Jamie, Vivienne and Penelope
- (Mother) | Vivienne (Daughter, 8yrs old) | Penelope (Daughter, 5yrs old)
Jamie Jahnkes was in 2nd grade and around 7 or 8 when diagnosed. Jamie remembers feeling very sad and knew she felt different. Wearing a brace and having surgery one day was also a worry.
Jamie has 3 children who have all been diagnosed with Scoliosis. Penelope (age 5) is the youngest child and was the first to be diagnosed, she was a month shy of turning 2 when the x-ray results came back. Vivienne (age 8) was diagnosed a few months after Penelope when she was 6 years old. As a mother, Jamie was always concerned that one of her children would have Scoliosis and was initially very devastated with their diagnosis. Now Jamie’s son, who is 11 and the oldest, was just diagnosed with a mild curve this August. It’s hard to believe all 3 of her children will have to go through this struggle and discovering this has been the biggest obstacle for Jamie to overcome. She had so much grief! Jamie feels that all she can do is make sure they get the best care! The girls were so young when they were diagnosed that the only struggle was them not wanting to wear a brace all the time. Despite being reluctant some days, they have done so well. Jamie’s son took his diagnosis very well, his sisters make it look pretty easy thankfully so they have paved the way for him!
Scoliosis has been a part of Jamie’s life for so long! Having scoliosis has made her stronger
mentally and more empathetic towards others who are going through struggles as well. Now
that Jamie is going through the journey of her children having scoliosis, it motivates her even
more to be a positive example for them and show them that life is still wonderful. For Jamie, she
honestly felt deformed and that was very hard. She always tried to stand straight and hide her
curve, and that was exhausting. After surgery, Jamie finally felt better and embraced my scar.
She is thankful for it and her scar reminds Jamie how strong she is and what she has been
through. As far as her daughters, they can be shy to wear their braces around others but they
don’t seem to view themselves differently right now. Jamie just hopes they know how tough they
are in consistently wearing their braces!
Jamie thinks her story can help others know that even though having Scoliosis can be so
difficult, with good treatment you can live a joyful life just like anyone else. You may feel different
at first but if you look out to support groups, you will find so many others are going through this
and you are not alone! Jamie’s biggest fear was one of my children having Scoliosis, and now
all 3 have it which it hard, but they are getting through it. They are getting great care and life is
still beautiful. There are definitely very difficult moments but Jamie is not scared anymore and
has seen excellent progress being made in the treatment of Scoli. Jamie continues to advocate
for Scoliosis by staying active in support groups, especially those for parents of children with
scoliosis.
In the advancements of Scoliosis treatment, Jamie would love to see bracing improve even
more to correct and de-rotate curvature with more comfort. Jamie is excited about Schroth
physical therapy and hoping they continue to advance in non-invasive ways to correct
curvature. Jamie’s advice for other scoliwarriors is to try not to worry, It will be okay! Find
support groups and connect with others. Even if it is just online, it is a great comfort. You will
still have a joyful life and you are not alone!
I AM A STRONG MAMMA WHO WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MY FAMILY!
Being a homeschooling Mom of 3 is Jamie’s biggest achievement! There is not much time
for hobbies, but Jamie loves strength training and reading a good book when she gets the
chance to. With a cup of coffee or tea of course. Jamie’s girls love playing outside and
playing with all their dolls. They are very imaginative and love being creative as well with
drawing, coloring and clay! My son loves basketball football, reading and games.
