Scoliosis

Recently, I've been experiencing pain at my backache too often. It kind of made me worried... So  I decided to do some research on scoliosis and it somehow scares me after reading on certain people's experience with it... To start off, I would like to introduce myself, I mean my medical condition or I would say my relationship with scoliosis. hahaha

What is scoliosis?

Basically scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine. It can be a C-curve or a S-curve. And normally this happens to girls, not saying that guys have 0% of getting scoliosis. 

I believe you roughly get the meaning already right? 

What is my relationship with scoliosis?

My relationship with scoliosis... hmm it's our 6th year this year. Yes that's right. I discovered I had scoliosis when I was Primary 5 (11 years old), started wearing braces when I was Primary 6 (12 years old) and did operation when I was Secondary 4 (16 years old). When I went on my first appointment at Health Promotion Board, the doctor told me to sit straight and blah blah, you know it, and told me to come back 6 months later. But I never did..... Only after a year, when Mummy saw the appointment card and immediately called for an appointment and when I went.... My condition didn't improved, instead it got worse and that was when I found out I required a brace. 

It's a love-hate relationship. If I didn't discover I had this medical issue, I would still be that chubby girl I was 6 years ago...  But trust me, when I first got my brace... The very first night, it was T E R R I B L E. Just imagine a plastic thing wrap around your body, it really hurts and it's really really stiff. I had trouble falling asleep and when I did, I woke up crying and perspiring at 4am because it was that painful. The first 2 nights were horrible. But eventually I got used to it. Actually I got to confess something... When I got the brace, the doctor told me that I need to wear the brace for as long as I can, which includes wearing it to school.

So for the first 3 months, I did! I wore it to school everyday, other than PE days. But eventually I was scared that everybody will start judging me when they realised that I was actually wearing braces. So I stopped wearing it to school... I remember I hid it under my table so that Mummy won't find out but of course, no lies can escape her. She found out eventually, and tried to force me to wear it to school. But it didn't work... So everyday after school, I came home bathed and put on the braces all the way till the next day. (Of course I do take it off occasionally, to take a breathe)

But as I reached Secondary stage, the time I wear my braces of course starts to decrease and decrease and decrease, until the only time I wore my braces was when I went to bed. Yes like literally bedtime. My condition didn't improve at all but it was within that range where we could consider operation as an option. So every 6 months, I have to go to Singapore General Hospital to have my check up which consist of X-ray and consultation.

2012 January, during my appointment, doctor told daddy and mummy that my curve has reached the edge of the range where operation was still an option and would strongly recommend for me to do the operation and when I heard that... regrets hit me really hard. I was scared. Really scared. We had to give a reply at the next appointment, which was in June. So I didn't really think about it, and yes I forgot about it.

2012 June arrived really fast. Daddy and mummy agreed. They started doing the booking of operation dates and everything. 7 December 2012 - Finalised operation date. I was so scared. I text my friends and it was really sweet of them at attempting to cheer me up. I really appreciate it all. So O'levels came and went by and holidays... Every week seems to pass by really fast. 2 weeks before 7 December, I had to go down to SGH for pre-op test and draw 2 bags of blood out. (I'll explain why in a while)

Yes, I have to go a pre-operation test where I had to do spine and chest x-ray, blood test, and yeah basically to check that I'm healthy enough to have the operation 2 weeks later. Then I had to go draw 2 bags of blood. What for? In every operation, we're bound to lose blood right? So doctor said in case if anything happen, it would be better to use my own blood compared to other people's blood. Did I mention? I HATE INJECTIONS THE MOST. But you have no idea how many injections I was injected.

I lied on the bed while the nurse started preparing the bag, needles and all. I blast music and looked out of the window, hopefully it'll distract me. It kind of did? Honestly... It didn't really hurt. Maybe because I didn't even look at how the nurse pierce the needle into my arm and watch blood flow from in me into the tube and into the bag. It was too scary for me to take... And then I was told I was only allowed to draw a bag of blood because they scared I faint. HAHA. So I had to come back one week later.

Soon 6 December 2012 arrived...

