JOJO

Hello Everybody!! I like to esp sat a big hello and thankyou to the lovely Simone who has helped me over the past few weeks. I am veryy happy to be joining u guys in blogging with you all. I have Double Curavate of the Spine inwards and backwards and have had eight spine operations for this....however the last operation i had i had to learn to walk again and also have a very poor immune system now due to affection i had in my spine so now i am recovering at home/hospital sometimes still tho. I was in hospital last year for 11 months and had to learn to walk again but i did it however i am in alot of pain now and each day i have to take it as it comes. i am recovering at home and keep picking up lots of nasty bugs which i cant fight of like a healthy person would do so i have to rest as much as i can. Anyway i would be so happy to answer any questions that you may have on Scoliosis or pain as best i can in anyway? or if anyone who is recovering from surgery or an illness then please do send me a message anytime you want too for advice or just somebody to talk too...

KEEP SMILE AND THE WORLD WILL SMILE WITH YOU!! :) x

hello everybody!!

KEEP SMILING AND THE WORLD WILL SMILE WITH YOU! xxx :)

Scoliosis: Neurologic Complications

Spinal Cord

Spinal cord injury is the most feared complication of spinal surgery. Even when the spinal cord is not exposed, it is at risk for injury during reduction of deformities and during ligation of segmental vessels, which could precipitate an ischemic spinal cord event. Decreased blood flow in the anterior spinal artery can result in infarction of a significant portion of the spinal cord. Disruption of blood flow in the artery of Adamkiewicz often has been implicated in this phenomenon. Cadaveric investigations suggests that the anterior spinal artery typically appears to be a continuous structure.

However, because of the wide range in luminal size there may be functional discontinuities in anterior spinal artery blood flow. Because of the changes in diameter (0.23 to 0.94 mm), variability in resistance to flow is likely. This resistance to flow may be as high as 278 times normal in vessels with narrow lumens, resulting in regions of functional hypoperfusion of the spinal cord.

Three major neurologic patterns can emerge during an anterior spinal cord artery ischemic event:
1 - Spinal Cord transient ischemic attacks manifested by transient motor deficit
2 - Reversible spinal cord ischemia with significant neurologic symptoms that slowly resolve leaving minor residual neurologic deficits
3 - Complete spinal cord injury with flaccid paralysis and complete sphincter dysfunction

Waters and associates reported the variability of spinal cord recovery after ischemia in five patients with at least partial spinal cord injury after surgery. All patients underwent surgical maniupulation of the aorta for trauma, tumour or aneurysm. Three patients with no lower extremity motor function postoperatively remained paralyzed, whereas two patients with partial mkotor paralysis had significant recovery at 1 year. One patient eventually regained the ability to ambulate independently with reciprocal gait using lower extremity orthoses.

Postoperative lumbar epidural anesthesia for pain control has been blamed for paralysis in several patients. The question remains, however, di the epidural cause the paraplegia or just mask the symptoms of a devloping spinal cord ischemic event?

Linz and associates reported the case of a patient with bilateral lower extremity weakness on the first postoperative day. These neurologic symptoms were attributed to the effect of the epidural local anaesthetics. The epidural medications were discontinued. On the second postoperative day, the patient still had motor weakness diffusely from L1 to S1. The symptoms gradually improved, and the patient regained bowel and bladder control and functional use ofn his left leg. The right hand side, however, remained essentially paralyzed.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Scoliosis: Surgical Correction of AIS

Scoliosis Journal posted about real time noninvasive assessment of external trunk geometry during surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Authors: Luc Duong, Jean-Marc Mac-Thiong and Hubert Labelle

Published: 24 February 2009

Background
The correction of trunk deformity is crucial in scoliosis surgery, especially for the patient's self-image. However, direct visualization of external scoliotic trunk deformity during surgical correction is difficult due to the covering draping sheets.
Methods

An optoelectronic camera system with 10 passive markers is used to track the trunk geometry of 5 scoliotic patients during corrective surgery. The position of 10 anatomical landmarks and 5 trunk indices computed from the position of the passive markers are compared during and after instrumentation of the spine.

