Patient Stories

My name is Angela and I am 17 years old. I was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at age 13, when my parents noticed my hips were not even while I was wearing a swimsuit in a water park. By then, my thoracic lumbar curve was measuring 42° with a minor curve in lower session measuring 30°. My scoliosis did not impact my activity level and I had no pain or discomfort.

We visited several orthopedic surgeons and they all gave similar opinions that most likely I would need a surgery down the road. Since I was still growing, the doctor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital recommended that I wear a Boston Brace to try to slow down the progression before I would be ready for the surgery. I had the brace for two years. Besides the discomfort and awkwardness, it did not do much to stop the progression. By age 15, my curve was beyond 50° and the topic of surgery was brought up again. In the summer of 2019, I had spinal fusion surgery, from T2 to L3, and my curve was corrected to less than 20°. The recovery was quite painful but very fast (and my dad came home from an overseas assignment to be with me for 2 weeks). I was able to return to most of my normal activities after 8 weeks.

Looking back at this journey, my parents and I had learned so much, from our own experiences, and through reading the patients’ stories and studying many online/offline resources. At the very beginning, we were shocked and in disbelief, and my mom took the blame on herself for not noticing the curve earlier and possibly missing the best time window for brace treatment. She was visibly depressed for several weeks and tried to find all possible causes and hoped to slow down the progression. Through numerous conversations with medical professionals and reading the touching stories of other patients, we learned that scoliosis is developed “silently” in most of the cases and it is genetic, meaning that its development has nothing to do with diet or the weight of your backpack. My first and only question to the doctor before undergoing surgery was when I could play viola again. His answer was “most probably in 8 weeks.” I started practicing again as soon as I could and by the time eight weeks rolled around, I was playing in my high school’s top orchestra once more.

Scoliosis is a lifelong journey and it makes me stronger than I ever realize. I learned how to cope with unpredictability. Due to the surgery, I had to change my summer schedule that year and declined the prestigious Brevard Summer Music Institute, to which I had worked hard for months to apply. I learned to see things from a different perspective. The surgery gave me a straight spine, I “grew” two inches, and I could continue to play my cherished viola. Not only have I continued my growth on viola, I’ve also begun teaching how to play viola to others, and I find that being able to give others my skills through teaching is one of the most meaningful ways to give back to my community.

Through this process, I learned to not hide the scar on my back but talked about it openly and candidly. I learned that sharing my stories not only eased the anxiety of other teenage girls who were newly diagnosed with scoliosis, but also provided a soothing and healing experience for myself (and even for my parents). Knowledge is the power of the mind, and I am a fan of this principle. I have already provided consultations to several girls who had similar experiences. Supporting an organization such as Setting Scoliosis Straight that holds the same value I believe is an honorable thing for me to do. I am constantly searching for other ways to give back and donating what I earned from teaching viola to others is the most meaningful way for me.

Life threw me a curve, and I hit it hard (with my viola)…out of the park!