Week 2, Day 5: The Last Day of Scoliosis Boot Camp

I brought Ava with me again, on Friday.  She really wanted to come (and had done 4 math lessons on Thursday to build her case), and I also wanted her x-rayed.  It was really nice to have some alone time with her!  Also, we listened to Francesca Battestelli on the way there (her choice) - a nice change of pace from scanning the radio, or the "Frozen" soundtrack. 

Ava and Olivia talked some more this time; here they are exchanging ipod numbers so they can stay in touch. :) Well, Ava's doing the digit-swapping, while Olivia works hard on The Vibe.

We had the same routine as last Fri., and it's exhausting.  

I did not have another x-ray; I will follow-up in June, and that will be for a day and half, to have the office treatments again.  In the meantime, I am supposed to be using the cantilever 4x/day, for 20" each time.  

Oh dear, I thought I was already being taught patience, but it turns out Boot Camp was only the beginning!  Now I need to fit in 80 minutes of this, every day. It's challenging, not just to find the time to do this, but to figure out how to feel well enough to do it! Most Busy Mamas I know (including myself) don't sit down all that much (ever) during the day, and as I go about my daily stuff, I am typically feeling really tired and achy in my back - pretty much the antithesis of "up to withstanding another venture."  So.  I am trying to remember to sit or stretch for just a few mins prior to hopping onto the blue disk for the therapy. That seems to be helping.  Hmmm... maybe I'm supposed to be slowing down a bit, anyway... and getting more sleep... ;D  I think I see this all coming together. :)

Yesterday, after only about 10" of being on the disk, I started to get really nauseous.  Weird.  I finally couldn't ignore it, and had to end early.  Same thing the next time, and the 3rd time.  Ugh!  I had started having a migraine on Fri. night, while trying to watch, "Saving Mr. Banks" with Tony and Ava.  I thought maybe the nausea was just an extension of that.  But then I started to wonder if my blue disk was the problem; the one I'd brought home with me was much more deflated than the others I'd used.  The result was that I wiggled and balance-checked much more frequently. 

Today I just couldn't stand the thought of repeating the flashbacks to morning sickness again, and decided to see if we could inflate it somehow to see if sea-sickness (or blue disk sickness) was the issue.  I'd looked at this immediately yesterday, but didn't think I had the right attachment to inflate it.  Turns out the right 'attachment' for inflation is my husband simply blowing air into it. ;) He inflated it and I haven't had any other problems with nausea! Yay.  

I also needed a major boredom buster to get through this.  I decided to start the "Lost" series.  I've never seen one episode, and it goes for what, 6 seasons or something like that?? Between that and Dateline NBC on Hulu, I should be good until near time for my follow up.  

I got a CD with all of my x-ray images on it, and viewed my neck x-ray for the 1st time in awhile. (The last time was when doing traditional chiro a few years ago.)

The healthy cervical spine should have a nice curve (lordosis), as below. 

(not my x-ray - for pupose of illustration, only)

My cervical spine (neck vertebrae) no longer have a curve. In fact the curve is somewhat reversing (kyphosis, giving forward head posture) near C6.  Without going into too much detail, losing the natural curve in the cervical spine causes all sorts of issues - some which I'm experiencing now (muscle strain in neck, shoulders, upper and lower back, headaches, pinched nerves, TMJ issues), and others that may occur with further degeneration/arthritis. It's a non-option to NOT continue chiropractic care, and Dr. Dovorany's recommendations.

(my x-ray)




So. How do I feel about Boot Camp?

*It was more challenging than I anticipated. And I'm more sore than I expected to be.  I have an understanding of why this is, however, and it's necessary.  I'm trying to re-train these muscles that have been slacking off for years! 

*I didn't expect to (or necessarily care to) make friends.  But I did. :) 

*The outcomes were different than I expected, but satisfactory to me. The end result is that I gained 8 degrees.. so far. The way I see it, is that neuro-muscular training is BY FAR the best option for scoliosis.  No, I'm not ever going to have a straight spine.  But, if I avoid surgical intervention, it's Mission Accomplished, in my book! 

