"Dance is the Air We Breathe"

I watch the disappointment in her eyes as she cries because she can't dance. I feel her hurt because she has to miss her 2 performances in December. The worst is not knowing what is wrong. She awakes one morning with her foot in enough pain that she can't walk on it. We thought maybe she has strained her tendon, or pulled a muscle, so we wait 3 weeks until it's getting worse. After an x-ray, and a CT scan we discover that she has Severe's disease, a coalition and extra bone in her ankle that is causing her foot to grind with pieces of her bone chipping off. This also has restricted the movement in her ankle. The specialist has never seen this before, so this will be his first surgery like this, but he is confident that he can repair it. In the meantime, her love of dance gets the best of her, and she decides she can't just sit and watch as her peers dance their hearts out. We are astonished watching her as she dances the lyrical routine on her knee's. She feels every movement in her soul which reflects in her whole upper body flowing beautifully with each movement. I watch in amazement, and tears whell up into my eyes. I can see her determination, and her complete love of dancing. Dancing is the air she breathes, and I cannot wait to see her do it again. Her surgery is scheduled for January the 19th. She will have to be off her foot for three weeks, and then physical therapy will need to start. Her competition team starts competing in March. She is determined to be strong by then. I don't know how she will do this, but she has the faith, the determination, and the love of dancing to make it happen if it is possible. She is a beautiful girl with a strong spirit. She is confident, and ready to work hard to get back what she has lost. I couldn't be more proud of my daughter. She is an example to me.