Results
Internal validation of the accuracy of tracking was evaluated at 0.41+/- 0.05 mm RMS. Intra operative tracking during surgical maneuvers shows improvement of the shoulder balance during and after correction of the spine. Improvement of the overall patient balance is observed. At last, a minor increase of the spinal length can be noticed.

Conclusions
Tracking of the external geometry of the trunk during surgical correction is useful to monitor changes occurring under the sterile draping sheets. Moreover, this technique can used be used to reach the optimal configuration on the operating frame before proceeding to surgery. The current tracking technique was able to detect significant changes in trunk geometry caused by posterior instrumentation of the spine despite significant correction of the spinal curvature. It could therefore become relevant for computer-assisted guidance of surgical maneuvers when performing posterior instrumentation of the scoliotic spine, provide important insights during positioning of patients.

Download the full story in PDF version from Scoliosis Journal

Scoliosis: Chronic Low Back Pain

Scoliosis Journal recently posted about unspecific chronic low back pain - a simple functional classification tested in a case series of patients with spinal deformities

Authors: Hans-Rudolf Weiss and Mario Werkmann

Published: 17 February 2009

Background
Up to now, chronic low back pain without radicular symptoms are not classified and attributed in international literature as being "unspecific". For specific bracing of this group of patients suffering from low back pain we use simple physical tests to predict the brace type the patient might benefit from. Based on these physical tests we have developed a simple functional classification of "unspecific" low back pain in patients with spinal deformities.

Methods
Between January 2006 and July 2007 we have tested 130 patients (116 females and 14 males) with spinal deformities (average age 45 years, ranging from 14 years to 69) and chronic unspecific low back pain (pain for > 24 months) after the indication for brace treatment for chronic unspecific low back pain was seen. Some of the patients had symptoms of spinal claudication (n=16). We applied the "sagittal realignment test" (SRT), a lumbar hyperextension test, and the "sagittal delordosation test" (SDT). Additionally 3 female patients with spondylolisthesis have been tested for brace treatment, one with symptoms of spinal claudication as well. Two of these patients where 14 years of age and the other 43.

Results
117 Patients reported significant pain release in the SRT and 13 in the SDT (>/= 2 steps in the Roland & Morris VRS). 3 Patients had no significant pain release in both of the tests (< 2 steps in the Roland & Morris VRS). Pain intensity was high (3,29) before performing the physical tests (VRS-scale 0-5) and low (1,37) while performing the physical test for the whole sample of patients. The differences where highly significant in the Wilcoxon test (z = - 3,79; p < 0,0001). In the 16 patients who did not respond to the SRT in the manual investigation we found a hypermobility L5/S1 or a spondylolisthesis L5/S1. In the other patients who respoded well to the SRT loss of lumbar lordosis was the main issue, a finding which, according to actual knowledge, is correlated well with low back pain. The three patients who did not respond to either test had a fair pain reduction in a generally delordosating brace with an isolated small foam pad inserted to the level of L 2/3, leading to a lordosation at this region, only.

Discussion
With the exception of three patients (2,3%) a clear distribution to one of the two classes has been possible. 117 Patients were supplied successfully with a sagittal realignment brace (physio-logic braceTM) and 13 with a sagittal delordosation brace (spondylogic(R) brace). Therefore a clear distribution of the patients from this sample to either chronic postural or chronic instability back pain was possible. In 2,3% a combined chronic low back pain from the findings obtained seems reasonable to assume.

Conclusions
Chronic unspecific low back pain is possible to clearly be classified physically. This functional classification is necessary to decide on which specific conservative approach (physical therapy, braces) should be used. Other factors than spinal deformities contribute to chronic low back pain.

