My Life with Scoliosis

After the operation, I was put into HDU (High Dependency Unit). When I woke up I couldn't move. I was covered in wires; I even had a tube going up my nose. All of which felt horrible. Lots of machines were all around my bed. I can remember breathing funnily.

I kept going to sleep and then waking up again. Every time I woke up I could see my mom, but I couldn't call her. I wanted to tell her how much I loved her, I longed for her to hold me. The next day when I woke up my mom gave me a teddy of a dog. My dad had brought it for me but I was asleep when he came. I was always in a lot of pain and so cried a lot. No matter how much I cried the nurses were always kind and patient. The one time, a nurse came and showed me a button connected to a TENS machine. When I pressed it, it would help ease the pain a little. The doctors came round every few hours and would ask me to take deep breaths, cough, and wiggle my fingers and toes. I was often to tired and it would hurt a lot. My Nan and Auntie Kerry came to see me everyday. This gave my mom chance to get something to eat and drink, as she wouldn't leave me on my own. My Dad came at night, but I would usually fall asleep whilst he was talking to me.

The one night I was awake in a lot more pain than normal. The doctors stayed with me as my breathing had gotten worse. I had to take a lot of different medicines and the doctor put the oxygen mask back on my face. The next day the doctors found out what was wrong with me. I had developed pneumonia and, my left lung had collapsed. I was really ill and my mom was crying a lot. It was at this point that I found the determination to fight back. If not foe me then for my mom. We had come this far, and I was not going to lose now.

A few days later, I had really improved. I was starting to feel a bit better so the doctors agreed that I could have some of the tubes taken out. My mom was still having to wash me - as I wouldn't let the nurses. I was to shy. My mom works with disabled people anyway, so she knew what to do. I had to be rolled over in a special way due to all the tubes and not being able to bend my back. When I had to have some of the tubes taken out I was really scared. My mom as usual stayed with me.

The doctor said he wanted to take the big one out of my chest first. It was as big as a 1 pence coin, and long. I recall having to lie on my left side, my mom was kneeling in front of me holding my hand. She kept telling me over and over again how brave I was being. I just wanted it to be over as I was in so much pain. I was crying although crying hurt to. I tried not to but I couldn't help it. After that they changed my dressing, it was stuck to my skin. The doctors and nurses kept telling me to take deep breaths. I was told to think of the end result. When they had finished, the nurse out 3 butterfly stitches where the tube had been.

I was in HDU for 7 days. I was really glad when they said I could go up to the normal ward. This must have meant I was getting better. I thought I would finally be like other girls. The only downfall was that they made me promise that I would eat and drink properly.

My physiotherapist was called Helen. She came to see me every day to do go through my breathing techniques, check my back, and cough. The day I went back to ward 11, Helen came to see me, she commented on how much better I looked. She told to my mom to go home and rest and that she would stay with me, but she wouldn't go. Helen said she was going to see if I could stand. I got a little nervous, but I was also excited. It was difficult sitting up, but I got there in the end. When I finally stood up I was a bit sore. My legs felt like jelly and it took a while to get my balance. I walked about 4 steps but then went extremely dizzy so had to lie back down. Helen thought it was quite normal as I was weak and hadn't eaten for days. That night I did try to have something to eat but I was sick straight afterwards. The doctor gave me some medicine and an injection to help.