My gifted bendy kid will be less bendy because the spinal fusion surgery needed to correct his scoliosis will make his back stiff in the fused area. Surgery is tomorrow. Not only is he worried that he will die or be left paralyzed, but he hates the fact that he will never again be able to arch his back and move as easily as he does now. He says he can live with the pain he is in now. He says his life as he knows it will be over no matter how successful the surgery is. I don't know what to say when he says these things.