Severe scoliosis can squeeze the heart and lungs, and impact their ability to fully function, said Liew. To prevent health problems and correct her physical appearance, Liew went for spinal fusion surgery after her O-Level exams.
The surgery involves fusing together the curved vertebrae (the bones that stack up to form the spine) into a solid bone to stop growth in the abnormal segment of the spine and prevent the curvature from increasing.
This involves a bone graft where small pieces of bone are placed in between the vertebrae to be fused. Metal rods hold the spine in place until the fusion happens. After the fusion, the rods are no longer necessary, but are not usually removed unless they cause complications.
It was a major surgery, and the 16-year-old was understandably afraid.
“Those were the days before Facebook. No one we knew had scoliosis,” Liew recalled.
Liew’s mum asked around and found a friend of a friend in her thirties who had undergone this surgery. “She came to meet me and showed me that it was possible to lead a normal life after surgery. That gave me a lot of hope and confidence. I knew that I was not alone,” Liew said.
Putting aside the fear, she underwent the eight-hour surgery.
“I cried post-surgery because of the immense pain. I woke up feeling that there was a block of wood on my back. I couldn’t turn. I struggled to breathe. I had to learn how to walk again,” she said.
But the surgery was successful and reduced her scoliosis to a mild curvature.
“I told myself, this is my life – I am reformed and transformed. This rod will be my forever companion,” she said. “If you are more accepting of the condition, you will be able to recover faster.”