It's been awhile

It's been over a year since I posted and the truth is because I feel great! I've had a few back aches here and there but who doesn't now a days, I hear lots of people complain of tweaking their back or something and it makes me feel pretty normal, I guess that's what happens when you get older. Most of my aches are caused during the winter months and are cured easily with the heating pad. I did experience some sciatic nerve pain a few month back and that was pretty bad but my doctor prescribed me an anti inflammatory and a short steroid and all was well pretty quickly.

Living with the rods and screws in my back have actually been a lot easier to deal with then I ever thought they would be. I remember reading a post before my surgery about a lady with rods in her back and she was complaining that she could not bend to scrub the bath tub and it made me cry. I was so scared that my life would change drastically after the surgery and I would be confined to doing less than I was able to do before but that is not the case at all. I forget that I have the rods and my life is so much better with it now, I look and feel better I am able to do a lot more then I was ever able to and sadly I am still able to clean the bath tub.

Here is to enjoying another great summer in a bikini not ashamed of my back and proudly showing off my scar.

Slouching is impossible.

Spasms

Well we are entering the cooler weather months here in Texas and I am starting to experience some pain in my upper back. It's a different pain then I have ever felt before it is a spasm like pain and it usually only happens like once a week and it's a quick spasm and then it is gone, but today the spasm started and hasn't stopped much. I was expecting some pain to return during the winter, I guess I just thought it would of been the dull achy feeling like I got every year before. Dr. Hostin said I could take my pain pills if I needed but I remember to well what it was like detoxing off of them and I don't want to deal with that again.
Today I went to the dermatologist for my 6 month check up on my moles, I have had 4 removed so far and today makes 5. There is a history of skin cancer in my family and plus I'm fair skinned and have a good amount of moles so I am at risk and need to visit my dermatologist regularly. Well today she found a mole that was dark and she just scraped it to see if it needed to be removed all the way so we will find out the results next week. Of course the mole was on my back though, like I need any more scars back there! On top of all of that I have recently developed horrific acne on my back, I've always dealt with acne but not as bad as it is now, she gave me some cream called Epidou (sp?) and I hope it helps.
Well I guess this all sounds pretty depressing so far but really everything has been great. I have been riding my bike a lot, lifting weights, working my core, and stretching. Also I have been able to talk to a mother at my daughters school about her daughter who is struggling with scoliosis and I hope I was able to give her enough insight about what to expect and that she to can over come this.

No more pain!!!!

What a lovely feeling it is to be pain free especially when you feel as though you will be burdened for life with this pain. Today is my second day sans pain pills and I'd love to tell you you everything is wonderful and my life is back to like it never happened but that is not the case. Another struggle you are going to have to overcome is detoxing from the medicine. I really thought it would be a breeze I gradually cut back for weeks before quitting, I didn't realize that getting off the last hydro codon and Robaxon would make me this sick. Now here is what I learned about it, the pills slow you down it slows everything down your metabolism, Mental function, digestion your body becomes used to this state of being and when you stop it everything speeds up very quickly, resulting in increased metabolism, sweating, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and depression. So basically that's what I've been dealing with this week, but it still doesn't affect my high from being pain free! I forgot to mention, I went to my doctor (Dr. Hostin) last Friday and he said that I can resume all normal activity, this includes but not limited to horse back riding, roller coasters, lifting more then 10 lbs, and bungee jumping! I haven't even reached 5 months yet either. Dr. Hostin said he was originally interested in scoliosis surgery because of how well the patients recover, and what a testimony that is because I feel great. Of course there are some things that are forever restricted like slouching (how can you show how bored you are without slouching) and fetal positions (its hard to be sick in bed and not be able to curl up into a ball), but I will learn to adapt. Good luck to you if you are about to undergo this procedure, I hope my story encourages you and helps you to find peace in your decions.

Shower and pills.

During my shower this evening I was sitting on my shower chair (I don’t need it anymore Im just lazy) thinking back to the first time I took a shower after my surgery. I believe it was two days after and it felt nice to get clean and move around a little but it was also very painful washing my self and learning how to do everything again. At that time I was worried that it would never be the same again but tonight I was reminded how far I have come and how little I do think about my back anymore. My life has almost gone back to normal after four months and I can’t wait for the day to be fully off the pain medication. I have decreased my dosage a lot, I’m down to three a day and hopefully next week I can bring that number down to two. My goal is to be off of them fully by my six month mark.

Hump.

Here is some before and afters of my rib hump. They said to fully get rid of the rib hump they would take a few ribs, which would make my recovery harder then it already was. I told them only do it if needed. As happy as I am with my new physical appearance I did this surgery for health reasons and rib removal wasn't necessary. Now I can stand in front on the mirror and pick myself apart and find the parts of my body that don't meet my approval and I can find that hump that's barley visible. But I've never been more happy with my appearance and I've never had this kind of confidence.

Posture

Isn't it amazing!!!