A Milwaukee Addict
PART 1

PRELUDE

This story has been long in the making, 18 years to be exact. I am a Milwaukee brace addict. I will not reveal my real name, but for this narrative I will call myself Kami. I was born and raised in Louisiana and still live there today. I am 30 years old, single, 6 feet tall, 138 lbs., shoulder length deep auburn hair, brown eyes, and a great smile. I am of Irish and Cajun decent. I am very tan with only a few freckles on my shoulders. I keep myself very fit and physically active running, playing volleyball, aerobics, swimming and yoga. I am told that I am extremely attractive (my measurements are 38D, 27, 37) and if the number of requests for dates is any indication then I’m guilt as charged. My only flaw is my spine. I have kyphosis and scoliosis. My kypho curve stabilized at 32 degrees and my scoliosis "s" curve stabilized at 18 (top) and 21 (bottom) degrees. Enough of these details for now, I will reveal more as my story unfolds.

CHAPTER 1

It was the 3^rd Saturday in April, 1981. My older brother (14 yo) and I (12 yo) always went skating on the 3^rd Saturday of every month. On this particular evening it was unusually warm and I had on some of my summer clothes, despite Mother’s protests that it was too soon to wear such things. We arrived at the skate rink at 6:30 p.m. so we could be first in line when the doors opened at 7:00 p.m. The first customers in got first pick at the best rental skates. We had been skating about an hour when my life changed forever. I was circling the floor when I saw her walk in. I would later learn that her name was Lisa and she was a new transfer student to the middle school that I attended. She was wearing a Milwaukee brace and it was the most interesting and exciting contraption that my young mind had ever seen. I just had to meet her. A few minutes later, I found myself in front of her introducing myself and making polite conversation. I discovered that her family had just moved into town and that she was living just up the street from my parent's house. On impulse, I invited her over for dinner the following day so I would have an excuse to talk to her and ask questions about her brace.

I did not sleep any that night, all I could think of was Lisa and her brace. By 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon, I could not stand the waiting any longer. I got on my bike and rode down the street to see her. She was outside swinging when I rode up. She was so beautiful with her back so straight and the metal neck ring surrounding her neck. I felt tingly all over and it was hard to think and breathe. Lisa waved me over and we were soon chatting excitedly. We discovered we had a lot in common and best of all we would be going to school together.

Within a few days Lisa and I were best friends. I found that we could talk about anything with each other and shared our childhood dreams, wishes and fears. Lisa even agreed to let me try on her brace if we could arrange to do it in secret. Needless to say, the plotting began. Lisa's parents had to attend closing on their previous residence in two weeks and we convinced both sets of parents to let Lisa stay in town with me for the weekend. That just left my parents to deal with and luck played out there. My parents had been invited to a cookout with family friends and Lisa and I would have the house all to ourselves for the afternoon.

The appointed day finally arrived and the house was ours. As soon as my parents pulled out of the driveway we raced to my bedroom and started my first Milwaukee adventure. Lisa pulled her top off and slipped her pants down as I quickly undressed. When I looked up and saw Lisa in the brace without clothing I nearly fainted. The brace was more fantastic than I imagined. The plastic girdle around her waist and the metal uprights were breathtaking, especially the one in front between her budding breasts. I could not wait. I asked Lisa to please hurry. I watched carefully as she removed the brace and practically jumped into it before she could get it off. I intuitively pulled the brace on and Lisa began explaining the straps and neck ring closure. At last I had the brace on. The first thing I noticed was the pleasant restriction from my neck to hips. Lisa and I were basically the same physical size at 12 and her brace fit me fairly good. Lisa stepped behind me and tightened the straps more and I felt the full force of the girdle and uprights as my torso was force straight. Little did I know that my on curvatures had begun to develop. Turning, I stopped and stared at myself in the mirror. My image was stunning to me. Lisa helped me into some clothes I had chosen earlier. It was at this time that I finally noticed the strap and pad on my right side that pushed against Lisa's curve. I felt so safe, comfortable and relieved to have the brace on. After dressing Lisa told me to put my shoes on with a sly smile on her face. I soon discovered that not being able to bend your back or neck made normal tasks a challenge, but I was not deterred. Careful to not fall down the stairs, we went to the kitchen to get something to eat before I attempted the list of activities I had planned. The afternoon passed too quickly and we all to soon found ourselves back in my bedroom changing back. I felt sad and depressed when I took Lisa's brace off and felt a little resentment toward her for having the brace instead of me. After that afternoon I hoped and wished every chance I got that I would someday have my own brace. My wishes where answered a lot sooner than I expected.