Day 1 of Boot Camp ~ 3.31.14

Boot Camp, Day 8 ~ 4.9.14

*I will continue to search for pain control.  After this experience, I'm convinced that my worst pain is due to my right SI joint that is in a constant "locked up" state. This is directly related to my scoliosis.  I am going to look into dry-needling for some potential relief, once I can gear up to search for help, yet again! 

*I never expected to get teary on the last day.  But I did.  Spending all day for 2 weeks with awesome people you won't see anymore, does that to a person. Dr. D, Andi & Amy, and the other Boot Campers all added such value to this experience!

To me, every degree earned back, is added insurance against a surgery - a surgery that has no guarantee whatsoever, in fact, has around a 40% failure rate, and a very high rate of complications.

I will fight for every degree.  

But now, I am more ready than ever to return to my life.  I'm ready to incorporate my new needs into this chaos and get back to being a wife and mom!  

My family were such GREAT SPORTS!  

I love them so!

Thanks, too, to so very many for all of the prayers, food, calls/texts, playdates for the kids, and support & encouragement through the past two weeks.  It's appreciated more than you'll ever know!

The Last Day!
Top Left/Bottom Right: signing the, " I Survived BootCamp" poster
Top Right: BootCamp crew! Mira, Olivia, me, Kim
Bottom Left: Dr. Dovorany and me
Middle: Olivia and me

"Free to Be Me" ~ Francesca Battestelli

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA&feature=kp

Week 2, Day 4: Tool Time

Today after my first adjustments, Dr. D took an unbelievable tool to my right SI (sacroiliac joint).  Drill/jigsaw resemblance, and 12 thrusts per second or something crazy like that. 

Its' name is: ArthroStim

I mentioned in a previous post that he'd used this on my neck, to help with my reverse curve.  This image sort of shows what I mean by that.

The way this felt on my SI joint/ligaments was nothing short of phenomenal.  

He said the middle to lower parts of the joint were completely 'locked up'.  I've heard this before, and even if I hadn't, I know it to be true.  My biomechanics are not my friend :(. 

The ArthroStim gave me new life!  Freedom! Do you need a license to operate that gadget?! Does Amazon sell this thing?! Turns out, no, but I did find another site that does... googling while on The Vibe with my cantilever.  Cost? $1,279.  Hmmm... a bit steep?!  Surrrrrrre is tempting.  

Not much else to report for today.  Tomorrow is the last day, already. Will be curious to see what follow-up will look like, how often I will be coming back for tune-ups.  

Will ask:

What types of exercise can I/should I do, for consistent cardio?

Am I a candidate for the ScolioSmart Activity Suit, which creates new muscle memory and encourages unwinding of the spine?
http://www.scoliosisactivitysuit.com/

Do you have an extra ArthroStim to loan patients??  If not, and yours is ever missing... it wasn't me who took it.

Headed to bed tonight, again, with a full belly of tasty dinner from friends :) So so thankful for the blessing of generous, prayerful, and thoughtful family and friends!  How much easier this was on all of us, because of you all! 

G'nite.

Week 2, Day 3: Bootcamp Breakdown

I'm going to try and clarify the actual treatment I am receiving, with this post.  I'm getting a lot of questions about treatment specifics, and realizing that pretty much no one has any reference for what in the hey is going on with this. ( I mean, I know I didn't, before I started looking into it! It's also quite difficult to verbally describe without photos, and hey - I really should get it all into writing and pictures before I someday forget what I actually did here... (as if)
I start out each day this way:

Eckard (Mermaid) Table, aka: place to FaceTime the kids, because my hands are free and my head is not entrapped in some kind of device. Plus, by the time I get to the clinic in the morning, I've typically received a text or twenty from the kids wondering if I'm on "that table" yet, so I can "talk". :)
I'm strapped in quite tightly and straps pull against my curve and anchor me to the table, while my lower body moves up and down, stretching and prepping my muscles to loosen up.
Feels awesome. 20 minutes, 3x/day. No complaints. After the 1st session of the day with this, I get that drill massage that I mentioned in my 1st post.  The staff keeps assuring me that it is not a "rigged up" operation, but I'm pretty sure I'm headed to Home Depot one day very soon in order to plot how to make my own.

