Bee

She was too busy to stay still long enough for me to take a non-blurry photo!! 

I spent all afternoon at the hospital today in physiotherapy. It's a very enjoyable cycle over, and is all on cycle paths or very quiet roads (although the wind made it a bit more difficult). I went because my back is in a huge amount of pain at the moment. I am sure that I have said before but, if not, I have scoliosis (a curvature of the spine). I realised at the age of about 15 and went for several x-rays. As it had been detected too late on in growth (usually children wear a brace for years to stop the curve forming), my only two options were to leave it or to have surgery. I was told that the surgery would be for completely aesthetic reasons and, as there was a risk of paralysis, I decided against it. 

However, as I start to exercise more, I am getting in more and more pain. As has been explained to me before (and was again explained today), the curve means that muscle builds up on one side of my back and not the other. This means that half of my back (my right side) is taking all the strain and is therefore very tense knotted, leading to lots of pain. 

Unfortunately there is little that physiotherapy can do that will have a lasting impact. I can keep doing stretches and start going to pilates again, but it will likely only minimise the pain rather than remove it. I am therefore being referred to a back specialist to look into other options. I am scared about the idea of surgery and hope that an alternative option can be found, so I will have to wait and see what is said. 

Tonight I am relieving the pain with a hot water bottle pressed against my back as I read my new book (Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell). An early night before a weekend in Wales with Rory is probably a good idea anyway!