Week Ten

It is hard to believe that we almost done!  Today marks the 10th week and we have 11 more days.  Looking back it doesn't seem like it has already been ten weeks but I feel like it has been 10 years.  I am almost nervous for the cast to come off.   Katie has been in her "armor" for so long and has been so protected that we couldn't do anything to hurt her.  When the cast comes off she will be fragile and squishy again.  Don't get me wrong I am more than ready for the cast to come off.  I miss giving my baby a bath.  I miss being able to put cute outfits on her.  I miss being able to use a changing table.  She will be in a brace for 16 hours a day right after she gets out of the cast.  I wonder if it has to be 16 hours straight or if I can break it up and only have her wear it at night and nap times.   We are counting down to September 9.  It can't come soon enough.  I go back to school tomorrow.  Not sure how the early mornings are going to work.  Mom and I are going to have to switch cars every day because of Katie's carseat.  It is going to be interesting.

Half Way There!

Katie's surgery on Monday gave us good results.  The doctor told us that when he examined her while asleep that her hip had good range of motion and seemed very stable. The only issue we have had to deal with is the side effects from the hydrocodone they gave her in recovery.  She did not need the medication and it made her sick and she has had numerous tummy problems since.  I think we have finally gotten over the worst.  Davy and I were hoping that she would be one of the lucky kids that didn't need the second cast.  When we asked the doctor what the chances were she would not need the cast his response..."zero."  We are counting down the days until September 9 when the cast will come off.  The doctor is even coming to Twin Falls that day so we don't have to go to Boise.  She will then be placed in a hip brace for 16 hours a day.  That means she gets 8 hours a day to move!!!  After a month she will then be re-evaluated.  If there has been enough improvement then she will only have to wear the brace at night.  Then after another month then the doctor will check again for improvement and then slowly wean her out of the brace.  She still is not sleeping but I don't think she will as long as she is in the cast.   We wanted her to be in a lime green cast.  Due to a communication glitch she is in a John Deere green cast.  She is enjoying a little more freedom and is moving and wiggling more.  The other cast was getting way too tight.  We took the kids camping the week before Katie's cast change.  We figured it was perfect timing so if she got dirty it wouldn't be a big deal.  She did AWESOME in the mountains.  She would only wake up once a night and even slept through the night  once.  We did have a hard time keeping her cool.  The first two days in the mountains were in the ninety's and  she would get very fussy and would even "urp" more because she was too hot.  We have had to run a fan in her room at night because she was getting too hot even with the A/C running.

I am trying to start gearing up to go back to work.  Luckily Katie will only be in the cast a couple weeks while I am at work.  However, operating on very little sleep may be difficult.  She will not need to do physical therapy.  He does not want a therapist to force her hip to do anything.  He wants her healing to be with her own movements and her own muscle strength slowly rebuilding itself.  He did tell us that when she is 5 or 6 years old it is possible she may need another surgery.  If her hip does not form completely after her learning to crawl and walk then they will have to go in and actually make a hip socket for her.  Much worse surgery.  We are praying it does not come to that and the doctor does not see that happening.  We caught it very early and everything looks good now but he wanted us to be prepared just because there is always the chance.  We are not focusing on that but on September 9 and her recovery afterwards.  We are just so thankful that she does not have something worse.

                                                            Katie on the day of surgery.

The Countdown Continues

Katie had her MRI last week and everything was perfect!  Now if only we could get her to sleep.  She does great during the day for the most part but starts to fight the cast in her sleep. It is extremely frustrating.  We had several BBQ's over the Fourth of July weekend and it was difficult to keep her cool.  I almost got a little depressed yesterday when I realized we weren't even through the third week which is also 25% of the way.  It was enlightening to know that she would only have to be in the cast for two weeks after I go back to work. That will help a lot except I will have to take some time off during those two weeks to remove the cast. As soon as we get a yard in we will be able to spend more time outside.  Hopefully that will happen in the next week or two.  I am seeing great improvements in Garrett's speech since I have been home and have been working with him.  He just started talking in short simple sentences using gestures and of course help from mom.  We are thinking about going camping the last week in July.  I am a little hesitant because of the bugs, heat and dirt.  But Katie will get her cast changed on August 1 so if we get it dirty the week before it won't be such a big deal.  The sleeping issue is actually more worrisome to me than the dirt.  This whole process has been difficult.  I can't help but laugh when the Doctor told me that kids adjust and are resilient when in the cast. Katie, however, is one of those kids that voices her opinion loudly every chance she gets and doesn't necessarily think she needs to be happy in the cast.  Some friends came over last night and I was watching Katie as she was watching their ten month old baby crawl around almost with a look of envy.  Then he came and crawled all over her and she thought that was great.   We had a great day yesterday.  We all got some sleep the night before and Katie was content in her bean bag chair for most of the day.  She took great naps and did well eating Sweet Potatoes.  I know that nurse told me to wait but Katie has been waking up in the middle of the night hungry so I decided to start her on food very slowly.  She finally quit gagging and has starting opening her mouth a little.  Her little cheeks are getting so fat.  She will look funny when all this is done with fat cheeks and skinny little legs.

