Hello All!

I apologize we have not sent out a recent update on Allison. She is doing fantastic! Allison has been posting her own updates on her "My Journey" column located on her website: kickincurves.org  Check it out! 

 I don't know if you knew that Allison has her own website and that she has a Global Scoliosis Foundation Chapter for the Tampa Bay area through her website Kick'n Curves - where she reaches out to kids with scoliosis locally and all over the world. John and I helped Allison create her Kick'n Curves website once we realized she needed spinal fusion surgery and we felt so alone and unknowing with the whole process. Kick'n Curves was created to help families and their children living with the same physical condition of scoliosis. It is informative and supportive. So far she has had a few calls, emails and views from all over the world! I am sure her website will be a great success as the word gets out. I hope you are able to check it out!  If not, I copied her latest update from this past Monday below. =)

Wow!! It has almost been a month since my surgery! Last week was my follow up appointment with Dr. Hahn (my orthopedic surgeon). He took new x-rays and was very happy to see how well I am recovering. He was pleased with the new x-rays and said the surgery could not have gone better. My scoliosis went from 66 degrees to 11 degrees!! And my lumbar curve is straightening out on its own. It was a compensatory curve that went from 43 degrees to now 28 degrees! This was great news for me! The doctor said I still cannot bend, lift or twist... but in three weeks I will be able to do most everything again like swimming, bike riding and even ice skating too!

Tomorrow is my fist day back to school! Yeaaaa!  This is also a new school for me so I am nervous and excited to start back and make new friends. I hope sitting for long hours at a desk won't bother me, but my parents talked to the teachers and they said they will work with me. The doctor also wrote a school note so the school can see what I can and cannot do at school. I still cannot lift over 5 pounds so I am getting a rolling backpack. I cannot go to gym so I will be a standby helper. The doctors note says I can leave 10 minutes early from classes if I want so I can get to my next classes easily. So I think I will be fine.

I am feeling good and off all my medicine except for extra strength Tylenol. I only take it at night to get a good nights sleep, and I probably will take before school just to make sure the day is not too long for my back.  Everything is getting back to normal ... and I like that! I can even walk for long distances without getting too tired!

Life is good!  LOL  =)