The Power to Change a Child's Life Through a Little Observation.

All of us have the power to change a child's world.  The change I'm referring to doesn't involve mountains of time or even a large charitable contribution.  It's a fairly simple step that has the potential to change a life.  It could change one's self image, interactions with others, as well as improve their happiness and quality of life. All you have to do is be observant.  Screening your child for scoliosis is so very important.  Why?  Because early diagnosis leads to better outcomes!

As a scoliosis patient myself I understand how this condition affects a person physically and emotionally.  My life --- the last 27 years of my story could have been positively altered if the treatment options available today were available when I was diagnosed.  For me, watching and waiting eventually led to a 42.5 degree curve, pain, a rib hump that I worked extremely hard everyday to conceal, and much emotional pain.  I worked hard EVERYDAY to hide my deformity!  Not a day went by in which my back was absent from my mind.  For many years I hoped and prayed for a new treatment that could help me. As an adult with scoliosis I was told there was nothing I could do for curvature correction except surgery, but shouldn't get surgery unless absolutely necessary because of the risks involved.  Today there are treatment approaches that utilize specific adjustments, vibration therapy, and exercises to correct and retrain the neurological control of the spine to stabilize and correct curvature.

I'm thankful that I'm in treatment today and have experienced a total life change, but this didn't happen for me until 27 years after my diagnosis (diagnosed at 12 years old).  With early diagnosis treatment outcomes and results are generally better.  It could change a child's life so that they do not have to experience what I did for so many years.  Early detection can help many children avoid the need for surgeries, bracing, emotional scars, pain, and low self-esteem. 

I hope I've painted a picture to show how this SMALL step of scoliosis screening can lead to BIG changes for a child - not only in their childhood, but throughout their lifetime. 

Here's some info provided by ScoliSMART that you may find helpful.

Scoliosis Screening Infographic created by Treating Scoliosis (ScoliSMART)

My Scoliosis Treatment & Updated Results - Includes Q&A

I'm so excited to share my updated treatment results.  My curve has been reduced from 42.5° to 36° so far (a 15% reduction in Cobb Angle).  I wanted to share my experience with you so made a video with pictures of the treatment, explanation of the exercises, and pictures of my results. Also, I'll answer some questions that you might have below.

Q:
How old are you? 

A:
What girl likes to reveal her age☺, but I will just for you.  I began treatment at 39 years old.  I recently turned 40.  So, isn't the fact that I'm getting results exciting!

If you go to an orthopedic doctor will they offer "an adult" a treatment program to decrease curvature?  I'm guessing most people would experience what I did, a response something like this:

"There's nothing that can be done to improve your curvature.  Surgery is the only option which is for severe cases." 

Think about it - A doctor told me nothing could be done to improve my curvature, but I'm experiencing improvement.  That's amazing to me!

Q:
How much time do you spend doing daily home exercises?

A:
I do about an hour in the morning and evening.  The exercises can be done while watching t.v. or scrolling through Facebook, so I'm just combining the exercises with an activity I would be doing anyway.  In addition, it's been beneficial in more ways than just my spine.  It's added tone to my legs and muscle to my arms.

Q:
Where do you go for treatment?

A:
My treatment is located in Belton, Missouri with CLEAR Doctor Nick Weddle.  It's indeed been a place of hope and restoration.  Dr. Nick and his team are amazing. He's passionate about his work and cares about the individual needs of his patients. My life is CHANGED because of his work.

Q:
Are there other locations for treatment?

A: 
There are other doctors providing this treatment and similar treatments.  I pasted some links below to get you started in your search and see if there's a doctor in your area.  Do your homework when selecting a doctor.  I think it's important to find a doctor that is as passionate about their work as you are about achieving results.  Most have free consultations, so don't be afraid to contact them and ask questions.  You could always join a FB scoliosis group to learn about what's working for other scoliosis patients.  A group I enjoy is https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisWarriors/

My doctor: http://www.scoliosiskc.com/
Located: Belton, Missouri

ScoliSMART: http://www.treatingscoliosis.com/
Located: Lititz, PA  -  Green Bay, WI  -  New York, NY  -  Grand Blanc, MI  (Planning Expansion)

CLEAR: http://clear-institute.org/
Located: Many Locations (Check website)

Rhino Scoliosis Center: http://www.rhinosc.com/
Located: Wheat Ridge, CO

Q:
What if there isn't a doctor located near me?

A:
Many of these doctors have intensive treatment programs where you can travel to the office for a several week treatment, then continue treatment with home exercises. Again, take advantage of the free consultation, if available (in most cases it will be).

I hope this information has been helpful.  I wish I'd known about this treatment option earlier, so I'm just trying to spread the word and let others know that there is hope to be found!

