Celebrating Scoliosis Awareness Month

Mrs Greenacre

I was diagnosed with mild Scoliosis during a routine School Screening when I was in Year 7. These screenings occurred each year and were responsible for diagnosing hundreds of young girls with the illness at an early age. This meant early intervention could be done which meant many of those did not need more treatment than monitoring and sometimes bracing.

My Scoliosis was unusual as it was relatively mild through my high school life, only requiring yearly monitoring. But when I reached my early 20's, my right shoulder blade began to protrude, my hips were uneven and my spine was obviously curved. The rapid change was a result of my spine rotating upon itself. At 66 degrees out of placement, surgery was my only option. I underwent spinal fusion surgery at the age of 25 where 8 of my vertebrae were fused together using big titanium rods and screws.

My correction as a result was over 40 degrees.

After intensive rehab and a determination to get on with my life, I was back teaching within 3 months of my surgery.

Scoliosis has made me a stronger person, both physically and mentally. My approach to life since surgery has been one of optimism, where I embrace the challenges I face, knowing I've made it out the other side in the past. Scoliosis Awareness Month is the opportunity to inform and embrace those of us who, may be bent but are never broken.

We have a Scoliosis Support Group here at school and I encourage those who live with this illness to attend. I had no idea that Ms Earl was a fused Scoliosis Warrior like myself and it has been wonderful to connect with someone who knows exactly what life is like, living with this condition. 

Ms Earl

I found out I had scoliosis in 2009 when I had severe pain while making my bed. The doctor told me all about scoliosis because I honestly had no idea what it was. Over the next 4 years I had doctor check ups every 6 months to watch my spine due to going through puberty it was continuously changing. The bend in my spine was too severe for a back brace but not severe enough for surgery.

Wasn’t till 2012 where the doctor told me I would have to have surgery due to the fact I had stopped growing but my spine was still slowly bending each year, my top curve was around 40 degrees and my bottom curve was close to 60. He said that if I did not have surgery then I would have arthritis in 5 years and the bend in my spine would become very severe and I would be in a lot of pain 24/7. I was petrified. I had not even broken a bone before this day let alone gone through surgery for anything.

I was booked in to have surgery a year later. I was in hospital for 2 weeks as I had 2 surgeries - 1 surgery to do the top curve and 1 for the bottom curve. I now have a titanium pole with screws down my back to fuse my spine.

I had to be flown in an air ambulance (helicopter) as I lived 5 hours from Sydney and the drive home would not have been great post surgery. This was an awesome experience. It took me around 6 weeks of recovery at home before I started to feel normal again. I had to eat dinner lying down, I was in bed for most of the time on my back watching a lot of tv shows unless it was time to do a little walk to start this back up again. There was a stage where I started to become very upset and lonely as it was summer time and all my friends were out doing things but I was stuck inside, in pain and not being able to move.

6 weeks later and I felt great. I obviously still had to be careful but I was able to move more and get out and do things. 3 months later I was able to get back into the gym and start exercising with caution. 6 months later I was able to start non-contact sport and around this time I was in Vietnam and I went parasailing.

I had to get used to the fact that I had limited mobility due to the fusion but over the last 6 years I have been able to do some amazing things even with my fused back. I lived overseas and travelled for 2 years. I workout at the gym lifting weights 5-6 times a week, I have been able to play many sports and teach PDHPE. I have not let my scoliosis stop me from doing what I want to do and achieving my goals.