I had a secret. I (mistakenly) thought it was concealed by the loose tops I had begun wearing every day. My scoliosis, diagnosed about 12 years earlier, had markedly worsened during the last 3 or 4. I was very self-conscious about my inability to stand erect. More importantly, the travel, sightseeing, and daily walks I enjoyed were now more painful than pleasurable as standing and/or walking had become an ordeal. I was soon to learn that my internal organs were crowding together as my curvature approached 60 degrees.
When my primary care physician encouraged me to consult a specialist, she concurred with my decision to explore HSS. I made an appointment with Dr. Han Jo Kim, who was confident that he could help me. With kindness and compassion, he patiently answered all my questions, explaining just how he could “straighten me out”. A few weeks later, I underwent spinal fusion with instrumentation from T7 to the bottom of my spine. The surgery was successful, and my hospital stay was comfortable. Cheerful nurses, aides, and physical therapists dispensed hearty doses of TLC as they encouraged and assisted me on my initial steps to recovery.
Carefully following Dr Kim’s instructions to the letter, I am now straight, pain-free, 2 inches taller, able to enjoy a 5 mile walk, and very very grateful to the amazing Dr Kim, his team, his office staff, and to every person involved in my wonderful care at HSS!
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