Questions & Answers

Hi, Dr. Michael Lee, Kelly here. I came across the Optimum Chiropractic website and so I decided to e-mail you, asking you few questions about scoliosis and chiropractic.I will be enlightened if you were to spend some times reply my e-mail, resolving my doubts.

I'm 18 this year and I just found out that I've a scoliosis. It bents about 25 degrees. I was told by the western medicine doctor that it can't be cured.

So, I wondering is that true that scoliosis can't be cured? And

Will practicing taekwondo worsen my condition?

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25 degree at 18 years old can be improved but cannot be cured. What is your definition of cure? Does your cure mean reducing the curve to 0 degrees?? 25 degrees can only be improved to about 15 degrees maximum.

Taekwondo may not worsen your condition. Bad posture, bad mattress, bad sitting habits will worsen it.

Confusion

Bee-chasing incident was the one that made me more aware or concern about my own health. It was then my back will pained on and off. My parents only took it serious after consulting the usual chinese doctor, advising me to have an X-ray of my lower back (waist).

Well, when I first saw the X-ray, it was disgusting. The backbone is not a straight one, in fact, it is some sort like an S-shape. Not only that most of my lumbars and vertebral columns are twisted, facing the side, not at the middle. It is a mild scoliosis since it go off track about 25 degrees, not more than 30 degrees.

Actually, my height has been decreasing since January 2010. But no one took it seriously as we did not think that there was a possibility that something wrong with my backbone since I was a healthy normal human. It was quite amazing that in 5 months time, i have become shorter for 2 cm than my actual height... haih...

The western medicine doctor in the hospital nearby my house, said that it was not that serious and, therefore, I did not need braces nor surgery. However, the bone will not return to its original straight bone. It will either continue to be serious or it will just stay forever like that. So, I should be more aware of my sitting post, go for swimming, do the breathing and stretching 'exercise'....

It seems like there are no chances of recovery. But the chinese medicine doctor, however, still advised me to for tuina twice a week, so that there are still chances to recover rather than doing nothing. The process of tuina was certainly a painful one. It lasted for 2 weeks until my dad brought me to a chiropractic center in Mont' Kiara, recommended by his friend.

The chiropractic center is openned by a Hong Kong chiropractic professor. Since the chiropractic center is kind of popular and good, my dad signed me up for a package of 4 treatments which cost about RM720, done by the 'student' trained by the professor. After completing all the 4 treatment, I will then have to have a treatment done by the professor himself, which cost RM480. The chiropractor, Kenny, from Hong Kong, said that the cause of S-shaped bone may be genes factor or injury of sacrum and coocyx. As for my case, the culprit were the coocyx and sacrum.

The treatment is some sort like tuina and till now I have completed 2 treatments. Because it was the positioning of the coocyx and sacrum too high than they are suppose to be, the chiropractor mainly focus on pressing them downwards, back to their original position. The first one is done on last saturday, quite painful, but I was still able to smile in the end of the one hour treatment. It turned worst at the night as it not only hurt but also 'sour'.

Then, I have my second treatment on thursday. That was really really torturing, I can hardly bared the pain. It was so so so painful until I even wanted to cry. One part of the treatment was that he requested his assistant to press my pelvic bones in the correct positioning while he was twisting my legs like hell. I cannot even smile after the treatment except sighing.

I wonder if the treatmemt were really helpful in the sense that will it recorrect my backbone to a straight one in the end of the day. It is unfortunate that I have this problem, but, at the same time, I feel fortunate that mine is not that serious, no one will notice it by looking at my standing or sitting pose, and, it is far more better than those who have cancer or disabilities and also starving children in the poor countries.

However,with this problem I have some limitations. Because of my S-shaped spine, my parents are not encouraging me to participate in taekwondo. And, because of all those massaging, I have missed many taekwondo classes. And, again because of my S-shaped backbone, I cannot really perform 100% in taekwondo. There will be somehow some worries and reluctance.

My grading due date is in December. Will I manage to go for my 3rd Dan grading?? Or should I say will I continue in training taekwondo?? I guess it is a YES for the latter. Or else I will not know how to spend my Saturdays and Sundays if I am not training anymore. Maybe I can ask for not to do those exercises that we usually do like frog jump, duck walk, etc. Well, it seems like there are a lots of thnigs that I cannot do. It is kind of awkward if I were to just doing nothing while others are panting for their breath and completing their exercises. And, what for, for me to go for lesson but in the end do not do anything?? Or maybe I can do lesser than others? Then I'm not not doing anything. Well, exercises that have something to do with the waist like sit-up, I will certainly not do.

Now that with the problem, I will not be as enjoy as before in taekwondo class. As I mentioned, I will certainly have doubts. Unless, I forget about it when I'm in taekwondo class.

What should I do?

I really wish that my backbone can be straight as before. But can my wish comes true? Since no one is able to assure me of that. And, for my wish to comes true, I may have to stop trainning.

Also, I wish to continue my training just like before. But, this may have some drawback to my health.

So, what should I do? I have opposing thoughts.

What should I do?

2nd year

My brother has moved on to second year of uni. he just went back to Australia today 1.20 air plane.
erm... quite sad... cause his leaving make me feel lonely, no jokes, no shoppings, no accompany...

Good Luck ...

So warmth... And warmth...

I thought that my friends would not remember my first day to college although i hope to receive some messages from them. Well, haha, my friends, it's good to have them, Maxine, Yen Sze, Shinh Nian and Mr Lee. I felt like hugging them..hehe... but it's only for Maxine and Yen Sze as it's limited edition. lol..