Admission Day. Daddy and mummy drove me to SGH. So that night I had to go for many test and check up since I will be the first operation the next day. After all the tests, a nurse came and put on drops for me. I WAS DAMN SCARED. It fucking hurts. I almost cry ok. I could feel it pierce through my skin.... Daddy and mummy went home and I cried to sleep because I was really scared and nervous. The thought of a knife cutting my back..... It just made me really really scared. Had so much difficulties falling asleep because I was damn scared that I'll make until the drops.

5am, a nurse woke me up and told me to change into the operation gown. My heart beat faster and faster and faster.... As I lie on the bed and got pushed into the operation room, I couldn't stop imaging the scene of the bloody operation. I just got really sacred and just hope that when I blink it's going to be all a dream and I'm going to wake up from it soon, but it was not a dream. I felt like crying when I saw daddy's and mummy's worried face before I entered the operation room...

7.30am. I lied on the bed while doctors and nurses started injecting more needles into me and put some glue thingy on my head for monitoring purposes during the operation. The main doctor entered and made me breathe the narcotic gas thingy for me to sleep. Indeed, soon I fell asleep......

The next thing I realised was the operation was over. Soon I was pushed into the intense monitoring ward where I had to stay for a night. I remembered the first thing I said when I woke up was, "I want to drink ice lemon tea." Both daddy and mummy gave me the wth face HAHA. Well that was because during the operation, a tube was inserted down my tube to help me breathe during the operation. Sometimes the narcotic can be so strong that we can fall so deeply in sleep till we forgot to breathe. That was why my throat was damn dry and I wanted something sweet! hehe.

Because of the strong narcotic used, I was like awake, asleep, awake, asleep, awake, asleep for that day, actually for like the first 3 days. People came and visit me but I was like asleep most of the time. Sorry to those who came and visit me but I didn't host you all because I was really really sleepy. So for the first 3 days, I lied on my bed all day long. I dare not move around because I had so many injections on my hands and my back was still numb. My appetite wasn't  good either. I couldn't eat much or will end up vomiting everything out. Slowly as each day pass by, one by one the injections were removed. I was happy whenever one was removed.

And yes, I said I didn't move around for days right? Didn't you all wonder then how on earth I go bathe, how I go pee? Let me tell you.... I didn't bathe. The nurses helped to clean me, I felt so...... weird.  And during my hospital stay, I couldn't even wear my bra nor panties. HAHA #confession. The feeling was damn weird. I felt really dirty especially my hair!! Yucks. And peeing.... A tube was inserted into my down there so that I can pee as and when I want to. IT HURTS. Badly. No joke. I'm still a virgin okay HAHAHAHAHA

Anyways, after like 4 days, I was finally stepped down of my bed. It wasn't easy... Everything was shaking when I first stood up. But with the help of my physiotherapist, everything was going fine. So I went for physiotherapy to learn how to walk again. Or more of like recap? Or get used. Yeah. And then I started walking around the hospitals after I was able to move around because I was really sick and tired of my hospital room. It was like FREEDOM. But I still had to move around in wheelchair because daddy was scared I might slip and fall.


Look at me. So bloated. This is what happens when you don't get out of bed for 3 days. And really my hands were swollen because of the drips. But it went off soon after I got discharged. So yeah, not really an issue.

This is me, one day before discharge. Also the night when I cried. I was homesick. I remember how xiya was shocked when she saw tears streaming down my face. And daddy was like, "Why? Xiya bully is it?" And all I answered was a shake of my head before saying, "I miss home." I kind of regret crying because that made them even more worried that daddy came over at 6.30 in the morning the next day.

And when I finally went home.... I WAS DAMN HAPPY. Like really really happy. I got used to it pretty much fast, like a week or so? And right now, I'm good with it, other than the scar at my back. I've no idea when will it be gone.. And right now I guess that somewhat it became an insecurity for me. It's really hard for me dress up because most of my clothes doesn't cover my whole back, which means I have to reveal the scar. And most of the time I end up covering it with my cardigan. I really really hope the scar will be gone for good like really really soon...

Waiting for my next appointment in June and hopefully doctor will allow me to start excersing! I really cannot wait! I feel damn fat without doing any exercise. All the tummy fats.......... Swimming, cycling, ice-skating, basically everything! Actually I think I cannot iceskate anymore. It's too risky. If I fall....... SIGHPIE.

