"Hi,I am going to be 64 yrs old this year. I had scoliosis surgery with Herrington rods in 1978. I led an active life, married, have 4 children. But around the age of 50 I started slumping slightly, developed other health issues, breathing problems and back pain. I stopped exercising and gained weight which made matters worse. Then I fell on my back and that accelerated things. Severe back pain, toes started numbing, slowly the numbness spread upward. I’m on oxygen 24/7.
I started water aerobics 8 years ago and that has helped a lot. But I’m still not able to walk any distance, need wheelchair, and I cannot stand for long. Now I’ve started feeling pain in my neck and numbness in my arms.
My question is, is there anything that can be done to help me? Thank you."
-Jerry R

"My son is 48 and he had a second scoliosis surgery in 2018. Since then he has had chronic severe pain in his back. We have him on medical marijuana in pill form and muscle relaxant, muscle spasm and gabapentin, and for nerve pain. We are not able to get his pain under control. 
Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to get his pain under control? Thanks." 
- Colette H.

"Hola, buenas tardes. Mi nombre es María José, soy de Argentina. A mi hijo (4 años) le realizaron una cirugía por una roto escoliosis progresiva más cifosis, fue una cirugía fallida ya que tuvieron que quitar las barras porque dejaron de funcionar sus piernas. Eso fue hace 40 días y hasta el momento él no mueve sus piernas, si siente y ante un estímulo las estira, mueve los dedos y las dobla pero si le damos la órden de que las mueva no lo hace. Quisiera saber a qué se debe? Gracias.
It was a failed surgery as they had to remove the bars because his legs stopped working. That was 40 days ago and up to now he does not move his legs, if he feels and before a stimulus he stretches them, moves his fingers and bends them but if we give him the order to move them he does not do it. I would like to know what is it due to? Thanks."
- María José M.

"He roto varillas en lumbar después de una cirugía de columna completa. Vuelvo atrás, tengo dolor de cuello y tengo una separación de los músculos abdominales de 9 cm, por lo que mis intestinos sobresalen a través de la cavidad de la pared de mi estómago. Tengo hiperlordosis y cifosis y escoliosis severa. Mi curva lumbar se está colapsando y encogiendo debido a barras lumbares rotas. Estoy esperando una cirugía de columna vertebral. ¿Puedes ayudarme con mi espina dorsal o mi estómago?
I have broken rods in my lumbar after complete spinal surgery. Going back, I have neck pain and I have a 9cm separation of my abdominal muscles, so my intestines are protruding through the cavity in my stomach wall. I have hyperlordosis and kyphosis and severe scoliosis. My lumbar curve is collapsing and shrinking due to broken lumbar bars. I'm waiting for spinal surgery. Can you help me with my spine or my stomach?"
- Anonymous

"Hi my name is Kenya. I had surgery in 1994, at age 13, Harrington rods placed in upper and lower back.

Years later, I'm in pain every day. This has been for the last 5 years, although the last 2 years have been the worst. I'm hurting as I write this, almost in tears. My doctor has tried PT, he says xrays and MRI indicate all is well with the hardware, he is very dismissive of my complaints and keeps reiterating that three hardware is fine, but I have been up all night in pain, reading any literature I can online and I now refuse to accept this. My quality of life has significantly decreased over the last few years and I have a 3 year old who knows mommy has to be in bed on a heating pad all day and I can't pick her up most times because I'm in pain. This is not getting any better, I need help with this."
- Kenya