Next is the VT (Vibrating Traction) Table.  5lb weight dangling from my head, in an effort to restore the natural curve in a healthy cervical spine.  Mine is a reverse curve, developed as a secondary adaptation process, due to the scoliosis. The weight and weird-looking head and chin thing, vibrate like mad.  Not painful, kind of a feel good stretch... at the same time, pretty annoying.  Sandbags lay on my hips and knees while my legs take turn in figure 4 position.  5 mins, each leg, 3x/day.  This helps stretch out my hips and flexors.  That part feels great.

After the VT Table, I do alternate knee-to-chest grabs, while my legs dangle off the end of the table (one at a time), with a sandbag attached.  1 1/2 mins, 3x/day.  These stretches feel really good, too. This is another thing I'd like to recreate for home.

\Below... this is NOT something I'd like to recreate for home.

These are the de-rotation/traction (itchy) chairs.  I'll spare you a pic of me in this thing.  12 lb weight dangles from head, pulling head upward, into traction, while entire chair vibrates. It lengthens the spine and encourages neutral position/de-rotation. 30 mins, 3x/day.  My nemesis.

There's always a movie playing in the chair room, and it's been geared toward the pre-teens I'm in Bootcamp with.  I had to giggle today, when "Cheaper By the Dozen" was on.  I'm wondering if Tony is starting to feel like Steve Martin's character(who is completely hysterical), in this movie... after 2 weeks of trying to work from home, run homeschool, and parent simultaneously.

In the 1st round of the day, after the above 3 stations, I get adjustments from Dr. D., using the pelvic tilt table, followed by neck and roll-squeeze adjustments. (Just like it sounds, I squeeze a foam roll across my chest while he adjusts my thoracic spine.) Then he adjusts my neck in each direction. This feels so good, and my neck is feeling better than ever before, which is a relief!

After the adjustments, it's off to do the cantilever work.
My cantilever was adjusted, yesterday.  So now, what I've got going, is this:
Rather than wearing just one lever with the 15lb weight off of the right end and the 10lb hand weight on the left, I now have a second lever (one with roll under armpit), as well.  The 10lb weight is still on my left, but instead of holding it, it now hangs from the lever. You can see it in the photo, clipped onto the lever.  On the right is the 15lb weight, also clipped on (cut out of photo, inadvertently.  Olivia took this picture ;D).

After I get geared up, I step onto the blue disc, and the vibration is turned on. 20 mins, 3x/day. This is really tough.  This is truly the heart of the treatment, and what changes the spine most.  It is what allows the brain to find and learn a new way to distribute the body's weight. Now, instead of the lever pushing only on my curve, it's pushing my entire spine over, encouraging it to move more toward mid-line, and nudging those wasted muscles on the inside of the curve, to fire.
All of the above, is 1 round.  There is a quick, 10" break, and the round is repeated (minus the chiro adjustments. Lunch break.  Round 3 (with adjustments added back in).

After just 3 sessions of the new lever setup, there was another x-ray today...

The result?  Mixed feelings and emotions!

For my friends and family with a medical background, here's the dealio:
I have a pretty severe left postural shift.  Also, the bone remodeling, specifically to the left side of L3 and even worse on L4 (including bone spurs) is, unfortunately, making the Cobb Angle resistant to further change.
Left: pre-treatment, 3/31/14
Right: today, 4/9/14

On the x-rays, L4 (second vertebra from the bottom of the film)subsequently shows quite a bit of tilt, and is actually a wedged vertebra at this point.  You can note the height difference, left side of L4, in comparison to right side of L4  This really makes it almost impossible to change, Dr. D says; this makes sense to me.

L3 has responded to treatment some, in comparison with the initial x-ray, and he thinks there is still room for improvement, there, despite some bone remodeling.
Translation of the above for all of you non-medical people who think the x-rays just kind of look like gummy worms (as Ava says they do):
My curve may not be able to be further reduced.  This is because my scoliosis has been present so long, that bony changes in the vertebrae have occurred, in order to try and deal with the curve.  These changes make the bones resistant to change/straightening.  These bony changes are most prevalent in lumbar vertebrae 3, and especially in L4.  L4 is the bone 2nd from the bottom on the film. 

As a result of the scolio and bone changes, the vertebrae also adapt by tilting. This is noted on the x-ray. This tilt may not be further reduced.

