Most moms are proud when people say their daughters take after them; not my mom. You could say we’re a different story.

My mom has kyphosis and due to heredity…I have kyphosis just like mom. Kyphosis is a back condition in which your spine curves more than necessary.

In November, I went to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Lexington. I had this appointment written on my calendar for months. I had been to Shriner’s a number of times but, I knew that my curve was getting worse, this appointment really mattered.

I heard my mother’s voice in my head. Something she had said years ago rang in my ears drowning out all other noises. "If you have to have a brace, I’ll cry more than you." She had a brace when she was my age. My mom and grandmother had told me tons of stories about my mom and her brace. She needed a t-shirt that said "Been there done that".

I looked at my mother. Right now she wasn’t crying. She was asking Dr. Siree questions. I had a feeling she was being strong for me. I had my reaction planned. I was going to be strong and pretend I didn’t care. I had to be strong for my mom. I put on my best I’m-completely-okay-with-this face, and walked down the hall where the nurse led me and my mom. There was so much to do to get a brace ready, you had to be fitted, measured, and x-rayed. A brace had to fit every nook and cranny of my upper body. I was fitted for my brace then and there, I felt like a porcelain doll, unable to move the hard plaster made me stand up straight and stiff. I chose a design for my brace (a tye-dyed design that matched my emotions.) and was told to come back October tenth to get it.

October tenth came sooner than I wanted: Ten days, eight days, five days, three days, tomorrow, October tenth. For some reason, I had a hard time getting up that morning. I most likely felt this because of the restless hours I had spent during the night. I thought about my last night without a brace. I felt a lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach.

The ride to Lexington was shorter than usual. Maybe it was because of all the dread of the upcoming events. My mom took the “before” picture of me. On the ride home she would probably take the “after” picture on the ride home. She did this so that I could see how I looked in and out of my brace. I hoped that I would hardly be able to tell a difference in and out of my brace.

We arrived in Lexington and I walked into Shriner’s; I went straight to orthotics. I hoped I looked like a million bucks, but inside I felt like an old penny someone had found on the street. I was wearing a new outfit that was at least two sizes too big and was almost sliding off me. I had to have clothes two sizes bigger than what I normally wore so I could wear my brace under my clothes. We waited a few minutes and then a man came in. My eyes locked on the item he was holding. It was all colored; it had a small pad in the back and looked very uncomfortable. When the man looked at me I realized that “item” he was holding was my brace.

“Well,” I thought, “Surprise, surprise.” I hadn’t expected my brace to look like that, but unfortunately, it did. I was scared, nervous, and hungry. I had a feeling that none of these emotions would go away anytime soon.

The man’s name was Mike, Mr. Mike. He put the brace on me and pulled it tightly. I held my breath as he instructed. Thoughts ran through my head. “I will not wear this!” “Ouch!” and my personal favorite “Rrrrrrrrr”

I was able to work through the pain and frustration. I remembered how I felt about surgery, scared. That thought gave me the inspiration I needed. I stood up and walked to the seat Mr. Mike pointed to.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Very proper” I answered. I was forced to stand up straight, like the queen of England on her throne. I imagined myself at school hanging out with friends with my brace on. I worried about the stuff I might not be able to do. I wondered if I could still do some of my favorite hobbies with my brace on.

My thoughts were interrupted when Mr. Mike sent me, my mom, and dad to x-rays. The doctors had to make sure the back pad was straightening my curve. After standing in the same position long enough for the x-ray technicians to take my x-ray, we were told I had to get extra padding in my brace. I was not thrilled. I didn’t see my face during that time but I imagine it was saying everything I wanted to say out loud. After I took my brace off, they added the padding. After I saw my brace, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide my brace under my clothes. I instantly began thinking about the outfits I would have to get that would work with my brace. I saw myself in my own brain as a fashion “don’t”. After tons of waiting, finally, we were able to go home.

The ride home was tough. I was really uncomfortable. The brace made my back hurt. I was afraid my vacation days were down the drain, I couldn’t stand this ride, so how would I feel about an even longer trip? My mom said I didn’t have to go to school the next day because I needed to get used to my brace. I would get used to doing everyday activities. She went to my school instead and told my classmates about my brace. She explained how I had to wear my brace and told my classmates how I put it on in case I needed help. When my mom got home, she told me about my friends’ reactions when they tried on my brace.

“Brent looked the funniest in Rudy...” but I interrupted her before she was finished.

“So you told them how my brace is named Rudy?” I asked eager for an answer.

“Yep” she answered.

I named my brace Rudy so that I can say Rudy’s being rude when my back hurts. Rudy also has a middle name. Hippo is an acronym for Horrible Idiotic Pathetic Plastic Object. You can tell by the name that I really don’t like my brace at all. However, I understand that without Rudy, my back would be in worse condition than it is now. I’m glad that I realize this because if I didn’t, it would be so easy for me to rip my brace off and just get rid of it.

Buying clothes that work with my brace has been the hardest task to accomplish. Before I got my brace I wished to be a famous actress, but now I just wish for clothes to wear to church.

My mom has promised me that the day I am allowed to have my brace off, I can have a party and get tons of new clothes. She says “Just wait until September Cass” whenever I want new clothes. This thought makes me feel two tons better about my brace.

I’m still wearing my brace, but I’m doing a lot better with it. I can do everything I could before, but I had to learn how to do it in a new way. I’m still discovering new things about myself and my brace. I hope I continue to learn more about myself with my brace, but my biggest wish is that I’m out of my brace soon, you could say that in my brace, I’m a whole new me.

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