Scoliosis: My Story

Chapter 34

Hello!!

So I haven't updated in a long while, so, sorry. Nothing much has changed, I currently do not know the degrees of my curves, but I'm going to get new x rays tomorrow, so wish me luck. I doubt my scoliosis got better though, because I haven't been wearing my brace that often anymore, I usually take it off for multiple long "breaks" throughout the day, but I always wear it at night. I've honestly given up on the brace at this point. I just don't see the point in torturing myself anymore. I've been at it for 2 and a half years already, and my predicted amount of time left is 2 more. I can't do it anymore. Besides, my brace is to small, and because of this is irritating my skin near my left side, my mom even found blood on my undershirts. It hurts a lot, and I can't sit "normally" on chairs until my neck and back start to kill me. I can no longer tighten my brace to the mark, my straps can't even cover all of the fuzzy parts where you stick them om, every time I sneeze or breathe to deep my top strap undoes itself. When I lay down my top strap undoes. Typing this I'm in mild pain. Basically, life sucks and I wouldn't mind staying 5'2 forever at this point.

On another note, I've been diagnosed with tinnitus and very mild hearing loss.

Tinnitus is a condition that affects the ears in which the sufferer hears "phantom noise," usually the result of some type of hearing loss. Basically, every day, all day, I hear a high pitched ringing that drives me absolutely insane in both ears. I don't remember what silence sounds like anymore. Along with this comes sensitivity to loud noises. Their isn't a cure, and not much is known about why this happens. Sounds familiar right? I asked the doctor if their was anything I could do and he basically said that I had to deal with it. Again, life sucks.

I'm no longer pre diabetic, so yay.

I've started and completed my first year of highschool. I took 2 AP classes, AP Human Geography and AP Computer Science Principles. Sophomore year I'm taking AP Spanish, AP Biology, and AP European History.

My birthday is in 14 days. I'll be turning 15, which means that, alongside my twin sister, I'll be having my quinceanera. For those of you that don't know, I'm a latina from El Salvador and Guatemala. A quinceanera is a celebration that hispanics do when a girl turns 15. It signifies that the girl is no longer a little girl, but is now a young women. The celebration includes a mass, and a big party in a reception, like the kinds of receptions in weddings. The girl, or in my case, girls, wear a big poofy dress of their liking. The party includes a slideshow of the quinceaneras lives, from baby to present day, a father daughter dance, brother sister dance, dance with the chambelanes, the party part with great spanish music, great food, alcohol for the adults, and the cake. After the mass the girls go to a place of their choice in the limo to eat, then the limo takes them to wherever the photographer says to take pictures. The guests arrive at the reception for social time. The next day, the gifts are opened, which usually consists of money. 

Chambelanes are the dudes the quinceanera picks to be in her court. The court usually consists of chambelanes and damas, but my sister and I aren't having damas. Damas are the girl versions of the chambelanes. If you want to see what the court does, search up "quinceanera waltz with chambelanes" on YouTube to see. El chambelan de honor is a special boy chosen to dance with the quinceanera and has a slightly different outfit to wear. If the quinceanera does not have brothers, she won't do the sister brother dance, obviously. I have 2 older brothers, aged 26 and 33. If the quinceanera doesn't have a dad, or isn't in contact with her dad, she can dance with a father figure or an uncle if she has one. I have a dad. Fun fact, my dad is a truck driver. 

In a quinceanera you often have the padrinos de honor, which are special people chosen by the parents. My twin and I each have 2.

Our theme is royalty and we will be dressed exactly alike, even the hair and makeup. Our dress will be royal blue.

The quinceanera also carries a bouquet of flowers, like a bride. The bouquet is offered and given to the virgin Mary as a part of the mass.

My sister and I's quinceanera will be the first quinceanera with twins in my family. The quinceanera will be on August 11, an our dad will have a mini vacation from work. Family from Guatemala is coming over. My brother (26) is coming back from studying in Alaska for a week. 

Quinceaneras are expensive, ranging from $10,000 and up. 

Welp, thats whats going on in my life right now.

Bye