Never give up, I'm no one special!  I'm just an adult with scoliosis who wasn't provided with any hope --- then one day found some and began working hard to see results! - it's happening for me, so it could happen for you too! 











     

     

"Duped" - Scammed by an Online Clothing Site that Advertises on FB!

 

 

While scrolling through Facebook you happen to pass an ad for the most beautiful dress you've ever seen; you look below and notice the rock bottom price.  Now that you know it's in your price range you begin picturing yourself in it.  It doesn't take long before you're ready to order.  One rationalizes, DressLily has over 5 million "likes" on FB, they must be legit.  The item reviews on the site seem to check out and the claims of amazing customer service is enough to put ones mind at ease --- is it too good to be true? 

 

It was for me!  I was SCAMMED!  I don't want this to happen to anyone else, so I'm telling my story.  I decided to make the BEST of a bad situation by turning this terrible transaction into a fun project by sharing my experience and hopefully rescuing others from the same fashion fate.  I was duped; therefore, I tried duplicating the pictures from the DressLily website against the items from my order to show the difference in what is being advertised and what is being received.  Before I show you these ridiculous pictures, let me quickly tell you a little about my story.

 

I have scoliosis.  I've been hiding for years behind over sized clothes because of a protruding shoulder.  I would purchase loose fitting clothes to help hide my deformity.  It affected my life in a major way.  I was very insecure about my back.  After 20 years of hiding, last December I found a new treatment option.  I was ecstatic!  I began treatment last December and it has changed my life.  My back looks so much better! 

 

 

So recently, I've been able to donate many of the over sized clothes that I didn't like and slowly begin replacing them with clothes I LOVE.  In order to do this I asked my husband to get me clothes for Christmas.  I went to the DressLily website and picked all my favorites and he ordered them.  My entire Christmas budget was used for this order. I was so excited to receive them, but when they arrived and I opened the package, all I wanted to do was cry. I know I'm blessed and there are a lot bigger problems in the world right now, but this was the first time I've ever been able to confidently order shirts from a website.  Before this day I'd never order shirts online -- I had to try them on first to make sure they hid my protruding shoulder.  So this was a special event for me ---- and then this happened!!  I was so discouraged, but I snapped out of it.  I realized I could turn this into an opportunity to help others avoid the same situation!  So, let's look at the pictures!!!!!

 

The first picture is the item I ordered; the second picture is me with the item I received.  What do you think?!!

 



This shirt actually came with misspellings.  It should say, "A girl knows her limits -
A wise girl knows she has none."  Plus, it's made out of different fabric and cut differently around
the neckline.

 

Notice the uneven cut around the neckline, the lace hanging from the sleeve, the cut of the
 dress/waistline is inconsistent, the bottom of the dress is shaped differently, and it's made of
different fabric.

 

 

This shirt doesn't seem so bad on it's own, but look a little closer.  There are two seams down the front
of my shirt that are not in the pictured shirt.  For an even closer look see the picture below.
 

  



These two seams shouldn't be there.

  

My shirt is made out of different fabric (very thin) and like all of the other items
very poor quality.

This is the worst item of all!  It looks nothing like what I ordered.  I wouldn't even wear this
for a Halloween costume!  Look at the horrid waistline!

This one doesn't seem to look that bad, right!  Obviously the fabric is different, but see the picture
below for an up close look at the poor quality around the sleeves.

The lace isn't sewn to the shirt properly.  It pulls away from the fabric underneath.
 

Wow, this shirt is all sorts of messed up; there's no extra flap sewn on the front of mine.
  It's also made out of different fabric.

The embroidery is wider, the shirt is cut differently, and I'm certain it's
made out of different fabric.  See below for more on this one.

Poor quality - not even sewn all of the way.

Made of different fabric.  Look at the sleeves- they're clearly different.
Also, there's a hole under the sleeve - see below.

 

Well, that's my crazy little story.  I hope telling it helps others avoid a hassle. 

It's What's on the Inside that Counts!

 

 

 

It's what's on the inside that counts!  We all have THOSE days --- days of weakness, pain, insecurity, and doubt.  Those DAYS do not define us!  Those moments are temporary.  Keep the hope because ONE day, ONE moment, ONE encounter can change our lives forever! 

 

*Determination

*Vigor

*Motivation

*Gumption

*Inspiration

*Strength

 

 

It's these qualities that get me through each day.  It's what gets me out of bed at 5 a.m. to do my home therapy exercises.

 



And when I get home after working 10 hours, instead of relaxing, it's what gives me the strength to do my home therapy exercises all over again.

It's what's on the inside that counts - it gives me the strength to fight each day.  Do I know what the future holds? NO........ BUT if I don't fight, I'll never know what great things can be achieved!

Yes, it's what's on the inside that counts!  It's how I've been able to attain the results that I have so far.  Through treatment my pain is gone, my thoracic curve has gone from 42.5 degrees to 38, the appearance of my back has improved, as well as my quality of life! 

