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Hannah’s Journey

This is Hannah’s homepage. This website and blog is all about Hannah, her family, and the upcoming challenge we are facing with corrective surgery for her scoliosis.  Hannah wanted a way to keep her friends and family updated and involved in her surgery and recovery and we thought this would be a good forum for our support system to follow Hannah’s journey and offer support. 

Hannah was born with congenital scoliosis and an “S” curve in her back. She has been followed by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) since she was one year old. As she has grown and developed, the curve in Hannah’s back has worsened, causing pressure on her lungs and in her chest cavity. As a natural athlete, this has been frustrating and scary for her. Her recent x-ray has shown that the curve in her back has shifted to 90 degree angle. This coupled with the other issues she is experiencing, the experts have decided that it is time for surgical intervention.

She will undergo two surgeries in October.  The first will be to attach a Halo to Hannah’s skull so she can undergo Halo Gravity traction.  To learn more about Halo Gravity traction, CLICK HERE.

For two weeks, Hannah will live in-patient at CHOP as she undergoes Halo Gravity traction. After two weeks, at the end of October, Hannah will undergo surgery to remove 2 vertebrae at the curves in her spine and to insert rods to support her.  

It is unclear what her recovery time will be – there are too many unknowns, but the hope is that Hannah will be out of the hospital one week after the second surgery. 

Hannah decided on “Defying Gravity” as her theme and logo because not only has her back defied gravity in its growth, but the lyrics from the Broadway show speak to her and her upcoming battles: 

Something has changed within me 
Something is not the same 
I’m through with playing by 
The rules of someone else’s game 

Too late for second-guessing 
Too late to go back to sleep 
It’s time to trust my instincts 
Close my eyes 
And leap 

It’s time to try defying gravity 
I think I’ll try defying gravity 
And you can’t pull me down

I’m through accepting limits 
‘Cause someone says they’re so 
Some things I cannot change 
But till I try I’ll never know

Hannah is determined to face this challenge and give her best effort to a fast and full recovery.  As she recently said to us, “I want to be back on the soccer field for indoor futsol in January.”  Her goals are ambitious, but Hannah is absolutely stubborn, brave, and determined to drive at them with all of her might. 

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