Scoliosis Awareness Month: 10 Years Post op!

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but next month, I’m 10 years post scoliosis surgery! Where on earth did that time go?

As it’s Scoliosis Awareness month, I have made a YouTube video where I talk about how I’m feeling now at 10 years post op, as well as reflecting on some of the things I have managed to achieve post surgery.

I honestly cannot believe how far I’ve come and all the things I’ve managed to achieve.

To celebrate being 10 years post surgery, I was meant to be running the Manchester Marathon this year, as well as taking on a trek to Machu Picchu to raise awareness for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. Sadly, due to the current pandemic, both of these events have now been postponed to next year.

However, I’m trying to look at it positively, in the sense that I now have more time to fundraise, raise awareness of scoliosis and train for both events.

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So how am I feeling at 10 years post op?

Overall, current pandemic aside, I’m feeling pretty good. In making my Youtube video, I’ve realised how far I’ve come and all the things I’ve managed to achieve. I’m also at a point now where I’m happy with myself and have accepted my back, how it looks and feels. This is just how I am. It’s taken a very long time, I can tell you!

I have two titanium rods and 23 ish screws in my back and my spine is fused from T3-L3, which is most of my spine. My back feels fairly good overall and my scar has faded a lot 10 years on. The only issue I have at the moment is nerve related numbness in my leg which I’m not sure is related to my scoliosis or not.

Yes, I get pain sometimes and I can’t bend my spine due to most of my spine being fused. Sometimes it can feel uncomfortable and and my back will never look perfect but I am ok with that – I’m proud of my back and scar.

I’ve never let my scoliosis stop me and I’ve achieved so many things since my surgery I never thought would be possible including:

• 6 half marathons including one up a mountain earlier this year
• Over 60 parkruns
• 3 peak challenge
• Tough Mudder
• Climbing mountains
• Countless 10K races
• 20 mile run as part of marathon training
• A trek on the Great Wall of China

I had a packed first few months of this year where I travelled to Berlin for a parkrun, ran a half marathon in Wales up a mountain, and did some parkrun tourism in the Isle of Mann.

I had many goals planned for this year including completing my first marathon. 100 parkruns and raising over £3K for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund by completing the trek to Machu Picchu.

Unfortunately, everything has been on pause for the last few months and whilst I’ve still been running sporadically during lockdown, my adventures have had to stop in the midst of the pandemic. Although lockdown didn’t stop me raising money with my 2.6 Challenge.

Next year, I plan to be back with a vengeance and smash my 10 year scoliosis surgery anniversary goals and fundraising target.

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Please help me to raise awareness…

Raising awareness of scoliosis via this blog is very important to me. If scoliosis is spotted early enough in children, then the major surgery I went through can potentially be avoided. I dedicate a lot of my life now trying to fundraise and raise awareness, as so many people haven’t heard of the condition, yet it affects so many.

If you get chance, please follow me on Instagram where I post about my adventures and fundraising and feel free to share and/or donate to my fundraising page where I’m raising money for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund.

Thanks for reading and I would love to hear your experiences in the comments below!

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Stay safe,

Louise X

Photo by David Ballew on Unsplash

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