My name is Paige. I am 15 years old and i live in Australia.

I was first diagnosed with Scoliosis on August 16th, 2006. I remember i had a really bad cold/flu and constantly complained to my mum "my back hurts!". At the time, i thought this pain was from just coughing so much. Thinking i had a chest infection, my mum took me to our local doctor. There, he went through the normal doctor routine, checking heartbeat etc. However, he spent an unusual amount of time checking my heart. It was a good 3 minutes or so before he said "she doesn't seem to have much air in her right lung. I'm sending her off for xrays, i think she might have pneumonia."

So, off me and mum went, across the road to our local medical imaging centre. I don't really remember much of this, except for coming back out into the waiting room to see the radiologist deep in conversation with my mum. I saw the look on my mum's face, so i asked "uh, is everything okay?" my mum just looked at me and said "you have Scoliosis" At that point, i had absolutely no idea what Scoliosis was, i had never heard of it before. [In Australia, we don't have 'Scoliosis screens' in school, it's stupid, i know] So, even when the radiologist explained to me what Scoliosis was, i wasn't worried. I had a curved spine, so what? My mum asked "should i book her an appointment with our physiotherapist then?" the radiologist just looked at her and said "No. This girl needs to see a specialist in Melbourne."

Walking back to the doctors clinic, mum didn't say anything. I didn't know what a deal this would turn out to be. After reviewing the xrays, the doctor walked in "Well, she hasn't got pneumonia, but do you know your daughter has a severe curve in her spine?!" Mum just nodded "Well, yes, we just found out then." My doctor said he would fax the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and let them know about me and set up an appointment. He told us that if he didn't hear anything within two weeks to let him know.

Well, we didn't hear anything from them for 7 months. My first appointment was March 13th, 2007. I remember going up to Scoliosis clinic and seeing all the kids with braces and even some so curved their noses were nearly touching the floor. I thought to myself "surely i'm not as bad as them, why do i have to be here?" Meeting with my surgeon, Michael Johnston, who is pretty much the nicest person ever, i found out my curves were 55*T & 38.5*L. He recommended surgery, but it was up too me. I said there and then i wanted it. Being as the Royal Childrens is a famous hospital and was world reknown, he said that it wouldn't be likely i'd be operated on until 12 months from then [March/April 2008] Immediately, i said i didn't care. While in an elevator earlier, i saw a little boy with cancer. Tears swelled up in my eyes and made me realise how lucky i am to even have something like this. I told my surgeon "i know there are kids worse off than me, and i am fine with having to wait." So, that's what i did. Until the 23rd October. My mum was taking my brother and I to work one night when my Dad rang. As soon as she got off the phone, she goes "Your being operated on in three weeks, 13th November." Well, that was the only thing on my mind for the rest of the night. I was supposed to go to the hospital that thursday [it was tuesday when i was told] but i couldn't, seeing as i was going to be at school camp. So, i was scheduled for pre-op tests on the first of November. All went well.

DAY BEFORE SURGERY
The 12th November rolled around and that was the day I went to Hospital. I wasn't admitted yet, it's just that i lived so far away from the hospital [2 hours] I was told i would be put in a hotel in the hospital overnight. It was fine with me. I was sheduled for surgery at 1.30pm on the 13th. However, that day at 12.00pm, my surgeon came in "there aren't any beds left.we're going to have to send you home" upon hearing this, it was as if i took a blow to the stomach. I don't think i had been so disappointed in my entire life. So, we packed all my things and left. Mum, Dad & I wandered around Melbourne for a couple of hours or so, but i wasn't myself; i was just so disappointed. Anyway, the next day, i got home from school, and was probably watching a DVD in my room when my Dad came barging in, saying the Royal Children's had rang and said i was re-scheduled for the 26th November. Well, needless to say, that's all i needed to hear. I was jumping around the house for the rest of the night, i was somewhat excited

RE-SCHEDULED DAY OF SURGERY
Soon, the morning of the 26th November arrived. Living 2 hours away from the hospital, i had to get up around 4.30-5.00am as my mum & i were catching the 5.50am train to melbourne. We arrived about 7.00am-ish. I was to be checked in at 7.30am or so. As soon as we got there, we went to admission then to pre-surg, where we found out that we actually didn't have to be there at 7.30am. Apparently, i didn't have to be checked in until around 10-10.30am since my operation was until 1.30pm. The check in date on my admission letter had been stuffed up. So, for about 3 hours or so, my mum & i just wandered around the hospital, which was actually incredibly boring but you get that. At about 10.30am, i went back into pre-surg to have some numbing cream put on my arms for my blood test. I waited about 40minutes for that to work, then went and had my blood test. After that, i think mum & i went into the family resource centre for a while, waiting for my brother & dad to arrive. At around 12pm or so, they did. After meeting them, we walked back to pre-surg where we sat in the waiting room for i can't remember how long. Around 1pm or so, i was given a gown to put on and was told to go to pre-op hold. My family was more stressed than i was, at this point, i seriously was not worried at all. In pre-op hold, i hopped on the bed, while mum plaited my hair. Soon, it was time to go into a room to be put to sleep. I said my goodbyes to my Dad & Brother, who both were beginning to tear up. I just looked at them and said "don't you dare start crying, you'll make me!" mum came in with me to the room where the anastheologists were, three of them. The door to the operation room was open, and once i saw the operating table, that's when i started to get a bit "eehhh" One of the males put the anaesthetic in my arm and i could feel it running up, it felt rather uncomfortable. He asked me if i could taste something metallic, and i said yes, but before he could ask what it tasted like, i was out like a light. 4 or so hours later, i woke up, heavily drugged in recovery. The first thing i said was "where's jarryd?" [my brother] he came into view and i groggily said "hi jarryd" after that, i think i fell back asleep as i don't remember anything. I'm not sure if i woke up for the rest of the day.

