55 weeks(12months) post op and 25 week (6months) post op!-

Well it has now been 6 months since my second operation! I am getting there I know I am, its just taking its time. I still struggle with some daily tasks like showering and sometimes getting things off the floor but I know with time it will all work out.
I went shopping last week with one of my friends and I did struggle walking around and being on the bus, I didn't actually realise how much pain I was in until I got home, I was in agony. No matter how much pain relief I took helped.
Since my Appointment last week with my surgeon I have now got a date for my CT scan, its next Monday (1st September) I really do hope it comes back clear and I can just continue with my recovery. My back is hurting a lot around where they are doing the CT scan, its go to the point where I am taking 3 or 4 paracetamol at a time, im actually only allowed to take 1 1/2 paracetamol, no matter what I do the pain is not going:(
I had what was suppose to be my last laser treatment yesterday, it went well, I was in pain due to having to go on the bus but it was ok. my back and all still seems the same, I just think it is a matter of just trying to get used to it now, the laser was actually rubbed up and down my back yesterday the other times it was just hovered over it. my back felt very rock like, hard and no feeling. Everyone I see who looks at my scars says now neat they are, which is a bonus:) I have more laser in 6 weeks then again in December, apparently it is not worth just sitting and waiting around for my Pain Management Consultant as I don't think there is much other he can do than tablets.
here's to hoping next week brings good news
Kirsty:) xxxxx

54 weeks(12months!)post first op and 24 weeks(5months) post the second op

Well this week has started with a phone call off the hospital to say that my surgeon had received the email the registrar sent him on Friday regarding me being knocked over and he wanted to see me ASAP! so we had to be at the hospital at 2pm that afternoon. I had to have xrays so the wait was ages and ages, Well the results you are probably wondering?...Everything seems okish with the metal and spine apart from the top set of hooks that are not looking right, so he has asked for a CT scan to make sure they haven't broken or moved. he said it could be a xray error but he is not certain it is. I hope it  is but if something is wrong then that adds up to why my back at the top is hurting. If it has moved or broken there is a possibility of more surgery to fix it. not what I or anyone wants really, so lets just hope its nothing! I will have the CT scan in a few weeks and he wants to see me in clinic to discuss the outcome.
My surgeon also said I still have restriction due to my spine not fusing yet..which isn't good. I was hoping when I hit a year post op I could just 'get on' with my life without having to rethink things but I guess its just going to be one of those things in life we have no control of. It has in very few places started to show a little sign of some fusing but not a lot. just have to wait for it to fully fuse and ill be a very happy bunny! while my spine is fusing there is more pressure (or something) on the 'stress points' which are above and below the fusion, so I guess that is why im not allowed to do anything other than walking on my horses and probably why I cant still do things I want.
Because of what happened I had to give Physio a miss on Wednesday, its a shame as I only get it every few weeks. but I have to wait for this CT scan to come through and then the results, Such an exciting life I lead!

Tomorrow I am going shopping with a friend, I haven't seen him since I left college so it shall be nice to have a catch up. Whilst everyone is at college,uni and in job in just sitting here still and I hate it, in some ways I still feel useless but in others I know how far I have came.
here is my xray from Mondays appointment its actually the first time ive seen my spine since I had my left rod trimmed, it looks great now, one year on and my spine is still looking nice and straight!
Kirsty xxxxx

53weeks (12months) post 1st op and 23weeks(5months) post 2nd op- Onwards and Upwards?