The reason for my severe right hip pain, he says, is clear to him.

#1. The right side of my pelvis and hip is acting as a sort of 'guide wire' to pull down and away from the left lumbar curve, in compensation.

#2. After all of this time trying to adapt to my scolio, my body has developed severely inefficient and detrimental movement patterns, to compensate for the curve and muscle imbalances.  These movement patterns have left the left side of my spine/pelvis hypertrophied, and the right side weak and atrophied.  These imbalances cause muscle contractions and spasms, pain, and all kinds of other issues in my asymmetric pelvis, and pelvic and SI joints. These just further the imbalances and uneven body weight distribution as I go about daily life, and especially with any weight-bearing exercise. On the exercise note... not yet ready to discuss those permanent implications.
The good news:Though the curve may not be further reduced (andddd it still MAY be), I still have 8 degrees back (one more degree, after changing levers/weights just yesterday), in a week and a half :)  This is far superior than ANY other option for scoliosis, and much more promising for future results, too.

Also, if you look at the x-ray on the left, you'll notice that it says in red, "72 mm".  This is the distance measured from the worst part of the curve, to the body's mid-line (where the spine should be). Then, in looking at the second x-ray, you'll see that it says, "59mm".  So, essentially, it's moved 13mm in the intended direction, so far.

This distance that my entire spine has traveled from left to body mid-line is substantial and really encouraging.  If we can get the whole spine - curved or not - to move even more mid-line, this will mean less compensation by the right side of the pelvis and the right hip, less muscle contracture, and spasms, and more evenly-distributed body weight. All of this would result in less dysfunctional movement patterns and thus, less pain!

Additional good news is that although my spine is severely de-rotated, that is also coming back, nicely.

I definitely have reason to hope that this new lever set up should really help things progress!



The moral of this story?  If you or your child has a known scoliosis, don't wait to treat it! Begin neuro-muscular retraining before your body begins to adapt and change because of the curve.  The body's response to change will be SO much better! Dr. D said he'd x-ray and review Ava on Friday, free of charge. :)

And that, folks, is All She Wrote for tonight! 

Week 2, Day 2: The Comparison

"It’s often when our suffering is at its 

worst that the devil walks in, ready to 

attack our faith." 

This, a quote from today's WELS' Daily Devotion, titled, "The Comparison". It's amazing how God knows just what we need to know, and be reminded of, and exactly when. 

By the devotion's title, you may have thought that "The Comparison", referred to the contrasting of my recent x-rays. Instead, it suggests both the damage we do, and the risk to our faith, when we measure ourselves up against others, be it achievements, looks, earthly possessions... It also highlight's the time we have here, for life each day on Earth, is so brief,in comparison to the time we'll spend in our eternal home in Heaven.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's heard a sermon on a Sunday and marveled at its' perfect timing and personal application.  This is exactly how I feel about today's devotion. Read it here: http://www.wels.net/spiritual-help/daily-devotion/2014-04/devotion-april-8-2014

Really.  It's worth the read. 

Today's therapy seemed to go a lot faster than previous days'.  The idea that I don't have to CONSTANTLY be thinking about not falling off the blue disk, while using the cantilever, is - I believe - a true testament to the whole basis of this treatment.  The idea is that the postural control center in the brain is learning a new way to hold posture. When I first stood on The Vibe (the vibrating disk used while wearing the cantilever), I absolutely could not break concentration, or I'd fall.  It was like I was trying to balance on a full-sized, ball.  Now, it feels more like I'm simply standing on a trampoline.  And I can talk, and move, and I don't (usually) fall.

Today's x-ray showed no change in curve reduction (Cobb Angle); I'm still at 35 degrees. BUT, it did show that vertebral rotation is improved, and my entire spine is shifting more midline.  Dr. D was encouraged to see this, and adjusted my cantilever to persuade my whole rib cage and spine to continue moving along to the right! It's fascinating how each person's spine and response to treatment is unique.  It's fun to watch how the treatment changes and progresses, accordingly.

I've been very forthright with the doc, as well as Andi and Amy, in letting them know that I am prepared to do the uncomfortable - even painful, if it's going to work/help me!  I think maybe he's bringing me that challenge.

It's quite heavy, now.