Download the full version in PDF from Scoliosis Journal

My X-rays

I wish there was one from the left side, then you'd see the comparison between the my back ribs on the left and the right. Oh, well. Heh. My CT scan was pretty much the same; I couldn't get it to rotate like Dr. OKC did.

Picture 1

Picture 2

I haven't gone through the whole story yet. Here's the short version. My curve was found during a routine exam at school in 7th grade. I was 12, my curve was 18 degrees. Eight months later, it was 36. I had several braces, I think they were the Boston type. I chose to have surgery in July 1996 (I was 16); my curve was 48 degrees, and they fused me from T10-L3. I was in a cast for nine weeks and another brace for about six months. My curve was 20 the day after surgery. I only discovered that from my medical records. As far as I knew, it was 34. No, it increased to 34 post surgery. Before last summer, my most recent x-rays were January 1998. Last summer it was 37, but Dr. Q said to ignore that, the first radiologist must've read it wrong. (I don't believe that for a second, btw.) Dr. Q referred me to Dr. Bones, who sent me to physical therapy and Dr. Drugs (for an epidural that went horribly wrong), and then referred me to Dr. OKC, whom I met on Friday. I'm excited to meet Dr. STL, but I hear he has quite a waiting list. I filled my prescriptions tonight and I'm going to order some more leads for my TENS unit. I hope it will all get me through until St. Louis.

Cupcake

My surgical consult

I set my alarm for 7am, but we didn't get out on the road until 10:30. We planned to leave at 9, but I woke up screaming in pain, so I didn't push myself. The map from the doctor's office kinda sucked, so we missed the Kilpatrick Turnpike and got lost. We ended up near the Capital building - nowhere near the hospital - but finally made it to there in time. I had a total meltdown by the time we arrived. After four hours in the car in excruciating pain, I lost my temper and cussed out my mom and Drew. I couldn't stop crying, I was just very frustrated and anxious about the whole thing. Once I got into the exam room and gave my medical records, x-rays, CT scan (on CD), and medical history forms to the nurse, I started to calm down. I met Dr. OKC. He was awesome! He was young, up-front, honest, professional, and answered all my questions (my mom's and my boyfriend's, too). Here's what I learned:

No, I was NOT finished growing when my first surgery was performed, which is what we've suspected for a long time. My surgeon (let's call him Dr. Delaware) always said he wouldn't do the surgery unless I was done growing. (I tried to tell him I didn't think I was, but none of the doctors ever listened to me back then. I was just a kid, right? What would I know about my own body?) Dr. OKC said I had reach skeletal maturity, so I guess I don't have to sue Dr. Delaware.

Not only does your spine curve to the side with scoliosis, it rotates, too. I got to see this when Dr. OKC looked at my CT scan on his MacBook. He has a program that let him view my CT in 3D. I had a geekgasm and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I brought that CD home, I'm going to do some screenshots later.

My top three priorities are to be pain-free or close to it, to be symmetrical, and to keep my current level of flexibility or as much as I can. I'm sick of people staring when I walk. I'm sick of looking like Quasimodo's lopsided cousin. I had a long list of questions I had prepared regarding this next surgery. I never got to ask most of them. Feel free to skip them if you want:

Will you cut into my hip again?
How long will I be in the hospital?
How long will I be in a cast?
How long will I be in a brace?
How much physical therapy will I have to go through again?
How long will I be out of work?
What am I going to look like post-op?
Will my rib hump decrease? I don't understand how.
Do I have enough skin to cover my torso if my spine is straightened?
Will you level my hips?
If so, won't that create a bigger discrepancy between the length of my legs?
How much will this cost?
How much will my insurance cover?
Are you an in-network physician?
How has the surgical technique improved and changed since my previous surgery?
How big will my new scar be?

