my sister need help

My sister is a 60 year old active first grade teacher. I believe she had scoliosis from when she was young but not sure why nothing was done about it.She always had poor posture but a doctor told my mom for my sister to carry her books on the other hip and her posture would correct itself.  Bad advise!! No other symptoms growing up but I noticed her spine curving in her early 50's then it rapidly took hold of her. She has always been thin.  She also has arthritis and severe osteosporosis. She has kyphosis and a large hump on her left side of her back.  Xrays revealed that her organs are on one side and spine on the other. No pain or breathing problems. She has gone to several doctors and some agree and some disagree.  The surgery would be a thoracic spinal fusion. One doctor said no surgery at this time. One doctor said the degree is 70 but another said 53. Her spine is "flakey" so she is on forteo to build up her bones.  She is going to another doctor for another opinion. She does not want surgery because everyone tells her to avoid it. There are risks of infection and paralysis. They said she would never be able to bend and twist again because of the plate and rod and screws. But my sister is so self conscious that she wears larger clothes to hide the hump but does not want to go out. She calls herself a "freak" and deformed. I am so upset because my sister is all I have and I dont want to see her like this. I dont want to force her to have the surgery in case it does not work or she becomes an invalid and paralysed. Can someone please tell me what thoracis spinal fusion is like and what the recovery time is? Would she be able to bend or twist or move after recovering?  How about getting in and out of a car or driving?  Would she be able to go back to teaching? Any information would be helpful to both her and myself.  I am worried!

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