For years I had many bad days - but ONE day, One moment, One encounter changed my life and gave me the hope to get where I'm at now and it's giving me the determination to press on.....

Whatever you're going through --- don't give up!  Sometimes we have to just start walking in order to find our destination, our destiny.  If we don't take the first step we'll never go anywhere.

Enjoy this day to the fullest!

 

www.facebook.com/thecrookedlife

 

"Thankful" - My Break-Up with Pain

 I AM THANKFUL - I AM CHANGED – I AM INSPIRED –

I AM A SCOLIOSIS WARRIOR!

 

 

I AM one of many with an alphabetic character embedded into their spine (C or S --- mine is a C), one who rolls out of bed before the crack of dawn each morning to put on her armor (aka - torso trainer) and fight, and one who has felt and dealt with the physical and emotional pain of this condition for years and is standing up to say, “I'm Not Gonna Take It Anymore!” 

 

(Picture: My torso trainer, SLA, and head weights - I do this twice a day, 20 minutes each time)

Make no mistake, I haven’t always had this gumption.  In fact for years I was a hopeless and (at times) emotional wreck.  I had a long standing relationship with Pain that I just couldn't end until this year.  Now it's FINALLY over - kicked to the curb, dead and buried…  This Thanksgiving I have even MORE to be grateful for; my family, friends, a delicious dinner, a roof over my head, and a great job are all at the top of the list, but THIS YEAR I’m also thankful for something else: MY recent break-up --- with Pain!

 

(Picture: I had pain surrounding my entire right shoulder blade and frequent soreness in my shoulders.)

 

I was diagnosed at age 12, but didn't meet Mr. Pain until my early 20’s. Hanging out with him was always a negative experience.  I often tried to break things off, but he wouldn't go away! I have plenty of journal entries dedicated to this horrible, rotten, "no good for me" piece of scum!  He often hurt me, caused me to feel terrible about myself, constantly reminded me of the hump protruding from my back, and dictated what I could and could not do! I HATED him, but I just couldn’t rid myself of him.  I wanted to, but I needed HELP to do it.

    (Picture: One of my journal entries)

After years of allowing Pain to control me, limit me, and hurt me –I found a doctor to help me end the abuse.  It took several months of treatment and therapy (home exercises), but I was able to end this awful relationship and move on.  I don’t ever want Pain back in my life again! 

(Picture: Going in for my scoliosis treatment - Dr. Nick Weddle) 

*Thankful.  Yes, THANKFUL I AM. *

 

 

***Stay tuned - I'm making a new video about my treatment soon.  

Facebook/The Crooked Life

 
If you’re looking to end a relationship with Pain - here are a few tips that might help:

 

(Here is a video of my doctor talking about scoliosis and the treatment program I'm doing that eliminated my pain.)

 

Here is a great resource provided by ScoliSMART on How to Keep Your Back Healthy. 

 

Keep Your Back Healthy Infographic created by Treating Scoliosis (ScoliSMART)

Scoliosis and Back Health Resources

Here are a few great resources about scoliosis and back health - check them out!



Scoliosis by the Numbers Infographic created by Treating Scoliosis (ScoliSMART)

Keep Your Back Healthy Infographic created by Treating Scoliosis (ScoliSMART)

My Scoliosis Bucket List

For YEARS I drowned myself in massively over-sized tops to hide a 42.5 degree curve in my spine; a curve that caused my right shoulder blade to protrude outward and make me feel deformed.  I didn’t divulge the fact that I was crooked; instead I did EVERYTHING in my power to hide it.  It was devastating to me for anyone to notice!  Because of it I allowed myself to miss out on a lot of FUN STUFF – I rarely ever just let my hair down and fully embraced life!  I’ve done a lot of traveling and have had some fantastic experiences, but I was always on guard – always at work to make sure I adequately concealed my back.  This meant giving up certain activities and composing a list of excuses for family and friends when I was invited to an event for which I thought my back would be EXPOSED!  Today I’m thrilled to share - those thoughts, those years, those excuses and limitations are a thing of the past!!! 

One year ago “TODAY” my life CHANGED!  Today is the one year anniversary of my official appointment at Restoration Chiropractic in which I learned about a new scoliosis treatment program for kids and adults - no bracing or surgery!  I scheduled the appointment on my birthday; seemed fitting – it truly has been such a wonderful gift!!  I started treatment in mid-December and  since that time I've never been the same!

So today I’m reflecting on the past year, some AMAZING VICTORIES, and a boat load of goals I’ve been able to check off of my SCOLIOSIS BUCKET LIST! 

And sharing a few more things on my list that I hope to accomplish this year!