2009

2011

2012

2013 - Now.

Amazing change isn't it?

So below are some facts about scoliosis. Scoliosis is not an obvious medical issue, what I mean is if you just look past like this, you will not realise that it's scoliosis. Like for me, not many people know I had scoliosis until I had to show them my shoulder are of different levels or if I bend down.

So please do take care of your body!!!

Scoliosis - Symptoms

In children and teens, scoliosis typically does not cause symptoms and is not obvious until the curve of the spine becomes moderate or severe. It may first become noticeable to a parent who observes that the child's clothes do not fit right or that hems hang unevenly. The child's spine may look crooked, or the ribs may stick out.

In a child who has scoliosis:

One shoulder may appear higher than the other.

• One hip may appear higher than the other.
• The child's head is not centered over his or her body.
• One shoulder blade may stick out more than the other.
• The ribs are higher on one side when the child bends forward from the waist.
• The waistline may be flat on one side.

Most of the time scoliosis does not cause painin children or teens. When back pain is present with scoliosis, it may be because the curve in the spine is causing stress and pressure on the spinal discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments, or facet joints. It is not usually caused by the curve itself. Pain in a teen who has scoliosis may indicate another problem, such as a bone or spinal tumor. If your child has pain associated with scoliosis, it is very important that he or she see a doctor to find out what is causing the pain.

Adults who have scoliosis may or may not have back pain. In most cases where back pain is present, it is hard to know whether scoliosis is the cause. But if scoliosis in an adult gets worse and becomes severe, it can cause back pain and difficulty breathing.

Some other conditions, such as kyphosis, cause symptoms similar to scoliosis.

Physical Effects

• Scoliosis can be defined as curvature of the spine that impacts the ribs structure. The skeletal system, including the pelvis, ribs and the spine are all impacted by scoliosis. One of the more common types of scoliosis is referred to as idiopathic. This refers to unknown causes. This condition affects the digestive, muscular and hormonal systems. Scoliosis even affects aspects of the body like nutrition and the heart and lungs.

  Indications of the condition include everything from fatigue, headaches, back pain, shortness of breath to mood swings and rib problems. One unfortunate truth about this condition is that it usually worsens. The curvature of the spine and also symptoms from the condition exasperates. If the curvature of the spine is between 25 to 40 degrees, bracing is usually required. The more serious cases of scoliosis is when curvature is over 50 degrees. A surgical procedure is typically the only solution for this level of curvature.

Emotional Impact

• According to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center, adults impacted by scoliosis report that it decreased their overall quality of life. Scoliosis victims tend to have a low self image, poor sexual relationships and limited social involvement. Children affected by the condition do not have as many friends due to little social activity.

  
  

  Psychological Effects

  • A low self-esteem is commonly developed as a result of scoliosis. Poor self-esteem is especially common in children. Children tend to have less emotional stability and they tend to feel inadequate when comparing themselves to peers. Adults also carry a low self image. Activities like swimming are difficult for scoliosis victims to endure because they are not comfortable with revealing the curvature in their back.

  Pregnancy

  • Women with scoliosis can carry out a normal pregnancy. Even a woman with a bad curvature in her back can have a stable pregnancy. There are no risks for the child. The woman can also give birth multiple times without having complications from scoliosis.

  Osteoporosis

  • Having scoliosis can increase the chances of osteoporosis. Broken bones and fractures are common in people with osteoporosis because of less bone density. A diet rich in calcium can help prevent the onset of this bone disease.

HUGE THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO CAME TO VISIT ME!
Ahma, Ahyi, Da jiujiu, Er jiujiu, Xiao jiujiu, Da jiumu, Xiao jiumu, Er gugu, Er guzhang, Ah mhm, da bobo, er bobo, ah mhm, stephanie, junxiang gorgor Marcus, Ah Shaun gorgor, Shermaine, Priscilla, Yi Qi, Tassri, Elyana, Qamarina, Nanthiyni, Patrick, Derek, Ryan, Syukri, Jazmi, Junhao, Kholish, Mary, Rayyan Sir, Junjie and others who I did not mention. Not forgetting those who fb/tweet/sms me too!

Thank you for all the well-wishes and gifts <3