21:25 to 22:28

Katherine has scoliosis and with that comes regular back checks and periodic x-rays. When she started swimming, her back was giving her issues so we brought her to the family doctor who ordered another x-ray (her last was 6 months ago) and with those results referred her to a spine specialist in Largo, MD. Last Monday turned into a day off from school in order to make the hour drive there, have a 10 minute visit, and an hour drive back.

Last May when she was first diagnosed, her back measured 21degrees on the top curve and 25degrees on the bottom return curve. At her latest check, the top curvature was 22degrees and the lower had progressed to 28 degrees.

Those may not seem like much, but it's become clearer how "crooked" and our favorite term, "swirly," she is. Take a look. Ignore me, I'm actually leaning in since I set the timer on the camera and ran up the stairs and plopped down just as the camera went off. Check out Katherine. She saw the photo and the first thing she said was "But I was sitting as straight as I could! I was thinking about it!"

Thankfully she's near, if not already, done growing. Along with her curve, she has the typical deep trough between her shoulder blades and when she bends over her shoulder blades are not aligned. Hopefully any further changes should hardly register. The doc did say the best possible exercise is swimming to lengthen and stretch her back, so I wish she kept up with it. She also shouldn't carry every school thing she owns in her bag all day, and then all on one shoulder. In any case, no back brace, no intervention required. So that's good news.