Sarah’s Scoliosis Support

All funds will go towards purchasing a scoliosis activity suit. Donations will also help cover travel and doctor visit expenses. This suit will possibly prevent me from undergoing another spinal operation.

Hello, my name is Sarah.

Around the age of 12, I was diagnosed with scoliosis. Scoliosis is a medical condition in which the spine curves in an abnormal way. My case progressed from mild to severe in a few short years.

This resulted in my life being turned upside down.

I was sent to a physical therapist to begin. Doctor’s offices became a second home to me. The older I became, the more rapidly my spine twisted. When I was about 13, I was ordered a Boston brace. Each night, I strapped myself into this rigid plastic mold. It was near impossible to sleep through any nights at this point.

As the years went on, it became evident my spine was progressively declining. My back was shaped like the letter S at this point. The surgeon informed me that I was at high risk of life-threatening health complications, such as my lungs collapsing. So, when I was 15 years old, I underwent a 9-hour spinal surgery. I now have screws and titanium rods fused into my spine.

When I was 21, my health began to plummet. I was bedridden due to being in constant back pain. I was hospitalized for nearly a month. I was unable to speak, move, or eat during these weeks. My only comfort was laying on my heating pad to relax my muscle spasms.

Since coming home from the hospital, my health has continued to decline. I have chronic back pain that has been limiting my life. I went to a surgeon to discuss having my hardware removed. After what felt like the 100th X-ray in my life, the doctor came back into the room with the opposite response. I was told the unfused discs in my spine were herniated and starting to degenerate. This news was devastating; all I could do was cry, pray, and pick myself up.

I refuse to undergo another major surgery that “may or may not reduce pain.” I have put a lot of time into looking into a solution to scoliosis. A very promising alternative I found is an activity suit.

Wearing the suit for just a few hours a day has been shown to improve function and reduce pain. “Activity Suit harnesses the energy of human’s natural movement to create new muscle memory. This new muscle memory reduces and stabilizes asymmetrical muscle firing, thereby reducing the risk of curve progression and helping the spine unwind naturally, never forced.” I hope by sharing my story, you may be inspired to support me in obtaining this suit.

Thank you for reading a section of my life.

Throughout my sufferings in this body, I have found peace within, only by the grace of God. When I was in the hospital with my lifeline being IV fluids, my mother was bedside comforting me with hymns.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.