bent not broken

we are stronger than our spines

[strongerthanscoliosis]

3 MONTHS POST-OP

Helllooooo! It’s been a WHILE. I first started this blog in 2013 when I was 13 and wearing a Boston Brace 23/7. I loved being able to share my thoughts and fashion tips with you all.

These past six years have been wild -- I met some incredible people, traveled a ton, and started college. After I was allowed to stop wearing the brace, I slowly stopped posting here. Even though I had some pain, I finally felt free. I tried to “move on” from dealing with scoliosis and did my best to ignore my body’s shortcomings.

I never thought I would need surgery. My biggest curve was in the 40′s when I graduated from high school, but had progressed by 15 more degrees by the time I entered sophomore year of college. 

I decided to leave college early this year to have the operation. On March 27th I had most of my thoracic and some of my lumbar spine fused. I also had the thoracoplasty to reduce my MASSIVE rib hump (ya girl was seriously channeling Quasimodo). 

The first few weeks of recovery constituted the hardest month of my life. Even with #narcos, I was in a ton of pain and could barely do anything by myself. I felt detached from the rest of the world and was honestly afraid to plan for what seemed like an uncertain future.

Some more time has passed and I’m feeling good now. I’m able to hang out with my friends, do squats and lunges, lift 5 pound weights, and go on walks alone. I even went on a 4-hour plane ride earlier this month!

I hope you’re all doing well. I can’t believe how long this journey has been. 

If anyone has questions about anything, or wants a full scoliosis story, shoot me a message. Sending all my love your way!

[strongerthanscoliosis]

Hey, I'm a scoliosis sufferer who spent her early teens in a brace and I've gotta say your blog is super inspiring! I'm doing a major school research project on scoliosis and self-esteem and was wondering if you could share the link to my survey with your followers? I know it's a big ask but I'd appreciate it so much if you'd help me out! No pressure, but here it is (delete the #): surveymonkey.c#om/r/KZZQJGN

Sure, I looked over the survey and submitted a response. Good luck with your project!

For anyone with juvenile/adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, check out the link below and help this student with her project!:

surveymonkey.com/r/KZZQJGN

[strongerthanscoliosis]

super friendly positive happy reminder to EXERCISE! remember that you gotta build those muscles up to support your #twistedspine #SpineSpo 🤑 💪 ⛹

with scoliosis, your muscles are used in funky, not-so-good ways! likely, you’re used to relaxing into your curvatures. and if you have a back brace, your muscles are weaker, because for most of the time, your little plastic shell is holding em up!!

if you have strong abs and back muscles, your posture/pain WILL get significantly better. it’ll hurt so much but be worth it in the end!! 😰👌👌👌👌

[strongerthanscoliosis]

I got diagnosed with scoliosis when I was only a month old and I had spinal fusion surgery when I was 10 ( My degree by time of surgery was degrees in the thoracic spine and still rapidly growing ). Now I'm 20 and I wish I could tell someone about all of my body issues but my family says that it's all in my head and I should get over it since my surgery was almost a decade ago. But I found your blog and it makes me feel so much better about myself and I just wanted to say thank you so much ❤

Wow, you went through so much at SUCH a young age. I’m terrified to get the surgery in a few months, and I’m 17!

Scoliosis is a life-long struggle, and surgery isn’t a permanent fix. Honestly, I think it’s normal to still have issues with body confidence years afterward because scoliosis is such a crazy, twisted (haha, literally) condition. 

And thank you so much for your kind words -- they literally make me so happy. <3 

[bluebluefox]

have some stunning scolio-lovecards ;)))

[strongerthanscoliosis]

happy vday :)

love urself

[strongerthanscoliosis]

I feel so bad. I have scoliosis,but not bad. I don't even need a brace. Ot hurts SO bad, but then I read other people's curves and problems and my brain says that i should stop complaining since it isnt that bad. I now feel more insecure

Don’t feel insecure! Pain is associated with scoliosis but isn’t necessarily positively correlated to the severity of the curve(s). In fact, I probably had more pain years back when my curves were less severe, then I do now.

