(Day beofre Cast rmoval with Daddy)We were all so looking forward to Abby's cast removal day! The count down was on from the moment we were told she had to have one.
During the time Abby was in the Spica cast our son was very curious about it. And naturally like any curious little boy protective of his baby sister, asked lots of questions about it. One of the questions was "what is under the cast Mommy?" I explained to him about it but I thought that it would be a great experience for him to see it come off and see for him self at the time the cast was removed 'what was under it!'
I u-tube cast removal video's and we talked alot about the noise and how Abby was going to be scared, but everything would be alright in the end. When asked he was looking forward to cast removal day. Abby was a little hesitant about the noise it made but we said we wouldn't leave her.
The morning came! Oh how excited were we! The four of us piled into the car and drove to the Children's Hospital. We waited patiently for our turn and then it came!
We all walked into the small room and I placed Abby on the stretcher and held her hand as Evan was in Paul arms very close by.
Then two nurses came in without introducing themselves and picked up the saw and elevated her left leg higher then we had ever done and began cutting. Abby screaming, Evan looked up at me with his big blue eyes full of fear and I looked at Paul and said hang on to him while I knelt down close to Abby's head to whisper I love you...not that she could hear as her screams and the noise of the saw drowned out any verbal communication. the Nurses continued on with the right leg and then back to the left leg. Then they pulled the top off and for the first time in weeks I could see her small atrophied legs still with the cleaning dye from the original OR on them. My heart sank at the look of her pitiful legs and I looked up at Paul who's eyes said the same thing. He came around back to my side of the stretcher (as he had moved to allow the nurses to cut her cast) I looked our son who now was a ghostly shade of white and told Paul to get him out right now as he was going to pass out. Paul stated that they were fine, just as the nurses lifted Abby up and pulled out the bottom part of the cast and her little chicken legs were limp on the table. I grabbed then to support them as they didn't just lie down straight and fine. I looked up at Paul as Evan went a little limp and yelled at Paul to "take him out of the room right away because he is passing out!"
I then looked at the Nurses and said are you done and they nodded yes, then I looked at Abby in her eyes and asked if I could pick her up now, and she said very loud and strong "YES" as if why would you even ask!
I wish I could describe to you how in those moments of terror for my small family that when I picked her up for the first time in weeks I was able to hug her without the cast....so close to my body! Priceless! I held her so tight and tried to not leg her legs dangle and it must have felt soooo weird to her. Then I ran out of the room to find Paul holding Evan the same way. When I turned Paul around to see Evans face his eyes were rolled back and I told Paul to lie him down as he had passed out, but then the nurse came out of the room and saw Evan in this state and told Paul to bring him back in the room and to lie him on the stretcher. Well just as Paul walked back in the room Evan came too and was screaming. There was no way he was going to lie on that stretcher where he had just witnessed two strangers take a saw to his sisters legs while she screamed...and it was okay. Till this day when he see even a reddend area on Abby's legs in a kind soft voice he say "oh this is where the Doctors cut you."
Lesson learned. Cast removal day = not so fun. The rest of the visit was uneventful! Thank God!
We visited our Orthopod every three weeks for x-rays and to see what her hips were doing. November 17th again we saw the Doctor and at this visit he said that since he hasn't seen much change he is giving her a 70% change of needing the second surgery (Salter). But he said that he will decide when we see him in the end of January 2012. Two months away!
Abby has improved so much in the sence of walking on her own again and having celebrated her second birthday. Since she is able to ambulate independently and only needs minimal assistance with climbing the stairs. Tomorrow will be her first day at Muppet's (her co-op day care) on her own. Well with her big brother close by, as I have been taking her and being her legs up until now.
I am curious to see what the new year will bring. Her gait is still not "normal" so I will not be surprised if the doctor says we are doing the second surgery. Right now I am at the point of do whatever you need to do to enable her to ambulate normaly! Is that too much to ask?! I think not!
P.s The doctor said that she probalbly would not be able to walk till Christmas or after...but my Little sister just got married on November 26, 2011 and Abby was a flower girl...she made it down the isle all by herself!!
(Abby sleeping in her brace)Merry Christmas Everyone!
