I was 8 when I was diagnosed with scoliosis, 15 when I went to a ortho. This would be my first realization of how bad my condition was. My spine was so far to the right side of my body that the muscles were tearing, I couldn't even take a full breath of air without being in terrible pain. My neck and shoulders were overcompensating for my spine not being where it should, and tried to take over the job of holing my body up. So I went in for some ex-rays to see how bad the scoliosis was....

        "You have scoliosis, lordosis AND kyphosis"

I was beyond shocked, I had no idea what lordosis or kyphosis was. I was also told my spine was so off center that it was making one of my legs shorter than the other and I would need a 1/4 inch lift in my shoe.

         

   So here's what my spine looked like.

Now the top of my spine wasn't as hunched as in that picture but you get the idea. I had THREE spinal deformities and by this point I'm getting pretty scared. It was so much to take in, the ex-rays looked terrible  and by the sound of things there wasn't going to be much they can do.

Titanium Inspiration

I was 15 and scared about the back surgery that I knew would

eventually have to happen. So I turned to the Internet hoping to

find first hand accounts on what I would be up against. You know

what I found? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I got a massive surgery with

no information other than what the doctors told me, and that's something

I will regret for the rest of my life.

This is my story about having three spinal deformities, custom

braces, a monstrous surgery, and dealing with life after. I'm

writing this for no other reason than hoping this information

helps someone in any way possible no matter how small it is. I

write this hoping that I can inspire someone, someone can relate

to this, or that it helps better prepare someone for surgery. If I

can make any of that happen even in just one tiny way, then I can

feel like the ordeal I went though had some meaning to it.