Well...

So sorry for the LONG wait! High school is literally crazy. It is my most favorite and least favorite thing in the history of "things". But that's life.

 

I've finally found a free moment so I am going to write! Not much has happened. I think since I've posted, I've been to the back doctor. My curves (from bottom to top) are 15,30, and 35. Not bad but not good. It's okay though. He said no talk of surgery- especially for someone like me who hides it so well. I really have not had any problems with back or brace pain ever.

 

I have only ever had one brace- Pablo. Pablo is literally my constant companion. He's with me 24/7. We have what you'd call a love hate relationship. :) Scoliosis doesn't really bother me anymore. At school, I’m very open. When I bring candy to some of my friends and people ask where I got it, I tell them I got it from the hospital (my mom works in the gift shop so we always go get candy after appointments). Everyone knows. And guess how many people care? None. Guess how many people can’t look at me the same again because I wear something plastic around me? NONE. When we go to the hospital and we have to carry my brace in so I can put it back on after my appointment, I carry it proudly. I smile and laugh in the hospital because I CAN. I like to think I'm assuring people with my smile, my body language. "Everything is going to be alright." And it will be. Everything will be alright in the end. Everything will end and really- does it even matter? Ugh. I'm getting very philosophical. Yeah that's what I get for being a nerd in school. :P

 

But I just wanted to tell you, it’s okay. And it’s okay to cry about having a brace too. I remember the first time we took Pablo home and I put him on, I told my mom I looked like a freak.  I thought I did. BUT I DIDN’T. No one does. I just want everyone to know if you ever need someone who it may be easier to share with because you don’t know me personally (but someone who still understands), I am here. Or if you just wanna talk. Or if there’s something else. My email’s always over in my bio. Feel free to use it. I love friends!

 

Fly on for now,

 

Ann Marie *>*

 

P.S. Sorry this is super long! I just thought you guys deserved a lot for sticking with me and ma blog through our first few months of high school! Because you guys deserve the best of me! J ILY

For Anonymous...

So I had an awesome person ask me a question. Or, a few questions. So here are your answers. And the question.

"Hi do you mind putting up a pic of you in side view? And which kind of brace do you have and about how much did it cost? I'm planning to get one because my doctor said I have mild scoliosis. However she didn't suggest any corrective measures. But I don't want this to get worse that's why I'm planning to buy a brace."
- Anonymous

Well Anonymous, have I got some answers for you!

 

Ignore the horrible quality. Please and thank you! These are pictures of me in side view in my brace. Stunning aren't I? ;)

Here are the answers to your other questions:

I have an Original Boston Brace. Or at least that's what my brace says...

I do not know how much braces cost. That is something that I never asked and my parents.

I wish you the best of luck Anon with your brace adventures if you decide to get one! I really wish I would have had the idea you do with getting the brace before I actually did needed it. But oh well! :)

Mwah,

Ann Marie *>*

September Scoliosis Marathon...

Alright I was super busy yesterday guys but yesterday marked the beginning of another Scoliosis Marathon! Yay! So get your timers out and I'll see you guys at the end of the week!

Ann Marie *>*

Stay Fit...

Okay so one really important thing to do once you find out you have scoliosis is to make that back work! Yeah, you do. You need to find something to keep that back of yours strong because a weak back is no good in a fight against scoliosis. Whereas a strong back could very well help you in more ways than one! You can dance, play a sport, run, do yoga; the choices are limitless! You just need to find one that fits you and your lifestyle.

The first way it could help you is pretty obvious, but not necessarily the main reason. Well to be frank about it... Making your back stronger makes you stronger. It makes you a stronger person physically. That can only be a good thing. Right?

Also, a stronger back means that you have a better fighting chance with scoliosis. I don't know all the medical stuff to go along with it but I just know that it helps- surprisingly a lot. I guess a stronger back means that it can hold it's own and when you grow, it will help straighten your spine even further. I don't know. I have no intention on becoming a doctor or anything to do with doctors so you can rub it in my face if I get something wrong, okay?

When I went to my scoliosis doctor I think maybe one or two times ago, he had an assistant with him. The woman must have been shadowing him or something, and in college or further by the looks of it. Dr. Bono, my doc, did his examination like he usually does, ya know, making me bend over and checking to make sure your hips and shoulders aren't uneven and stuff. And all of a sudden the lady speaks up and she sounds to be honest, quite shocked. She said, "Wow, you can't even tell that she has scoliosis as bad as hers is!" Okay so my scoliosis is just like in the twenties but you get the point. It's not GOOD is what she was saying. People with my same degrees usually show it a bit more than I do. In fact, without the brace, you can't tell I have it at all.

And you wanna know why that is? My mom replied to the lady, "She dances ballet." I dance about three hours of ballet bare minimum. At the most, I was dancing 6.5 hours per week. Ballet is just about the strongest thing you can do to strengthen your back. I'm not saying you need to take ballet or anything close to that. I'm simply saying don't just be a sitting duck, letting whatever happen to your back. Give yourself a fighting chance. Do something about it. Strengthening your back DOES help!

Stay strong, stay fit, stay beautiful!

Ann Marie *>*

:(...

I know we were supposed to have another Scoliosis Marathon these last two months but I've been so super busy I totally forgot! I'm really sorry! This summer is just not turning out like I want it to! Always feel free to do them on your own or remind me!

Ann Marie *>*

Summer Clothes...

So... Summer clothes. To be honest, I don't really do much in the summer. I pretty much stare at the wall in my room and dread going anywhere that involves putting shoes on and acting civilized. But tonight I'm going to my dear friends graduation party. I have pretty much known her my entire life and she means a lot to me. She'll be heading over to Michigan to attend Rochester College in the fall and I will probably not see her much. :(

This is a red dress that I got from Plato's Closet. It is originally from Forever 21. It's a little too short to wear to church, but any other kind of event I would wear it to. I put the shrug thing on (SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE CALLED) because you could kind of see the brace around it at different places. The shrug is from Marshall's.

This is a cute shirt of mine. I actually usually use this one for dance, but it's still cute! If you would wear something like this, make sure you have a same colored tank top as the brace either under or over the brace because you can see the brace and the tank top under the armpits. With these, just make sure you don't get them too tight in the back. The tank top is from Plato's Closet and the shorts are hand-me-downs from my friend.

I really wanted to wear this one without one of those shrug things but the brace shows in the back because it goes down way too far, and I was too lazy today to put a tank top on over the brace. Again, just watch to make sure that you have the same colored tank top on as your brace. The shirt and shrug are from American Eagle.

One thing I always do before I go out the door is give myself a twirl in the mirror. I look at myself from every angle so that I can tell that the brace is invisible to normal people.

If you ever need to get ahold of me, or want to ask me a question, here are the ways to get me:
This blog!- Leave a comment! You don't have to have an account to leave a comment!
My other blog!- http://thescoliosisdancerslife.blogspot.com/ Again, you don't have to have an account to leave a comment!
YouTube!- My account name is Ann Marie Elizabeth (I don't know why, I just like Elizabeth...)
Email!- My scoliosis email is scoliosis.fashion@gmail.com
Instagram!- My Instagram account is scoliosis_fashion Do go follow me if you have an Instagram!
GooglePlus- And if you are on Google+ or whatever (I have to be because I have a blog), my name is Ann Marie Elizabeth... I think...

Ann Marie *>*

Blogs...

So one of the people who is "following" my blog or is a "member" of it (I don't even know) has her own blog! Some super-cute fashion ideas and such!

http://scoli-fashion-byallyson.blogspot.com/

Ann Marie *>*