Having a good Scoliosis day
So, did all you Mothers have a nice Mother's Day and receive some nice gifts? I hope so, I sent my Mother and Mother-in-law some Fresias this year and they were overjoyed with them.
These past few days I have been feeling a lot better - the weather is warming up and I think this is the reason why - the damp in the house is less so the bed is much better and I am sleeping better because it is not so bitterly cold - I have everything else on my bed except heat - perhaps I should think about having that installed as well!
I have been out in the garden to help me get some exercise but I am not sure if weeding is the best thing considering I have only just started walking around better - but hey ho - overcompensation syndrome hits me again!
I find it strange because my back is feeling better but my shoulders are in agony - all the strain ends up on my shoulders because the middle of me is fused together so the pressure has to end up somewhere - since we have moved house I have lost my masseuse, we now live too far away for her to come to me and finding someone else that I can trust will be very hard - my old lady knew where she could and couldn't touch me - my donor site (over my left hip) is the main problem and has been since surgery in 1989, if anyone touches me there all hell breaks loose, apart from the fact it is painful I don't like anyone touching my donor site - it is lumpy and ugly but the skin surrounding it is so sensitive and when you meet new people who need to touch your body you do have a phase where they touch what they shouldn't and it can be a nightmare.
Well I am going to continue outside in the garden and get as much weeding done as possible before I lose all the light - on another note, I just found an Orb Weaver Spider in the garden - scary to look at but very cool at the same time.
These past few days I have been feeling a lot better - the weather is warming up and I think this is the reason why - the damp in the house is less so the bed is much better and I am sleeping better because it is not so bitterly cold - I have everything else on my bed except heat - perhaps I should think about having that installed as well!
I have been out in the garden to help me get some exercise but I am not sure if weeding is the best thing considering I have only just started walking around better - but hey ho - overcompensation syndrome hits me again!
I find it strange because my back is feeling better but my shoulders are in agony - all the strain ends up on my shoulders because the middle of me is fused together so the pressure has to end up somewhere - since we have moved house I have lost my masseuse, we now live too far away for her to come to me and finding someone else that I can trust will be very hard - my old lady knew where she could and couldn't touch me - my donor site (over my left hip) is the main problem and has been since surgery in 1989, if anyone touches me there all hell breaks loose, apart from the fact it is painful I don't like anyone touching my donor site - it is lumpy and ugly but the skin surrounding it is so sensitive and when you meet new people who need to touch your body you do have a phase where they touch what they shouldn't and it can be a nightmare.
Well I am going to continue outside in the garden and get as much weeding done as possible before I lose all the light - on another note, I just found an Orb Weaver Spider in the garden - scary to look at but very cool at the same time.
Comments
I recently found your blog while I was browsing the web looking up some more information about scoliosis. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was about 18. Right off the bat, the first few orthopedists I went to told me to have surgery, but I was still in college and did not want to take the time out of school to do it. Eventually I found a doctor I liked better than the others, not just because he said he would rather wait and monitor my back for a couple of years to see if it is worsening before recommending surgery. Now I'm 23, and just recently had another set of follow up x-rays. He finally said he doesn't think I should go for surgery right now, because my back wasn't really getting worse, and to get another set of xrays in 3 years. It was quite a relief. In the meantime, I tried wearing a hard brace molded for my back for a year, but it only increased my pain and discomfort, and have since given that up. I was recently in a car accident, definitely suffered whiplash. Since then, severe chronic pain in my entire back, but mostly upper, shoulders, and neck. I really believed my scoliosis was getting worse, but its hard to tell since it hasn't been that long. I go to a chiropractor weekly and it really helps with the pain. I also use a memory foam mattress, and it has helped me significantly as well.
I just wanted to say hi, since I have gone through and read your journal. I can't say it has been a pleasure, but I've learned a lot and I don't know many people going through this situation, so it is nice to hear someone else's story.
I wish you the best of luck.
How are you doing, thanks for your comments and I really hope you can find someone to help you with your pain and soon! Where are you in the World, what are your curves, over 50º should be considered for surgery?
I have never rated Chiros myself but if it is helping with the pain who am I to say stop! I run a group on Yahoo with over 250 members and they do not like Chiros either as they do not have much experience with Scoliosis - you really need to go and see a specialist :)
Wishing you all the best and speak soon I hope
It seems like many doctors i saw in the US rush to operate, well before the curves are 50 degrees. But as i said, my curves have not worsened in a few years, so I feel comfortable not going through the operation, especially since i've heard many horror stories about going through the operation and many success stories about people learning to live with it once their back has stopped shifting. The surgeon I see is a scoliosis specialist at a top hospital in New York, so I am very comfortable with his opinion and recommendation to not have surgery at the present time.
I actually go to a chiropractor that specializes in scoliosis (in the US, that is not difficult to find. Osteopathic doctors in the US also frequently specialize in scoliosis and the spine.) He's helped dramatically over the years with dealing with the pain, proper exercise and ways to incorporate yoga safely for my back and my whiplash has been healing well since I've been going to him more frequently.
Hope you are doing well
Ariel
Nice to hear back from you and know where you are in the World. New York eh that is a far cry from me - in Spain!
It is good that you know where you are with your Scoliosis and that you are happy with your Dr and that you have someone helping you with the pain and the exercises.
I try to do Yoga but sometimes I find it hard, I will be getting back into it when the summer properly kicks in, I will try and get it done before I start work - swimming has always helped me and now we have just moved to a house with a pool I can spend more time working on my core muscles again and in private!
Lovely to talk with you and keep in touch
All the best
Simone