15 lb weight on my right, and the newly-added,
2nd lever with a 10 lb weight, on the left

the myriad of cantilever weights

The biggest positive so far, is that it seems curve stabilization has occurred. Seeing as though, the surgical threshold for a fusion, etc., is around 40 degrees, I'll take my 35 over my 42, any day. Simply assuming I may avoid any surgical intervention, is a big win.

How do I feel?  Sigh.  I don't know?!  My pain gauge has hit the road, and it's so far gone.  It's odd.  I ache and hurt so much on my curve, which is working really hard to change.  I also hurt on the right side of my spine, where these newly-activated muscles are trying to react. A lot of the therapy feels good, and relaxes my tight hip flexors and other hip and lower back muscles, so some things do feel much better.  My neck, also feels much improved.  I think it's going to take me getting back into my normal routine at home, and away from constant therapy, to see what this has done for my pain.  Regardless, I am whole-heartedly convinced that it's the best option I've got.

I'm not, mistakenly-pour-oj-in-the-cereal-rather-than-the-milk kind of exhausted this week.  Phew!  I'm still beat, but it's manageable.

Off to bed I go!  I stopped to buy Garmin a new bed today, during lunch break.  He seems to approve. :0)

Week 2, Day 1

After a busy, dutiful-filled weekend, brimming with both catching up from last week, and scheming ahead for this week, it did feel like a break as I drove to Green Bay this morning.

Happily, I've been much more successful in getting between the sheets at a decent hour, and so I'm less lethargic than last week, without a doubt.  There is room for improvement, to be sure, but no more of that 1am business. Also, since the exercises are not brand new to my body this week, I think that makes things easier, as well. 

"Relaxing" on the vibrating table and the Eckhard table went quickly, before it was time to sit in the de-rotation/traction chair, and use the cantilever. 

Facetiming with Gressa during time on the Eckhard table!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Tony is taking this "work from home" thing to the next level.  

As I got ready to leave the clinic today, the receptionist handed me all of this goodness.  LOVE YOU, sister!

There are several letters to Doctor D and Andi and Amy, that decorate the office walls.  This one really was touching.
Tomorrow, there will be an xray, again; the first, in 5 days.  So hopeful!  Dr. D is aiming for 10 degrees' correction.  I'm secretly hoping to kiss the 30s goodbye...
42 ---- 29 would be pretty sweet. The idea that this treatment will stabilize my curve, at the least, is still completely overwhleming to me.

Day 5, & the Weekend Betwixt

Friday was a shorter day... but it was kind of a trick.  On the other days, we cycled through the stations, resulting in a break between the more difficult stations of the traction/de-rotation chair (30 mins) and the cantilever (20 mins). But on Friday, once the cycle was complete after the first round, we were sent straight back to the chair and the lever! Agh!  Tired.  I'm actually glad that I didn't know what I had coming.  

Ava had begged to tag along to see what this is all about.  On Friday, I let her come with me.  Lots of learning :) She also got to meet Olivia and Joseph - a groovy kid I met there, as well.  Joseph has a rare blood disorder, and many other medical issues and learning challenges.  His scoliosis and kyphosis are just icing on the cake. :(

Meeting these others, witnessing their challenges, and watching how they deal with them, both physically and mentally, was certainly sufficient "learning".

Also, Ava has a small curve (noted on xray a couple of years ago), so I knew it wouldn't hurt for her to have a little intro to the environment ;D Dr. Dovorany will review her xrays and if she does have scoliosis, she'll be doing the Small Curve Camp.  The alternative is to "watch and wait",which, since learning of ScolioSmart's philosophy, research, and results, seems utterly silly.  Every large curve started small.  Why are we waiting?!?  There is a better way.

Results with adults have been amazing, but almost unbelievable, are the curve reductions that ScolioSmart Clinics are getting when kids jump into this treatment!  Keeping their curves in single digits is common, and also means scoliosis would essentially be a non-issue into these kids' lives!  Quite a contrast to what I (and so many others) deal with as adults! 

The kids hear me talk about my back being sore more than I wish they did.  I don't think they see the pain limit me, drastically, though... I'm definitely conscious of, and intentional about not griping about it in their presence.  I try. 

They do know Mom wants to run again.  

