Scoliosis: Life, Support & Friends

We talk about many things on both the facebook page and this blog. We discuss our trials and tribulations, our hate of hospitals and the sub-par jello. We reflect on our experiences with MRI's and the many x-rays that have results in slightly mangled super powers. We meet and connect and find common ground in our suffering, and we hope that despite the sensation of loneliness that eats away at us, we aren't ever completely alone. We contemplate the idea of fate, if it exists, and if so, why us? Why our spines? Why our lives? Why are we, of all the people in the world, the ones afflicted with surgeries and hospitals and appointments that never end. Why do we suffer with health, loss, love, life - and why do we continue to stand here, in the midst of our lives, acting, playing, pretending, doing whatever we can to ensure that the world never sees the weaknesses we feel. We do it because there's no other choice, because (if you believe in fate) we were marked a lo...

Some of you may or may not have noticed my lack of contribution to my own network since the 11th April, I felt I wanted to explain to those who were not aware of what was happening with my life at the moment, especially as I have constantly been heavily involved with the support of Scoliosis patients since 2004! Sadly and heart breakingly I lost my best friend and husband on the 11th April, since then I have been "existing" and trying to find a way to get through the enormous pain in my heart and the feelings of lonliness that have been with me ever since, Chris (my husband) was a great Scoliosis support for me and I miss him to lean on, he did a LOT for me as he understood the problems I faced with daily living, and for someone who didn't have Scoliosis I think that was amazing of him to show such understanding of my condition. Had it not been for Chris I would not have created all the groups, websites and blogs that I run - he was the one who pushed me into creating m...

I'm in a bit of a miserable place right now, so I thought I would tap into some sarcasm and make myself, and hopefully you loverly Scoliotics, giggle a bit. The fact of the matter is that at some point we probably have to have a surgery. If we're spectacularly unlucky we might have two, or three. Keep in mind by the time you hit 4-9 surgeries, you should probably order yourself a plastic bubble and black out your windows. Personally, I am still waiting for my order for military grade food supplies that I can keep in my bomb shelter. So, with that in mind, how exactly do we survive a surgery? What sort of ungodly horrors await us and what can we do to make the experience a little more bearable? Follow this guide and I assure you, your hospital experience will be...average, really. I mean, none of this is going to actually make it better because, let's face it, the only way to make any surgery better is to be told that while the doctors were inside you they decided to install...

I have been meaning to blog about the meeting we had in February for the UK Scoliotics since returning but life has been so hectic I have just not had the time! So please don't shoot the messenger here for being late on her blogging ;) We met at La Tasca in Victoria, London at lunch time on the 19th February, we had a great turnout with people coming from all over the UK and of course Spain! I have listed the people who attended below. Maria from Uttoexeter, Staffordshire Megan from Cambridgeshire Judith from Mill Hill, London Linda from Croxley Green, Watford Krysie from Coventry Karen from Hurst Green Simone & Chris Icough from Spain  Evi from London Lisa from Kent Janice from Sunderland Gail from Hull Janet from London Alana from Spain The venue itself were very helpful, they threw in some free jugs of Sangria, (which seemed to go to Maria's head - hahahaha, although I think she enjoyed it ;) and 5 pounds off the menu price per head, we had a great ...

A friend of mine on Facebook has just started a new petition and as we like to get involved in anything to do with Scoliosis here we decided to give them some help online so we can spread the word and get as many signatures as we can. So, we now need YOU - the twisted community to get on board and sign the petition for "Scoliosis checks in UK secondary schools" - we also like to see this petition is using the same slogan that we also promote on the wristbands " Speak up for Scoliosis " - so do your bit today and sign that petition! Thanks my lovelies!

Life never fails to be interesting for me on the medical front. Wednesday I met my mom in Calgary; my first cortisone injection was bright and early Thursday morning. So we get to the Holy Cross and find the Advanced Spinal Care Centre, which, incidentally, is in the basement and as such I'm fairly certain qualifies as at least one of the many circles of hell. I'm trying to stay up beat and overly Mary Poppinsish in my outlook, so I bound up to the desk and proudly proclaim "I have an appointment at 9:30! Last name Sawisky, first name Kathleen!" (Unfortunately the five piece band I had hired to announce my arrival turned out to be double booked.) That was when it all went to hell in a hand basket. The receptionist looks at me, to the desk, to the tower of file folders beside her, flips one open and then turns back to me to say "We've been trying to contact you for three days." Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no no no. "We don't have your requisition for...

"...To talk of many things! Of meds and splints and spinal facts! Of surgeries and dreams! And how much a curvy spine can suck and how we deal with things! " It was an interesting sort of holiday season. The sort of interesting that ends with a person spending two and a half days at a bus depot, sleeping on the floor, making friends with random strangers, and doing your gosh-darned best not to lose your mind. Lambchops tiddliwinks. I mean-! I spent the solid portion of the last week trying to get back into the school mood. New classes, more work than last semester, I need to get a part time job, I'm still trying to get my writing to professional standards and, oh! What's this? An appointment with the Advanced Spinal Care Center in Calgary for cortisone injections? This week? What?! Yes, apparently time itself decided to speed up because I had no idea it would be so soon (and consequently told my teachers that, and I quote "will be going away sometime in the ne...