My Journey: Strength, Scoliosis, and the Power of Perseverance
As an Ambassador for Setting Scoliosis Straight, I recently had a profound realization—one I had never fully acknowledged before. My book, Connected: Finding My Truth, is more than a memoir. It’s a testament to resilience, a deep dive into my hidden family history, and an exploration of the truths that shape us.
My story began long before I even knew I had one to tell.
In 1965, during a back-to-school shopping trip, my father noticed something concerning—I wasn’t standing straight. That simple observation led us to a pediatrician, then to a specialist in New York City. After extensive tests at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, I was diagnosed with Levoconvex Scoliosis. I was too young to grasp what it meant, but I could see the fear in my parents’ eyes.
Dr. Jacob Graham, an orthopedic specialist, recommended a Milwaukee back brace to slow the progression of my condition. At the same time, my mother was battling cancer, leaving my father as my only caregiver. It was a difficult and uncertain time. Then, I overheard something that would change my life forever.
Dr. Graham, speaking privately to my father, unknowingly shattered my spirit when he said:
👉 “She probably won’t be able to have children and might be in a wheelchair by the time she’s forty.”
That moment could have broken me. Instead, it lit a fire inside me. I refused to let my condition—or anyone’s predictions—define my future.
For three and a half years, I endured the physical and emotional burden of the Milwaukee brace. I watched my peers live their teenage years while I felt trapped—both physically in the brace and emotionally by the limitations others placed on me. But I never gave up.
Today, I stand tall—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I am a proud mother, a stepmother, and in 2024, I became a grandmother—the future I was told I wouldn’t have has become my greatest blessing.
Over the years, as my scoliosis worsened, I sought new ways to manage my pain. I found Dr. Jason C. Rosenberg, M.D., a compassionate specialist in Neurology and Pain Medicine, who is exploring non-opioid treatment options to help me live with less suffering and more strength. I live with daily pain, but I won’t let it slow me down.
But scoliosis is just one part of my story.
In writing Connected: Finding My Truth, I uncovered more than my own resilience—I uncovered secrets buried in my family’s past. My journey of perseverance mirrors the journey I took to piece together long-lost truths. The same determination that pushed me to defy medical odds also drove me to uncover the mysteries that shaped my identity.
If you’d like to understand more about my journey—both personal and investigative—check out my book and its reviews here:
Never let someone else’s prediction dictate your future. Keep fighting. Keep believing. And above all—never give up.
