My mom and I were in Jacksonville, FL on a dance competition. We were at the beach, and she noticed something poking out of my back. She said it was my shoulder blade and it didn't look right. So, she made me an appointment for my Pediatrician. Oh, all of this information is coming from "My Scoliosis Journal". I encourage everyone to get one.

Monday, April 26, 2004 ~ Being Diagnosed with Scoliosis
That afternoon at about 1:30, I was at the pediatricians office , Dr. Peek. She said, "Oh yes, you have scoliosis." I wasn't surprised because mom said that's probably what it is. Then, Dr. Peek called my new orthopedic, Dr. Christoferson, to make me an appointment. His nurse told her the appointment could be around 2:30. It was already 1:55.

We got at the TOA, Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance. Mom and I went in, took x-rays, and he started to talk to us. I was super nervous. I knew I would have to have surgery because knowing my luck that's what was going to happen. And you'll never guess, my only option was to have surgery having a 60* and 65* curve. I have never been under anything before especially the knife. I was crying the whole way home. I just cried and cried. Everyone has those questions going through there minds when they're diagnosed, "Why me? I never did anything wrong." That's the truth. You never did anything wrong.

Wednesday, April 28, 2004 ~ MRI
What a day. At about 4:15, I was in the waiting room changing into "scrubs". I was really anxious to go. They play any music you want (I brought Clay Aiken). They give you headphones. It's relaxing but, still exhausting. You can't move a muscle or you have to do it again. My "tunnel" thing was really close to my face. I think 2 inches. I'm glad that's done being in there for 1 hour.

Friday, April 30, 2004 ~ Consultation
After school, we went to the doctor's office. Mom, Dad, and I were waiting for about 5 minutes until Dr. Christofersen came in with the results for the MRI. He showed them. Nothing was wrong except for the curve of course. He told me about the risks and deaths from surgery. Then, I went to take 2 more x-rays to see how flexible my spine is. It's really flexible. I was really surprised. We went back into the room and asked lots of questions to Dr. Chris. I am very nervous but I trust what he's doing. The only way I'll do it is with God on my side.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 ~The Date is Getting closer and closer
After mom and I got home from school/work, we went straight to the phone to talk to Dr. Chris. He said, " Since you have the HMO plan, we have to have it done at Centennial Hospital in downtown Nashville not at Baptist." We got a couple of opnions on Centennial. Everyone we talked to said it's one of the top 4 hospitals in Tennessee. I was feeling much better. Next, he told us, "The only days possible for the surgery were either June 8th or June 10th." We chose the 8th. I am very nervous but, I know I will be okay with God there with me.

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 ~ Cancelling Hospitals
Cancel that cancellation for going to Centennial. It is going at Baptist because we got permission. YES!

Thursday, June 3, 2004 ~ Pre-op
Pre-op really isn't that bad. I had my blood taken and had a urine test done. That was about it. But taking blood was the easiest. If you're like me, you will freak out and say "IT'S GOING TO HURT!" Then by the time you start that, it will be in and you wouldn't have felt a thing. I know I didn't. LOL!

Tuesday,June 8, 2004 ~ SURGERY!
I woke up at like 4:20 am! I was SUPER TIRED because I didn't go to sleep until like 10:30, silly me. So I got out of bed, took a shower, and I was also starving, I really wanted the french toast my mom bought me the night before at Pub-lix (I also got a candy bar [Kit Kat] and an icee[super tasty]) That was the best night of my life LOL! I prayed all night since I was crying and extremely nervous! I mean, who wouldn't be! Then I hopped in my car and drove to Baptist Hospital in Nashville. We parked, signed in, and were waiting anxiously to go into surgery at 8:00. The lady at the front desk then took me into my "pre-op" room. A really nice lady, named Emily, took my blood, weighed me, and gave me my very 1st hospital gown. I asked my mom, "Do I have to take off my underwear?" She said ,"Yes, you HAVE to." I really didn't though. But after I changed, another lady came in and took my blood again. My mom and I were really confused. I didn't know. Then Ms. Emily came in and asked her, " What are you doing?" Emily was really confused, along with my mom and me. But they both apologized for having to "stick" me twice. It really wasn't that big of a deal but whatever. At 8:00, I was being rolled into the operating room. When they first said that I was being moved, my mom and I started to burst out crying! I thought I was going to die but I had a feeling God would be looking over me and my doctors. Some guy then put a blue mask over my face and told me to breathe 5 times. I actually breathed around nine, but I still fell asleep within 15 seconds. My doctors told me that they did wake me up but I said they didn't only because I don't remember it.

Next I woke up in the recovery room screaming for water. Immediately after having my little temper tantrum, I fell right back to sleep because I couldn't have ice chips for another 3 hours. Man was I angry. The next time I awoke, my parents were in there talking to me. My mom got really REALLY faint because of my color and I guess she was scared. I was still screaming for water also. LOL! Just to let you guys know, you will be EXTREMELY thirsty. I almost had to have a blood transfusion because my blood loss was so close to that limit or whatever. Then I got to be rolled up to my room, number 7314. I had to go up and down a ton of bumps and WOW did they hurt like none other!! Seeing me in my room, dying of thirst was probably not a very pretty sight. I was yelling and I couldn't see cause I didn't have my contacts in LOL! I was so tired. People were talking. Someone brought in donuts that I was wanting really badly. So I wasn't a happy camper. Well, after I got my ice chips (about time) and everyone had finally left. I have my little morphine button and all. I couldn't stand that thing. Every time I would fall into a nice, deep sleep, by the time I woke up I would be in a LOT of pain. But my parents couldn't push the button with really really stunk!!! Oh, you may possibly fall asleep really early at night (7:00) and wake up at around 2:30. That happened to me tons of times. But I got over that.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 ~ 1st day after surgery
Mainly I slept that day. Sleep and a few people came to visit me. I felt so loved! And I did walk to my room door. WOW, was that painful! When I was slowly standing up and crying, Whitney (friend) said, "Oooo Lin, I think you grew an inch." I was thinking,"I am trying to CONCENTRATE!" But I really didn't say that. LOL! I made it to my door with my walker and back. But it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my entire life! I am so glad I don't have to go through that again.