It’s easy to feel guilty when you see others struggling too. Remember that your own pain is valid as well.

You’ve probably already been working on this, and I’m unsure of where your pain is located, but I highly recommend physical therapy or at least exercise that specifically strengthens your core muscles. That will hold up your spine and put less pressure on your back.

Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you out, and good luck!

[strongerthanscoliosis]

I have a question for Scoliosis patients who’ve undergone the corrective spinal fusion. When were you allowed to start traveling via plane after the fusion?

[strongerthanscoliosis]

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve made a post about dressing fashionably with a Boston Brace or with Scoliosis in general. I can honestly say that in the past few years I’ve become an expert on finding affordable and well-fitting clothing for girls (and guys/all genders too) with major curves.

Message me if you want any tips or have specific questions/suggestions for what you’d like to see in future posts.

[singformedarling-deactivated201]

Some people have crooked teeth, some people have broken fingers, and I’ve got a back that has my initial on it.

Shailene Woodley on scoliosis (via singformedarling)

[terpsichoreed]

One good thing that has come from scoliosis

I have a hip that sticks out more than the other, so I live in this state of perpetual sass. 

[sherpawhale]

Here’s to the people suffering from conditions that primarily affect women and people designated female at birth. There probably could have been a cure or more effective and humane treatment discovered 80 years ago, but sexism happened and people threw up their hands and said “what do  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.”

Keep fighting the good fight for awareness and recognition. Your struggle matters and is deserving of more than a brush-off of “that’s how life is.”

[mopoetic]

She’s a beautiful flower planted in the soil of the earth, petals precious and soft just like her soul, and stem curved just like her spine.

F.M.V.A (via mopoetic)

[h413y-blog]

80% of scoliosis/kyphosis/lordosis cases are idiopathic which means there is no known cause. The rest are usually caused by tumors, other disorders, and trauma. You slouching did not cause this. You carrying a heavy backpack did not cause this. A lot of people try and blame you for the pain you’re in but there is 100% no way you’re at fault for this.

[johnedmundmulaneys]

shout out to girls with scoliosis

shout out to girls with scoliosis who’s backs constantly hurt no matter how they sit, stay or lay

shout out to girls with scoliosis who’ve had to wear backbraces that make them feel awkward and out of place. and are also really hot sweaty and uncomfortable

shout out to girls scoliosis who have been called deformed, made fun of for their posture, been called a hunchback etc

shout out to girls with scoliosis who feel super self conscious wearing anything that shows their back because of their scars and/or the curve of their spine

shout out to girls with scoliosis who sometimes exert themselves a little more physically than they should because they’re scared to ask for help since society conditions us to think asking for help makes us weak.

WE’RE STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL AND AWESOME. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH OTHERS DON’T WANT US TO BELIEVE IT

[strongerthanscoliosis]

I will never not be amazed by all of your strength. This is what inspires me: a community of crooked spines constantly fighting for confidence, support, and solutions.

[strongerthanscoliosis]

famous people with scoliosis

john lydon- lead singer of the sex pistols

princess eugenie of york

yo-yo ma -famous cello player

renee russo - actress and model

elizabeth taylor- actress

shailene woodley -amy on the secret life of the american teenager

vanessa williams- actress, singer, and producer

kurt cobain- lead singer of nirvana

sarah michelle geller- buffy on buffy the vampire slayer

usain bolt- fastest runner in the world

[strongerthanscoliosis]

My scoliosis got so bad that I'm gonna need an operation and I'm very scared and my back hurts like hell and I realy need someone to calm me down and the worst part is that I was wering a corset for 4 years and make sport to heal, but it didn't work.

I’m so so so sorry. Please message me privately if you would like. Have you already had your operation?