Casts

[Guest guest]

When I broke my ankle last Christmas, I found plastic trash bags and a

large rubber band permitted me to shower. I used a hand held and sat on a

stool, but was able to bathe before work daily.

Sylvia - AIH- Las Vegs, NV

[Guest guest]

Reciprocal gratitude to you, Kathy, for your contributions to the group. I'm so

glad you joined.

I know that others here were in plaster around the same age you had to put up

with the body cast -- late teens, just when you want to be having all kinds of

great new experiences out in the almost-adult world. That must have been so

hard.

On the plus-side (is there one?!): I have no doubt that these hardships have

been a major force for feistiness in all of our lives. You have to be pretty

tough to get through an ordeal like that with your sense of self (not to mention

your sense of humor) halfway intact.

In my own life, the dismissive remarks or overbearing " advice " from people

(including some medical personnel) who don't have a clue -- the surgery and

casts and brute physical pain -- the exposure, at least while hospitalized, to

other patients with serious and disabling orthopedic conditions -- seem to have

presented me, time and again, with a certain fundamental choice: To live with

bitterness and cynicism or with compassion and hope. I am so often moved --

awed, even -- by how many people I encounter in online groups like this one have

opted for the second course.

Still, we all have our bad days, our share of demoralizing experiences. Many of

us here are contending with massive new obstacles we never expected (namely,

discovering we were turning hunchbacked just when we thought we had put all

that spinal duress far behind us). To me the need to vent now and then, or to be

candid and transparent about anything that bugs us or challenges us, is an

important one -- a bond we share as human beings and especially as people with

severe and complex spinal deformities who often have additional burdensome

medical problems. I feel I have done my job if people can post to this group and

really let their hair down; if they can share their struggles and troubles, as

well as their accomplishments and happy occasions -- their surreal encounters,

amazing anecdotes, family adventures, spiritual breakthroughs, or whatever is

uppermost in their thoughts -- with courage and candor and some degree of mutual

trust. When Feisty members don't worry too much about watching their language or

putting a good face on things or sounding overly opinionated or " nonconforming, "

I feel I have done my job. (And God knows I am grateful to everyone who has put

up with my own darker emotions, annoying little obsessions, idiosyncrasies,

eccentricities, etc.)

Anyway . . . thank you, Kathy, and welcome. I look forward to hearing much more

from you.

Best,

>

> My God ...i had to look up the two types of casts you referenced in

your previous post. That Minerva is barbaric! I was 17 when I was in a post

operative body cast for 6 months. I was at least able to cover it up somewhat,

wearing overalls. I'm 47, & being in this group, for the first time in my life

I'm able to talk to people with experiences even remotely similar to mine.

Sadly, I knew there had to be others like me out there. Thank God for modern

technology! The difference between empathy & sympathy is refreshing.

Participating in posts has given me renewed motivation & determination. Thanks

to everyone for the thought provoking & sincere dialogues.

> ...............................Kathy

>

[Guest guest]



That's so funny. I drank apple juice while recovering from my scoli surgery because I hated water at the time. For years and years I could not bring myself to drink apple juice because of the memories it brought back.

Jeanne

Re: Re: casts

,

Much of what you said was behind my email "Prevention vs Treatment". Although I did not go though Harrington Rods and related issues as my surgeries were in 1996 using Acromed Instrumentation (a generic version of TSRH System Instrumentation). I have learned a lot from this and many other scoli lists since my surgeries. Furthermore, I met many via a number of Scoliosis Association Chapter Meetings a number of years ago. Also, there are two women who I went to high school with (one who I've known since junior high (she had the surgery during 9th grade) and the other who I met during 10th grade as she went to the school district's other junior high). Although I do not have Harrington Rods a Orthopedic Surgeon I saw for a consult just prior to going on disability said I had a 5 degree flatback syndrome (the doctor who did my surgeries said I've had it since my surgeries).

I wore a Milwaukee Brace beginning in November of 10th grade (the second classmate I mentioned I met just as she was being weaned from a Milwaukee Brace). I dealt with a great deal of teasing throughout high school and into college (from many who simple did not understand and others who were just down right mean).

High school is a difficult time for any teen (junior high even more so). When your "different" it makes matters much worse. Hence, I think many of the points your raise are the same be it a cast or a Milwaukee Brace. I feel many teens who are braced today have a much easier time as very few are put in a Milwaukee Brace.

S.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

In a message dated 01/18/10 07:44:30 Eastern Standard Time, elizabethrgonzalezgmail writes:

Reciprocal gratitude to you, Kathy, for your contributions to the group. I'm so glad you joined.I know that others here were in plaster around the same age you had to put up with the body cast -- late teens, just when you want to be having all kinds of great new experiences out in the almost-adult world. That must have been so hard. On the plus-side (is there one?!): I have no doubt that these hardships have been a major force for feistiness in all of our lives. You have to be pretty tough to get through an ordeal like that with your sense of self (not to mention your sense of humor) halfway intact. In my own life, the dismissive remarks or overbearing "advice" from people (including some medical personnel) who don't have a clue -- the surgery and casts and brute physical pain -- the exposure, at least while hospitalized, to other patients with serious and disabling orthopedic conditions -- seem to have presented me, time and again, with a certain f undamental choice: To live with bitterness and cynicism or with compassion and hope. I am so often moved -- awed, even -- by how many people I encounter in online groups like this one have opted for the second course. Still, we all have our bad days, our share of demoralizing experiences. Many of us here are contending with massive new obstacles we never expected (namely, discovering we were turning hunchbacked just when we thought we had put all that spinal duress far behind us). To me the need to vent now and then, or to be candid and transparent about anything that bugs us or challenges us, is an important one -- a bond we share as human beings and especially as people with severe and complex spinal deformities who often have additional burdensome medical problems. I feel I have done my job if people can post to this group and really let their hair down; if they can share their struggles and troubles, as well as their accomplishments and happy occasions -- their s urreal encounters, amazing anecdotes, family adventures, spiritual b reakthroughs, or whatever is uppermost in their thoughts -- with courage and candor and some degree of mutual trust. When Feisty members don't worry too much about watching their language or putting a good face on things or sounding overly opinionated or "nonconforming," I feel I have done my job. (And God knows I am grateful to everyone who has put up with my own darker emotions, annoying little obsessions, idiosyncrasies, eccentricities, etc.)Anyway . . . thank you, Kathy, and welcome. I look forward to hearing much more from you.Best,>> My God ...i had to look up the two types of casts you referenced in your previous post. That Min erva is barbaric! I was 17 when I was in a post operative body cast for 6 months. I was at least able to cover it up somewhat, wearing overalls. I'm 47, & being in this group, for the first time in my life I'm able to talk to people with experiences even remotely similar to mine. Sadly, I knew there had to be others like me out there. Thank God for modern technology! The difference between empathy & sympathy is refreshing. Participating in posts has given me renewed motivation & determination. Thanks to everyone for the thought provoking & sincere dialogues. > ...............................Kathy>