“I was officially diagnosed with scoliosis about 6 years ago, but it has definitely been a part of my life for longer-I just didn’t catch it early enough. I remember getting sharp pains in my rib cage every time I took a deep breath and that’s when I knew something was not quite right. My mom started to notice that my shoulders looked a little uneven as well and we decided it was time to get a medical professional’s opinion. I remember staring at the x-rays almost in disbelief at what I was seeing. Forty-seven degrees. That was the measurement of my spine’s curvature. I remember sitting in that room thinking about how someone like me couldn’t have scoliosis because I had always been so healthy and never had a medical history and wanted to keep everything perfect. I started to think that the school nurses didn’t do a good enough job at checking me for scoliosis in Phy Ed. Sure after that initial chiropractor visit, I went back for regular adjustments and pain management and yes it helped make my body feel better, but it sure didn’t make my mind feel better. My self-esteem definitely dropped because I hated the way my back looked in a swimsuit or a tank top. I hated that my rib cage stuck out further on one side of my body than the other. I just wanted a new spine because in my mind, if I could look like I didn’t have scoliosis I would be happy. Fast forward to now, I have a new chiropractor that I love and I’m doing physical therapy exercises that have helped a TON. Surgery just wasn’t the route I wanted to go. I know that I’m always going to have some sort of pain in my body from my scoliosis, but since that diagnoses day I have learned to love my body. Now my attitude toward my back is that if I can FEEL like I don’t have scoliosis, than that outweighs how crooked my back actually is. That’s why I want to raise awareness for scoliosis and that is also the reason for this necklace. Scoliosis sucks and even if it’s too late to correct it, there’s always ways to help alleviate the pain levels and stay active. Being pain-free to me is more worth it than having a stick straight spine.” @theoilyangel