Here are some tips (provided by me and other kids who have had the surgery) to help make sure that if you have surgery to correct your scoliosis that you are comfortable and prepared:

• Practice breathing in a different way, so that your stomach expands, not your chest. This will prevent problems after the surgery, such as pneumonia, because of the fact that you are lying on your stomach during the procedure (Also, this will help if you are in a choir).
  
• If you wear contacts, bring your glasses. I know that it will probably be annoying to wear your glasses (especially if you are like me and do not change your prescription in them as often as you do for your contacts), but you definitely should. During the first few days afterwards, you will not have as much energy as you usually do, and even not doing little things like this will help.
  
• Buy comfortable clothes and a robe for your hospital stay.
  
• Have a relative stay with you in the hospital (most hospitals provide special rooms for family members of patients). This will help make sure that you get everything you need and that you become less scared during this time.
  
• If possible, get the surgery done in late spring or early summer. I know that you do not want to waste this time, but at least you won’t have a lot of schoolwork to make up.
  
• When you go back to school, make sure that you are given two sets of books: one for your classes at school and the other for at home. Since there is a restriction on how much you can carry, this will help make everything easier for you. Also, all of your friends will be jealous that you don’t have to carry a backpack full of books like they do.
  

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