Happy New Year everyone! Well, I didn’t get to updating here as soon as I thought I would—thanks for your patience! I have so treasured though the messages, texts, letters, and prayers I have received from you all. They have really encouraged my heart! 

Praise the LORD! 24 screws later, my surgery was a huge success! God has really been merciful and faithful through this whole healing process. I’m still very much recovering but am getting a little better and a little stronger every day. Family and friends who have been visiting to help during this time have commented that even within a week’s time I keep improving tremendously and this is such an encouragement to me. 

My surgeon’s goal was not for me to come out of this surgery with a straight spine. Of course, that was the prayer…but my spine had been holding stiff in this incorrect position for a very long time, and that makes it tougher to correct. Our goal was to get my spine to 30 degrees or less so that the curves would stop progressing, and as you see the curves were decreased drastically—especially in my lumbar region. My doctor said that a good lumbar correction was critical for me for avoiding pain later in life. Look at how much less tilted my lower vertebrae is in that “after” photo! 

To avoid my ribs protruding too much following surgery, my surgeon cut 2 cm off of 5 of my ribs where they had previously connected to my spine. This was pretty rough at first but my they have been healing and are already improved quite a bit. I have two very long, and pretty (though I say so myself) scars on my right and left sides and chest tube holes that are almost healed. Some people may think it weird that I call the scars pretty, but to me they are battle wounds and my second surgeon really did do a beautiful job stitching me up—I heard that her stitching is on par with that of a plastic surgeon and I would definitely agree.

I came out of surgery feeling pretty numb across areas of my ribcage and on the front of my left quad. Already this has been improving little by little, which I am thankful for. My muscles didn’t recognize at first that my bones moved so I couldn’t quite hold my spine in its new position at first. My torso was in a sort of funny diagonal. It still is a little but, but it has already improved a ton, and I know it will only get better! Starting 6 weeks post OP I will be doing ILAB again and will be beginning exercises to help stabilize and support my spine in its new position. I can’t wait! 

Sleeping is still a little tough because I am traditionally a side sleeper. Only being able to be on my back during this healing period has been challenging, but before surgery I couldn’t sleep on my back at all really so I’d say even this is a blessing! I am off most of my medications at this point. I only have really even taking a benign muscle relaxer before bed and Tylenol and Naproxen (like Aleve) to help me feel less achy so I can sleep better. I’ve still been waking up 2-3 times a night on average but I know over time this will get better and better. I hope I never take sleeping through the night for granted again! 

I also want to say that I could deeply feel the LORD’s presence before and during this surgery process. My family will tell you this too because I was talking to them the day before the surgery. Matthew and I had such a peaceful pre OP day. I got my X-rays at the hospital, saw my surgeon, and did movement testing the day before surgery. We got açaí bowls and also had the opportunity to meet new friends! By God’s Grace I was able to meet up with a girl and her mom who I had connected with online. They were in the Facebook group for my surgeon’s practice and this girl was having her ASC scoliosis surgery the day after me! Matthew and I went out to tea with her and her mom and we really were able to encourage each other. She had had unrelated surgeries before and told me some things that really helped out my mind at ease! They were also believers too so I know that God orchestrated this divine appointment! 

The day of surgery I was actually very calm—a little nervous of course but I really knew that God was with me and that this was His will. Also knowing that SO many of you were praying for me really helped give me a peace beyond human understanding. 

I was in the hospital for 6 days. I’m so thankful for our families and friends who came to help us during the immediate post OP time and my initial recovery. Matthew has been a real trooper and a real rock of encouragement. He took a week off work to be with me in the hospital which meant so much. He of course has tons of knowledge surrounding surgery so his advice and help has been invaluable! He’s always so gentle and patient. 

This experience has taught me to trust God in everything, push through pain, and smile even when it hurts. This has been a real season of growth for me, and I can’t wait to see what else God will teach me in it! 

Oh, PS. This apparently is a matter of great interest but I’m sorry to say I still don’t know how tall I am yet. In the hospital they said I should measure my height layer because it wouldn’t be accurate yet. I think after a little while when my muscles adjust I’ll be holding myself a little taller and will be able to let you all know! 

Until then, God bless and take care! 

Kelsey 

Psalm 139:1-18

1  You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

2  You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3  You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.

4  Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

5  You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.

6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

7  Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?

8  If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9  If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10  even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.

11  If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”

12  even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13  For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

15  My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16  Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

17  How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!

18  Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

Hi Everyone!

It's getting to be crunch time! Less than 2 weeks until surgery and three exams left to take for nursing school--God is good! I have been undergoing a program called ILAB (it stands for "in leaps and bounds") to prepare for surgery. This program only takes scoliosis patients from my surgeon's practice who are undergoing Anterior Scoliosis Correction. It is run by dancers who have lots of experience in movement (which is SO fun because I did ballet for a very long time)! So far, in each session I have gotten my posture analyzed, and I get specific exercises to prepare me for ASC surgery. Each exercise has a purpose to help stabilize my body and retrain my muscles to do the right thing so that my spine is supported after surgery. She has been pushing me in a really good way--I do these exercises every day and have already seen lots of progress in how I feel.

On top of that, I have been enjoying walking (a LOT), and going to the gym with Matt. For the first 6 weeks after surgery, I really will only be allowed to rest and walk, but I don't mind because walking outside has always been one of my favorite things to do! I've started packing my hospital suitcase (yes...I'm one of *those* people), and have been prepping things around the house to make things easier for later. For example, I have been making freezer meals and prepared *basically* an army's worth of bone broth (how it will all fit into the freezer, I have no idea).

Matt will be with me at the hospital the week of surgery, and a couple of days post-OP my mom will be coming too. Matt's Parents will be coming around when my Mom leaves, and a dear friend is flying in after they leave. Praise the LORD for such supportive friends and family...like YOU! 

The only thing really left before surgery is my cardiology clearance (just an "out of an abundance of caution" kind of thing). That is next week--so prayers for that would be appreciated!

I just wanted to hop on here and say in this time of Thanksgiving, that I am giving thanks to God for each and every one of you. I am so grateful that you are a part of my story--you have been such an encouragement to me!

Warmly,

Kelsey :)

Philippians 1:3-11

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.

4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Hi Everyone, Kelsey here!

I wanted to hop on here and let you all know that we are over 1/4 way to our fundraising goal! Wooohoo! This is an amazing milestone. Thank you to all of you who have shared this link and who have given towards my surgery fund. It has been so uplifting and encouraging to receive your prayer messages and we have been overwhelmed by an abundance of love and generosity! Really, we are blown away.

Some updates:

As I touched upon in the GiveSendGo campaign page, severe scoliosis can cause restricted lung volume. I had a pulmonary function test performed as part of my pre-op testing, and was delighted to discover that my lung volume is unaffected by the scoliosis...praise God! In fact, the woman performing the test asked me if I was a runner or a swimmer because my lung volume was slightly larger than expected (even after adding a few inches to my height to account for the curvatures)!

I had my MRI today to check for anything that could be of concern for surgey, including my spinal cord from my neck to my lumbar region. It was unremarkable (except for the obvious;), which is exactly what we wanted to hear! Thank you LORD.

Thank you so much for being a precious part of our lives--I hope to give you all a few more updates here along the way. Hang on for the ride!

Kelsey :)