In 1994 at the age of 35 I had surgery to correct my progressive scoliosis, which was then at a degree of 98. The surgery consisted of 2 eight hour operations, 5 days apart, i.e. 16 hours of surgery! The first op was to do preparation which consisted of fusions and the second was to insert instrumentation, consisting of rods and screws. Bone was removed from my hip to fill the spaces between my vertebrae once my spine had been straightened. Unfortunately, it was only straightened to 65 degrees for fear of over correcting but at least the curve has now been stabilized and will not deteriorate any further. After 17 of having a trouble free back, I work out regularly at the gym lifting weights and am as fit as a fiddle, thanks to the successful surgery.

I was 14 when I was diagnosed with scoliosis. My grade 8 teacher called my parents and suggested I get a check up. At the doctors we found out that I had a 44 degree curve in my upper back. We met with a specialist and he said he wanted to keep an eye on it. By the time I reached high school my curve had progressed to over 50 degrees. The surgeon decided he wanted to fix it surgically since it had progressed so quickly in such a small time frame. I had been on a waiting list until my third year of high school. I finally had the surgery a month before my 17th birthday. I was extremely nervous, but I honestly think it was the best decision I made. I feel so much better and I am so much more confident because I look better. It's been 8 months and I do not regret the choice I made to have the scoliosis correction surgery.

I am 19 years old and I have congenital scoliosis. When I was two, I had my first surgery, where I think, my doctor removed a bone from my neck. He told my parents to wait to do my second surgery at the age of 14. After that, I wore a neck brace as well as a torso brace for a year, then just a torso brace until I was 9. My parents went to a scoliosis convention and met with Dr. Newton in San Diego - he said that if he could perform the surgery he would. After a few weeks, I was scheduled to have my second surgery. What they did was remove small portions of intervertebral discs and fused them along with a small metal rod and screws to my spine. I remained in the hospital for two weeks and took some more time to recover. I could not physically exert myself and did not take regular P.E. until 9th grade. Before December 2011, I was under the impression that I was doing fine, and I am. But, after a visit with the doctor recently, I was informed that the top portion of my spine is at a 48 degree curve. This is because the area that was treated was at the top of my spine at the age of 9, but ten years later, I have grown some and the part above that treated has grown crooked. I am at a stage where I could go with the surgery or wait 5 years to see how much it has progressed. I am debating whether to do the surgery now or later, seeing as how many of my school plans will be distorted were I to do it this summer, but it seems that this summer is the optimal time to do it.

Hi, my name is Kathryn Sims I am a candidate for Marfan's Syndrome/scoliosis. Which I am in my second stage of scoliosis. Recently, I just found out that I carried disease when I was at the age of 13. I didn't have any symptoms until I got in my 20's. Now, at age 48 I have all the signs and symptoms. I have been fighting for my disability since 1997. And still fighting for it up until 2011. I get so angry at times because no one seems to understand what great pain I am in. I have no insurance and can't get any money for lack of work. The pain is unbearable. And it keeps me from working. I have a lawyer right now I am just waiting on a court date. Which now, I have been denied 5 times threw Administrative Law. I have been through several doctors who has seen how my back has form into curvature of the spine meaning scoliosis which is moderate right now. Any suggestions will greatly be helpful. I am a voice advocate which I want the world to know about this disease. Too many people don't know about this disease. Although, there is no cure. You can still be tested at the Mayo Clinic. Thanks for listening. I don't know what us to do at this point. I need help is there anybody out there. Please respond.

I'm 17 years old and last year around my birthday I started having acute pain all over my body. I went to my family doctor he just told me that I had bone inflammations at my rib cage and gave me medications for a three months long treatment. Three months later the pain was still acute and I ended up with have difficulties to walk and went to see a new doctor. He told me that I had fluid accumulation in my left knee and that I had to have injections done for the following three weeks, which I did. In the end of those weeks I had 15 injections done in all. I went to see a new doctor and he diagnosed me with osteopenia and scoliosis and that they were the cause of everything that I have been suffering from. Now all I can hope of is that my conditions improve enough to help me take my school finals.