CHAPTER 2

9 months later, I found myself in a paper gown in an Orthopedic Specialist's office staring at x-rays with my Mom. My Mom had noticed that my posture had gotten worse over the last several months and my shoulders and hips were not even. From talking with Lisa, I had a good idea of what was happening and before the Doctor finished explaining the x-rays, I blurted out my secret wish "Will I have to wear a brace?" The doctor looked at my Mom and then me before he explained that he felt it was necessary that I start in a Milwaukee brace as soon as possible. Dr. Childs also went on to say that I might be in the brace 3 - 5 years, 23 hours a day. My kyphosis curve was 43 degrees and the scoliosis curve was 28 (top) and 36 (bottom). I was speechless and Mom interrupted this to mean that I was upset so she came over and hugged me and told me it would be all right. I silently smiled to myself with joy at the news. Dr. Childs went on to explain that I would still be able to do everything I felt comfortable doing except contact sports and that I should be active to help keep my muscles strong.

The next day we went to the orthoist. The orthoist explained that because of the complicated curves in my back that he would be casting me for a custom brace instead of using stock pelvic girdles. An assistant, who introduced herself as Jill, led my Mom and I back to a room that contained a large metal frame. Jill instructed me to take my shirt and pants off and she cut holes in a stockinet for my arms and helped me wiggle into it. It covered me from my neck to mid-thigh. She then had me step into the middle of the frame and began attaching a halter to my head and hips which she explained were part of the traction process to straighten my spine while they applied a cast to my body to serve as a mold for my new brace. Next she attached the head and hip harness to cables. She then moved a bar into place behind my legs, which she said I could lean against with my things and two bars beside me on each side which I could rest my arms on. Then she instructed me to relax and remain still while she applied weights to the ends of the cables. I began to feel the pressure on my spine as it was pulled straight from both ends. After she finished applying the weights, Jill stood and told me that the orthoist Dr. Brundage would be in to apply the cast after the weights had had a little time to straighten my spine.

After what seemed an eternity, Dr. Brundage entered the room followed by Jill carrying a bucket of warm water. Dr, Brundage explained that he would be applying plaster bandages to my body from my hip to my neck. He also explained that as the plaster dried and hardened it would feel warm. Jill then dipped the first roll of plaster bandage into the warm water and then squeezed it out and Dr. Brundage started by cinching in my waistline and then wrapping my hips. 20 minutes later I was encased in plaster from my neck to my hips. Dr. Brundage left the room after applying the bandages and said he would return to check the cast. The cast was wonderfully warm as it dried and so comfortable to me the way it hugged my body.

Dr. Brundage returned shortly with a special saw in his hand, which he said would cut the cast, but not me. Jill removed my head harness and cable from the hip harness and I ask if I could stand up and stretch. Jill smiled at me and said I could stand and walk around, but stretching would be quite impossible with the cast on.

Walking around the room was exhilarating. The cast supported my spine and kept it straight. For the first time, I realized that some of the minor pain and discomfort I had been feeling over the last several months was caused by my spinal curvature and the cast eliminated those pains. I mentioned this to Dr. Brundage and he explained that often scoliosis patients reported that their casts and braces reduced and/or stopped the pains they encountered prior to being casted and/or braced. I was then instructed to lean forward on the counter so he could start removing the cast and I panicked. I did not want him to remove it. I felt so liberated and secure encased in the plaster. Misreading my distress Jill smiled at me and said reassuringly that the saw would not hurt me. I wanted to cry as they removed the cast from my body. Mom stood and hugged me as she asked when the brace would be ready. Dr. Brundage replied that normally it took 2-3 weeks, but in my case my orthopedic specialist had requested a rush on my brace because of the complex and serious nature of my spinal deformity. It was Tuesday now and Dr. Brundage hoped my new brace would arrive no later than the following Monday.

After we left Dr. Brundage’s office, Mom decided to take me out for dinner so we could talk. She ordered a large pizza and then asked how I was handling the situation. I don’t think Mom was prepared for the answer that I gave her. I told her that I wanted my back to be straight and that if a brace would help me then I could live with that. I also told her that knowing Lisa and how she was OK with her brace helped me deal with the idea better. Mom looked at me smiling and said that she thought I was very brave and that she and Dad were proud of me. Smiling back I said thanks, but silently I thought how great it was going to be to have my own brace. I could never tell Mom and Dad how much I wanted to wear one.

Later that evening I called Lisa and told her the news and how cool I thought it was that we would both be wearing braces. There were so many things we would do while in them.

CHAPTER 3

Three days later the school secretary called over the school intercom and asked my teacher to have me report to the office. When I arrived at the office, I discovered Mom talking to the school guidance counselor explaining my condition. Mom turned and told me that Dr. Brundage’s office had called and my brace was ready. We had a fitting appointment at 1:30 p.m. Mrs. Williams, the guidance counselor, took the opportunity to say that if I need to talk her door was always open. Mom thanked Mrs. Williams and ushered me toward the door.

Once in the car, I could barely contain myself. I ask Mom what they said when they called and she told me that they simply called to say my brace was ready and we should come by at 1:30 for a fitting. The only other thing that they mentioned was that we should bring clothes for me to change into that were one or two sizes larger than what I normally would wear.

