Hello everybody my name is Jessica and I have scoliosis. It started in 6th grade when I went for a physical for cheerleading. This is the day I will never forget. My doctor told me to bend over and touch my toes when he noticed that one side of my back was higher than the other. He could tell right then and there that I have scoliosis.

He gave my mom a phone number to call an orthopedic doctor/surgeon. We scheduled an oppointment for a month later. I had an x-ray taken then which my curve was 46 degrees and I would need to be braced. We scheduled for me to get fit for a brace. Getting fit does not hurt at all. You lay on a foamy platform like in a doctors office, and the brace maker wraps this gooey plaster looking stuff around you, which underneath you wear a gown, so you dont get your clothes dirty. It dries in about 5 minutes and he vibrates it up with this blade machine, which doesn't hurt either. It actually tickles more than it hurts(it doesn't hurt).

Three weeks later we picked up my brace, it was so uncomfortable. I felt like I couldn't move, like I was a robot. In a month I went to my doctor so he could take more x-rays. My curve was now 49 degrees. He said he wanted me in a night time brace also. I went through the same procedure for making the brace. Now I had 2 braces and my life was so screwed up. At night I would cry to take my brace off, and I would even get sick to my stomach at school. I went to my doctor 3 months later and my x-ray now showed 43 degrees. He said he was proud it was decreasing, and told me to continue to wear my brace.

Then my mom had to switch insurances, and I would need a different doctor. This doctor took an x-ray which came to 55 degrees. He said I need surgery. This was the scariest day of my life. I never had ever thought of needing surgery. We scheduled my surgery for May 25th 2005 and I will soon need to be giving blood which I hate the thought of. Once my surgery is over, I will be posting a hotline for scoliosis, or even sooner. I would like to thank SpineKIDS stories for supporting me. Hope you liked my story

It was May 24th 2005 and this is the day I went in the hospital, this is the day before my surgery. My mom and I arrived at the hospital about 10 o' clock, we left our house about 9.

We went straight to the admitting area to get signed in. Admitting took a few minutes but all we did was fill out some paperwork. After admitting we walked down the hall to get some blood drawn. It really didn't hurt. From there I got tons of x-rays taken. These dont hurt at all. After getting x-rays done we got our room assignment. In my room there was my bed, a pull out sleeper chair for my mom and a few other chairs for visitors. I adjusted quickly to my room, and I became in love with the bed. I loved the fact the I could press buttons to make the bed go about 5 feet in the air and I could make it go forwards and backwards. At this point I was having fun.

Then in an hour or so some of my nurses came in to ask me some questions. They also placed 2 wrist bands on my left wrist. Then as the night went by nurses would talk to me. My doctor came in not to long after to explain everything will be ok. My anestesiologist also came in. He explained how I wont feel anything and nothing will hurt. I was glad he told me that. Around 8 o' clock I had dinner and my grandma and uncle came to see me. After dinner my mom and I went for a little walk around the hospital. I met a girl who was a year younger than me. She was going to be having the same surgery with the same doctor also. We both became friends and hung out a lot that night. We exchanged phone numbers and email so we could keep in touch. Our moms even became friends also. She was going to be the first one to have the surgery in the morning and mine was right after. Than we wished each other good luck and stayed with our moms for the rest of the night.

At 10:30 a lady came in to do a back scrub. It feels really good. This is where she puts a really cold soap on your back, just to make sure its clean. Morning came I was awake early and they got me prepared. This guy came to glue the leads to my head, chest, and legs. Not long after I was almost ready for surgery. They came in (my nurses) to wheel me to the operating room. I said bye to my mom uncle and grandma. The only thing I remember from here is in the operating room they told me I will be to sleep in a few.

It felt like 2 minutes I was in my room. I remember waking up to ask my mom if I had my surgery, and a nurse telling me to wiggle my toes. Than I think I slept the rest of the day. The rest of the time I was working on getting up and eating ice chips and stuff like that. The second day after I was walking. I was in the hospital for 5 days, and I got to leave a day early because my doctor said I was doing everything I was supposed to do. I was happy to get home in my nice warm bed.

Some things to know:
1) It's normal to have your back scrubbed.
2) You will get a blood test.
3) You will not have to worry about going to the bathroom because you will have a foley catheter.
4) For your pain you will have a morphine pump and all you have to do is hit the button.
5) You will have two I/Vs.
6) You will have a glue in your hair which is hard to get out.
7) You wont be able to wash your hair for a few days.
8) You might want a shower chair, or a chair to sit on in the shower.
9) You will feel you stomach is hard as a rock, but it goes down slowly.
10) It is normal to fart and burp, I know its gross.
11) It's normal to be mean after surgery but try to take it easy.
12) You will get pain pills for home.
13) Try to eat because the more you eat the faster you go home.
14) To prove to people your strong and walk as much as you can.

Some things that happened to me:
1) I got to leave a day early
2) I didn't have any pain at home.
3) I was very grouchy after.
4) I walked one flight of stairs the 3rd day.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

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