How surgery helped me

I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 11 but it was left untreated for years as my referral to the hospital got lost, so I had to live with a deteriorating spine. It was so isolating to develop and grow into my scoliotic body whilst watching everyone else my age develop normally, and also having to deal with the crippling pain.

I finally met my surgeon in 2021 and I had a 43° curve, which wasn’t severe enough for surgery, but I had also stopped growing so I couldn’t get a brace either. However, a year later, my curve had progressed to 53°, and my only option was surgery. It was such a conflict of emotion – I’d been waiting years for my scoliosis to be treated but I was so beyond terrified of surgery.

My first surgery was on the 15th of November 2023, but it had to be abandoned halfway through due to a problem with the nerves in my left leg. In that moment, I fully regretted my choice. That week was the lowest I have ever felt but I kept pushing and fighting to get my strength back for the next surgery, which was a week later. I went into the pre-op room with broken confidence and a loss of all faith in the surgery. But I woke up 6 hours later fused from T2-L1 and my faith had been restored. I had finally treated my scoliosis!

The next couple of weeks in hospital were the most challenging weeks of my life, and so were the following months at home, but I’m now 6 months post-op and can confidently say I am so glad I had the surgery.

The period before getting spinal fusion feels so isolating and intimidating and there are such limited resources and opportunities to talk to people who’ve had the surgery, but it’s because of charities like SSR that people feel less alone and more comforted in the run up to surgery and for that I am so grateful. For anyone in recovery who’s feeling alone and just completely fed up, I promise you things do get so much better and you’re not alone. Recovery is not linear and it’s okay to have bad days, but that doesn’t mean that’s how it will always be. Remember after rain comes a rainbow