Monday, November 14, 2011

Having Kids, With Scoliosis

I am now a proud mother of two boys, Alhamdulillah.

I am also still a person with scoliosis, although "corrected", I still have discomfort and slight pains on a daily basis. I have a chubby baby whom I cannot carry as often as I would like to, and although I invest heavily in gadgets that help lighten the burden of caring for two boys, i still worry and "fear" pain on a daily basis. And I still worry when I think about getting old with this Scoliosis.

There, I've bared my soul here in this entry :)

Our second baby, Ilan, was born on 26 August 2011. Weighing 3.11 kilos, through a c-section. There were contractions happening as early as when I was 23 weeks along, so when Ilan was finally taken out, I was told that my womb had grown so thin, it is advised for me ot to have another baby for at least three years. But Alhamdulillah, everything turned out fine.

Ilan is now 6 kilos and even at his weight now, I can feel a strain on my back after carrying im for long periods of time. A few times when I fell asleep in the "wrong" positions after a night of breastfeeding, the old corrected rib hump throbbed, and tingled, like someone was lightly poking needles on it. A few times when that happened, I dragged myself to the gym and walked, or cycled, or cross-trained. Then after the usual back-strengthening exercises on the machines and also with free weights, the back and spine feels human again.

Motherhood is not easy, thus I've grown a newfound respect for my mother and all mothers out there, since I had my first baby years ago. But undeniably, motherhood with Scoliosis.. has its own unique challenges.

Alas, the last thing we should beis discouraged! Scoliosis is and should not be an excuse for us to not have a "normal" life :)

When I was 15, I vowed never to get married because of the boys in school who teased me for being "cacat", because I looked odd with the bulky body braces on! When I was 23, my now-husband was already in my life and went through every step of recovery with me after that first surgery. I had vowed then to never have children, because noone should have to go through the kind of pain I experienced after the surgery! What if my kids get scoliosis....? No, no.

So what am I doing in a marriage, with kids now??

Well call me selfish. I have Scoliosis and still want to live a normal life. My boys are the best thing that have ever happened to me :)

So whatever your chosen path is, dear friends, do not fear to take it! Be it marriage, or career, or any life-changing frightening prospect.. Take it.