I'm Melanie!
My name is Melanie and I’m going to be writing a community blog for all of us Dorsum ExoSpine users, staff, and supporters, that hopefully will inform, educate, discuss, and reflect on questions that we all have throughout our individual journeys with the Dorsum ExoSpine. Topics won’t be decided by only me, it will be all of us, it’s important for me to write about topics that you want to know about as well.
I want, we want, you to give us ideas about what you want to read about concerning your back and spine health. Maybe scientifically, explaining the ExoSpine as a concept or specific questions. Socially (do people wear their ExoSpines in public? If so, how is the best way to do so?). Physically (what challenges do you have at various parts of our journey)? Perhaps some problem solving, (what, if any, problems are you or did you have or are you having now)? The subjects will be reflective of your wants, needs, concerns, educating ourselves, and sometimes even just springboarding topics I’ve had from your comments. And, of course, topics decided by the different teams behind-the-scenes.
About Me
In the meantime, I will tell you some things about myself, why I use the Dorsum ExoSpine, and my background. I may even include some photographs if you’re good!
So, about me: I live in Nova Scotia, on the East Coast of Canada. I grew up in Montreal, moved to North Carolina on my own, worked for a school and went to university there as a Graduate Assistant.
While I was finishing my Masters in North Carolina, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. During the five years after I graduated, I became very depressed and isolated, reclusive, moved back to Canada and watched my MS progress. Eventually, I had to stop working and it quickly became obvious that I couldn’t live on my own anymore.
The Beginning of My Path to Recovery
I moved back to the East Coast of Canada, the "Maritimes" as Canadians say, and moved in with my mother so she could look after me. We researched, and more than once, tried different methods to potentially slow down or stop, possibly even heal, my MS. We found a method that would take about four or five years to start to see results. Thankfully, we did start to see some changes and still do today. My MS continues to improve/heal.
In 2010 I moved into a nursing home in Nova Scotia. I still live here, which has affected my mental health over the years (twelve+) but it definitely drives me to keep working on getting better, to get to the point that I can move out of here with my feet on the ground. I want to live fully back into the community instead of staying here and eventually leaving, to be blunt, feet first.
My attempts to reverse and heal my MS still continue, which is what eventually led me to the Dorsum ExoSpine, which I will be sharing with you here; my journey in this next step. So come and join me!
