My journey so far...

Hi I'm Katie,

This is my blog to you about my journey so far of living with Scoliosis.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine, it can be found at birth or during puberty mostly. You can either have a 'S' bend, which is where you have two curves or a 'C' bend, which usually occurs in the middle of the spine. But some do happen either nearer the top by the neck or the bottom (the lower back). 

When was I diagnosed?

I was diagnosed when I was about 12 years old, so just as I was going through all of my changes and growth spurts. It is quite common for it to occur during this stage of peoples lives as it is when the body is changing the most. It is more common to be referred to as 'idiopathic Scoliosis' which is the one I have as there has been no known cause of why it happens. Obviously, in some cases there is a known cause of to why it has happened. 

I found out I had it because I went to the doctors after quite a bit of complaining that my back was aching and hurting me, My doctor didn't know what was wrong or to why it was hurting so she sent me to physiotherapy. It was then when the physio told me to just stand normally that he diagnosed me with it. It literally took him one look at my back and he just knew! It was so weird. When I was diagnosed, I had never heard of it and I certainly didn't know of anyone with it. I felt so alone and I was scared as I had no clue to what I was just diagnosed with, it was a scary time and still is. Having scoliosis is not easy, no matter what people say, it is hard. But, just know you are not alone, there are support groups that you can join on practically any social media site and i bet if you asked around you'd find so many people living with it that you didn't even know had it. 

Anyway, from there on I have had many different x-rays and an MRI. I had x-rays every 6 months to watch my curve and to keep an eye on the progression of it. 

Fast forward a few years to now. I am still living with it and it has got a lot worse than we all was hoping it would. I ache everyday, just doing normal everyday things aches it and gives me a bad back ache. I can't sit on public transport without being uncomfortable anymore. I have just had enough of it now, it makes me self-conscious and worry about the way I look. I can't even wear some of the clothes I wish I could because I'm too self-conscious of the way I will look in them. 

In January, I had another one of my 6 monthly checkups, which was when I was hit with the news that it had progressed more than they thought it would, it has now gone over the mark to where they will need to do surgery on me. It was a shock and I was and still am extremely scared about it all taking place but I know that I will eventually be better with little to no pain and I will hopefully start to like the way my body looks. It will leave me with a big scar down my back, but that is my journey, my battle wound to show that I am ok and that I am now fit and healthy.

So, this here is my journey so far of living with Scoliosis. I have my good days and I have my bad ones, but I am thankful that it's not as bad as it could have been.

Just know that you are never alone, whatever you are going through someone is there to make sure that you are ok and that you are well. 

I wish you the best of luck with your journeys in life too.

Katie x