Say Hello to Skoliosis :)

PART 1

Hi I want to tell you How I met Scoliosis for the first time, the efforts, my journey with scoliosis. And how finally I decided to take surgery.

I never Expect it

In 2005, when I’m 14 years old on elementary school every time I come back to home, I’ll ask my mom to massage my back because of sore, then when I look in the mirror before bath, I found my left and right hips are not balance, there is more curve on right hip. Several months later, the sore doesn’t go away, my dad brought me to some doctor in my hometown and he said this is the indication of scoliosis you should go to Jakarta and make consultation with spine specialist.

Hello Brace :)

At that time, I don’t know whether my dad’s work on hometown got problem or because of my scolio, so our family have to move to this city. Lately I just know, we are moving because of my scolio have to be handled continuously and we have to find pool near my house. So we made appointment with Prof. Dr. H. R. Subroto Sapardan, SpB, SpOT (alm) at Pondok Indah Hospital. After examine me and my X-ray result, Prof said my curve is 60 degrees, the way out is surgery and my dad ask him how many percentage of this surgery will success? He said its 60 : 40 sounds so terrible, we decided to take another way which is brace.

Brace

Brace cost Rp 6.000.000, my body is being mold to liquid gypsum and it’s a little bit hot because of hardening process, the gypsum has to be pressed on my curve to straighten my back. I wear that brace for 7 x 23 hours (took off only when swimming / bath). Can you imagine a teenage girl who just shocked she has to moved from her beloved hometown and separated from her bestfriends, to this strange city and strange school, which I have to make an adaptation with the language and culture, and being mocked by new friends here. All of this while I’m using that brace which is very hot in the afternoon. Sometimes strange for them whom touched my body by accident, They thought I’m a robot haha..

I’m obliged to swim everyday (I push my self to swim, maybe if not because of scolio I can’t swim till now. This is how I see the positive side) I slept on hardwood boards everynight with brace on me. My hip is blisters and dry because of the heat.

Scoliosis

The Alternative Treatments

2 times I go to Singapore , and they have same conclusion as in Jakarta, my mom sometimes can’t hide her sadness in front of Doctor. So we keep trying to get other way which are:

1.      Make more than 5 braces (change every year)

2.      Herbal medicine

3.      Looking for fisiotherapist

4.      Bought therapy bed

5.      Hang on monkey bar 5 times a day or more

3 times a day, @30-45 minutes

So we can take conclusion that alternatif treatment could spend a lot of money.

Bye Brace , Im Free Now !

Thats my way up to 2010 I ready for college life, and its time for freedom because my doctor said there is no need to wear brace anymore at 21 years old doesn’t bend anymore. But I couldn’t stop swimming, its good for health and keep my spine on position. I even infiltrate to one of apartment near my dorm to keep swimming 3-4 times a week ><

I didn’t do check up routine, I thought that my curve will stay where they are and I already pass the period of vulnerability and I’m okay I could survive till that moment. But I never expected the sore will came up and it become worse day after day basically when I’m working, because of my work based online which is I begin to build my own brand : Pulcher Bags that time I need to in front of my computer all day long which worsen the sore, I thought it will gone after massage or go to swim but it didn’t. I kept praying there will be some miracle and I will be heal one day.

Never stop swimming since 2005 till now :D

The Decisions

In the middle of pain, I never gave up to persuade my dad and mom to find the way out, I watch post-op patient video blogging from youtube there is a lot of them you can find them also. And they live happily as a heatlhy person after the surgery I found out that tech now growing rapidly and the fail risk is not up to 1% it so different from 2005

My family recommend me to go to Malaysia, lot of good doctors and good service with affordable reasonable price compared to Singapore (price almost same to Jakarta but with totally different services)

They tell me to find Doctor X at Mahkota Hospital, Mallacca (because of of family member has been treated there, but I read that he is not spine specialist so I googling Spine specialist at Mahkota and I found Dr Lee Chee Kean. After preparing all stuffs (tickets, hotel, RM,  KL – Malacca transport route), I went to Malaysia on July 5 , 2017.

See you on part 2: Preparation before Scoliosis Surgery