One Week Down

We have one week under our belts and only 11 to go!  Katie is adjusting fine to being in the cast. However, she is not sleeping.  The poor thing is having terrible tummy issues since the cast has been put on...worse than she was having.  I am not able to burp her and that has always been very important for her.  I have tried Pedialyte at night to try and eliminate some of the night time screaming and it helped a little.  She wakes up at least once every hour.  I need to figure something out.  I've tried Mylicon drops and Tylenol but nothing seems to help.  Diaper have been a challenge but I am becoming quit the pro at changing her.  Her first 3 messy diapers had me in tears because I couldn't figure out how to clean the cast.  Now they are a little more manageable  She is the center of attention and LOVES it.  Even Garrett does what he can to entertain her and make her laugh.  Both of us had her laughing so hard the other day...it was cute.  The lack of sleep is starting to wear me down.  I have been very emotional lately.  We had some wonderful friends come over last night and prepare a wonderful meal. They would not allow me in the kitchen!  The church has provided meals all week which has truly been a blessing.  Our friends are taking over meals next week.  I feel guilty having others do my "job" but it has been nice not to have to worry about it.  Katie has a MRI in Boise on Tuesday.  She will have to be knocked out again.  If everything looks good we don't have to go back to Boise until it is time to change the cast (5weeks).  If it is not in the right place then we will head up sometime this coming week to redo the procedure and cast.  The Dr. said that is very rare but not impossible.  We had our first outing today.  It proved to be more challenging than we expected but we survived.  We got more bean bag chairs for the two Grandma's to have.  I had to set up a changing station in the back of the Durango since we have to use a Boppy and she won't fit on any changing table.  Her bean bag was the envy of the church crowd this morning as she lounged and listened to the music.  Davy wants to go camping next weekend but I am not sure that is the best idea right now.  It is so important to keep her clean and cool and I'm not sure I can do that in the mountains.  Plus, the thought of a tick of bug getting up inside her cast scares the daylights out of me.  Maybe later this summer when we know what we are doing a little better we can venture away from home more but for now we have a routine and I don't want to mess with it.  It was nice to have adult conversations though.

Katie's first day...and night in the cast.

Katie's surgery went very well.  They got us in an hour early and we were on our way home by noon.  She made it all the way to Bliss before she realized she couldn't move.  Then she was extremely frustrated.  She was also very hungry most of the day.  She enjoys being in the bean bag chair and playing with her toys but she really just wants held.  I think she has a bit of a tummy ache.  She had her first poop this morning and it was clear up the cast.  I can only hope I got it all.  Last night was...less than wonderful.  I think she may have slept an entire hour only twice.  I was up with her every few minutes.  I think that may have had to do a lot with the tummy.  She would snuggle up and go back to sleep.  I did notice at three this morning that her pillow was wet.  I panicked thinking we had already ruined the cast.  She wasn't very wet but I changed her shirt and everything anyway.  Not completely sure what happened.  Hopefully we can get some rest today.  A friend is bringing over a different swing.  Katie doesn't fit in ours anymore.  I also had to put away the high chair and bouncy seat.  I may not have been as completely prepared as I thought I was.  I have some pictures on my phone and will try to get some up today.  I am going to try and rest.  Garrett is going to go play at daycare for a while today.  He doesn't quite know about all of this.  We told him Katie had to get big bandaids on her legs and he seemed fine with them yesterday.

The Countdown Begins!

I thought I was prepared for Katie's surgery.  I stocked up on diapers, pillows, a bean bag chair, formula, and groceries.  I was keeping a positive attitude and was ready for this surgery to be over with so I could jump in with both feet and start caring for Katie in the cast.  The hospital called today to ask all the pre-op questions and tell me everything that I could expect the day of surgery and I fell apart.  I am not ready to see Katie in the body cast for the first time.  I have done lots of research this week and have looked at numerous pictures of kids in body casts but I know that it will be nothing like seeing my own baby in a cast.  Several of my questions were answered.  I am so glad they will provide a car seat so that is one less thing to worry about.  We have such an amazing support system.  Our church is providing meals the first week we are home so I can focus solely on Katie.  Then we have amazing parents that will be with us every step of the way.  I know that all will be fine.  I just need to get through Monday.

Concerned Mom

As Katie's surgery approaches I am trying to prepare myself both emotionally and get everything I think she will need to be comfortable at home. Some have suggested a bean bag chair.  I have also found a Nap Nanny.  It is pretty expensive so I don't want to get it unless I know it will be a good investment.   I have heard it will work great for acid reflux but I haven't found anything for a Spica Cast.