Fever

I am officially obsessed with this new song.  It makes me dance =D

your welcomeeeee lol <3

Finals

Sorry that I haven't been posting.  There isn't much going on around here other then my brother and I frantically studying for our finals.  My last final is December 21 and then December 22 is my pre-operation testing!!  Talk about not getting a break in between.  LOL

now back to studying... :(

Decorating

I'm trying to get into the Christmas spirit so I did some decorating.  I could only fit a mini Christmas tree in my apartment, but it's definitely putting me in the holiday spirit !!

Thanksgiving

Happy be-lated thanksgiving day everyone!!  Hope that everyone had a good one and enjoyed there little vacation from work and school =D

I partied pretty hard this long weekend.  You gotta live it up while you still can, and that's my plan for my last month as pre-operation.  My grandmother cooked a delicious Sicilian dinner for the holiday.  We had anitopasto, gabbanadine, lasanga, turkey, potatoes, vegetables, corn bread and so many other things.  We all ate too much !!

But for my two good news of the week:

My mommy is home from the nursing home and is finally getting her life on track.  We almost lost her this time and last year and it feels so good to have her in a stable condition while she's constantly progressing physically.

My cousin asked me to be the god mother to her baby!  It's such an honor and I'm so excited.  I don't take this responsibility lightly, but I can't wait to spoil my god baby :)

For Your Entertainment

Adam Lambert's new music video is finally here !! I've loved him from the beginning and this seals the deal. He has the voice and he's deff got the looks, and now he's got the music videos :) Enjoy !!

Nightmares !!!

Last night I had this horrible dream and I can't get it out of my head.

My dream:  I was in a room with my brother.  He had a bunch of silverware that he was using to predict the future.  At the end of whatever he was doing with the silverware, he threw the knife and I had to slap it.  Once my hand hit the knife, it broke.  He said that meant I was going to die.  I then started following him around screaming "Is it true?  Am I going to die?".  He wouldn't answer me, but, right before I woke up he did say something to me.  I don't remember what it is that he said, but I do know that it was not a yes or no answer.

I automatically thought of my surgery when I woke up.  I was at peace with the surgery, but now I am officially frightened.  Any dream interpreters out there that can give some advice ???

Back Photos

I got a couple of requests to post pictures of my back as before pictures for my surgery.  Here they are.  Like I said, it really isn't that noticeable, but I know it's there.  I'll post one with a striped shirt so you can see how the shirt pulls.

Rib Hump

A rib hump is one of the results of scoliosis.  Since the victim's spine is curved and twisted, it results in pushing the rib cage and making it protrude on one side of the victim's back.  I do have a rib hump.  It is not noticeable, but I know that it's there.  I also have to be more conscious about what clothes I decide to wear.  Stripes and really tight clothes without an under shirt make my rib hump a lot more noticeable.  The largest cosmetic perk of the spinal fusion was the elimination of this rib hump which I have HATED my whole life.  It makes me very self consious and upset that I can't wear a lot of clothes that I would really like to wear.  It's also very uncomfortable to not be able to lean up against a chair b/c ur rib hump hits the flat surface first.

That being said, I spent the last week doing a lot of research on rib humps and whether or not it will go away after the surgery.  It looks very promising that my rib hump will dissapear, despite my surgeon saying that it will only improve around 50%.  It seems as if surgeons only say that b/c it is not guaranteed to dissapear.  If there was no rib hump, there is a good chance that I would not choose to have this surgery now.  It really has been the largest motivator in my descion. 

One thing in particular that I learned is that many times patients decide to have parts of their ribs removed in an attempt to make this rib hump completely go away.  The results to this addition to the surgery is EXTREME pain.  Every person that I spoke to that has had this addition to the surgery has said it hurt a million times worse where the ribs were removed than where the fusion took place.  Another food for thought is the negative effect rib removal has on the lungs.

Just a couple of things to think about... Let me know what you guys think :)

Pre-Operation Testing

I was led to believe that I was going to have to be put through some serious pre-operation testing.  I just got note from the doctor and all he will need is some blood tests, bending x-rays, and an examination from the hospital's physician.  This is a serious relief after hearing about the brutal tests most patients have to endure.  Word is the tests were more harsh than the actual surgery.  Apparently my age has spared me from these tests.  Another great reason for getting this done at an earlier age!  My surgeon's assistant already booked the date for the Pre-Operation testing for me.  December 22 is the date.  The time is going by so fast...

I can only hope and pray that everything goes according to plan.  As the time gets closer, I get more nervous.  I'm getting second thoughts and that's not good!  I have to be strong and be confident in my body and my surgeon.  Now, how to stop the nightmares...

Happy Halloween Everyone !!