I asked Dr. OKC him a few of my "pipe dream" questions, like "Can't you just break my ribs and reshape them into the way they should be and pin them back together?" He said yes, he actually could do that. He could also remove the rod, or break apart the fusion completely and make me roughly the way I was pre-op. None of those things would help me, though. At first, he told me my best option would be another fusion - from where the rod ends all the way to my pelvis. But as he looked over my x-rays and my CT scan, he realized that wouldn't be an option, either. My quality of life would really deteriorate. I asked if I can get artificial discs in my lower back instead of a total fusion. I've been reading up on them - Charite and Kineflex are the two types that are FDA approved. He said no, those are not made for people with scoliosis, because of the rotation of my spine. He said my discs are not as deteriorated as I thought. In the end, he decided not to operate on me at all. He said my case is very complex, and he is referring me to an "expert" in the field. (I felt like saying, "Well, pardon me if I don't seem thrilled, this is the third time I've been told that.") That expert is in St. Louis, an eight-hour drive from home. I had already cried before Dr. OKC came into the exam room, so I didn't let myself cry when he told me that. I don't know if I have ever felt so disappointed and, really, deflated in my whole life.

He told me to use my TENS unit. He gave me prescriptions for Lortab and Flexeril. He said I should try facet joint injections, so I'm going to research those a bit. He said they are injections into the joints around the spine to reduce joint pain. He said I could get a dorsal column stimulator, but it's something else that he doesn't think would help enough. Plus, once he described it, my gut reaction was "HELL to the NO!" It's basically an internal TENS unit that I can control from the outside. O.O

So then he sent me for some more x-rays so that they could put them on CD and I could take them with me when I meet Dr. STL. (I hope Dr. STL doesn't tell me they're out of date when I meet him. I found some info about him online, he MUST be good, I read that he has a four month waiting list. And that was posted in 2005.) I'm going to do some screenshots of those, too. While I was back in Radiology, Dr. OKC came out and talked to my mom and my boyfriend. He said that he's going to do a conference call with some doctors he knows in Chicago, and they'll try to make a plan so that I don't have to go to St. Louis. If I have to go to either city, I will have to fly. I'm not doing any more long car trips for a while.

By the time we left the hospital, it was almost 7pm, so we decided to eat dinner and spend the night. Before I forget, I should mention for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing the state firsthand, Oklahoma sucks. There's more tolls than on the East coast, the highways are bumpy, the road signs are incomprehensible or nonexistent, and Oklahoma City itself is very confusing. The turnpike has a one way street on either side, so once we left the hospital, we had to cross the turnpike to get to the side with the restaurants. We stopped at the first one we saw: Red Lobster. Thank God. All three of us ordered alcoholic drinks, LOL! We ordered a lot of food, stuffed ourselves, packed up the leftovers, and checked into the first motel down the street. We had a nice continental breakfast this morning (Frosted Flakes!!) and drove back.

If I've forgotten anything, I'll update this later. I've been writing this for 7 1/2 hours. I seem to have no attention span when I'm hurting.

Scoliosis Association of British Columbia

I wanted to take some time out to talk about Llweyn on our Scoliosis Support Group, Llweyn is a part of the Scoliosis Association of British Columbia, Canada (Chapter 100 of the Scoliosis Association, Inc.), she is an inspiration to the members of our group, has a lot of support and help to offer.

Scoliosis Association British Columbia
Is the second Canadian Chapter but the first to receive, after 3 years of working with the Canadian government, Registered Charity status in April, 2008.

This means that the Scoliosis Association can now do some fund-raising and issue tax receipts, along with opening a proper charity bank account that does not charge monthly business fees.

They do not have a website at the moment but you can contact Llweyn on our support group or email her directly.

Scoliosis Association: Llweyn

Working alongside Llweyn is Marion Primeau who is associated with the other Canadian Chapter of Ontario, Marion's chapter has also applied to become a Registered Charity.

Scoliosis Association: Marion

There are only 2 Canadian Chapters who can offer support and help so the Scoliosis Association will also handle enquiries from outside their own provinces.

