My Journey through Curves
My name is Monisha 20 years old from India. I was diagnosed with Scoliosis. I have idiopathic scoliosis it is a deformity of the spine and nobody knows what caused it to curve. I was having a lot of hip and back pain. My curves had progressed to such a point that doctors recommend surgery. When my doctor said I needed surgery the thought of surgery frightened my parents. But I wasn’t scared, I actually felt relieved that the pain and breathing difficulty I was having would come to an end with the surgery So, opted to have surgery so that I could put all the worries of the future progression to rest and hopefully alleviate the pain I was experiencing and put an end to people constantly telling me to sit straight and walk straight.
Had my surgery been done successfully? As I had my surgery during Covid-19, it was difficult traveling to the hospital as it’s located in another state so we need to get an E-pass from the government to travel. There were also restrictions in the hospital no visitors were allowed and only one of my parents can stay with me. After the surgery, I had a long road to recovery. On day 1 post-surgery I walked and sat for a few minutes. Initially getting out of bed and walking was difficult but I pushed myself to do it. By day 4 I got discharged, after coming home I was having difficulty managing the pain and hardly found the energy to be active. And when I talked to my doctor about it he said it takes time to recover and all the weakness you feel is normal because you went through a big surgery and told me to take it slow. I was recommended for swimming after my surgery but due to Covid, I couldn’t do it because all pools were shut down due to restrictions. I did try riding a bicycle initially I felt difficulty in balancing after that it was normal. Now I am almost able to do all my work without help. Physically I am able to do anything I want with no limitations. I am currently pursuing Chartered Accountant and B.com and spreading awareness about scoliosis.
I am grateful that I had spinal fusion surgery, as it changed my life for the better. It’s really important to stay optimistic no matter what happens, stay strong.
The scar makes us unique by reminding us of our brave journey. I hope that by sharing my story I can bring other patients peace and hope.
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