I think that starting treatment last week did kind of spark a new curiosity in them, as to the seriousness or severity of my back pain.  Ugh.  I'm just trying as hard as I can to live out that quote we all want our kids to embrace..."It's 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we react to it, that matters."  

The kids have seen me wrangle with my lever exercises over the weekend...!  I needed to fit in 2 additional, 20" sessions, after returning home on Friday afternoon.  Then 4, 20" sessions both yesterday and today.  

I'm having quite a bit of, let's say... "response" (pain) with this. I don't typically have much pain on my curve, but since that IS what I'm trying to change, after all, and since that's where the lever weight pushes, that's what hurts! I'm supposing these muscles that are not used to doing a darn thing, are now trying to engage. Such a good thing!

I set up a quiet spot in an extra room - the playroom, setting some board games atop the air hockey table, as a makeshift laptop holder, and jumped on my blue disc.  

Without a doubt, I needed distraction.  But I don't watch much tv; catching up on Grey's Anatomy and Parenthood only bought me 3-4 sessions.  Then, Gressa pulled up a tiny chair to the wobbly laptop and leaned in, nose pressed to screen - and began to make her own Hulu requests.  We watched some Animal Planet about baby cheetahs, while she watched me struggle, determined to keep working.  

"Only 3 more minutes, Mom; you can do it!"

l o v e

I spent about 5 hours yesterday prepping the week's schoolwork, and several hours today, trying to catch up from the week, grocery planning and shopping, and making a tasty dinner for tonight, to start out the week.  

Tony qualified today, for "Husband of the Year, 2014", with his jaunt to Ace Hardware to rent a Rug Doctor.  He had many other projects on his mind, but knew I was ready to lose it over the filth in the carpets.  This gracious act of steam cleaning the carpets and upholstery made me grab him and smooch him silly. 

All equipment packed up, and I'm headed to bed, now, and taking this quote from Romans 5, with me. 

It's truly the most overwhelmingly beautiful thing, realizing that God holds every one of our fears and trials in His own heart and never, ever will He fail to do what is best for any of His children.  Not once. Wow.  Just, wow.  So blessed... through it ALL! Looking forward to a great week!

Day 4, Stop the Rotation, Stop the Curve

The above is posted on the clinic's whiteboard.  It sure means more now, than it did at the beginning of the week.

Any busy mom would probably agree that the sound of two weeks to "myself", albeit in treatment, sounds like a pretty fair respite.  That's what I thought, too.

On the first day, I brought along my crochet, my book, and lesson plans.  I thought I'd have more than enough time to "hobby" and get ahead on some things, during downtime.  After all, there was rumor of a near-2 hour break for lunch, and I wouldn't even be multi-tasking!  Considering the idea that I typically take a nanosecond to scarf some niblets down, around lunchtime, while I make the kids', it sure did seem that I would have some time on my hands.

Not the case.  As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm pretty well spent. After 2 rounds/4 hours of therapy, my energy is zapped.  Even when my energy is zapped, I usually dig deep for some more, but this is really something.  I guess, if I think about it though... I'm retraining the postural control center of my brain... brainpower takes work, right???!

I'm also missing my kids!  It was hard to leave today.  Gressa said she didn't want me to go, "again".  But c'est la vie, and just another season we are in. Helping myself now, is so very preferable to needing a surgery down the road,and suffering with so much more pain.

The kids had a great day.  They all had co-op, in which they dissected and learned about sheeps' brains :)

Ava's brain

They also all had time with friends, and Soren had his guitar lesson.  Kudos to the cross-country (or counties, at least)travelin' Daddy-O, and the help of friends!

Today, Olivia and I had some more convo., attempting to distract ourselves from the intensity of our cantilevers.  

Right before we use our cantilevers, we sit in the scoliosis traction chairs.  As we had our first round with the levers this morning, Olivia tells me that she's using an app called, "Dead Yourself", and she'd like to make me a zombie.  Here's the result. :)

Sooo... as I bust out into laughter, I'm gripping my foam roller bracing my curve, because laughing or coughing in the lever, is simply torture!  My laughing makes Olivia crack up and grab her own foam roll and lever (I thought we might get reprimanded)... and then she flashes this pic: 

"I took my picture when I was in the 'chair'.  It looks like an execution chair."

