I’m going on an adventure! Okay, maybe not nearly as exciting or dangerous as Bilbo Baggins, which is what I’m now picturing, but still. It’s big. So I’ve got a spine, like everyone else. But mine is a jerk. It decided early on not to go the traditional route of straight. It decided to curve. And then, to keep things fun, it decided to curve again. It’s not as fun as it sounds. Here it is below, as of March, 2020.

 

Maybe that’s not the best picture, or the best description. But I don’t know how to download the x-rays off the fancy cd the doctors office gave me, so this is what I’ve got. As for descriptions… Yeah I’m not much help there either. I can throw around big words like idiopathic scoliosis and osteoarthritis but I’m still not 100% sure what terms are correct for my actual condition. I do know that I have scoliosis. I know that I’m the only one in my family with it, and so far my kids look great so I don’t think it’s hereditary… I have double curves, and the doctor estimated about a 70% thoracic curve, and about a 50%….. um… bottom curve. Or maybe thoracic is the bottom. I don’t know, I also have ADHD and I don’t remember these things.

Quick backstory in case you’re new here. So my spine has been a bitch for my whole life. I started having pain when I was about 4 years old, and it’s done a hell of a job getting worse since. I was diagnosed at 12 by a chiropractor, who did his best to convince my mother to not EVER take me to a doctor because he swore he could fix me. (hint: a chiropractor cannot “fix” scoliosis, also maybe not ever seeing a doctor is a major reason I don’t know much about my own spine.)

Anyway, about that adventure. I have finally gotten to a point in life where I can actually do something about this. I saw a doctor years ago and although she was extremely empathetic and wanted to help, there was nothing she could do. She showed my x-rays to the surgeon in their office and he said there’s no way he would touch me. They recommended surgery immediately and begged me not to bother with anyone in my state. I needed a specialist. And honestly, I agreed. But life happens, another baby happened and I had to wait.

Well, I just had an appointment with a new orthopedist for a second opinion, and he agreed wholeheartedly. He said yes, I need surgery, and also had the same conviction of sending me out of state. Also said I needed not only a specialist, but like a special specialist, in the most special of places. He gave me some names of surgeons he recommended and wished me luck. I’ve looked those guys up, and my husband and I have agreed on who we want to contact. He’s the best of the best, and has fixed much worse cases than mine. So I’m about to schedule an appointment to see him.

So I say all this because this is a huge life-changing thing for me, so obviously I will be blogging, Twittering and Tik Toking about it. I’m passionate about sharing my crazy, so I might as well share my healing too. I will be posting updates along the way, and I’ll probably even take some tearjerking videos when surgery time comes and I see myself for the first time as a cyborg. Or learning to walk again, but like, standing up straight. Looking in the mirror and not seeing a hunch in my back. Oh god I’m tearing up already. So I hope this will be as fascinating to everyone else as it is to me, and lastly, quick shout out to my husband, who is busting his ass to make this happen for me. Love you babe.