Azalya's Journey of Recovery

Scoliosis: Our Story

Parenting does not come with an instruction manual. From the beginning, it’s impossible to comprehend and prepare for all the things that raising tiny humans comes with. Most parents just wish for a “healthy” child. Having health challenges with Azalya was never in our cards, but when life presents its hand, we must rise to the occasion and do anything possible to create the best life outcomes.

Her journey began just two months into her time on earth with us. She was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, and through her maintenance around that disease, we discovered the curvature in Azalya’s spine. At the time, we were told to just wait and see... Little did we know, that is the last thing you want to do with a curve in your back while you are still growing. By the time she was seen again, her curve had significantly gotten worse, and we were referred to a specialist.

Last winter, we saw the specialist and were told there was nothing that could be done to reverse a scoliosis curve — and not to believe anyone who says otherwise — and that she would need back surgery. We were determined to get a second opinion. Through some recommendations, we found the Scoliosis Care Center in San Jose. After our initial inquiry and their team reviewing Azalya’s x-rays, things moved very quickly.

Due to the significance of her curvatures and her age, we were urged to start treatment as soon as possible. That meant school, dance, soccer, and Spring Break would have to wait. Two weeks later, we were in San Jose to begin our journey.

Her treatment began with a three-week intensive therapy schedule — Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:00 — rotating through four stations. During that time, she was fit for custom equipment, had genetic methylation lab work, multiple MRIs, and was fitted for a custom brace. On the final day, all the gear was adjusted and loaded up to bring home.

We were excited to be going home — but little did we know that transitioning home would be our biggest struggle yet. The therapies were expected to continue daily, and the exhaustion hit hard. Our new schedule began at 6:30am and went until 9:30pm. From supplements tied to food intake, to pain tolerance while wearing the brace, to managing the emotional toll it took on a 10-year-old — we gradually found our rhythm.

We’re scheduled to return to San Jose every 3 months for adjustments and check-ins — likely for the next 3–5 years, depending on her progress.

We are grateful to have found a clinic that treats the root cause of scoliosis and has proven success reversing curves. We’re even more grateful to everyone who continues to support us. Our hope is that by sharing Azalya’s journey, we can raise awareness about this often invisible condition — and encourage other families to take action early.

Through it all, Azalya continues to grow stronger — physically and emotionally — and makes us proud every single day.