There's some level of irony in the fact that one of the most life-changing aspects of my life isn't even visible to anyone during the day…I guess that's what spinal fusion comes with.

I was diagnosed with Scoliosis when I was ten or eleven (it's hard to remember exactly when it's almost a decade ago) and I was forced to wear a back brace; I would visit a specialist who would help me figure out the best shape for this brace and make it so that my spine would be forced into a specific position so that it would not continue to bend as I got older and got taller.

Now had I worn said back brace, it is very likely that my spine would be much different right now (and lacking some Titanium rods inside of it as well).

But life doesn't go as planned.

Specifically, it doesn't go planned in the sense that a ten year-old me would be in excruciating pain every time I would wear it to the point where my entire side would go numb and start sending shooting pain into my side until I took the brace off in almost-tears (I would have to wear it at night when I went to bed). The worst part is that I would take it off in my sleep at some point, so when I woke up my parents would see it off and yell at me for not wearing it (I still hold a grudge on this).

Eventually I just stopped wearing it when I decided sleep became more important than something like how straight my spine was…and flash forward six-seven years later to a meeting with a doctor saying back surgery was going to be necessary to prevent the Scoliosis from progressing to a life-threatening state later in life.

Flash forward another six months and it's December 28th, 2021…call it a late Christmas gift. The surgery itself was successful, but that's really not what I remember about it: what I remember about it was how stressful it was being my last semester of high school with an ungodly amount of AP classes with a back that just turned into a real-life Operation game, and frankly I don't think I've ever had to go through something as both physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging in my life as those five months of recovery.

Looking back at it today in the position I am (that is, a student at a top university with friends and family supporting me) I can still say wholeheartedly the struggle and stress paid off, but I also think it is an important reminder for myself that even in your darkest hour you should push through, as there is always an other side.