I have just finished reading your article about braces for scoliosis. I am not new at all to the term scoliosis, in fact I am very familiar with the term, side effects, surgery, and bracing. I am currently a grade 11 student and last May received spinal surgery. Although it has not yet been a full year, i am still not satisfied with the results. Although many have one curve in the spine, i had two, both pretty bad. My top curve was at about 45 degress, and the curve at the bottom of my spine was 32 degress. I was often complaining about pain, but i was mostly worried about how my ribs grew because i was the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The surgeon told me that there was no point for a brace, but the one that was supplied at the hospital looked very uncomfortable and looked more like a piece of hockey equipment that was visible to everyone. I am still in somewhat pain from surgery, i get stiff very easily. However, if your back is in pain, you are to excercise or do some streches. Thats what has helped me out. The surgery was painful itself. I had to miss 2 months of school, exams, was in bed all summer, crippled, and never wanting to go back to another hospital. I was on morphine for a week and because my torso was stretched out, i was unable to go to the bathroom regulary. It was a very miserable time for me. Preparing for the surgery was another issue. I had to take out 2 units of blood. Even though that doesn't sound like much, there is a reason why you have to be at least 18 to donate blood. When you are at that age, your blood vessels are much larger than someone who is 15. The needle at the blood donor services was bigger than my veins and i had to go back to the place several times to take out blood because it was so painful and not enough blood was coming out. I was very upset, and i do not recommend having your child to get surgery unless the curve is severe and very visible. As well, after surgery, the surgeon had said he would fix my ribs by shaving it down so that it would not stick out so much, but he didnt. It still sticks out, and my ribs were the main reasoning behind the surgery. Secondly, there is now a huge scar going all the way down my back. It isnt a big problem for me, but it is hard to look elegant in a dress with a 2 foot scar going down you back. If i fall, and with all these snow storms we've been having it has been very hard not to fall, im in a great deal of pain the next 2 weeks. The doctor's said themselves that it was up to me whether or not i wanted the surgery. If i had said no, they also would have dont the wait and watch. Physiotherapy didnt help either, it jsut created a big financial loss for my parents. V Ontario