This post doesn’t have anything to do about Fashion, Food, or Felines, but I thought I would share my personal accomplishment. This year has been a struggle but I survived and nothing can stop me now.

This day last year was probably the most life changing experiences I’ve ever had. This day last year I went through a seven hour spinal fusion surgery. Many of my new readers don’t know a lot about me or my past but for those of you who know me, know that I have been fighting scoliosis for almost 9 years now. Back in 7th grade I was diagnosed with scoliosis, I had no idea what that meant. My doctor had just explained to me that my spine was curved and they were going to send me to a spine doctor. When diagnosed my curve was at 23 degree. Wearing two back braces while also having bottom braces in middle school, didn’t make my dramatic pre-teen life any easier.

After two years and two back braces went by I thought I had the scoliosis under control and I could go into high school wearing whatever I wanted without having to worry about buying two-sizes larger shirts so they could fit over my back brace. I thought my scoliosis would get better but it didn’t. By the end of my senior year of high school I went to another spine doctor and he told me that my curve was now at 41 degrees. He told me there was not much that could be done but he and my doctor suggested physical therapy. So I did it, I hated it.

Now that I am a freshmen in college, scoliosis was the last thing on my mind but my back was still in so much pain. Me being the hard headed person I am, I just dealt with the pain until it got to be too much. At the being of my sophomore year of college my back doctor told me my curve was at 50 degrees and they recommend surgery. I didn’t think much of him saying that because I knew that was the only solution at this point. At this time it was almost the end of my sophomore year and I had a big summer ahead of me; at least I thought I did. I was going to the Cannes Film Festival in May and then having a spinal fusion surgery in June. I thought “Oh I’m still young, my recovery will be fast and I’ll be able to work after a month of recovery”. That thought was throw out the window after I woke up in my hospital bed at 3 in the morning after a seven hour surgery.

Last summer was the first time in my life that I ever felt so helpless and those 3 months were the hardest 3 months of my life.

After those 3 months, I thought I could take on the world and do whatever I wanted but that reality check hit me really hard when I went back to school. My doctor warned me that I should take off a semester because only 3 months of recovery wasn’t realistic for the surgery that I had but I was determined to go back to school. My graduation date wasn’t going to be set back just because of a “silly” spinal fusion surgery. I have to admit though, there were times that I just wanted to give up, move back home with my mom, and just sleep all day. But I pushed through that first semester and the pain began to slowly get better.

My junior year of college went faster than I could have imagined and although those two semesters felt like they were never ending, I pushed through and finished one of the hardest year of college.

Now that it is officially a year since my surgery, I have had so much to reflect on. My outlook on health and relying on others has changed so much. I realize now that my body is the only one I have, and I need to take care of it. The pain from this recovery has taught me that I need to make sure I am eating what I need to strengthen my body. I’ve learned being lazy and skipping out on the gym isn’t going to make the back pain any easier to deal with. And most importantly this year has taught me that the ones who love you will stand by you and do anything for you at your time of need. I just wanted to give the biggest shout out to my mom for being the best support system for me this past year and every other year of my life. I would not have been able to get through what this year recovery threw at me with out her. Also I wanted to thank everyone who has helped me through this long recovery.

I know isn’t the most exciting post but I had to recognize that even after all that pain and this long recovery, I am here, happy, healthy and nothing can stop me now.

P.S. I’m 2 inches taller, thanks to the fusion lol.