"When I was 14, I loved playing volleyball, tennis and basketball. So I was surprised when my school nurse noticed a hump on my side. She said I should see a doctor.
But she met Dr. Lindsay Crawford, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and she trusted her.
My scoliosis was so bad, I did need surgery. Otherwise, the curve was only going to get worse and cause other problems.
Dr. Crawford did the surgery the summer before I went to high school. Then I did therapy at Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation to get strong and learn to walk again.
That was eight years ago, and I feel like a new person. I’m planning a life in the military. I passed the Army Combat Fitness Test with flying colors on my first try. It was pretty challenging, but I knew I could do it."