realitytvismyvice

Did anyone else think for a second that BW's "edgy" photo shoot was supposed to be a tie in to promote the new Addams Family movie? I seriosuly did (after all, Bravo loves to try this stuff with HW shows!). Her dress was reminiscent of Morticia. The chair, the edgy kids, etc. Obviously it was not but just another component of BW trying so hard to be extra that just failed....the insecurity runs deep with that one!

Long time lurker, first time poster! My heart went out to Ysabel (and even Christine), as the diagnosis and the unknown progression of scoliosis is scary. We are going through this with my daughter now and you run the gamut between feeling scared to feeling grateful this is not something life-threatening (if we stay on top of it). I don't think people understand that it is common for parents not to know about/see the scoliosis. One, I know my daughter has become more modest as her body begins to develop and I don't see her without clothes. Two, it can be an aha! when it is pointed out, but before that all seems normal. I am a very on top of it parent, but I had no idea how advanced my daughter's curve was. To give you an idea, we were at an ortho appointment for something completely unrelated and she was by chance identified with a two degree curve at that visit (mid-September). Scoliosis is not diagnosed until at least a ten degree curve. We were told everyone has some curve and to not worry. Fast forward to beginning of February (less than five months!) at the next appointment (once again, not for the spine as that was not on our radar!) and all of a suddent the doctor wants immediate back x-rays and we find she has a backwards S curve with a 17 degree and 31 degree angle. We were off to be fitted for a brace the next week! That is how fast it can happen even with good medical care and involved parents! I will say our doctor was pretty blunt that we are more than likely fighting a losing battle and will end with surgery, despite our best efforts. We are bracing exactly as the doctor and orthotist prescribe and religiously doing our ScolioPilates (with a specially trained PT). There are factors we cannot control: she is young, has not hit her growth spurt, and has not started menses...all things that point out she has years left of spine growth (and thus, more curvature). Our doctor told us there are other methods out there (including ScolioSmart-the one Ysabel is doing), but that no substantive short term or long term gains are researched (and he said overwhelming majority of orthos feel it is a waste of time and resources). His personal opinion, having worked with a couple who have gone through the program, is that they do more to create parental guilt than to achieve any lasting results. They often focus on nutrition and posture as things of fault when research does not back that up at all. Both patients who went through the program had to have surgery. Two other specialists I spoke to have stated the same opinions of lack of efficacy. There were a number of comments Christine made that made me cringe (scars are the least of my worries...had not even crossed my mind!). She made a couple of comments that made me worry if she was fully understanding the disease (not that I am an expert, but I have had a crash course over the last four weeks). I hope that Ysabel can have a balanced approach...our motto is "we will control what we can control, and won't make ourselves crazy about those things we cannot!"