spinal fusion

Kathy Ricciardi is a 20 year old patient of Alfred I. duPont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington Delaware. She was diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis when she was 10 years of age with a 22 degree spinal curvature. Despite bracing, her curve increased to 52 degrees and with significant truncal asymmetry…...

Diagnosed with scoliosis at age eleven, I was quite unaware of the long journey I had ahead of me. At the time, the only setback my condition presented was the necessity of wearing a back brace during sleep. I continued with my daily activities as normal and felt just as…...

During the same visit that I got my scoliosis diagnosis, I also learned I needed surgery. It was shocking, scary, and confusing, but my favorite quote which got me through not only my scoliosis experience but changing schools, applying to college, and fighting for the starting goalie position was: “You’re…...

On May 17th, 2010, when I was fourteen years old, I underwent a spinal fusion. My spinal fusion was performed by Dr. Peter Newton at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California. At the time of my surgery, I had a sixty degree right thoracic curve that was only going…...

In 2010, I was thirteen years old and in the eighth grade. My life was going smoothly until I played a field hockey game one day after school. During the game, I twisted my knee, and as a result, I had to see an orthopedist. Surprisingly, the doctor was unable…...

Looking back now, I think I had the ultimate scoliosis experience, but when I was first diagnosed with scoliosis, during the summer before sixth grade, I had no idea what would be in store for me over the next eight years. I wore a brace sixteen hours a day for…...

My journey started in 2007 at my very first appointment at Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children with Dr. Peter Gabos. I was thirteen years old and was told I had scoliosis. I could not even say that word out loud; it just felt weird. But, looking back, I had no…...

Courtney Rone has a scar. From the middle of her shoulder blades straight down to her lower back is a faint white line and daily reminder of what she’s overcome to keep doing what she loves. At the age of 12, Courtney was diagnosed with scoliosis. “When I first learned…...

Curvilinea I was ten years old when I received my brace.  I wore it for twenty hours a day with the amount of time gradually decreasing until—two years, two months, and two days later—I no longer was required to wear it.  My time in my brace was incredibly difficult; I…...