Jessica B.
When I was in 2nd grade, a school nurse performed scoliosis checks on all of the students in my class. I had a note sent home saying I had a mild case of scoliosis and that I should visit a doctor.
I went to my pediatrician the next week. The doctor performed a checkup and sat down across from my mom. The doctor told my mom that I had scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine. Doctors aren't sure what causes scoliosis, or why it occurs more in girls than boys. The doctor said it was slight and probably nothing to worry about, but that I should see a specialist to be safe.
A month later, I saw a spine doctor. He said my spine was curving. I had a double curve making my spine an "S" shape. Doctors measure curves in degrees. Normal spines are under 10 degrees, but my curves were 24 and 15 degrees. The doctor relayed a few statistics such as the fact that one out of ten people have a mild case of scoliosis, but only one out of thousands require surgery. The doctor fit me with a hard, plastic back brace. He told me to wear the brace at least five hours a day.
My back pain gradually grew worse and soon I was wearing the brace close to 24 hours a day. I was in constant pain, even when I was lying down.
By 7th grade, my back problems became drastically worse. I would walk five minutes and be out of breath. My back became distorted and I wore nothing but sweatshirts and heavy sweaters to hide the growing hump on my back.
I visited Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis, Missouri. They took x-rays and discovered something horrible. My spine progressed from 24 and 15 degrees to a drastic 88 and 64 degrees. My spine had twisted and was pressing on my heart and lungs. Surgery wasn't just an option- it was a life-saving necessity. A top surgeon at Shriners, Dr. Lenke, would perform the surgery. Dr. Lenke said my case was one of the worst he'd seen.
The doctors admitted me to Shriners the night before the surgery. I couldn't sleep all night! Nurses woke me up just before 5 am to go to the operating room. As they wheeled me through the double doors, I was fighting the strong urge to get up and run.
The nurses strapped me to the table and I glanced around. Bright white walls, white lights, the nurses wore white garb, all was white except for one table. That table held a row of gleaming metal instruments. I did not want to see that! My mind swirled in a panic as the nurse covered my mouth with a mask. I drifted into unconsciousness.
I groggily awoke after nine and a half hours in surgery. The doctors made a fourteen-inch incision down the middle of my spine to insert a steel rod. A six-inch cut on my shoulder allowed them to remove a rib. This rib helped fuse the rod to my spine.
After my recovery, Shriners contacted me to start an "email support group" for children and teens facing surgery. I am outspoken about my experience at Shriners and am willing to share it with others. So, "Str8 Spines for Shriners" support group was born. I send each patient a letter with details my experience at Shriners and how kind the staff is. I feel if children know exactly what it going to happen, they might not be so scared. After the first email, patients email back and I try my best to answer any questions they might have. We don't focus solely on surgery; we focus on the recovery and all the activities the patient can enjoy after their ordeal.
I have become friends with many of the patients and their families. I know that if I had had someone to talk with before my surgery, I would have felt better. It's ironic in a way that I am now helping others. I was the one who was balking at my surgery, feeling like I couldn't go through it. In the beginning of my recovery, I was ashamed of my scars and of the fact I needed surgery. Over time, I healed physically and emotionally and every time I share my story with someone else, I heal a little more. If I ease one patient's fears about surgery, then I consider my work a success.
Fifteen screws, two steel rods and twenty inches of scar tissue later, my back looks great. Now all I have to worry about is not setting off metal detectors!
Feel free to e-mail me if you are having scoliosis surgery and want to "talk" with someone who has been through it!
Jessicab_87@hotmail.com
