Karmen Parkes, 13, had seven-hour surgery to correct her abnormal curvature of the spine after her mother Katherine, 37, noticed her protruding shoulder Karmen, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, is now 5'3" but will unlikely grow taller Surgery was Karmen's only option, which involved fusing her back together Surgeons at Sheffield Children's Hospital inserted rods and screws in her spine Karmen is recovering well but requires regular X-rays to monitor her progress A teenage girl has grown four inches after having corrective surgery on her curved spine. Karmen Parkes' mother Katherine, 37, first noticed her daughter's protruding right shoulder in April 2016 and thought she had dislocated it. Yet, X-rays revealed Karmen, 13, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was suffering from abnormal curvature of the spine, known as scoliosis, which was so severe it was crushing her lung and restricted her breathing. Karmen underwent a gruelling seven-hour operation at Sheffield Children's Hospital, which means she now stands at 5'3". As surgeons were forced to fuse Karmen's back together, it is unlikely she will grow any taller. Ms Parkes, a midday school supervisor, said: 'I'd never heard of scoliosis before, so I couldn't believe what I was hearing when Karmen got diagnosed. 'We were told the curve was quite severe and, because Karmen was still growing, it'd only get worse. 'Surgery was her only option, so although it was scary, we knew we had to do it. Karmen's determination has been incredible. 'Her lung was also being squashed because of it, making it difficult for her to breathe. In the run up to the operation, we had to be really careful and make sure she didn't push herself too far. I think through all of this, we adults have been more nervous than she has. She's just fantastic.' Karmen had an operation on her s-shaped spine in September 2016, which involved surgeons straightening it out with rods and screws. Ms Parkes said: 'She was up and walking about just two days later. 'Normally, we were told, it takes about a week to recover, but Karmen was home after five days. 'She just wanted to be back at school with her friends. She's so determined. Now, she's so much better. There's an absolute world of difference in her since the surgery.' Karmen must have regular X-rays to monitor her progress, but is so far doing well. Ms Parkes and her friend Carlene Kynaston, 32, are holding a fundraising night on 22 April to thank Sheffield Children's Hospital. The pair have raised £1,300 to date and hope for more donations. Ms Parkes said: 'Until you've had a child in hospital, you don't realise just how much the doctors and nurses do. 'They were fantastic with us. Anything we needed, they were there. 'They have so many kids there and to look after them all so brilliantly that we just wanted to give something back.' Source
