A Sad Post...

This weekend I received some very sad and shocking news. 

I'm a member of a scoliosis support group and I found out that one of the staff members Vicki, who was a truly inspirational person and good friend to many on the site, sadly passed away aged just 28.

This was a huge shock to all members of the site including myself and I'm very upset by this devastating news. I can't get over the unfairness of it all :(

I believe Vicki was born with very severe scoliosis, and had spine surgeries very early aged just 5 and 10. Because of the severity of her curve she was left with a very large curvature after surgery. This, and the fact that she had scoliosis from birth, meant that her lungs were unable to develop properly while she was growing and so her lung function was very low. 

Unfortunately this made her very vulnerable to severe chest infections and I believe it was pneumonia that was the tragic cause of her death :(

It's a horrible reminder of what can happen in very severe cases and that we need more awareness raising for this condition.

A Just Giving page has been set-up in Vicki's memory to raise funds for the Scoliosis Association http://www.justgiving.com/4vicki . 

If you can, please help to support the cause and spread the word in Vicki's memory. 

RIP Vicki, you won't be forgotten.

xxx

NB: Scoliosis surgery research and techniques are advancing all the time and children born with severe scoliosis today can be treated using alternative techniques such as growth rods which allow the child's spine to continue to grow without the curve worsening.

Holiday - 1 year 7 months post op

I've just got back from my birthday holiday in Marrakech and thought I would update how it was for my back. 

Holidays are always difficult for people with bad backs, lugging cases about, airport queues, hours on your feet, uncomfortable aeroplane seats, hard hotel beds.. the list goes on!

However, this holiday it actually wasn't so bad.

Last summer when I was around the one year post op mark I went to Cyprus for two weeks and I found it incredibly difficult. Especially getting on and off low sunbeds and I found it hard keeping up with my family during evening walks when I would get a tight 'pulling' feeling in my back if I walked too fast.

This holiday I only realised that I had improved when my boyfriend pointed out how different I was to when we were in Cyprus last year. After he made the comment, I realised he was right. I found myself easily getting on and off the hotel sunbeds plus I did a few long days of excursions walking round all day and it was no problem at all. I had no problem spending all day on my feet and keeping up with everyone else on the excursions.

I didnt even realise all this to begin with, I was just doing it without thinking. I even had no painkillers all week! I think the heat helped with this though - I need to move somewhere hot..

The point I'm making really is that at a year post op I was thinking that that was it and that it was as good as I would ever be after this surgery. 

I know now that this is not the case, although it's impossible and frustrating not to know that at the time. If you reading this and are at this stage around one year post op please remember you will still be improving and you won't even realise it until you look back a good few months later and see how much easier things are still getting.

I had a wonderful holiday and did all the things I never imagined doing again (comfortably!) last summer.

Nothing is impossible and I still look forward to seeing what else I can do as each month passes by! 
Louise x