I do appreciate Yen Sze and Mr Lee for sending me messages for comforting me when i told them i'm very pressure on the first day of going to college itself. And, guess what, all the comforting messages, especially Mr Lee ones did let me not that worry and pressure. Thank ya. By the way, someone still have to belanja me an ice cream, don't forget that.

Now, Maxine, said that i have forgottened her.. is it possible?? Obviously not and i also dare not to forget her. It's just that i have homework and i do not want to send you 2 or 3 messages only and the say bye bye. I do not want you to be out of my world but to be part of it. Maybe somedays we can hang out and by that time i can share more things with you.. but don't hessitate to message me whenever you feel like doing so. Ok? And, if you want to find somebody to talk to, or anything, i hope you will come to me and feel free to do so, k.

College life

Well, hehe, i should have posted it last Wednesday but never mind, at least i post it up today.

My orientation day was not good at all; sitting in multi-purpose-hall for most of the time just resulting me of having a headache. Then, for the last hour, we were instructed to go to our respective classes. We met our mentor, our physics teacher, Mr Ng Chee Beng. The very first time i saw him, i thought of Mr Ng Kok Chuan. He is just like him whether is in teaching or talking wise. The self introduce session really pressurized me; not that I scared to speak to my classmates but it were the ambitions of my classmates of being doctors. Almost all of my classmates want to become a doctor, there are also plastic surgeon, dentistist.

For the following days until today, G8 students were getting more and more closer to each others. We have our class representative also can be refer to mother of our class, Annabella. Her best friend, Vivian. Candice is our class secretory and cheerful 'tour guide'. We also 'explored' restaurant, ate together but of course not the whole class it, just maybe 20 people..??

College life is not that fun after all. If i were to choose either secondary school or college, no doubt, i would defenitely choose secondary school. I really really miss my form teacher, Bio, Chem, Maths, and also Add Maths teachers. However, we cannot rewind the time that has passed. I guess i better stop i wish this and i wish that and accept the truth, face it, and solve it. So, work hard girl.

Can we be friends just like what we were in form 2 and form 3 ???

A complete full-stop. Does it sound familiar? Or do you still remember? Now it is a new year, can we start all over again? Can we be friends just like what we were in form 2 and form 3? In those years we have many things to talk but things changed when we turned into form 4 and form 5. I thought that we will have even more things to talk and share but in the end things did not turned up to be as i thought. We grew even far apart. It is now like a complete stranger. Can i still message you whenever i want to share my ups and downs with a friend? Or will you feel disturb when i do so? I do not know that as you can be as cold as ice and rarely share your thoughts with me ,especially.

Eager, desperate. ?? Will you forget me in the near future??? who knows..

Let it be. Let us go with the flow.. I guesss....

5S2 class trip

Ermm.... i'm very late writing this... but ar.... hehe..

well the class trip was fun; we played many things (ok not tat i played many things, as i was not that active during class trip. I just don't know why). I loved all those pantai we went, it was a first time experience playing with friends in salt water and nevertheless in a tasik, so called Tasik Bunting (if i'm not mistaken), hehe.

(In Langkawi) Then came we drank beers, played games, stargazing. They said mei ting drank the most cups of beers, there's no doubt she was drunk but luckily not that teruk. As for me, i drank a lot too, but i kept hiding the fact that i was at the border line to be a drunker too from everyone else.The reason was simply because i did not want to admit that i could not drink much although people always say that girl should not drink, i still wanna be a good drinker. Don't worry, i know how to contol myself and also only drink in special event. Besides that, there was also another reason for my doing; i did not want them to feel that i'm weak. For the games, it was very fun.. Lots lo lots of laugh... Then we went for stargazing, lying on the poolchair, gazing at the dark night with twinkle twinkle little stars as decoration together with friends, so warmth and sweet. every thing has its disadvantages, in which in this case, there were many mosquitoes beside the pool. So we were kind of donating blood. *sigh*

In Penang, thanks for Pn. Chiew for making the trouble to visit us at the gurney plaza. some of the girls, including me, went to the beach behing our Flamingo Hotel. Oh My Goodness, they were so naughty; they drew love near some of the lovers in the beach, and then we even sang a song loudly... haha..

Yea, there was this making tang yuan session with the tour guides and my friends. This was also my first time experience, making tang yuan with friends. Many people, many hands but sadly little space to stand to make tang yuan, haha.. I became a guinea pig when trying the sweetiness of the ginger soup, haha. After that, yoon voon and i were practically being deceived by the tour guides and ended up drinking wine in their room. With the intention of going for a walk, yoon voon and i volunteered to go along with the tour guide in finding ice cream for friends but just like what i said we ended up being in their room, drinking wine. We watched tv, and some simple chatting about how wine is being processed. When we get back to our room, i was fine, but as time passed by, i started to get sleepy and feeling sick, there was a surge in my stomach. Having no other better options, i then went into bed. Surprisingly, wei mei was also wanted to sleep but she wanted someone to accompany her to sleep. Obviously, i was the one.. haha.. Night was getting cold, and i was shivering. Wei mei and xiao hong saw my purple lips and they tought that it was because i was too cold. Well, no doubt i was cold but that was not the cause of my purple lips. In fact the wine that i drank cause a purple colour on my lips. I could not tell them i drank with the tour guides, so i could only smile to them.

It is kind of nostalgia whenever i recall back of our class trip. It was indeed very fun and amazing. Time flewand it ended so quickly. Thanks to you for pursuing me to sign up for the trip.