46weeks(11months) post 1st op and 16weeks(4months)post 2nd op-

This week has been great! I feel like I am finally starting to get my life back on track and I feel better this week than I have since the firs operation can this mean i'm on the mend to getting fully better? On Thursday I started my Laser acupuncture therapy, it was quite weird, its like a massive torch type thing that heated up, it then was put either side of my scar, my ribcage and my left thigh individually and it took around 30mins. The only down side to this is I have to wear lovely fashionable hospital gowns and some funky big sun glasses! I am having 3 more treatments of this and we will then review if it is working, if it does then I will get top ups every 4months if it doesn't then im not actually sure whats next (if there EVEN is a next), my next one is the 17th july.

Friday I was at a taster day at The Northern Racing College, it was fab, I really like it there, so I am defiantly going to Apply to do the 18week residential course there. (well it is a 12 week residential course and then 6 weeks work experience) The horses seem lovely and it looks a nice place, id love to learn about race horses. I am still uncertain on whether or not to ride there, they don't think I should as falling off is bound to happen, it will happen to most people usually the falls aren't bad but they could be, it only takes one fall and I could break my back or something or damage the very few vertebrae I have left, put that on top of other aspect of the course, my back probably wont cope. the non-ridden course does sound good though, you learn and do everything that the riders do minus the riding. The fitness test to get in is another story in its own it seems very hard, you have to get around a 7 on a bleep test and do other things like sit-ups, planking and so on. If you then get accepted you have to do Military Fitness 3 times a week which is part of the evening classes, its 7am-9pm days and you work one weekend then have from 11:30am(Saturday) until Sunday evening off the next one. I cant wait to send my application form off and see how everything goes,:)

More to the point today is International Scoliosis Awareness day, the only day people from all across the world team up in aid to raise awareness of this condition. people do fundraisers and other meet up in London (Hyde park) with SAUK the UK's only charity to raise money, awareness and help people that need it. Scoliosis Often leaves suffers feeling alone and have a massive affect on how they see themselves, I wanted to chance this, so a while back I started to write my personal story for SAUK which a few days ago I finished sent in and it was put on the website. I do not want people feeling the way I did as it didn't have to be the way and there was people to help..
So here is the link to my Personal story- http://www.sauk.org.uk/about-scoliosis/personal-accounts/kirsty-smith.html
I have also put some photos from Friday at the northern racing college!
Kirsty:) xxxxx

45weeks(10months) post 1st op and 15weeks(3months post op)-

My Physio has gone to France for a few weeks so I get until 7th July off going to physio, I'm still doing the exercises she left me to do but they are only trying to walk up the stairs properly and still trying to work on my walking, i am determent to get better, I want to be do everything again as I hate just still at home doing nothing, its starting to get really annoying boring and just not me at all but i know im not well enough to get a job or anything yet.
My sister is seeing Mr Mehta on Saturday for her MRI results, we are al hoping everything is fine and its all clear, Im guessing we are going to have a few appointments there for both of us in the next few weeks but they are all necessary.
Not much has happened over this past week, its been quite boring. My newer scar has started to irritate me again so i am hoping this laser treatment is going to help it i just hope we are not at the hospital for it next Thursday long as its very big areas they are treating.
I also have notice i am starting to just get my appetite back, i didn't eat a lot before the operation as i constantly felt full and i think it was due to have big my curve was but now i am eating slightly more which i guess is a good thing.
well heres to hoping next week isn't so boring!
kirsty xxx

44weeks(10months)post first op and 14weeks(3months) post second op-

Things are not going quite as expected with the capsincin (chillie cream) my pain management doctor gave me for the hypersensitive and numb areas on my body. I've been putting it on since april 2-3 times a day but I haven't felt a difference and I know lot of people which have used the cream, they all said to be careful  but I put it all over my thigh, ribcage  at first and I didn't feel a thing no tingling or burning like my PM doctor said. Even when i put it on my back there is still nothing. I thought I would have felt even the littlest feeling back but no. Nothing. My mom decided to ring his secetary as it was no point in waiting untill probably very late this year to see him again and I am having to have it all lasered after all, not the outcome I was hoping for but I have atleast go to try it,so I will be having 4lots of it before September when I see Mr Mehta again, like everything there is that chance it won't work but they hope it does and I do to! If not I will most likely either have to have gablapentin, a tablet for nerve damage or something or just get use to the fact that my back, ribcage is numb and I have hypersensitive patches.
I have recently being having stapping type pain in my ribcage it's the side which is deformed due to how my back was. It is horrible and I do hope it passes and doesn't stay, I really don't know what it could be or why it is there., I guess for now it is a mystery. I have stopped being sick yay! I am starting to feel better in myself because of this and I'm hoping it continues like this so I don't have to have the camera in the stomach.
Physio is going great so far, I'm happy with it at first I had some pain in my lower back,near the rods but it's not hurting as much now, I just get tired very easy. I have had one sessions few for a few weeks which is good, all of the muscles in my legs are very very weak and the muscle at the bottom of my leg is very tight so I have a lot of work to do. My physio said I walk the way I do because my body has gone in like defensive mode so I'm trying my hardest to walk more normally which is so so hard. It also seems to to be that my right leg is a lot weaker and I have to really think about what I want it to do in order for it to do it. I guess and I'm hoping it will get better in time.
I am going on a taster day at the northern racing college on the 27th June so I'm looking forward to having a look around and seeing if I want to go there when I'm fully recovered, there is two foundation courses a ridden one and a non-ridden one, I would love to do the ridden one but I'm not sure with my back so I'll ask about it all when I go, I'll also have the chance if I want to have ago on the horse racing stimulators, It will be very interesting to see if I am able to do everything like normal with my back. I suppose all anyone can ever do is try so that's exactly what I'm planning on doing. I've never let my back stop me before so why should this be an exception?
Kirsty xxxx