A short history lesson....

Most people have some kind of history of their scoliosis - how it was discovered and how it progressed - and I am no different in that respect. The way in which I am differrent is that we are fairly sure why I have it. Most people have what is called idiopathic scoliosis - that means they don't know how they got it but me, well, I was born with spina bifida and that put a few things out of whack!

Back in the Dark Ages when I was born, they didn't run down to the operating theatre with new born babies with spina bifida almost before their mothers had time to see them. Oh no - back in my day (the 60's) they waited until they thought baby was strong enough to withstand the op. Can you imagine - there I was with spina bifida myelomeningocele (you'll have to look that up if you are interested) where there is a lump on baby's back which contains all kinds of nerves and spinal cord fluid. Eeek! My poor parents had to be careful not to touch it, not to get it wet and all kinds of other stuff - and this went on for 5 months until I was taken into hospital to be operated on. The operation was a huge success (my spina bifida is very high in my back and that normally means paralysis) but miraculously after the op I could move my legs. It was a great relief to all concerned. A bit odd for me as there was nerve damage and although I could move my legs and learned too walk, for many years I could feel nothing at all in terms of skin sensation. It just feels a bit like when the dentist gives you one of those injections - you can feel the pressure inside but nothing on the surface. Anyway, time ticked on and I got some patches on my legs and feet that I could feel and some that I couldn't - that's just the way it is now.

All this excitement of the girl who could walk but couldn't feel and they loved me in the hospital - I was a regular teaching tool for all those students who came round peering at me in their white coats with their shiny stethoscopes trying to guess what was wrong with me. I went back often for x-rays and poking and prodding and when I was about 11 they noticed that my spine had started to curve. It was the beginning of my scoliosis and I was referred to a new clinic. This meant more students and yet more x-rays (it's a wonder I don't glow green!) and they kept a close eye on it for the next few years.

Here endeth the history lesson of "in the beginning there were the early years". The next exciting instalment will contain the spotty teenage diaries...