Elle had been diagnosed a year earlier with severe scoliosis.  You would think with a spine curve at a -49 degree you would be able to notice it by the way Elle was standing.  Nope.

Elle's Body BraceThe strange thing is that her body had adjusted to the curvature - she looked like she was standing straight. The only outward sign was her spine had disappeared from view when you looked at her back.  Other than wearing a swimsuit you didn't see her back - so it was easy to not notice.  The only complaint that Elle had initially had was her neck bothered her from time to time.  We attributed it to her sleeping wrong.  

Elle's diagnosis would occur during a routine physical before entering High School.