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CRAB ORCHARD – For almost three years, Addison Reed has had to wear a halo brace around her head and neck to support her spine, but an upcoming surgery will soon relieve her of the device. 

Despite the size and inconvenience of the brace, it hasn’t slowed the five-year-old down, according to her mother Cortney Reed. 

Addison, or “Addie” as most know her, suffers from congenital spine abnormalities. 

“Her C1 through C5 vertebrae are crooked, some aren’t growing, some are growing but it’s taking longer. So they put that halo brace on her,” Reed said. 

On Aug. 2 she is scheduled to undergo a risky surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to help correct her neck and spine and shed the halo brace for good. 

“She has to have some rods put in and fused and they’re going to shave the bottom of her skull and put a metal plate in it,” she said. “We’re definitely nervous, it’s a spinal surgery. Her spinal cord is crooked, as is, so there could be more complications than a typical procedure on somebody else that doesn’t have her issues.”

Doctors say Addie is a special case, her mother said. 

“They kind of say there isn’t anyone out here like Addie,” she said. 

Reed said she didn’t know outright about Addie’s issues while she was pregnant but she lost her son three years ago and he also suffered from spinal issues. 

“We didn’t know his spine issues could possibly be genetic until I was seven months pregnant with her (Addie),” she said. “They’re not saying it’s genetic but they say it’s very rare to have two kids born with the same issues and not be genetic.” 

Addie’s surgery will be intensive with a hospital stay of at least a week and at least six weeks of recovery. 

Addie is a kindergarten student at Crab Orchard Elementary and well-known in the community. 

When Mike and Marsha Oney, and other friends of the family, learned about Addie’s upcoming surgery they wanted to do something special for her. 

Addie truly believes she is a princess, her mother said, and so the community has come together to plan a Princess Parade just for her. 

The Princess Addie Parade is scheduled for Saturday, July 27 in Crab Orchard. Line up will begin at 9 a.m. at the elementary school and the parade will begin at 11 a.m. 

The public is invited to attend and let Addie know the community is rooting for her. 

“She is super excited,” Reed said. “She actually thinks she is a princess, like her excuse to get out of anything is ‘I’m a princess, I don’t have to.’” 

Addie has been receiving a lot of cards, too, Reed said. 

“We’ve gotten hundreds and hundreds of cards,” she said. “She loves to go and check every morning and get them.” 

Everyone is invited to attend Saturday’s Parade for Princess Addie and cheer her on as she prepares for her surgery. 

 

SO YOU KNOW

You can send cards of prayer and encouragement to Addie by mailing them to PO BOX 266, Crab Orchard, KY, 40419