Happy Scoliosis Awareness Month!

Well, this is it. . . the very last post in the Animals with Scoliosis Series, which started in the beginning of February.

To close, we have an albino alligator who lives in Brazil. Instead of having wheels, a brace, or physical therapy, this little fellow has acupuncture sessions. It helps to alleviate his pain and keep the vital functions keep working. I have read of humans using acupuncture for their scoliosis, so it’s fascinating to see how that treatment method was carried over to animals like back braces and therapy were.

Albino Alligator

Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I adore my dog. While Spence and I were sitting on the couch together, I started to wonder if there were cases of scoliosis in dogs.

I shouldn’t have been surprised to see this prevalent spinal deformity in canines, too. This link is to a website, Eddie’s Wheels, with many success stories for their products. Nikki is the second patient listed, so you will need to scroll a small bit down the page to read her story.

Dog

I absolutely LOVE dolphins. They are my favorite marine animal and have been since I was little. As a result, I couldn’t help but include a dolphin in this list.

In this video, I was intrigued by the laser used to decrease inflammation and Astro’s pain. In conjunction with therapy, the laser allows him to live a relatively normal dolphin life. This reminds me of my Schroth therapy and the way it has eliminated my back pain and has allowed me to go throughout the day with little to no signs of scoliosis.

Dolphin

I found this article particularly interesting because I haven’t seen any animals with back braces before. Even more interesting is that the brace can be adjusted over time to continue correcting the whale’s curvature – much like a human back brace would do.

For example, when I have an x-ray, my orthotist, Gez Bowman, looks for any critiques he could make to my brace in response to corrections we made, lost, or didn’t achieve. Similarly, the team at SeaWorld can customize this whale’s brace to her progress.

Without any more delay, here’s part 2-

Pilot Whale

I absolutely love animals, and I have made a couple of posts before about animals with scoliosis in the past. Recently, however, I have been really interested in looking up more animal scoliosis cases, and I thought, “Why not make a series on the blog about this?”

There will be five parts to this series, in which, each post will be about a different animal with scoliosis. Here’s part 1 –

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

I love looking at fashion magazines and style blogs, but honestly I don’t often have the time and energy to figure out exactly what is “in” and what is going “out” each year. Luckily, there is always someone else to do it for me and then post an article summarizing their findings. Here’s the article I found real quick this morning on yahoo.

https://www.yahoo.com/style/goodbye-11-trends-2015-160727491/photo-in-ladylike-heels-out-furry-1450892403771.html

One thing that captured my attention is that the fashion industry is moving towards more scoliosis friendly clothes!

#3 on the list is “In: Super Flares, Out: Slim-Cut Trousers.”

Now you tell me, which one can hide a brace easier? With dramatic flares and styles we are already seeing like boyfriend jeans, it becomes so much easier for a young girl with scoliosis to hide her brace while still wearing what’s “in”.

#9 on the list is “In: Volume, Out: Bodycon Looks.”

Now, I’ll ask you again. If you need a nice dress, which will hide a brace better — ruffles and volume or slick bodycon fabric? I think we all know the answer.

The only trend that I thought was a significant step backwards was the reemergence of 90’s slip dresses over 60’s mod (#2 on the list). I have always loved mod anyway, but the shift dresses always cover a brace well. But I suppose you can’t win everything.

Honestly, it just makes me so happy to see styles, especially for pants (probably the most difficult piece to wear with a brace), come around that make it easier for a young girl to wear her brace and not struggle to find cute clothing.

The other day, I was having a lazy morning, as many of us do on the weekends and hadn’t quite gotten around to making my bed yet. This is no problem for Spence, though. He fell asleep and then stretched out where part of his body has slithered inside my brace! I guess after all of these years, he wanted to know what it was like. Talk about bringing family support to a new level! 😉

While I was in Boston, Mr. O’Brien took my mom and me to walk around Boston College, and while there, we visited the chapel. Inside we found a tribute to St. Alphonsus Liguori, the patron saint of arthritis, sciatica, muscle pains, joint pains, and the like. He is the saint because he, himself, was crippled with these pains for the last 30 years of his life . Scoliosis fits right in with that considering that many suffer from pain in the muscles or nerve problems, etc. because of their scoliosis. As a result, I thought I would share the prayer to St. Alphonsus Liguori with you.

Prayers to St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus, you are the special patron of all who suffer from arthritis and the pains of many years. When our fingers twist with pain, keep us focused on the hands of Christ pierced with nails. When our knees throb with endless aches, allow us to see the knees of Jesus smashing to the street under the heavy cross. When our backs stiffen with soreness, let us remember the back of Christ thrown across the rough wood of the cross. When our hips, elbows, knuckles, and other joints hurt so much that tears well up in our eyes, help us to recall the tears, the sweat, and the blood that flowed from our crucified Jesus, who suffered so much more for each of us.

St. Alphonsus, you were afflicted with curvature of the spine and confined to a wheelchair in your final years. Teach us to unite all our pains with the sufferings of Jesus. By your intercession, may our pain be eased — but even more, may we be one with Jesus in his death and resurrection for the redemption of the world. Amen.