Tonight I am going to my friend's Halloween party.  It should be a lot of fun.  I'm going as Pocohauntas.  My brother is going as Herbert from Family Guy and I'm not sure what my other friends are going as yet.  I'll make sure to post some pictures.  I feel like a little kid b/c I love playing dress up...  =D

Vegan Vs. Surgery

My grandmother and I got into a little tiff two days ago.  I am a vegan and she feels that this is going to negatively effect the outcomes of my surgery.  Her argument is that I am not getting sufficient amounts of protein and iron which is going to cause complications either during or after my surgery.  While I agree that I do need a healthy amount of protein and iron, I can not bring myself to eat a rotting piece of carcass.  I make up for this by eating a lot of beans, soy products, and green vegetables. Although she recognized that I do eat those things, she said that she would not be convinced until I contacted my surgeon.

I spoke to my surgeon directly and he stated that a vegetarian diet is a GREAT diet if done correctly.  He told me to make sure that I am consuming enough iron b/c vegetarians are commonly deficient in it.  I also found out that the surgical assistant who would be performing my surgery is a vegetarian himself.  (Great Omen =D )

Result:  My grandmother and I compromised.  She understands that I can't and won't eat meat, but she insists that I occassionally have dairy products or eggs.  We also agreed on me eating fish once in a while.  Since she has been there for me through all of this and she is the one who is going to take care of me after the surgery, I was glad to put her at peace of mind.

Micro Pigs

My mom called me bright and early today to let me know about the new pet phenomenom.  They are called Micro Pigs or Tea Cup pigs.  I googled them this morning and they are so adorable!!  They run at about 1100 dollars each and make great pets.  They are smarter and more loving then some dogs.  Since I was little I always wanted a pig (silly dream, I know!! lol).  I have been a vegan for a while now, but before I was a vegan as a young child I NEVER ate pork.  I couldn't bring myself to chow down on such cute animals!!

My after surgery goal:  Get well quickly enough to bring home my very own tea cup piglet.  I already picked out a name, Nai.  Nai is Ian spelled backwards (named for the lovely Ian Somerhalder).  Mac (My gecko) can use some company since the passing of my beloved hedgehog, Mada.  I guess you can say I'm an animal lover..

My Mr. Mac N. Cheese =D

Time For Miracles

Time For Miracles

Adam Lambert | MySpace Music Videos

For those of you who don't know, I am OBSESSED with Adam Lambert. I think he is beyond one of the most vocally talented people of my generation. I have never heard anyone be able to hit the different range of octaves that he can while phrasing them without any flaw. The fact that he is just plain sexy helps too :)

This is his new music video. It didn't make me cry, but it did make me feel like I was going to. That statement is legit, no joke! Enjoy and hopefully you'll fall in love with him like I did last year.

My Journey With Scoliosis

Hey guys !! My name is Jaclyn and I am 21 years old. I have severe scoliosis and have found great relief in reading blogs about other people's journeys with this disease. One website in particular is http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/ . It is full of great people that are willing to offer advice and guide you along the way. I have met a couple of people through that website that I continue to keep in contact with. We are each other's support system. They have encouraged me to start my own blog. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or advice. I am here to make friends and to support others.

I was diagnosed at the age of 13. I was not born with scoliosis, but somewhere along the line my spine began to grow crooked. My spine developed an S shaped curve. The top curve is currently at 56 degrees and the bottom curve is currently at 47 degrees. Between the ages of 13-15 I wore a brace for about 12 hours a day. It was supposed to be more, but I was too embarassed to wear it to school or out with my friends. Scoliosis was a huge secret and no one was supposed to know. My best friends only found out this year. I didn't know anyone else with this problem and was embarassed of it. It had a huge effect on my self esteem and my social life. I developed a slight case of anorexia because of these issues. While no one can see it, I know it's there. My ribs portrude more on my right side and if pointed out, my scoliosis is noticeable. I always wear my hair down and long which does a great deal in hiding it.

After being braced for a year and half, my orthopedist told me that I was done growing and wouldn't have to ever worry about my back again. He said that it would most likely be stable and not cause any future pain or medical issues. April 2009 I started to get pain in my lower back. This prompted me to return to my orthopedist almost 6 years later for new xrays. My scoliosis did advance to the curves I said above (56, 47). This left me with one option, spinal fusion surgery.

In protest against this surgery that I thought was the end of the world, I began to go to the chiropractor. She was amazing and I continue to go to her today. While she was not able to correct the curve or prevent it from getting worse, she does greatly help with the pain and has become a friend.

After going to three different spine specialists, I have chosen my surgeon and scheduled my surgery for January 4, 2010. While I am very confident with the surgeon I chose, I am very nervous about the risks of the surgery. I have been using blogs written by other people who have gone through it as a support system. I am excited to be able to look in the mirror and be straight!! (Don't think I'm hunched over or anything. No one knows I have scoliosis. When I show them my xray, they can't believe my spine is curved!! I know it's there, so I daunt on it.) I am also excited to regain some of the height that my twisted spine has taken away from me. I was told I will be about 2 inches taller after surgery. The most important things I'm excited for is that my heart and lungs will be taken out of danger and the pain will go away.

I will keep you all updated about my journey!! I'm sure I'll use this to talk about my regular life as well. Hopefully, my story will make a difference to others.