Scoliosis Won't Slow Kennedie Down
Kennedie was an excellent athlete and an avid runner until she was diagnosed with scoliosis. This only made her more determined to succeed.
Kennedie was an excellent student and athlete with a bright future ahead, so it came as a total surprise when she was diagnosed with scoliosis at 14 years old.
Kennedie and her mom were excited to go shopping for her first formal dress but as she was trying on dresses, her mom noticed for the very first time how her ribs were sticking out. It wasn’t until after they took formal pictures that her mom also noticed how much higher her left hip was than her right. Her parents immediately made her an appointment and Kennedie was getting x-rays the following week.
Kennedie and her parents got the surprise of their lives when they learned that she had scoliosis with a 57-degree S curve, which would require surgery. Despite receiving this shocking news, they knew surgery was the best option for her after discussing it with her doctor.
It was very important to her and her family that recovery was quick and successful so Kennedie could get back to doing what she loved most- running. After doing a lot of research and reading a story on East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s website about other children who received the same surgery, they felt confident in the hospital and the outcome.
"I was nervous about the surgery but prayed a lot and felt better after talking to my cousin’s friend who also runs cross county and got the surgery,” said Kennedie. With that confirmation and feeling at peace with her decision, she was ready to move forward with surgery.
On March 25th, Kennedie received scoliosis surgery and within 24 hours was asking to be up before physical therapy arrived to begin helping her walk. Within two weeks, she was getting out of bed and moving around on her own. “Her recovery was phenomenal, and her surgery team was great,” said Kennedie’s mom.
Kennedie overcame her scoliosis diagnosis with a lot of help from her parents
At the four-week mark, her doctor gave her permission to start walking and swimming again. "You could see the change in Kennedie because it gave her permission to be her again,” said Kennedie’s dad.
Fast forward a few weeks, Kennedie is running and preparing for cross country season for her sophomore year of high school. “Everything about this process was top notch. We were given a lot of peace of mind by the team and Children’s Hospital. Kennedie is back to doing what she loves!”