 

#1 – The BIG Reveal – March 2015 

This was a BIG ONE!  I was so scared! I remember hesitating to tap on the FaceBook “post” button when sharing with my family & friends that I had scoliosis, but I did it!!  They’ve been so supportive!  It was a real surprise to many of them because I worked extremely hard to hide it.  If it wasn't for Dr. Nick's work with scoliosis patients I would still be hiding today ---- I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT!!

 

#2 – Lose the Pain – March 2015    

Standing in one place, shopping, jogging, cleaning, and sitting are all ways in which I experienced pain.  The majority of the pain surrounded my entire right shoulder blade; the one in which my spine curves toward.  Sometimes it was mild and other times severe, but one thing is for sure --- it affected my life in a huge way.  I recently went back and read some entries from my journal throughout the years and realized  just how long it has been affecting me.  Through treatment I am NO LONGER experiencing pain!!!  Huge VICTORY!
 

#3 – Spread the Word – May 12, 2015

When someone has hope restored into their life – "WATCH OUT" ­– because the natural thing to do is shout it from the mountain tops!  To share this hope I created a page to document my journey. 

 

 #4 – Wear an Open Back Dress - June 20, 2015

As a result of treatment my confidence bloomed and I became BRAVE enough to wear an open back dress in public for the first time; something I would have been absolutely mortified to do prior to this day.  I was so nervous, excited, and a little scared --- but I did it!  It was a freeing experience and has paved the way for a new perspective.

#5 – Burn my Sports Bras – July 4, 2015

July 4^th, 2015 was a day to celebrate freedom in more ways than one!  For over 20 years I’d been wearing sports bras in an attempt to conceal my protruding shoulder blade and if I didn’t wear one my shoulder would be in horrible pain.  Through treatment the pain is gone, my back is looking better, and I stopped hiding ------ so it was time to BURN the Sports BRAS to celebrate my new found freedom.  As we lit up our fireworks - we lit them up too! My family had fun with that one – LOL!
 

#6 – Stop Hiding – July 2015

I faced my fear by exposing my back to make a statement -----  This video explains how I was able to come out of hiding, have confidence with my curve, and do the thing that's always TERRIFIED me the most - exposing my back to the world! I found a body artist and photographers to help me make a statement -- I WILL HIDE NO MORE!
 

 
#7- Wear a Swim Suit – August 15, 2015

I hadn’t worn a swim suit in over 20 years.  In fact I normally avoided swimming/beach altogether.  When I did go I’d wear a loose sports top over a sports bra – feeling very self-conscience the entire time.  Several years ago I went on a trip to Hawaii; I spent months trying to find a swim suit that I’d feel comfortable wearing --- OH THE FRUSTRATION!  I finally found one that I thought I’d be brave enough to wear, but when we got to Hawaii I CHICKENED OUT!  2 years later that swim suit still had the price tags attached until August of 2015 --- we grabbed my nephew and headed to the local beach!  I wore that swim suit and experienced another awesome victory!!

 

 #8 – Improvement (Last X-rays August 30, 2015)

So far my curve has been reduced from 42.5 degrees to 38 degrees. I've also had a reduction in my rib hump; I’m able to wear clothes that I never would have worn before -- like the white and black dress below which was a gift that hung in my closet until I finally acquired the confidence to wear it!

 

#9 – Get Rid of Oversized “Safe” Clothes – September 2015

It was difficult to find clothes that would conceal my back (with so many form fitting styles on the market).  Anytime I found a top that covered up my condition I bought it – usually whether I liked it or not!! In fact I had many of the same shirts in different colors -depressing!!!  Clothes are an everyday thing (unless you live in a nudist colony) so I struggled daily!!  Sometimes tops would fit right at first, but later would shrink.  It was an emotional rollercoaster.  I was excited on days when I found something that looked good and fit the way I wanted it, but other days it seemed like I couldn’t find anything to fit right and would have an emotional breakdown.  I feel so blessed that those days are gone.  Shopping has been so much easier now.  I’m in a new realm of freedom, happiness, and self-confidence.  I knew it was time to go through my closet and get rid of the OVER-SIZED clothes – (my safe clothes) and start replacing them with clothes I love.  I boxed them up and that is that!!!  GOODBYE – I will not miss them!!!!

Some remaining items on my bucket list: 

*Ballroom Dancing: I've always wanted to take lessons, but wouldn't because of the form fitting dresses and  
being afraid that some of the dance moves would expose my back. 

*Back Massage: NEVER wanted anyone to see my back, so would never get one!

*Go on a Beach Vacation - Not Think About My Back Once!: Oh to experience freedom in one 

of my favorite places - A BEACH!

*Continue Improvement: I'm going to keep striving to achieve the best results possible - I'm not giving up!  

*Secret Goal: If I’m able to achieve it – I’ll reveal it!