Still growing!

I guess the majority of you guys know that I have a 'broken back'. We decided last month that it's time to straighten my snake of a back on up! The short version of my story is that I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was a freshman in high school. I went to get fitted for my homecoming dress and the lady who was fitting me told Mom that my hips weren't lined up. I went to Dad's office, took a picture of my bones, and sure enough, I was crooked. I believe at the time, the degree of my curvature was only about 25 degrees but I honestly can't remember. I went to Jackson, got a mold made of my body, and came home with 'Bartholomew', the back brace. It was just the worst... at first. It was made of hard plastic that was about 1/4 inch thick and had holes drilled through it so it wouldn't be so hot. In the back, it came down to the middle of my bottom, and the top was right under my chest, which was like the ultimate push up bra and made me super self conscious since I was an awkward 14 year old! I sat up so straight, it was comical. Everyone would walk by me and 'knock' my brace because it sounded like knocking on a piece of wood. There was no hope for blue jeans looking normal and I wore t-shirts all the time because I had these weird tiny boobs shoved up right under my clavicle! Much to everyone's amusement, when I took the brace off, my entire torso was polka dotted from all the drill holes. Lord knows. Now, writing it out, I'm super proud of myself for retaining any self esteem during that time! I made braces look like NO BIG DEAL! It could be worse! You could be the "awkwardly straight, polka dotted, plastic girl'. :) How have I not gotten therapy for this?!

I was instructed to wear the brace for 23 hours a day. I hated it at first. I was locked in this contraption and couldn't move much. Eventually I got used to it and learned to take comfort for how it supported me. When I was able to stop wearing it, I missed it when I slept. Ole Bart had become a part of me and I was sad to see him go. (But I got over the sadness super quickly because NORMAL TEENAGE LIFE AGAIN!)

2014 X-Ray: Curve at 48 degrees

2015 X-Ray: Over the 50 degree curve (I'm not sure the specific degree) 

It's time to add new parts now, and I'm ready for the new version of me. We talked about the impending surgery last year and I wasn't at all ready. I was terrified and spent the better part of the year mentally working through every possible sad feeling of what this surgery would mean. I'm thankful for this worrisome year, because now I have dealt with those thoughts and they are behind me. The Lord was gracious to give me this year so now that the time has come, those fears aren't fresh or valid.  They have been weighed against the good and concluded that pain is not worth ignoring. 

Now, I am honestly excited to get this fixed. I'm praying that there are no complications, but I've had time to speak with so many other scoliosis patients that have had successful surgeries and pain free lives because of it. Now I am a cheerleader for all the good that will come from this! 

What is going to happen: from what I've read, they will take pieces of bone from a cadaver and fuse these bones to my spinal chord from my chest down to the 2nd to last vertebrae. (diagram below) 

They'll add these screws and rods along the full length of the curve to stabalize my back until the fusing process is complete, which should take 2-3 months. I'll keep the rods in my back though, they won't be removed once fusion is complete. 

This picture with the screws showing does make me want to gag a little. Blech. I guess I'll have about 20 of these in me by the end and that feels scary! 

Dad says I'll be fine. They are just going to fill me full of tinker toys! 

For the time being, we are making fun of my ailment, because what else can you do? I imagine I'll be like the bionic woman who will be able to run with lightening fast speed since I'll be full of magic titanium rods! The doctor said that I'll be taller after the surgery to which all my friends groaned and threw their hands up because OF COURSE the tall girl would get to grow taller! How unfair! :) 

Plus, I get to take a month off work, can't pick up anything heavy, and have post op instructions to 'get outside and walk as much as possible'. Y'all. This is going to be great! 

(All kidding aside, would you all be so kind as to pray for the doctor's and nurses hands and me during surgery and recovery? I'd be so grateful! Thank you! Also, surgery isn't scheduled until January 8th, so we have plenty of time to prepare!)