This is the story of how scoliosis changed my life, and help me shape my sense of identity. It all started back in August 2006. I had just started 6th grade and I was happy. Except for one thing, my back hurt. A LOT. So my mother took me to my pediatrician and had x-rays taken, but, she said I was totally fine. Upon my mom's insisting, though, they reffered me to an orthopediest.

By now it was September 2006, and I had been able to make an appointment with a good doctor named Dr. Hahn. He told me I had two curves in my spine, one seventeen degrees, and one twenty-seven degrees. He said that in order to slow the curves from progressing I needed a brace. It was like someone drilled a hole into the piece of glass that was my life. Then came relief, he said I could wear a nightbrace. That made me feel a little bit better. That was, until I saw the horrible thing. It was padded white plastic, from underneath my arms down to my mid-thigh with three velcro straps to hold me in. I had to sleep in that? For the first week, it was like i was sleeping on a piece of curved wood (The brace bent me in the opposite direction.) It didn't seem possible, but I did it for the next 6 months.

Now I'll skip ahead to September 2007, this is when the news came. My curves had progressed from seventeen degrees to twenty-seven degrees, and from twenty-seven degrees to a whopping forty-six! It was now official, I most definitly had curves in all the wrong places. When Dr.Hahn said that surgery was officially an option, I was so excited that all my problems would be gone soon. He was shocked I had actually wanted surgery, because most kids do not want it at all. I, however, knew that i could only come out healthier and happier.

December 19, 2007, the day I would remember forever. I was admitted to the hospital early in the morning, and had my surgery a few hours later. After I woke up, I could immediately roll on both sides, and was moving my arms and legs very well. I was recovering much faster than anyone had expected. It was wonderful, even though I was in extreme pain.

My life is forever changed and I firmly believe that I am who I am because of scoliosis. It made me a strong person, and I'm very optimistic now, because I know that post-surgery, people can go into a depression, but my parents helped me stay optimistic. I know how lucky I was that I actually could get treatment and pay for it too (You would be suprised how much a piece of padded plastic can put a big fat hole in your wallet the size of a moon crater). But the most important thing I learned was that I am who I am, and I can either let it stop me, or I can be proud of myself, and I am. My curve is six degrees now, and when I look back at all I've been through, I can safely say that it has been worth every bit of pain. No pain no gain, and that is the truth. Life is as fragile as a snowflake, if you don't enjoy it while you have it, it will melt all too quickly.

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