DAY AFTER SURGERY
This day, Tuesday, absolutely sucked. It turns out i was allergic to the Morphine i was on and was throwing my guts up every couple of minutes or so. problem is, since i hadn't eaten anything for so long, i had nothing to throw up which made me throw up stomach lining. I had never felt so bad in my entire life. The nurse who was attending to me that day felt so incredibly bad that she couldn't make comfortable. In the end, they took me off the morphine and onto phentonol. After that kicked in, i improved. I just slept the rest of the day.

28TH NOVEMBER - 2 DAYS AFTER
I think this was the day i first met my physio, Phil. He was awesome! I can't remember what he made me do this day, i think i was beginning to blow bubbles, i'm not entirely sure but for the rest of the day, it was a blur, i probably just slept.

29TH NOVEMBER - 3 DAYS AFTER
I remember this day vaguely. I sat up and walked for the first time. As Phil was helping me sit up, i sort of let go of him and sat up myself. Phil looked at the other physio and said "now, we should've filmed that." He was so proud of me. He let me sit there for a couple of minutes, then slowly stood me up. I think i might've got my brace by this stage, so i had that put on too.

1ST DECEMBER - 6 DAYS AFTER.
Not much had happened during the past couple of days. My dad had re-visited, then my brother and two of his mates came and visited me. I had my catheter and all my wires taken out, i was taking painkillers orally, i was slowly beginning to eat again and since i was feeling absolutely fine, one of the physios said i could go for a big walk today, so i did. :D with my mum and the physio by my side, i walked out my ward, 4 North, went all the way down the corridor and into another ward, turned around then came back. A couple of hours later, i found out 3 of my friends were coming to visit me, so my mum came down to meet them. They had bought me the most cutest balloon ever. It was a flower balloon with a big smiley face and it had a green streamer for a stem and paper leaves. It was so awesome. After talking for a while, we decided to go down to McDonalds for a drink. One of my friends was being stupid while pushing me in the wheelchair, threatening he'd let go of the chair and let me fly down the ramp. And on the way back, my other friend almost pushed me into a wall, threatening to leave me there and run off. About half and hour or so later, the decided to leave as they had a 2 hour trip back from The Royal Childrens. So, i went on to watch some TV. An hour or so later, i saw two girls out of the corner of my eye, i looked around to see two of my bestest friends standing there. I had no idea they were coming to visit me that day so i was surprised. We went back down to McDonalds [lol] but i didn't have anything. Pretty soon, they had to leave. I went outside to see them off then went back up to my ward. A couple of hours later, i had a new in-mate, a little boy who had jammed his thumb in a garage door, poor mate. It was rather funny though, seeing as his father was a surgeon on that ward. Anyway, His mum and mine were talking and i found out that she was Dean Geyer's auntie. Many of you wouldn't know who he was, he was just on 'Australian Idol', same as your 'American Idol' and he was very easy on the eyes :D anyways, half an hour or so later, i need to go to the toilet, so mum helped me. Coming out the bathroom, i could hear the lady on her phone, saying "i have someone here who wants to talk to you" i didn't click until she came over, handed me her phone and said "want to talk to dean?" i was like ":O YES PLEASE!" so i spoke to a celebrity on the phone for about 10-15minutes. It was the best 10-15minutes of my life, and a highlight of my entire hospital stay.

2ND DECEMBER - DISCHARGE DAY
Today was the day i could go home. :D and boy, was i happy about that! i was lying in bed, eating breakfest when a girl and her father walked in. I recognised the brace she was wearing - the same as mine. Her name was Monica and i found out that she had her operation on the 12th November, but was sent home without a dressing on her wound. It got infected so she was sent back to hospital, she looked absolutely terrible. I really felt sorry for the poor girl - she had been home 3 days in 3 weeks. She told me that if the medication didn't clear up the infection, she would have to go back into surgery. When i was leaving, i went into her room and gave her some of my flowers that i couldn't take home. I wished her the best of luck and a speedy recovery. I was going home in an ambulance, but it took about 3 hours to get home as the traffic was quite bad and the weather was terrible. I was just so glad to be home.

CURRENTLY..
5 weeks later and i am doing fine! :D at first, i kept getting muscle spasms in my shoulder blades which were very painful but they've since disappeared. I am walking pretty much everywhere and it doesn't even really feel like i've had major surgery at all. I'm still not eating as much as i usually do, but that isn't such a bad thing. While at the hospital, I was told by my physio that if i didn't have this surgery, my spine would've ended up crushing my lung, so i'm really glad i had it done. My curves were 55*T & 38.5*L pre-surgery but I don't know what my curves are now, i'll find out at my 6 week post-op check up on 15th January. The best thing about this surgery? I'VE GROWN :D I used to be 152cm tall, now i'm around 155-156. Okay, it's only about an inch, and i'm still the shortest person i know, but now, i'm not known as "the short girl", i'm now known as "the short girl whose grown" which is fine with me. :D

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