I'm Emilie, and I am 16 years old.

I was first diagnosed with congenital scoliosis at the age of five by my pediatrician. He immediately recommended my orthopedic surgeon. Unbeknownst to me, that first visit has lasted for 11 years.

For three years after my first visit, I would go every 6 months for a check-up to keep tabs on my thoracic curve. At my one appointment in April of 1998, my thoracic curve was at 38 degrees. When I went back 6 months later, in October, my curve had increase to 49 degrees. 11 degrees in 6 months. It was then decided I would need surgery. Now, as and 8 year old, I was pretty excited. The whole thing seemed pretty cool to me. I mean, back then it was awesome to be the kid with the cast, so I figured this would sky rocket me to stardom in the elementary school world.

On December 15, 1998, I had my first surgery. I was fused in my thoracic region anterior and posteriorly, using one of my ribs. I was originally supposed to have rods placed in that surgery but the doctor believed it was too much of a risk to my spinal cord.

I remember waking up from that surgery in the ICU and not being able to breathe because of the breathing tube. Luckily, they came to take that out, and I was better. When I finally got to my own room, it was late. Details are foggy from then, but I do remember having to breathe into an apparatus to increase my lung capacity, because one of my lungs was collapsed during the surgery. Everything ached, though. EVERYTHING. My favorite memory from my hospital stay was my dad reading "Junie B. Jones" to me, and I was laughing but I had to ask him to stop because my ribs hurt. Ok, not so funny when written done, but I like the memory.

After three miserable days of just laying there and using a bed pan, I finally went to get my cast. The cast guys were so nice, and I picked out a tie dye cast. It had a little square cut out in the middle so my stomach could expand. After 5 days in the hospital, I finally went home.

Being home with a cast from under my armpits to my hips was an endeavor, but it wasn't horrible. Many fond memories stem from me in my cast. After two or three months, I can't remember, I got my cast off. That was fabulous. Then, I went to wearing a brace. By this time, I was in fourth grade and the whole 'I need to be handled differently because I had back surgery' was getting a little old. I wore my brace for varying amounts of time, and at different times. Finally, on St. Patricks Day of '99, I was free of my brace.

After that, I felt great. I had very few limitations, like not being able to carry textbooks home from school. I couldn't play football or wrestle (awww, shucks!). Other than that, I was normal. Everything was great. I still continued to see the doctor every 6-10 months. My parents were told that kids that have a thoracic fusion have a 50% chance of forming another curve, in the lumbar region. Of that 50%, another 50% need surgery. In the years following 1999, it was waiting and watching. The doctor was waiting for me to begin my period so they knew I had hit my final growth spurt.

Around 2005, they started seeing me more frequently. I thought I was fine, I never had any pain or discomfort. In Oct. of 2005, my lumbar curve was at 48 degrees. It came to my family's attention that if it continued to curve, I would probably need surgery again. I held out hope that I would be ok. Then, on March 16th, 2006, my lumbar curve was at 55 degrees. That's a 7 degree jump in 6 months. It was time for a second surgery. I was so upset. It was the middle of my club volleyball season and I knew I would have to miss next year's school season because of the minimum of 6 months recovery time.. I could see all the things I wanted to do slipping away. By the time I left the hospital that day, I had my pre-op duties (giving blood, etc.) and surgery day planned. I was going to Spain in June, and I wanted this surgery done and over with before I left. I was scheduled for April 24, 2006. Nine days after my 16th birthday.

April 24, 2006 rolled around, and I was ready as I could be. It was harder this time. I was in tenth grade, and it was no longer cool to be the one missing school. By the time I was on the operating table, my lumbar curve increased to about 59 degrees. HUGE jump in degrees. 4 degrees in 5 weeks. It was a blessing in disguise that I had it scheduled so soon. Dr. Bowen fused my back from my T5 vertabrae to my L3, on both sides with titanium rods with hooks in my thoracic region (into the first fusion) and screws in my lumbar area. Surgery took 5 hours, and my parents said my doctor came out beaming, he was so happy with how it went.

The first thing I remember waking up was I was intense pain. The muscles in my back had been so rearranged that they were spasming, and it HURT. A LOT. Next thing I remember, I was in my room. The nurses had my laying on my side that first night (they were not my favorite people at that moment). By the next day, I was walking to the bathroom across the hall (it was too hard to walk to the one in my room and follow me with the wheelchair that I still needed.) I had vowed to myself before the surgery that I would not use a bed pan or a bedside commode. So that was my motivation to walk...the bathroom. I had the greatest nurses and PT people that encouraged me. I hated sitting up the most, but they made me do it. Everyday, I was exhausted. I was drained.The morphine made me emotional and cranky, and I couldn't eat. I lost weight soo quickly. After 5 days in the hospital, I went home on the 29th of April.

I came home on large amounts of Percocet, and a painful state of mind. All I wanted to do was sleep. A lot. I came into my room, and my best friends had decorated my room with streamers and pictures. It was the nicest gesture anyone had done for me, but all I wanted was my bed. The Percocet made me fall asleep into this weird drug-like stooper, and I had WEIRD dreams. REALLY weird. I wanted to eat, but food was so unappealing when I would actually try.

I got off of the painkiller as soon as I could, and that made a huge difference. I slowly began to eat again, and finally started back to my homework. I had tutors that came to help me, and I actually went back to school a month later a little bit ahead of everyone. I started with half days because I could not handle sitting that long or all of the thinking. The reaction of the kids at school was awesome. I had actually grown half an inch during the surgery, but because I was now more proportional, I looked taller. People complimented me left and right, and it made me feel great.

It was great to be back at school, but I had huge restrictions. People would ask me what I couldn't do, and I joked that the list of things I could do would be a much shorter list. I was allowed to sit, stand, walk, and lay down (in a special way, of course.) I had a 10 pound weight limit. That was it. No running, anything. I was fragile. My friends were my body guards everywhere I went. But summer time rolled around, and I worked around my limitations. I worked as a leader at a morning playground for kids 3-6, and I worked at the pool snackbar. Everyone was so accomodating and helpful, if I couldn't do something. Finally in August, 4 months after my surgery, my doctor said I could begin to lightly jog and stationary bike. It was great news, but when I tried jogging, it was uncomfortable. I missed volleyball so much at that point, and other silly things like dancing normally with my friends. I did have another appointment on Oct. 27, which would mark the six months they gave for recovery time.

October 27, 2006, was 2 weeks ago, and I am finally finished. I am now a fully functional teen. I can do everything. In my two weeks of new found freedom, I have played soccer, football, volleyball, ran, jumped, wrestled, flopped on the sofa, and bent down to pick up things. It's glorious.

When I read other kid's stories, I consider myself extremely lucky. I've never had any pain, and I have the most amazing surgeon, ever. I have an amazing support circle of people who care about me. The results are absolutely spectacular. My hips have evened out, and I now have a torso. Even if the road to my awesome results wasn't the most the most pleasant, I can honestly say it was worth it. I go in 9 months, just for a check-up. Not only has my doctor (Dr. Bowen) changed my life physically, he has also helped shape my future. I now want to be an orthopedic pediatric surgeon to continue to help kids and teens that are in my position. I consider it a blessing that I have been given the tools to help others.

Here are some pictures from my second surgery, before and afters:

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