They will advise on websites that can offer help and guidance for those with Scoliosis and FlatBack Syndrome, the treatments available, advice and support when facing surgery.

Llweyn was also quoted in the Elle Magazine Canada 2008!

Scoliosis Association

Scoliosis: Stacy Lewis Golfer

Stacy Lewis discovered at the age of 11 that she had Scoliosis, after wearing a brace for 2 years it was decided that she should have surgery.

A scary future for such a promising young Golf professional, but as we know from previous Scoliosis patients, we are tough cookies and if she can cope with Women's Open Round pressure along with Scoliosis surgery, she is going to be just fine!

Lewis helped the United States win a victory of 13-7 over Great Britain and Ireland, earlier this year, the flawless round that Lewis put in was a round of 67 Saturday on the 6,789-yard, par-73 layout at Interlachen. It was the best round of the day by two strokes and gave her a 54-hole total of 9-under-par 210, one stroke ahead of Paula Creamer, who shot 69, and two strokes ahead of Helen Alfredsson of Sweden and Inbee Park of South Korea.

"Truthfully, I'm not really that surprised," said Lewis, a 2007 graduate of the University of Arkansas, where she was the NCAA Division I individual champion. "I felt like I could play at this level and compete at this level. It was kind of my goal to put myself into contention to win going into the last day. That's kind of what I try to do at every golf tournament."

American golf has been struggling on the International field of late, winning only 6 of the past 30 major championships played in women's golf. However, Lewis could become the first modern professional to win a major championship in the first pro start.

Welcome to the Scoliosis World Lewis and we hope you continue a pain free life and win at the golf!

Scoliosis: A night of insomnia and adoption thoughts

Slightly off topic here for a Scoliosis blog but hey I have other stuff going on in my life which does not involve Scoliosis so I might as well share that too!

Welcome to CupCake and her first post, nice of you to share your thoughts with us and a pleasure to write alongside you - XX

I have been tossing and turning so far all night and it is now 3am so I decided to get up and blog!!!!

I am not sure why I cannot sleep, it happens every now and then, to all the insomniacs out there, I sympathise with you, I really do.

I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow and an early start so the last thing I need right now is to be blogging, I should be asleep!

The adoption must be keeping me awake even though I am trying not to think about it, however, all the paperwork is dragging me down and we are going covering ground we have already trodden on, our adoption agency "forgot" to ask us for CRB checks from Spain so our paperwork has been delayed, due to this delay previous papers that had been prepared and paid for have now expired and have to be paid again - do I look like a walking pound note all of a sudden????

Adopting from a foreign country is hard enough without incompetence being thrown into the mix, it is confusing, soul destroying, damn right dis-heartening and the only people you can rely on for help are the various support groups out there.

All that keeps me going is the thought that one day in the distant future it will all turn out OK and a child will come home to us, in the meantime though we have to sit and wait and wonder, not being a very patient person it can sometimes drive me a bit do-lally. Just knowing there are children right now who could really do with a loving home and here we are waiting with a loving home to provide..............yet we are powerless to help :(

We have thought about looking for a family who right now are considering placing the child for adoption or placing the child into care, but where do we start, we see it on the TV all the time, but does this kind of thing really happen in real life or is it just for the TV, it seems to be popular in the USA where a family who do not wish to keep their child select a family to place the child with, why can't there be someone out there like that for us?

We started our adoption journey towards China in January 2007. We had our initial interview in Reading and then decided to proceed with the terms the adoption agency set out. Our home study began in our home in the UK in May 2007, that was hard going, confusing, frustrating and taught us a few points about our personalities that we didn't know were there, that part of the process was interesting if anything else, not sure I would want to do it all again though! Home work after some 16 years of working was pretty hard going!!!