Well the end of last week and this week have been full of surprises, not really good ones though, they are really things I could have well done without! On Thursday or Friday I received the letter off my consultant the NRC needed for my interview and college course, wasn't what I hoping for at all, My spine hasn't either fused or fully fused so it means im not aloud to do High impact things or anything that could damage my hardware, spine or fusion. Its a massive blow as he also said he doesn't suggest them testing my fitness ability, so no fitness test! I rang the college see what to do and they have told  me not to bother turning up to the interview and apply this time next year when im more able, fit and I have the all clear. I have to admit I was so upset I read the letter as it was something I was looked forward to and trying to work toward:( I have no idea really what do to with my life now, im thinking of trying my back up plan which is in Health care, maybe a health care assistant or something? Not sure but either way I don't think I have very long to apply if I want to to it as colleges start back in September!
On The other hand On Wednesday, one of my horses knocked me over and I landed flat on my back, as I went to get up I had this nasty burning pain going up my spine and back, it hurt really bad. it still hurts now so my mom rang the hospital and they directed us to the ward where I had my operation, they got a registrar to try and sort it out, I was hoping for an xray or something but no, he got one of my old xrays and said i DONT have anything he can see that can move or break, hmm what about those 2 rods, 22screws and 4 hooks? not forgetting that bone graft! he says i most likely have just bruised it. they have forwarded a note to my consultant and he will say if he thinks i need my appointment bringing forward or if my back still hurts on Monday i have to ring them up and tell them. i hope it isn't nothing seriously or anything at all but surely we cant find out unless they see it.
Oh well i guess we cant do anything until Monday hopefully the pain subsides but i doubt it.
Kirsty xxxxx

52weeks(12months)post 1st op and 22weeks (5months) post 2nd op- 1 YEAR POST OP!!!

Omg what a year it has been! Yesterday I turned 1 year post op, I cant actually believe that this time yesterday I would have just being coming out of theatre, wow. It has been a very emotional year full of its ups, downs and a few set backs but I really didn't think I would be where I am today this time last year. I am so so so happy that I have had my Spinal fusion surgery. I feel that it is now that I can really relate and help other teens/people through there scoliosis journey, as we all know it isn't the most easiest one. I still remember my highs and lows from my stay in hospital and they will be something that stay with me forever. that very stiff, board like feeling when you are coming around from the operation, and the feeling of not wanting to move incase anything happens, then there is the weird, strange, scary feeling and fear of sitting up on the edge of the bed, it is the littlest things like that you overcome will make you feel like you can achieve anything. All the pain, limitations, worry and fear was truly worth it and I know it will be for everyone else to.  I cant wait to see what the future brings for me now, I can do things I wasn't able to because of this operation. im still struggling a bit and I know im not 100% but I feel better than 1 did before all of this.
I will be posting more about my hospital times in the days to come, but for now, here are some photos from when I was in hospital I found the other day!
Kirsty xxxx

51weeks(11moths)post 1st op and 21 weeks post the 2nd op-

Many things happened last week and I didn't have time to post really so here goes-
I have been trying to do some type of exercises  everyday, it is hard, im not as flexible and everything as I was before my operation but what I have noticed is that my lung function seems slightly better, that's got to be good right? I will do this military fitness test for NRC it maybe not turn out good but I am demand to try and have a go, I know the rest of the people have an advantage but I don't care
I started physiotherapy with my new physio Thursday, he isn't as easy going and laid back as my old one, he pushes you a lot, which I don't think is a good thing in moderation, I just don't want to be pushed too far, I see him again next Wednesday, the exact day when I turn 1 YEAR yes you heard it 1 year post op, I cannot believe that in nearly a week it would have been a year since my first operation. I also have Laser treatment next Thursday , my friend Millie is coming with me and my sister so it should be good, I haven't seem Millie in like a year! .:)
Another thing that is bothering me lately is people thinking that they think they know best. the truth and fact is that no-body does, its a part of life we are always continually learning.  the reason im saying this is because a person made a comment about small scoliosis curves, Apparently they cannot cause pain. But every persons scoliosis is their own, unique you will never find 2 alike at all. how does this person know that the scoliosis curves isn't causing pain? it is not her body so she cant say anything and cant judge. I'm also not saying I know everything because I certainly don't but i have done research and lived, experience this for the past 4 years, so i do know my fair share of things. my small scoliosis curve cause me a hell of a lot of pain, so i am example of what can stem of it. it Annoys me when people pre judge and think just because they aren't going through it or don't know about it that its ok to say wile things. its not on and shouldn't happen.
Kirsty xxxx

