Scoliosis and Spinal Fusion

I have scoliosis. I had severe curvature of my spine. So much so that before surgery the degree of the two curves in my spine were 45 degrees each. The curve was what is called and “S curve” which can be seen as an “S” shape (two curves) when looking at my body from the front or back as opposed to a “C curve” which is  seen from the side or profile of a person more commonly seen in elderly people that appear hunched over. As a teenager I was involved with gymnastics training in a facility with accomplished gymnasts and even Olympians. One day I doing a floor routine in which I did several back handsprings and other flips along a strip of duct-tape that formed a long, straight line on which to tumble. At the end of my routine, I stuck the landing and raised my arms high in a V formation confident in my performance. Immediately, I would then look down and see how much I stayed on the line. My feet should be directly centered on the line of tape. They were not.

When I stuck my landing and threw my arms up into a V, I looked down and saw that my feet were a couple of inches off of the line despite the fact that I felt so good about the routine. I was certain that I nailed it and was perfectly aligned. I was off ever so slightly each time in hindsight it was because my body was so very crooked. I began experiencing increasingly severe back pain especially during and after practicing gymnastics. It was then that I made an appointment with a chiropractor. Upon my visit the chiropractor took x-rays of my spine. I’ll never forget the look on her face as she tried to conceal what was something like horrific astonishment. She referred me immediately to an orthopedic surgeon in the city (the city of Tulsa. I was in the rural towns of Sperry and Skiatook, Oklahoma). At about 16 I was nearly skeletally mature so a body/back brace would not have been effective. It was too late for preventative measures. I immediately stopped gymnastics as my x-rays clearly showed what the doctor said which was that when tumbling (doing acrobatics) I was in extreme peril and risk of paralysis or spinal cord injury. I remember clearly standing for x-rays and holding one pose in particular that was difficult to hold and to my surprise made my arms tremble and back ache as I stood squinting and trying not to wince from pain as I held the pose for the X-ray. I stood with my arms outstretched out as if I was mimicking and airplane. With my arms outstretched I did a pose leaning to the right and another leaning to the left. I took several more x-rays and other poses but I remember those best not only because they were the most painful but because in viewing those pre-surgical x-rays it was clear that when I leaned to the side my spinal cord was completely exposed. Frighteningly so.

For the next three years I did regular exercises and everything I could to prevent the curves from becoming worse. My efforts were not successful, and the two curves became 45 degrees. My contorted spine resulted in a contorted, misshapen rib cage. My rib cage began putting pressure on my heart and lungs. Without surgery I would likely soon die as respiratory issues increasingly plagued me during my time at college. The side effects of scoliosis (such as the breathing problems and pain) became increasingly worse. After four other doctor opinions (all in favor of the surgery) and prayerful consideration I decided to undergo the intense spinal fusion surgery. The surgery involved taking bone shavings from my hip and placing them along my spine which had been straighten with titanium rods, hooks, and screws to fuse over one foot of my spine (T1-L1) into solid bone. After the surgery, the first time I stood up, I remember looking across the hospital room at my Nana (grandmother) and though barefoot, feeling as tall as if I were wearing heels. I was an inch and a half taller, and my spine had been straightened to a 26 degree and 12 degree curve. While the surgery didn’t completely straighten my spine it greatly improved my shape and allowed the surgical team to move my internal parts into a healthier position without pressure from my rib cage any longer. My respiratory issues were gone and though it took me a year to heal, I had significantly less pain, almost none. As a result I no longer needed narcotics or other pain medications. I was a healthy young woman and felt healthy as well. Praise God for guiding the hands of the surgeon and surgical team!