How one Small thing can change your life - Aka How I learned to love my Walking Stick - General

So, I was born with one leg ever so slightly shorter than the other, by about one cm, not a problem right? Fast forwards to 12 years later, and I start to have back problems, another 12 years later, and I'm diagnosed with Scoliosis, or Curvature (Sideways) of the spine, by 14 degrees in total, in two seprate directions, my spine looks kinda like this (On the right): [img]http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/jul2009/2/4/koryn-mcfadden-pic-masons-s-spine-992022057.jpg[/img] What does this mean? In short, pain, every single waking second (not an exxageration, I haven't had a day of no pain since I was 12) sometimes excruciating, stopping me from even moving, other times, still very damn painful. It's also culminating in arthritis, often dislocation of either or both of my hip joints. So, how much is my lowest pain, well, to put it this way, I once heavily scalded my arm by accident and the pain from that, compared to my regular "low" back pain, went unnoticed. Is there srugery? Yes. Will the Doctor do it? Hell No, in his words "I don't want to be responsible for putting you in a wheelchair or killing you." He pretty much said that the odds of it working, were less then 50% and the chance of it paralysing me were greater than 50%, oh with a 75% possibility of killing me in the process. For a long time, I've had to deal with people assuming that I'm lazy, which is entirely not the case. Being in pain, all the time you are awake, is so mentally and physically exhausting, so much so, that a 10 minute walk will pretty much stop me from doing much of anything else, if it weren't for my computer and the internet, I honestly would have ended up going insane or committing suicide. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't always assume someone has a disability if you can't see it. Myself, While I am in mind numbing and sapping pain all the time, I've become used to managing it, for the most part, it's only when it gets really really bad that I actually start limping or appear anything but normal. Although now I have begun to walk with a walking stick out of pretty much requiring to if i want to be coherent the rest of the day. There's so many conditions and disabilities out there that are entirely invisible, unless you talk to the person and get to know them. OH and best part about my condition? It will kill me in time. So think of how lucky you are, the next time you see someone who is visibly disabled, and think about how many people out there that suffer invisibly, with very few, if anyone the wiser.

A one cm difference in leg length? Wouldn't a shoe with a 1cm thicker shoe sole help? Or it it too late to do anything about that now? And what's your opinion on the surgery? If you found a doctor willing to do it, would you go for it even with the risks?

Is the surgery something you want? If so, I'd be looking for as many alternate opinions as I can until I found a doctor willing to do it.

Too late, damage done, Though I do now have an insert sole, but thats at best only going to stop any more damage, not help fix it. [QUOTE=Zeke129;30493207]Is the surgery something you want? If so, I'd be looking for as many alternate opinions as I can until I found a doctor willing to do it.[/QUOTE] The surgery is the ONLY thing with a chance of fixing it, but it is so dangerous, nobody is willing (and considering that, I'm very wary of a doctor who will say he'll do it, simply due to the fact of how many doctors have flatly refused)

Wow, Im sorry man. [editline]16th June 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493211]Too late, damage done, Though I do now have an insert sole, but thats at best only going to stop any more damage, not help fix it. The surgery is the ONLY thing with a chance of fixing it, but it is so dangerous, nobody is willing (and considering that, I'm very wary of a doctor who will say he'll do it, simply due to the fact of how many doctors have flatly refused)[/QUOTE] So if a doctor came out and said he would do it, would you take the chance?

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493211] The surgery is the ONLY thing with a chance of fixing it, but it is so dangerous, nobody is willing (and considering that, I'm very wary of a doctor who will say he'll do it, simply due to the fact of how many doctors have flatly refused)[/QUOTE] Are there any countries where the procedure is more routine and where there might be more doctors with more experience in it? I'm not thinking that I'll give you any new ideas here since you've probably researched this already but just wondering.

This is what happens when Tzeentch loves you too much. I hope they invent a perfect surgery performing robot for you soon bro, without you how will I know what Lion El Johnson's favorite food was?

This site is made for you [url]http://www.coldsteel.com/swordcanes.html[/url]

A girl I know has this condition and damn, I had no idea it was this bad.

My mom has a very similar issue to you, though it's not scoliosis. I dont know what it is exactly now that I think about it, but she's in alot of pain too all the time and her back is magnificently fucked beyond recognition. She can't walk for very long or stand up for long without hurting bad, and the slightest bump can hurt her pretty decently (She has some issue with her bones as well) I can at least somewhat empathize since I have to see something similar to this first hand

There's an easy solution to this. Go study medicine, become a brilliant doctor and refuse to shave for a couple of days. Then you'll get your own TV-show and you can afford the best doctors out there to perform the surgery.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;30493242]Are there any countries where the procedure is more routine and where there might be more doctors with more experience in it? I'm not thinking that I'll give you any new ideas here since you've probably researched this already but just wondering.[/QUOTE] If there is, there's now ay I can afford to gte there and pay to get it done. [QUOTE=reecematee;30493222]Wow, Im sorry man. [editline]16th June 2011[/editline] So if a doctor came out and said he would do it, would you take the chance?[/QUOTE] Yes, even if it was a 90% chance of killing me I'd take the shot [QUOTE=Zezibesh;30493244]This site is made for you [url]http://www.coldsteel.com/swordcanes.html[/url][/QUOTE] Fun and good but, nor really practical. [QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;30493243]This is what happens when Tzeentch loves you too much. I hope they invent a perfect surgery performing robot for you soon bro, without you how will I know what Lion El Johnson's favorite food was?[/QUOTE] Fried Chicken. [QUOTE=Haxxer;30493256]A girl I know has this condition and damn, I had no idea it was this bad.[/QUOTE] Just how much it is bent can vary, mine is approx 7 degrees in one direction, and 7 degrees in another.

i like to think this condition made your avatar smaller

As for my attitude about the whole thing, I'm rather upbeat, making fun of myself and my condition, and I'm entirely unafraid of death. It may take my life, but it will never take, my humoooooour!

