Hi! My name is Sadie Rubin and I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. My whole life I grew up spending long hours in the dance studio where I danced my little heart out. Whether it was stretching, conditioning, technique, or choreography I always was up for the challenge of doing whatever it took to become the absolute best. I was non stop.
In December of 2019 I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 15. I always thought the achey back pain was just from long hours in the dance studio and the insane flexibility I had. But over a few months leading up to my diagnosis I noticed the pain gradually increasing. A friend recommended a trip to the chiropractor and within minutes of being seen they told me I needed to get an x-ray. It was not long before I found out I had not just one, but two curves. I was devastated. All the negative thoughts came rushing through my head and the fear I had of doctors only worsened.
At first I thought my only options were to get a brace or spinal fusion. We went through the process of getting a brace only for me to completely give up after a day. I remember walking into the dance studio that day with my brace on crying because I just wanted to feel normal. We then tried physical therapy for several weeks but that method unfortunately did not give us the results we needed or any pain relief. After meeting with a doctor to discuss fusion my mom knew she needed to do some more research on other treatments because she wanted to make sure that my future quality of life and dancing would be the best it could possibly be. Fortunately she found the Vertebral Body Tethering procedure with Dr. Lonner in New York City.
After my initial appointment and deciding we were going to follow through with this treatment plan I was so upset at my parents. I knew they were looking out for me by making this decision but I was so scared that I chose to be angry. Looking back on it now, I am so incredibly thankful that they made that decision for me. Five years later and I would do it all over again if I had to. The providers at Mount Sinai Hospital were absolutely amazing. Now the recovery process wasn’t easy but I know the hard part of taking that leap of faith was already over. With my amazing support systems and my drive to be the best dancer and person I could be, I held my head high through the ups and downs of recovery. After my six weeks were up and I was cleared for movement, I immediately found myself back in the dance studio and was fully dancing on the competition stage that season and even the ones after.
I am proud of my scar as it shows resilience and I love to let others know that regardless of whatever medical conditions you have gone through or are experiencing you don’t have to hide it. Today, I am finishing up my undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona and also have continued to live an active lifestyle and teach dance. In the future I would love to help bring light to those experiencing their journey with scoliosis and to one day become a medical provider who can make a difference in people’s lives just like my providers did for me.
