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.