Hi there. This should be a short post that’s supposed to tell you “Hey! In case you don’t know, there’s something called Scoliosis, and the whole of June is dedicated to creating awareness about it amongst other kinds of deformity or abnormality that’s wrong with people living in this world”.
And then, I’m supposed to add a Wiki link here, so you can go read up for yourself because that’s the normal thing to do, isn’t it?
But because you have opened this blog post already, so we move…
Scoliosis is an irregular curvature of the spine. Instead of having a straight spine as it were that a regular human being has, you’ll get a Super-Straight spine because you’re a Super human being; just that the only thing super about this ability is that your spine is now extremely (not in all cases) curved to the right, left or both sides.
The cause of this awesome ability could be Idiopathic, that is, unknown cause for most people, including me. And for some others, it could be congenital (something that has to do with anomalies at birth) or it could come as secondary to a primary condition like Chiari malformation.
If left unattended to, the curvature would influence your posture. Like me, before I got to the doctor, my mom thought I was “doing guy”, tilting to one side while walking and feeling fly, and every time she would ask, I’Id give her that “OMG look” like for the umpteenth time, I am not doing guy, I am a good boy.
Until my classmate in boarding school said something usually pops up in my back anytime I bent forward (this is one of the ways of detecting Scoliosis. Bend forward like you’re trying to touch your toe, and let someone feel if your back is even. It’ld be pretty obvious already while bending if you have) I ran my hands through it and just shrugged. It’s nothing jhare.
Signs that one has scoliosis vary among individuals. Apart from “doing guy”, there could be uneven hips, arms, shoulder or leg length, pain in the back, shoulders and neck, limited mobility Etc.
X-ray is another means of detecting scoliosis. A more accurate means.
Also, if Scoliosis is left unattended to, quoting Wiki now, there could be risk of heart and lungs problems or the spine compressing vital organs in the body because it has refused to stay on its lane.
Once diagnosed, treatment could be through bracing, surgery or therapy depending on the degree of curvature. For mine, doctors recommend surgery but I was placed on a plastic brace even till now. My first brace from IGBOBI, Lagos was as bulky as a bag of cement. Okay, not exaggerating, 2 bags, 3,4… It was just heavy and I was to wear it for 23hours + per day. But this current one is lighter, but still heavy, like half bag of cement because it was made by abroad people.
And then you wear the brace, because it won’t stop coming out under your clothes and the whole world puts you on a hot seat. What’s that? What’s this? What’s Scoiosis? I should just carry a banner everywhere I go. It becomes tiring eventually when you have to talk about it to every single person.
My nigerian mind can’t deal with surgery. The people that undergo surgery for scoliosis are the real MVP. Seriously. Surgery usually involves spinal fusion with metal rods and srews to straighten the bone. After surgery, the metal rods and screws will remain there for life. That’s how my Indian doctor explained. And he scared me, he couldn’t even use medical terminlogies to explain. I can still remember the look on his face.
Treatment in this case is more like management, it doesn’t mean there won’t be some element of curvature left but there’ll be a reduction in the degree of curvature and a prevention of further progression in the curve. In 2010 when I was diagnosed compared to now, my curvature reduced by 20°. From 62 to 42. I still have a lonnnng way to go, yea?
Quoting Wiki; For various reasons, it is usually impossible to completely straighten a scolitic spine, but in most cases, significant corrections are achieved.
Quoting me; For various reasons, it is usually impossible to completely straighten a scolitic spine, except you go and touch the helm of Jesus garment like the woman with the issue of blood. But seriously, Scoliosis and supernatural healing should be my next post. The year I was diagnosed I visited Rccg Camp for the first time, hoping to get healed but no show.
I have gone to various programs and at random prayer meetings hoping and prayerfully seeking the face of God but no show still.
This hasn’t stopped me from being a Christian all the same. I pray for a closer and smoother relationship with God every time. I have faith for healing though, which has work couple of times but on this scoliosis, I don’t bother myself again. It is as if God’s answering every other prayer then when I mention Scoiosis, he justs turns off and goes… Yemi Yemi.. Don’t worry. Shebi it’s me that kept it there, there’s a reason for it. Sigh, if I eventually get to write about Scoliosis and my faith, I will do, but definitely not now.
This is supposed to be a short post, I have tried. Finally my brethren, there’s life beyond a curved spine. If you have it or know someone that does, don’t let it get to you. If it has gotten to you, get back at it. Live your life, live out God’s plan for your life, deal with the frequent pains (Physical, emotional, psychological Etc) that comes from living with Scoiosis.
Do what you have to, to remain sane and focus on the life beyond a curved spine, focus on the fact that you might have to live your life like that, get married, bear children with your curved spine unless of course you can touch Jesus’ garment. If it involves shutting out the whole world on occasions, please do, I do these a lot, and when you’re done, pick up from where you left off and continue rulling your world if you have started.
Because, really, the main stigma, as it were, as regards scoliosis, apart from the damage it can do physically, is also the emotional and psychological trauma it can cause. Don’t let it get to you. We are bent but not broken.
In other news, I don’t like talking about it, if you see me on the road, just wave at me and show me a little curved smile because I know what it is to be curved.
#ScoliosisAwarenessMonth #Scoliosis