Thursday, June 10, 2004 ~ 2ND day after surgery
I walked again and sat in my chair. My friend Briana came to see me that day. She brought me a candy bouquet. Ooh did I want my Snickers bar! But that's ok. I perked up when I saw her. I was almost dead in my chair that day. But when Briana came, she just made my day! I actually could talk and stuff. And my search teacher came to visit me! That was pretty cool. I was half asleep when she say me though. Oh, and I met another girl in the hospital who had the exact surgery I did. But she was 16. I can't remember her name. I really wanted it! Besides that, I had a pretty good day!

Dr. Christofersen said I will be able to get real food or liquids as soon as I pass gas. Well, I did. I had to have liquids though. I had this really gross soup and jello. Oh my goodness, I do not eat jello anymore. I had it WAY to often. I also got my catheter out that day. I felt so much better except for getting up like every 5 minutes to go to the stupid bathroom! Grr that was a pain in the back! LOL! No really it was! And I talked in my sleep. It was really funny. My mom said that I said, " Hey mom, why don't you go get that coat from Wal-mart?" I said a few other things but she can't remember them. After I would talk, I would wake up and ask, "Did I say that?" LOL! Pretty funny.

Friday, June 11, 2004 ~ 3rd day after surgery
This morning, a really mean lady came in my room to do that checking blood thingy etc. She asked me if I had been tested for HIV. I was like, "SHUT UP"! But I didn't say that. Well she couldn't find a vein in my arm so she pricked my finger. Before she did it though, SHE SAT ON MY BED! (By the way, she wasn't the skinniest of all people in the world.) When she sat down (on my bed), it was almost like I was lifted off of the bed. Wow that hurt! She asked me,"What are you in here for, your appendix?" My mom yelled," UH, NO, SHE'S IN HERE FOR SPINAL SURGERY!" She said,"Oh, ok." I was like, "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? GET OFF OF MY BED!"

I really just walked around today and watched tv. My pediatrician came to see me. That was good. The only bad thing was, I didn't have cable. So the only thing on the television was RONALD REAGAN'S FUNERAL! I was like, "I know its a big deal, but I'm in the hospital wanting to WATCH SOME TV!" I did watch this really cool movie but I didn't to see then ending because I fell asleep at like the last 10 minutes. I got really mad cause I wanted to see the ending. But it did come on again! That was awesome. Still didn't get to see the ending though. That stunk.

Saturday, June 12, 2004 ~ Leaving!!!!
I woke up around 3:30 for these people to check the blood, the entire "hourly routine" as I would like to call it. I fall back asleep. My doctor comes in at around 9:30am. He said, "Today, is the 'big day'. You are now free to leave." I about went into shock! I was super excited. I would've been jumping up and down, screaming, but that was a little hard at the moment. When you get out of that gown, change into real clothes, IT IS A MIRACLE! I am now truly grateful for underwear! It felt like heaven when I put it on. My dad was collecting all of the belongings , my aunt, mom, and I were just talking away. I said "bye" to all of the nice nurses, GGRR! And headed out in a really cool, blue wheelchair. I was a pretty nifty one if I must say so myself.

I am so glad I'm home! I got to ride on a wheelchair, and I got shotgun! YES! Ha Ha! I came home and I went straight to my bedroom! I was so excited that I actually got my own bed and everything! WoW! I got so many presents I thought that my hand was going to fall off when I was writing my thank you notes to everyone! Right when I got home, I checked my email and went straight to spinekids! I really wanted to post something on the message boards! If anyone has any questions about surgery or what happened to me, I'm constantly on the SpineKIDS Message Boards as X0O LiNDSEY!

I would like to give SPECIAL THANKS to:

Update - July 27, 2007

Wow. 3 years post op. What an accomplishment.

And what a life scoliosis has brought to me. I would have never thought that scoliosis would have made this big of a difference in my life. It's phenominal what one spur of the moment diagnosis can do to one's life. Such as a little curve turning into a termoil of pain.

Scoliosis turned my world upside down on April 26, 2004. But to this day, July 25th, 2007, I am still struggling with my limits, but they are limits worth every second of the wait.

My life with scoliosis is like any other: boys, school, homework, piano lessons. Nothing abnormal about it. Except when it comes to shopping. I look at my friends differently. When they try on bathing suits or dresses for homecoming, I just wonder what its like to have a straight back, with no worries; no questions. Just straight. No "rib hump". No scar. Just a beautiful, bare back. I feel out of place, and just plain weird. But what is kinda funny is that I check my friends back's. Just to make sure they don't have scoliosis. :D

It may seem funny, but it's the truth. I would never want another person on this earth to suffer the way I did.

If there is one thing that you all learn from my story is everything happens for a reason. There is a reason you have scoliosis. There is a reason you had to wear a brace, or even go through surgery. And most of all, there will always be at least one person who has it worse than you do. So be thankful for what you have because in a heartbeat, it can all be gone.

Have a happy scoliosis life! :D Lots of Love!

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