HAHAHA!  It so does.

I love this funny girl!

 Plus, when she asked me how old I was, she thought I was 10 years younger than my stated age.

Lovable, this one.

 Today I had another x-ray.  I gained another 2 degrees. So, down from 42 to 35 at this point. More importantly, though, the vertebrae seem to be de-rotating toward mid-line. This is significant, because the rotation of the bones is what drives the curve.  Stop the rotation, stop the curve:)  The black lines on the xrays depict the spinous processes.  I had no idea they were quite this rotated.

When I got home tonight, this was here!  Seriously.  No, s e r i o u s l y...

Sooo yum!  Thank you, Reader family!

Not much better than a delicious meal, prepared and delivered for you!  So thankful!

Time to relax and enjoy the fam :)

Day 3, A Love That Would Suffer So Much

6am Uno tourney

Nana stayed overnight last night, to help us out today.  Good thing Nana is a morning person :0)

Trips to the Y, school at the library, and some carpooling. Thanks, Nana! The kids had fun telling me (through near-crying happy tears) about how shocked you were by the insane number of ice cream flavors at Tom's Drive-In... 

"There's vanilla, chocolate, and twist... wait.. what? What a deal!  And in a waffle cone, too?!"

Today was an intense day for me at the Posture and Spine Care Center.  I'm feeling achy in my curve, which is more than fine... and necessary... and expected... but really exhausting. 

I continue to be floored by the level of fatigue in this situation.  I didn't expect this; I'm only responsible for myself on these treatment days (vs 3 little people, as well), I'm not making or cleaning up meals, cleaning, doing laundry, being a referee, teaching school, running errands, or doing any of the other things I typically do all day long... my activity level is drastically lower.  But somehow, I am just wiped.  I guess my body is working hard, even though I feel stagnant most of the day.  Confession: I have yet to take a lunch break in which I don't drift off to Never-Never Land.  Today, there was no stopping it: lock the van doors, grab Gressa's neck pillow and psychedelic fuzzy travel blanket, and kick back. Phone alarm set, and outsville.

I was able to have Andi (one of Dr. D's assistants) take a couple of pix of me in the Itchy Seat (aka the traction chair) today.  My head is in a sling-type thing, with a weight attached to it.

The scolio chair, right now for me, is for 30" at a time, 3x per day.  Its main purpose is to open up the curves and de-rotate the spine! The high-level vibrations speed this process and allow me to strengthen my core muscles in a scoliosis-free way. (I knew this felt like "work"!  No wonder!)

Weight was added to my cantilever today.  Phew.  Prior to today, there was 12lbs hanging off of the right end.  Now there is 15lbs.  I'm still holding the 10lb weight in the other (L) hand.  Unbelievable, how just 3lbs can feel soo much heavier.  It doesn't sound like much, but it's all concentrated on my left rib cage - where my scolio is.  

It feels as though I have muscle knots between my ribs, in the intercostal areas, from the therapy.  And the weight pushes right on that.  At that point, posture is corrected, and needs to learn how to stay that way, so I balance on the vibrating, blue disk.  It hurts, but that's how change will continue to happen! 

Olivia and me, trying to get in a zone with our cantilevers. It looks easy from here - but it's not!

Olivia had weight added to her cantilever today, too.  We decided that was the final straw: instead of rotating through stations on our own, we are now partnering up for the cantilevers.  If one of us is ready before the other, we are waiting until the other of us is ready to begin.  Why?  So that we can finish at the same time!  Once one person hops off and is finished with their lever, those last few minutes alone seem like such a struggle!

Olivia also showed me some video of her doing gymnastics.  I told her about how my Ava was a gymnast, too! Olivia's really hoping to avoid any surgery, as that would mean an end to gymnastics. (A fusion would limit her mobility too much.)

So far: I feel more mobility and less neck pain, for sure.  I want to say that I have less lower back and hip pain, and that my posture is so much better already, too, but I don't want to jinx myself or anything... ;D  I *think* I have another x-ray tomorrow, too, and that makes me entirely giddy.

As I get ready to head to bed to do the 6 hours of treatment all over again, I am so happy, despite my aches and pains. I feel so fortunate and it's really almost surreal.  ANY and all positives that come from this experience are truly a loving response to prayer, from Jesus.

