Valerie and I are long-time veterans of the Courage Classic riding for Team Parker. You can find more information about our team and Parker's story here: https://secure.childrenscoloradofoundation.org/site/TR/CourageClassic/General?team_id=6116&pg=team&fr_id=1891
This tradition has taken on new meaning for us over the past two years. Not only does our son, Ari, now do the ride with us ("In the trailer on the back of dada's bicycle" as he would say), but he's also been a patient at Children's Hospital.
When Ari was 15 months old, he was diagnosed with early onset scoliosis (EOS). EOS is very different than the much more common adolescent scoliosis, not only because it appears earlier in life, but because it is more likely to be relentlessly progressive, debilitating, and a sign of other things being wrong. Needless to say, we were scared.
We had the option of putting Ari in a full torso cast or brace. We chose to brace - 23 hours per day. At Ari's age, the brace cannot be computer designed because little ones can't hold still for long enough. The brace has to be made by hand, aligning the spine by feel and experience. That's when we met Craig. "The man with the magic hands" as we came to call him, Craig, gently worked with our wiggly and scared son while he shaped the plaster mold by feel. As I watched him work, despite his expertise on clear display, there appeared to be so much approximation. I am a physicist after all, and I thought to myself, "there's no way this is going to be right." Lo and behold, when Ari got an in brace x-ray one month later, his spine was straight.
This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with Craig; he adjusted the brace when it got uncomfortable, made a new one as Ari grew, and answered our anxious emails and calls when we were worried we weren't doing it right. We'll never forget how Ari used to call trips to Children's Hospital, "going to Craig's house." At the start, we were told the best case scenario was that Ari may start to be able to take breaks from the brace after 2-3 years. Tears of joy filled our eyes when after 'only' 12 months of cinching Ari in a brace for 23 hours a day, every day (bless you, Valerie), Ari's doctor told us that he could stop wearing it. Every year, I spiral into a panic for the weeks leading up to his x-ray to ensure his spine is remaining straight and stable, but aside from some worry induced angina, so far, so good.
Now, the Courage Classic is not only our yearly reminder to lose a few pounds so we can ride over some mountains, but it's a chance to reflect on what Ari has been through and remind ourselves about how we got to where we are. It is a chance to be thankful to Craig, to Tina, to Dr. Erickson, and to all the staff at Children's Hospital that have helped us. Most importantly, it's a time to remember what a miracle our son, Ari, is.
