Scoliosis: Life, Support & Friends

I have FINALLY given an approximation of how long I will have to continue with my brace!!! I'lll HOPEFULLY be done by early 2011! My current curves are 16 degrees and 19 degrees! It is most likely that I'll never need surgery! I'm getting a new brace in 3 weeks! My orthotist has said that since I've done well with my bracing (I've now nearly HALVED my original curves of 31 deg n 31 deg), it may be possible to try to overcorrect me. Seems very very painful to be honest... Apparently the long side on my boston brace will be shortened a fraction and the shorter side will come up further, to control my upper curve. My next post will probably be on the 4th of June, when I get my new brace. Also, when we told the orthotist about my skin condition, his reply was: "Excellent! The brace is doing its job!" But after some moisturiser, my poor skin is nearly back to normal. There are still scars all over my back though.

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....