bracing ourselves for tomorrow

[deegeebee]

Tomorrow afternoon we pick up our daughter's Minnesota brace, and take the next step in her journey, and ours as a family, since the news from the radiologist more than 4 years ago. Since that time we have found a wonderful scoliosis doctor, and have fretted about the appointments at 6-month intervals, then moved to 3-month intervals once her curves progressed to that point when an official diagnosis was made.

So many of our appointments concluded with, "I see no change. See you again in 3 months." and a few too many with the heartbreaking news of curve progression.

Her scoliosis treatment begins tomorrow afternoon, and her new-clothes shopping spree with mom on Saturday. She is and has been so positive through the entire experience, and although I know there will be tears of frustration in the coming days, months and years, she is bracing for her tomorrow.

[deegeebee]

Now well into her second week of wearing her brace, and her first week of wearing it full-time, my thoughts are with my little girl today, wondering how her first day of school wearing her brace is going. I know she has a wonderful group of friends and teachers giving her support and she is unbelievably strong, but my thoughts are with her.

[jillw]

I hope her day went well! How old is she?

[deegeebee]

Thank you! Her first in-brace school day went just fine :-)

She's 11 years old (will turn 12 over the summer) and is in her first year of middle school. The school has made a special accomodation for her for gym class and track practice, providing her with a larger locker into which her brace will fit. She's also chatted with the principal who's offered support of "whatever she needs".

We are so thankful to have wonderful support from friends, doctors, teachers and school administrators, and other caretakers.

She is handling the bracing well, already forgetting at times that she is wearing it. I know this will not always be an easy journey her her or us, but today is a good day.