Honestly, having scoliosis seems to be the worst thing that can ever happen to me. I mean, I didn’t ask to be born with it and yet my whole life I have to live with that darn condition/disease whatever…
To say the truth, i get very annoyed with it sometimes. It is not fatal like cancer yet doctors make a big fuss over it. Making me wear the stupid brace for years which at the end of the day, still ask me to do surgery. For what make me waste my 4-5 years wearing that dumb thing.
Also, my parents don’t make it better for me. They are always saying that it is due to my posture and rubbish stuff. Puuulease… If you actually Google ‘Scoliosis’, you would have realised that it is definitely not my fault that I have scoliosis. There is strong evidence that it is inherited. So shut up. It is all your fault I get this stupid spine. Stop nagging at me.
In fact, about 1% of the girls get this. I’m not weird or whatever. This is seriously annoying.
I understand you girls out there who have it. It sucks but you can’t do anything. It is sad, but what can we do. Blame the damn genes that is passed down to us.
And to my dear doctor, why make me wear brace when in the end, you still want me to do surgery?
Girls(and the minority boys that also have Scoliosis), read this post. If you just realise you have scoliosis and want to know your future, read this. If you already have scoliosis, i know your frustration. I am going to tell you how annoying this is, and how I lived with it for 6 years.
Year 0: Knowing I have scoliosis
I remember when I’m 11 years old, those doctors and nurses come to my school for those lame annual check up. I remembered how I hate it, especially that fateful year, there is injection(Ouch!). I pretend to have a stomachache that day I was suppose to have injection(and this is another story). Anyway, those doctors gave me a letter for me to do further checkup at HPB if I am not wrong. I did go, and after x-rays the doctor says I have scoliosis. 10 degrees only at that time. It don’t bother me at that time. Doctor says that I will not need a brace, since it is less than 25 degree. He also mention anything above 45 degree means surgery. I thought it won’t worsen, but what a stupid thought. Have you ever seen a disease improving without treatment or medication. What a big bullshit.
I have my second checkup on the same year and that stupid doctor announced that my scoliosis worsened, and I have to get a brace. What stupid treatment is that honestly. But you know what, initially I am super excited because it looks super cool. I didn’t know what hell is waiting for me. The customised brace cost a freaking $500++ and took me a long time to do it. It sucks, seriously. I started wearing in August 2008 (FAGGOT) and let me tell you, it sucks!
Having a brace
The doctor says that the brace is supposed to be worn 22 hours a day. Which also means, you don’t get to remove it. It is so tight that I felt difficulty when I’m breathing. I could not even bend down to tie my shoelace or just pick up something. Being 11 years old, I love to run around in school and stuff, playing catching with friends or soccer with the guys. But with that stupid thing on, I look like someone wearing an armour running around. Yes, it is super awkward. Also, I sweat a lot in that brace. It stink like hell all the time. Plus the weather in Singapore is crazily hot. If you have never worn a brace, imagine this. You are wearing a metal coat that restricts your spine movement (you cannot bend) and it hugs to your skin. Then, the metal coat is like a winter jacket which you wear in summer. You’ll sweat buckets. How will you feel?! Terrible. This is why most girls hate wearing this stupid armour. When you feel itchy at the back, you cannot scratch it because the brace is in your way. When your friends ask why the hell you are wearing this white armour in your uniform, you have to tell them the grandmother story about you having scoliosis and it is not like cancer which you’ll die but the doctor insist you suffer day and night. Yep, you don’t get to take it off at night, and my parents won’t let me sleep with air-con because of the cost irk. I didn’t complain much at first, but once I go to secondary school and people keep bullying me I started to complain why must I wear that crap. My happiest days after getting the brace is PE days and examination days, because I won’t have to wear my brace to school. It is the best 6 hours plus! It feels even better than getting first in class! I got first in class when I’m 11 years old and it was not my happiest day in life. I think not wearing that stupid armour feels happier
Slacking off, scoliosis worsening
When I got to Secondary school, I started to hate the brace. I lament over the fact why I have to wear it while other girls don’t. It is unfair, if you think of it. First, they are super flexible. Picking up a pen from the floor isn’t difficult for them, but it is difficult for me. Carrying a bag is very painful because it pushes your skin to the brace. Waiting for the bus after school in the hot sun is like hell.
There are days when I don’t have to wear it though, like CCA days, which I enjoy a lot. Not that I love my CCA, but I don’t have to wear that thing. Slowly, I stop wearing it and when I return to that doctor, my spine is 38 degree. Like 6 month ago it is only 20++ degree. What the hell? It is just 6 month not wearing. Anyway, when I wear it, there is not much improvement, just that it did not worsen very quickly, like 1-2 degree per 6 month.
Wearing the brace again
Hey, 38 degrees is near to surgery already, so I started to wear the brace again. But not to school. I wear it once I reach home until the next day where I have to go to school. I feel like a robot once again. By the next checkup, after all my efforts, it remained at 38 degrees. But it increases to 42 degree not long after. Like seriously…
Requesting surgery
My good old doctor, after a few more check up, sees that my curve is 46 degree. But at that time, I’m close to O level, and taking 3 months off school is a big no-no. He did say that he will observe until my examination is over. I was really happy because I won’t have a ugly scar on me, at least for now. When my o level is over, I have another checkup. It is 54 degree. FUCK. He insist I have surgery, and guess how much it cost. More that $50,000. Yup, fifty thousands dollars! Isn’t it crazy? I rejected him. I know some people with scoliosis experiences back pain or shoulder pain, but maybe I’m the lucky few, I don’t feel any pain. So I see no point in having a surgery, just to fix my spine, which is not causing me pain. I did a research when I’m 13 to know more about scoliosis surgery. People, if you are thinking about surgery, let me tell you some ugly facts your doctors will never tell you or might not tell you.
- The surgery will not completely bring your spine to 0 degree. A 50 degree spine will most likely become a 20++ degree spine. Which means you will still need a brace in actual fact.
- You will have a very ugly scar at your back. I’m sure no girls wants an ugly scar
- They’ll put a rod in your spine. So it is like wearing a brace, inside your body
- You will be less flexible than before.
- The rod will break. It will most likely break, which means you will need a second, third, fourth or fifth surgery to fix the broken rod. $50,000++ per surgery, plus 3 months recovery period.
- 1 in 1000 patients will become paralyzed wrist down. You may be the unlucky one.
- Some patients looks weirder after the surgery (having one shoulder higher than the other)
- It is super painful.
- You will definitely regret it.
- It is a major surgery.
Do you still want the surgery? I will never in my life do the surgery. This is crazy. Since I don’t feel pain, why should I go for the knife. I won’t die from scoliosis anyway.
I’m now not wearing brace, probably more than 60 degree curve(I stop going for stupid checkup) and surgery free. I’m living life like scoliosis-less people and is living life pain-free.
This is all I’ll share on scoliosis. It sucks, but people, remember. Don’t go for the surgery unless you experience very bad pain. It don’t worth it, honestly.
