Growing Up with Scoliosis
Grade 5 Up-Spray's adolescence was a study in scoliosis. Now a beautiful, young college grad with multiple talents, a straight back, and a normal body shape, she is in a perfect position to have written this upbeat and uplifting memoir. Diagnosed during a fifth-grade screening, Michelle reacted with predictable anger, denial, and resentment. As she grew, the curve-despite increasingly intense forms of bracing-worsened, and she eventually had to undergo a complex spinal fusion. Her emotions and frustrations ran rampant, from rebellion to resolve, from determination to fury. She tells her story eloquently, and readers will feel empathy without ever feeling pity. Since her case encompasses nearly every procedure used in scoliosis treatment, this book is a terrific resource for those who want to understand the condition and an excellent companion to the more academic "coping with-" titles. It also has clear black-and-white drawings, inspiring "after" photos, practical recommendations, and even a "word search" puzzle.Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CACopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.