After the home study we had a few medical nightmares and arguments with our adoption agency over a mole ------------ yes a MOLE, I had one removed from my right shoulder in the summer of 2007, the mole was fine as it was tested for Cancer but bceause the Dr didn't like the look of it, she had it wipped off, nothing major but the adoption agency were certain I had Cancer, this was very upsetting and I wish I had covered it up, a load of fuss over nothing, my Dr even confirmed I was clear and no Cancer was found, she even called the adoption agencies' Dr, this took a while to clear up and in the meantime the months roll by and no movement with the dossier is forthcoming.

Finally the mole issues is cleared up with the adoption agency insisiting that a letter go to China with our dossier explaining what they think about the mole...........great! something for the Chinese to worry about when there is nothing even there, I wonder how that will come out when it has been translated,,,,,,,,,no doubt -------------- "lost in translation!!"

So, we can now go to panel, off we went to Reading on the 3rd October 2007 with all the family, nervous as hell, the adoption process via the UK has to be the most scary moment of my life (apart from Scoliosis surgery but I was only 12 so I don't have really vivid memories of it!), I remember having sweaty palms, heart flutters and moments of wanting to cry while we waited in the little waiting room for our name to be called. 15 people were sat around a very large table, with us at the bottom next to our social worker, I have never been so quiet - EVER!

A few questions later and some nods from me and my better half and we were free to go, we then go back into the waiting room and sit there with baited breath, you have to wait for your acceptance letter via mail but before you leave they do give you some idea of what the outcome is most likely to be. The panel came back with a YES, YES you are approved to adopt a child from China, I think my heart stopped for a brief moment before it all really sank in, then the tears started! LOL

A few days later our formal acceptance arrived and we had a unanimous vote from 15 people, that was a result we were not expecting but extremely pleased that 15 individual people felt we were suitable to adopt a child from a foreign country.

That pretty much brings us to date, there have been some trials and tribulations in between all that but I had to cut it down to size, we have been on this longgggggggg and windyyyyyyy road since Janaury 2007 and our dossier is still sitting in London waiting to be sent, I know there are other families out there waiting for papers to arrive or be sent or even waiting for that phone/email telling you which child has been allocated to your family and I wish them all the best but right now I had to spit out what was stopping me from sleeping and now I have blogged about what was on my chest I feel a lot better.

I am tired, weary and scared!

Scoliosis: My first post!

I've been thinking about how to introduce myself to you all a lot over the past few days. I suppose I'm overthinking things. I don't have to tell you all my entire life story in one post, and my current pain level doesn't allow me to type that long, anyway. Let me start off with this, then.

I had spinal fusion surgery from T10 to L3 in July 1996. I only got health insurance a year ago, so I just decided last summer to get a doctor and have a checkup and a new set of x-rays. (It had been 10 years.) Long story short, I'm having another surgery next month. It's been twelve years since my first surgery, so my memories are a little fuzzy now. I was under the impression that the first surgery would cure my scoliosis, end my pain, and not limit my activities at all.

I only realized the other day when reading Simone's story that this has happened to others. I'm not quite sure if my first surgeon actually told me this, or if I just assumed it and no one ever told me the truth. My parents thought the same, so who knows. Anyway, I started physical therapy last fall, and I didn't realize how upset I was until I burst out crying when I first told my story to my therapist. I apologized profusely and he said, "No, it's okay, a lot of people cry." That confused me. I thought, Well, what's wrong with them, then? I explained my whole story and joked that I have no pain tolerance, which is what I've been telling myself and everyone else for years. He looked at me like I had two heads and said, "No, you have a *very high* pain tolerance. You're just in pain all the time." It had never occurred to me before that the pain was not normal. I just thought it was something I had to put up with, and I was just a sissy. Have any of you thought that and found out later you were either misled or outright lied to?

My name's Cupcake, btw.

What colour are you?

I took a quiz on ecademy "what colour are you", it intrigued me so I took the questionnaire, and according to them I am a "High Red"

And here is what a High Red means:
As a High Red you are driven by two governing needs: to control and to achieve. You are a goal oriented go getter who is most comfortable when you are in charge of people and situations. You like challenges, take authority, and plunge head first into solving problems.