49weeks(11months) post 1st op and 19weeks(4months)post the 2nd!-

I have received a phone call this week from my old physio giving me all the details of when I start with the new physiotherapist, it is for next Thursday, Apparently he knows what he is doing so it should turn out ok. Whilst we are on the topic on exercise I had my very first post op run..well slow jog... it felt so strange! At first it felt like someone was kicking me in the back but after a while that subsided, i'm hoping to get fit enough for this fitness test!
Thursday I had my Second lot of Laser treatment, im not too sure whether it is working...my back is still the same, I only have 2 treatments left I am worried that it wont work just like the cream, how weird would it be to go through the rest of my life with no/numb feeling on the whole of back, ribcage and over sensitive areas on my thigh, lower back.  I had to try and put some suncream on my back the other day, it was so vile. Nasty almost. I know people who are a few weeks/months post op and have felt some odd burning/random sensations on the backs where the nerves/muscles are healing yet I have had nothing...for 11months! I wonder why its happened this way for me, I know it probably couldn't have been helped or stopped. I guess the damage is done and we just have to try deal with it.
My lower back is so sore this week, im not sure if this is because I am doing more or what but I do know that taking Paracetamol for my back does noting, Its just basically like me just eating sweets. I have taken an Ibuprofen today one of the ones I was first give when I went to my GP at the start, it is 600mg and it hasn't made a difference.. hope it goes away soon!
Kirsty xxx

48weeks(11months)post 1st op and 18weeks(4months) post 2nd op-

Nothing really happened last week it was quite boring really, I have just just been trying to do more with the horses, I will admit it is tiring but that is because im not used to doing it now that ive had a long time off! This week has been full of interesting stuff though, On Monday we went to my physio appointment to get there to be told it was cancelled apparently my physio was ill. It would have been nice to have been told before we had left the house but oh well. I mean it takes most people half an hour to get to the hospital and they tried ringing us at bloody 8:10am when my appointment was at 8:30am so not a good start, We then tried to re-arrange the appointment with my physio to be then told she had no more appointments available until she leaves! I have an appointment tomorrow now with a random physio. I hope to god she knows about scoliosis and spinal fusions and we actually do something or it will be another wasted journey! Today we were at ROH for my sisters pre-op, it went well she still has the lung function test, hyper extension x-rays and spinal cord monitoring test before the operation and then she will just have to wait for her 1 weeks notice, I know she is worried about it all but we are all there for her and I know she can do it! nothing will beat her<3 .
Ive finally had all my dates come through for my laser treatment, it seems to be every 3 weeks which is no so bad... I guess! I do hope they work, even if its just a little bit so my fingers are all crossed!
We had a letter today from the hospital to say my appointment with Mr Mehta had been rearranged, it was 29th of September now its a month later in October, This was suppose to be my one year check up but it seems the one year mark will have already gone by the time I have seen him! I would have liked to have gone through a few things with him, but I guess they may have to wait now.

On a slightly more positive note, i have an interview at the Northern Racing College!!!! Its is on the 18th or 19th of September, im excited about this as it is means my life can hopefully get back on track but the interview involves a military fitness test...I don't even know if i am aloud to do it! it involves running, sit ups and press ups and a lot more. I will admit i am super super unfit. i haven't properly exercised since i left school...like 3 years ago now? so i have a lot of work to do. I also have to obtain a letter from Mr Mehta to say i am fit enough to do the fitness test and the course, it will slightly hard now considering my appointments not until October...So i either have to ring his secretary or ring NRC and ask if there is any chance i can re arrange the interview for like November.. at least id be more fit then right?
kirsty:) xxxx