I opened the door of the car before it came to a full stop as we arrived at Dr. Brundage's office. We were the only people in the waiting room and after Mom signed us in, Jill came out and said we could go on back to the fitting room. I brushed past Mom so I could be the first into the fitting room, but was disappointed when I discovered my brace was not in there. Jill told me to take my shirt and pants off and that Dr. Brundage would be right in.

I was just slipping off my pants when Dr. Brundage walked in holding my brace and both Mom and I took a sharp intake of breath. Mom was surprised at its appearance, but I was in love. It was the most beautiful piece of metal and plastic I had ever seen.

I stepped toward Dr. Brundage as he began to explain the brace's function to Mom and I, how to clean it, and what types of clothing might work best. I didn't hear a word he said until he told me to turn around so we could start the fitting. With my back to him, I heard the brace creak slightly as he opened it up and brought it into position in front of me. I inserted my arms as instructed and smiled as he pulled it into place and began to tighten the straps and fasten the neck ring screw post. Dr. Brundage then began adjusting and measuring to make sure the brace fit properly. I thought it was perfect.

The brace I received was a Milwaukee brace. It consisted of a white thermoplastic girdle with three (2 in back, 1 in front) shiny metal uprights with attached neck ring. The neck ring had a white plastic throat mold and metal occipital pads. The back uprights sported white plastic kyphosis pads with thick foam backing. The front upright supported an outrigger with two round white plastic pads with foam backing that pushed my shoulders back. There were also two straps attached to the front upright with auxiliary pads attached that went around each of my sides to connect in back on the back uprights.

Dr. Brundage had me take it off and on a couple of times to make sure I could do it. He explained that it was good I had the weekend to get adjusted to the brace and that we were to schedule an appointment with Dr. Childs in two weeks for new x-rays to make sure the brace was doing its job.

After Dr. Brundage left Jill said I could get dressed and offered to help. I declined and said I wanted to do it myself. Mom and Jill left me to dress while they went to finish some paperwork.

When the door closed I stepped to the mirror to look at myself. I could barely believe that I finally had it. My new brace fit much better that Lisa’s brace had fit me and felt really good. My back did not hurt any and my hips and shoulders were level. Since I could not turn my head enough to see, I could not tell visually if the brace made my hump back disappear, but it felt like it was gone.

There was also one other thing that I noticed that I was not sure about, but I had a tingly warm feeling low in my stomach and my panties were really damp. Mom and I had had a talk months ago about the changes in a young woman’s body as she grows and sex when I had my first period. I wasn’t entirely sure, but I think what I was feeling had something to do with what Mom had called arousal. Time to think on that later, I had to get dressed.

I did not really like the idea of the larger clothes that Mom had brought, so I picked up the clothes I had worn in and started to put my jeans on. I bumped my chin on the throat mold as I tried to bend to put on my jeans. Holding my jeans in one hand, I raised my legs one at a time and put them in my jeans by feel. Not difficult, just different. I had not experienced this before with Lisa’s brace since she had helped me dress. After pulling my pants up around my waist I found that by tightening the pelvic girdle a little more that I could fasten my jeans. I had never worn my clothes very tight anyway and was glad that my jeans still fit. I then sat down in a chair and crossed my legs one at a time to put my shoes on. Standing, I picked up my shirt and buttoned it up leaving my shirt tail out, my jeans were fastened, but there was no way I would ever be able to tuck the shirt in too. Walking back to the mirror, I pulled my hair back and fixed it into a ponytail before I opened the door and went to join Mom.

The kyhpo pads and shoulder outriggers really worked on my hump back, but as I walked I could tell the brace made me walk differently. It was a good feeling. I did not have bad posture anymore.

Mom forced a smile when she saw me and asked if I had had any problems dressing. I smiled and said that it was a piece of cake.

As we started to leave Jill told us to call if I had any problems with the brace.

Once in the parking lot I grabbed Mom’s hand and told her that I was OK and not to worry. I was happy and everything was going to be fine. After a couple tries, I figured out how to get in the car without bumping my head and adjusted the seat so I was comfortable.

On the way home, Mom and I talked about shopping Saturday for some new clothes and what types of clothing would fit best.

CHAPTER 4

As soon as we got home, I told Mom that I was going to walk to Lisa’s house to show her my brace and talk.

Lisa and I went to her room and talked about what I missed in school that afternoon and just general chat. All of a sudden Lisa blurted out "How do you feel about your brace?" Giggling, I replied that I was very happy and that I loved my new brace and never wanted to take it off. Lisa frowned at me and said "you’re really weird" and then we both burst out laughing. Lisa knew about my "addiction" and even shared it to a certain degree. She then asked if she could see my brace, all of it. Standing, I started taking off my clothes and Lisa gasped in concern and ran to lock the door so no one would walk in on us. Lisa stared at my brace for several minutes before giving me an evil grin and saying that it certainly suited me. Putting my clothes back on, Lisa and I decided to go for a walk and enjoy the afternoon.

END OF PART 1