You are fast paced, task oriented and work quickly and impressively by yourself.

You can be more effective by using more right brain thinking allowing you to develop more patience, humility and sensitivity and concern for others, project a more relaxed image and more.

Do you think that is a good likeness of me?

Join me: Simone Icough on Ecademy and take the test too

Ecademy Potential Unlimited

Spine Cor Brace Update

We have blogged about the SpineCor brace a few times and had many discussions about this brace on the Scoliosis Online Support Group.

For those of you that have not heard of the SpineCor brace then here is some blurb for you to get your head round, along with a link to a study that was carried out :)

Rigid braces have already proven to be ineffective and a lot of surgeons do not prescribe braces nowadays. Rather, they ask patients to just have normal life until surgery is required. What's the point of letting kids go through the experience of wearing a brace for years when they are going to do surgery anyway?

Last June Journal of Pediatric Orthopedic published spinecor study analyzed with new criteria set by SRS...all braces were analyzed this way so that direct comparison would be possible.

SpineCore Brace Study

We have a few members on the group have been fitted with this brace, below are some comments from Verda Tondevold. Connect with Verda on the Scoliosis Online Support Group.

"I went for my 6 week check-up post getting the SpineCor brace and so far so good. The brace is keeping me from feeling like I am caving over to the right side. Also I can hold myself more erect. In fact I recently had someone I know slightly tell me that I have very good posture. I have never had anyone say that before. Also another person I had not seen for a few months asked if I had had breast implants.. The brace crosses beneath the breasts and gives a natural push-up. I thought this was very funny.

The brace was a little difficult to get used to but as it gives me the support I need to get through a work day and do things, it has enhanced my life. I know that at my age (58) the curve won't get better - 65 degree - but it won't get worse. The pain is much better in my back, hip and leg.

Also I am sleeping through the night and before I woke up a few times a night with neck pain related to the scoliosis... I only need to take Advil occasionally.

I am also wondering now about what the best exercise is for people with Scoliosis. I know some have said yoga and pilates, but is there anything else that anyone has done. I want to do the right types of exercise that will help not hinder me. Because the Spine Cor brace is dynamic, I am to exercise with it on.

When I read blogs I am not sure I would or could go through it. There seems to be problems as one goes along in life even with the surgery....

Anyway I enjoy everyone's comments for sure. I find it so helpful to actually have people who understand......."

Are you using a SpineCor brace and want to connect or chat with others, leave your comments here or even better, come join us and blog alongside the rest of us.

Laters everyone and thanks for listening :)

My 2nd casting (or whatever it's called) :)

Yes, when I went for my appointment today at the hospital, I found out that I'm getting a new brace! Hmm... I don't actually know if I'm excited about this but I think I'll miss the comfort of my old brace (Soapy) when I get it at first. Luckily, the orthotist let me stick to the thin plastic since I've been improving a lot!

Now this moulding/casting/brace fitting was way easier than I last remembered! I guess it's because I'm used to wearing a brace now. :)

So first the orthotist weighed me and measured me (I got taller!) and you probably know how it the routine. After many complicated measurements using various different instruments, he finally told me to get into two thin stretchy stocking dresses and hop onto the wire bed thing (sorry, I don't really know any technical terms!).

When he'd lain me straight and put my legs in slings, he slid a metal ruler type thing between the material. Then he wet the dress and smoothed the plaster slowly over it.

After many many layers of plasters, it was getting harder to breathe but not as hard as last time. Then finally, the orthotist stopped wrapping me in plaster and left me to dry for a few minutes (ha ha, yes, that sounded wierd).

Last of all, he cut open the plaster with a sharp knife (it didn't cut me because of the metal thing) and I felt like I could breathe normally again! It was pretty cold when I got off the wire bed and had to get dressed very quickly.

In three weeks I'm going to have a new brace!