The Bracing Series

     I'm back again! Last place I left off I was describing this new surgeon that we found in OK City. The first meeting with him consisted of A MILLION x-rays. When we finally got to meet this renowned man, we learned why. He had charisma! That was for sure. He made me feel like I was a normal person, which we all know is a pretty good feeling- though in high school I did decide to wear big shirts and sweaters to be different (that's another story). He showed me the x-rays of my spine and the hairs on my arms basically came out. To think that you have a straight spine that you grow up learning about, then realize it looks like an S, freaking out doesn't quite describe it.


    He measured the xrays and said my thoracic (middle part of your spine) had a 37deg curve, and my lumbar spine (lower part of your spine) had a 31deg curve. Curvatures that are over 20degs need attention... so, HELP ME. Dr. Sullivan is known as a conservative doctor, meaning he doesn't do surgery when there are other options available. This is what we wanted. He said he wanted to put me into two braces- a Charleston night brace, and a day brace (name unknown). You may think this is like buying clothes, you take measurements and then they have a brace that fits you. NO NO NO NO.
   
  To be fitted for a brace you have to lay, unclothed, on this cold metal table. Then they basically cover your entire torso from neck to butt with paper mache. They then have to push against your body (because the whole point of this brace is to keep the curve from getting worse). The pushing is not gentle. No no, its like a game of tug a war. Totally. Who can pull the patient off the table!
   
  Getting fitted for a brace was a bit dramatic. My doctor told me stories about his braces- oh yeah, forget to mention he had/has scoliosis. I could put stickers on it, I could color it, all sorts of things. For a little girl, that makes you feel way better. He said the braces would take a while to come in, but then I'd be ready to start my treatment.
  
  The rules for wearing the braces were: the night brace is worn all night, during sleep. The day brace had to be worn all day, except when I showered or when I danced. I loved those times of day. I had to get boy type undershirts to wear underneath the day brace and night brace. I hated wearing those things, they made feel I has just rolled around in poison ivy, plus I sweated like a pig all day long, ha- too bad you don't lose weight just by sweating. I would have been a super skinny kid! The worst part about the braces was that I had to buy all new clothes because the brace gave me "huge pointy hip bones" and added quite a bit to my waist line. You'd think a shopping spree would be awesome, but not when you were 10 and had to buy women's clothes it kinda sucks. Oh well! I made up for it as a teen.
  
   Each time I returned to visit he had to make sure the braces still fit. I prayed they always still fit, because having multiple fittings just weren't the funnest. My curve was progressing quite steadily but my doctor said as long as it stayed under 60deg and the vertebrae themselves didn't start to twist I was okay. Basically, we were waiting for my shoulders and hips to grow together so I would no longer grow. February 2001, my braces were off. Just in time for high school!! And the story continues, but my back doesn't like sitting. Til' another time...

LOVE TO ALL