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493279]If there is, there's now ay I can afford to gte there and pay to get it done. [/QUOTE] Doesn't the NHS pay to send you out to get a procedure done that can't be done in Britain We have something like that here, if a doctor recommends someone go to some large diagnostic centre in the US or something like that they'll pay for it

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493279] Yes, even if it was a 90% chance of killing me I'd take the shot [/QUOTE] I hope the opportunity arises and everything goes well. No one deserves anything like this.

Not as far as I am aware. Anyway, all the doctors I have seen, have been spinal specialist surgeons and neurosurgeons, all with decades of experience each, and they flat out won't touch it.

I have the same sort of thing with one leg being roughly one cm longer than the other, I got soles before any damage was made though.

[QUOTE=reecematee;30493330]I hope the opportunity arises and everything goes well. No one deserves anything like this.[/QUOTE] What pisses me off most is that I've been destined to suffer from this, since birth, I'd be a lot more happier if it was a result of something that I at least was responsible for. Kinda infuriating to know you've been proverbially screwed since birth.

[img]http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/166844_1636637513939_1176771814_31461634_2081137_n.jpg[/img] Some girl I know has this problem, she's on the waiting list for the operation.

All these people who complain that they have a shit life, when what they have is nothing compared to you.

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493351]What pisses me off most is that I've been destined to suffer from this, since birth, I'd be a lot more happier if it was a result of something that I at least was responsible for. Kinda infuriating to know you've been proverbially screwed since birth.[/QUOTE] It seems so strange that a 1cm difference can cause this much trouble, shows how fragile the human body is.

I'm glad that your friend has a chance to get it fixed, I really am. Nobody should have to go through what I'm going through. Oh, and Just FYI if you were wondering, I'm 25, so yeah, 25 and walking with a stick at this age, is rather messed up.

[QUOTE=reecematee;30493365]It seems so strange that a 1cm difference can cause this much trouble, shows how fragile the human body is.[/QUOTE] More like how gravity can be an asshole sometimes

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493351]What pisses me off most is that I've been destined to suffer from this, since birth, I'd be a lot more happier if it was a result of something that I at least was responsible for. Kinda infuriating to know you've been proverbially screwed since birth.[/QUOTE] Yeah, any kind of life-changing medical problem that [i]just happens[/i] has a way of royally pissing a person off. You've shown amazing restraint, I'd be fucking taking swings at the doctors and whatnot until something got done.

[QUOTE=s0beit;30493388]More like how gravity can be an asshole sometimes[/QUOTE] or that.

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;30493372]I'm glad that your friend has a chance to get it fixed, I really am. Nobody should have to go through what I'm going through. Oh, and Just FYI if you were wondering, I'm 25, so yeah, 25 and walking with a stick at this age, is rather messed up.[/QUOTE] I'm torn between my desire to be an empathetic human being with tact and dignity and my desire to make God Emperor and cybork jokes. For any other man I'd ask him how tough it is running the astronominican on the side, but for you I have only hearts. :love:

[QUOTE=reecematee;30493365]It seems so strange that a 1cm difference can cause this much trouble, shows how fragile the human body is.[/QUOTE] 1cm and 25 years of use. Makes all the difference in the world. [QUOTE=SpartanApples;30493360]All these people who complain that they have a shit life, when what they have is nothing compared to you.[/QUOTE] Funny thing is, I don't think I have a shit life, a pain and agony filled one, sure, but I think I appreciate life more. I certainly appreciated the other day when I went to Mcdonalds and ended up sitting between two rather hot twins, because Mcdonalds was packed, my entire week was brightened by the simple fact that they said "Oh, hey, we'll budge up, and you can sit down." But, despite that, I'm still a gentleman, letting other people go first, hold doors open, give someone a helping hand if they need it.

I have both symptoms, but I haven't had any kind of pain. I have scoliosis, one foot 1cm longer than the other and even a case of pectus caricatum. Maybe your scoliosis is worse to cause the symptoms.

[QUOTE=Namelezz!;30493418]I have both symptoms, but I haven't had any kind of pain. I have scoliosis, one foot 1cm longer than the other and even a case of pectus caricatum. Maybe your scoliosis is worse to cause the symptoms.[/QUOTE] Get it sorted as best as you can, you really don't want to end up in my position. [QUOTE=Zeke129;30493400]Yeah, any kind of life-changing medical problem that [i]just happens[/i] has a way of royally pissing a person off. You've shown amazing restraint, I'd be fucking taking swings at the doctors and whatnot until something got done.[/QUOTE] Hah, speaking of taking a swing, when it first started when I was 12, my original doctor was conviced I was making it up because of (nonexistant) bullying problems at school. [QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;30493414]I'm torn between my desire to be an empathetic human being with tact and dignity and my desire to make God Emperor and cybork jokes. For any other man I'd ask him how tough it is running the astronominican on the side, but for you I have only hearts. :love:[/QUOTE] Do it! I make fun of myself, I dont' see why you can't, especially when they'll likely cheer me up due to being Warhammer related, infact, I think Imma gonna get some gold spray paint so i can have my own Golden Throne. [editline]16th June 2011[/editline] And also, I was inspired to write all this down after my post in the person going blind thread, if that person reads this thread and then decides that she's going to take action to save her eyesight, then frankly, my suffering will have been worth it.