I found out I had scoliosis when I was eleven years old. It wasn't bad, it was only nine degrees. We weren't worried about braces or the surgery or anything like that. I was just like any other young girl with normal girl problems. Scoliosis was not one of them. This was true until eighth grade.
Then I needed a back brace.
It was like my world had ended. It was the very end of eighth grade, I was going to be in high school next year. My future seemed to flash before my eyes. If anyone found out, I would be humiliated. My life was over. Luckily, I only had to wear the thing at night so no one really noticed.
For three months, I cried myself to sleep.
My back was getting worse.
It was the middle of my freshmen year of high school and the brace wasn't working. I was so frustrated, I started tightening the thing a little more every night. It got to the point where I would wake up in the middle of the night not being able to breath. I would claw at my back brace in tears. I didn't stop until my next doctor's appointment.
My back was still getting worse.
It was the middle of July, I was going to be a Sophomore next year. My doctor told me I would need to get the surgery. I was terrified. December fifth came and went. I missed three weeks of school and would have missed more if not for Christmas break. It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through.
Five months later, my friend came over and we destroyed my back brace. It was one of the best days of my life.
Here I am now! Sophomore year is almost finished. I'm two inches taller, I've become more outgoing and I'm not afraid to say I have scoliosis. My back still hurts on occasion, its still only been five months since the surgery, but I can handle it now.
I've made this blog to help other people like me cope with scoliosis, bracing, and the surgery.
Feel free to ask me any questions, comments, or concerns about this blog or scoliosis in general. I will do my best to answer them :)
Email me at pseudoscoliosis@gmail.com
