cristy, I'm an adult now (35) who wore a boston brace from 7th grade thru my Senior year in high school. I didn't cry nearly as much as my mother, but I had all those same feelings as you expressed.

                  I'd get frustrated because I couldn't tie my shoes the same way I had been used to. I hated that I had to wear grandpa t-shirts under my brace at a time when I should have been concerned with make up. I completely dreaded PE because the idea of undressing in front of the kids at school terrified me. I got teased enough, they certainly didn't need any more ammunition.

                  But you know what? It will be ok - I swear to you, it gets better.

                  The kids get tired of teasing, you learn to do things differently than you did and still make them work, you adapt. Also like
                  Cristy I thought I would throw a big party after I got my
                  brace off, but I didn't. I did let my dad run it over with his truck and you know what? The thing popped right back again!

                  I decided a lot like my brace... resilient, and I know you will be too.

                  -Michelle

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                  • #10
                    i understand exactly, why us?!?!?! hwy do we have to stand for it, i hate my brace so much, and then again, i love it, it can save me form having surgery, i have heard it is terrible, please i am willing to talkto others about my story, plez email me. ~Liz Hanson

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                    • #11
                      I wore a brace frome the time I was 11 til I was 13 when I had the corrective surgery. I'm 35 now. I wore a Boston brace for a little while right befor ethe surgery, but by then it was too late. Mostly I had to wear a Milwaukee brace. Did/does anyone here wear one of those? Do they still make people wear them? or is a lower profile brace like the Boston the norm? My little girl was just diagnosed and may have to be braced...

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                      • #12
                        I was always under the impression that it was determined by the placement and extent of the curve.

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                        • #13
                          YES they still make children wear Milwaukee braces!

                          My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed in August with Kyphoscoliosis. She has Kyphosis (more of a front to back type of curve, is how it was described to us) and Scoliosis-34 degrees. Her doctor prescribed a Milwaukee brace and being so scared at the time, I agreed to having the brace made. The gentleman that made her brace said he doesn't see many Milwaukees anymore, but he feels very strongly that is the best brace for my daughter. Surprise! She doesn't wear it! We were seen by another doctor last week and she doesn't prescribe Milwaukee braces. She has now prescribed a Boston brace and to tell you the truth, I don't think my daughter will wear it either. The Milwaukee brace has changed her forever.

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                          • #14
                            I hope for her sake she does wear it. The Boston is very different and a much lower profile. I *hated* my brace when I first got it and did everything in my power to NOT wear it...but my parents were relentless... now I'm glad I did finally wear it. It scares me to think how much worse off I would be now if I hadn't.

                            We're all delt things in life that change us forever...thats not always a bad thing to have happen. I love the quote from the movie Life As A House: "Something bad to force something good." That pretty much sums up not only my time in the brace, but most of the things in my life that caused me to ask 'why me? why now?'

                            Big hugs to you and your daughter...its a tough road, but we're here if you need anything.

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                            • #15
                              I hated the milwaukee brace. I fought my mom so hard not to wear it and she caved every time. "Ok...but you have to wear it later." "Ok...but you have to put it on after school." I don't know why she didn't be relentless. I don't know why she didn't MAKE me wear it. I was 11,12,13... I was a KID. and at 13 I had progressed from 20ish degree curves to almost 60 degree curves and had to have surgery. IF my little girl has to be braced, I will be relentless. I will do everything in power to make her wear the brace. I don't want her to have to go through what I did.

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