There's nothing that beats good hair, that's for sure!

Re: how your family behaves or regards your messed up spine? This is likely going to be "cold comfort" and yet it is such a recurrent theme among people with wiped out spines.

I've been going through this "stuff" since my early 20s - when it became so pronounced it couldn't be written off to a fluke or something - and it was totally crushing when my doctors also brushed me off. Like a psych. eval. was the answers. Not.

Years later, and people "get it." It doesn't, however, erase the pain that came from those who chose not to understand.

Time is the cure. As many age, they feel things they don't want to feel. Mysteriously, they understand.

When that happens, Curious, I just nod my head and bite my tongue. But I sure could rip a lot of people a new y'know what.