He loved me enough to hang on that cross and suffer a more-than-miserable death.  Of course He would love me enough to answer my prayers as He sees fit, always working for my good.  It's humbling.

Lent - a time to review the passions of scripture and marvel at the unending love our Christ has for us. How undeserving of that love, we pathetic sinners truly are.

Love took him to that cross for us, and that same love kept him there.  Thousand, thousand thanks shall be.

"Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe, 

Who, thyself for me once giving To the darkest depths of woe-

Through thy suff'rings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit.  

Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto thee."

"Christ, the Life of All the Living"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZFMy296ULU

This, my favorite Lenten hymn, and sung in church this evening.

Day 2, Bent Not Broken

Brief post tonight; I'm completely spent!

It's odd to be so fatigued when I didn't "exercise".  Oh, but I did... just not in the typical sense, of course.  

Today, again, was a full round of:
MIX: torso table, neck traction, hip flexor stretches with weights 
FIX: adjustments  
SET: chair traction, and cantilever.  

10" break.

Repeat full cycle (lasts about 2 hours).

Break for lunch.

Repeat cycle.

I was praying for some strength in withstanding the cantilever today, as I struggled with it, yesterday. As it turns out, the cantilever work went much more smoothly today, but the chair traction was a beast!  

30" at a time in the chair and I was still itchy!  Dr. D found me a different, less bouncy seat cushion today, and it seemed to help, some.

My adjustments today, felt really really good.  I feel loosened up and more mobile, in general.  

Neck pain is something I've been battling with, on and off, for about 2 years, and there are times I wake up in the morning, truly unable turn my head to the side, due to both pain, and literally no range of motion to the side.  (Those were days I would still go run 12 miles, though... just needed to check the traffic on the side opposite the Quasimoto lol.) 

Anyway, another "tool" appeared in Dr. D's hands and this one looked like a nail gun. He used it to apply pressure and adjustment to my cervical spine.  Hurt so good.  I've known for awhile, that the curve in my neck has become straight (a sign of vertebral degeneration), and my forward neck posture (oftentimes associated with scoliosis) has gotten worse. I didn't know, though, that some reversal of the curve (bad, bad, don't want that) was happening, too. 

Dr. D. says, "We have some work to do here, with your neck."

The happiest news, today, is that my thoracic curve of 42 degrees is already down FIVE degrees today, from yesterday!  This is after just a day and a half, or 5 sessions. Praise God from whom all blessings flow... I'm so amazed and encouraged!  

There are places where I have quite a bit of vertebral degeneration, and these places will be more resistant to greater change/straightening.  And an adult's spine is more difficult than a child's, to re-train, because of this spinal rigidity and degeneration, and because the adult/spine is no longer growing.  But, I'm so hopeful. Dr. D said to look at this, "day-later" x-ray from the standpoint that this is what my spine is capable of - it's totally capable of re-training!     

Our small group of patients is down to 4, now.  I have a new friend, Olivia, from Escanaba, MI.  She's 12. :)  I talked with her mom quite a bit yesterday and today, while using the cantilever.  She said that Olivia's curve was 69 degrees on yesterday am's x-ray. :(  Ortho docs have been telling mom that Olivia needs the surgery (fusion/instrumentation) NOW.  And then she discovered Scoliosmart Clinics and talked with many people who shared their success stories with Scoliosis Bootcamp.    

Today, Olivia's curve measured at 61 degrees! An 8 degree improvement - she was so smiley :)She has hope, now, too. I'm so impressed with her tenacity during therapy.

Andi, helping Olivia set up her cantilever and posture, on her own.

Olivia offered me this bracelet, today. 

Love it, LOVE.IT.   

She then explained to me, that her church had done a benefit/fundraiser for her, (which is where the bracelets came from), so that she could have this treatment, in hopes of sparing her a major and often unsuccessful and complication-heavy surgery, and extending her quality of life!

  

Scoliosis Bootcamp is not covered by insurance... and ScolioSmart Clinics require full payment on day 1.  No payment plans offered.  

Olivia's face beamed, as she told me that the benefit raised $8,000.  

God is so very good.