February 26, 2013

The wonderful Christmas and New Year holidays have blown by us again and this year the winter has been in our favour as our back yard rink has been a wonderful playground for the children!
On Wed January 23 we were back in to see our Ortho Doctor for more x-rays to determin what the next step might be.  Well Abby was right last fall, she needed another hip surgery.  This time she will have a right salters pelvic osteotomy since the right hip angle is still over a 36 and has not changed in over a year.

The brings us to today.  You see I am writing this blog post from her bedside. God in his mercy has gotten us this far rather unscathed! Abby is currently resting peacefully.  But is experiencing minor muscle spasms and discomfort. She is on a morphie infusion that seams to have taken the edge off for now.  I am hoping for a great nights rest so that whatever tomorrow may brings she will have
more strength to endure it!
We are looking at about 6 weeks in this purple spica cast followed by a late spring and summer of learning how to walk again, just in time for Abby to start Junior Kindergarden!!
I/we do not know what the the future holds, but we are taking refuge in the fact that we know Who holds the future! So as I close tonight, thank you for all the prayers, love and support from everyone! It has been wonderful! So until the next x-ray, Peace be with you!

Hope is Avaliable to Purchase!!!



This is the front Cover

That is right! After about a year in the making  Gina Jay and myself are happy and ecstatic to announce that  'Hope the Hip Hippo' a children's book about hip dysplasia and what a child more than likely will go through especially if "diagnosed later" is available for you at

http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000006629335/Gina-Jay-%26-Julie-Beattie-Hope-the-Hip-Hippo

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Hip-Hippo-Gina-Jay/dp/1460200624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352690705&sr=8-1&keywords=Hope+the+hip+hippo

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Hope-The-Hip-Hippo-Jay-Beattie-Turner/9781460200629-item.html?ikwid=hope+the+hip+hippo&ikwsec=Home

 

"Hope" arrived on my door step the afternoon of my birthday November 2, 2012!!  As of today "Hope" has been out for a month and has received so many great reviews! Not only on the rating section of amazon.com, but also on our DDH facebook page and www.facebook.com/hopethehiphippo! 

We thank you and love you all for the support you have given us along this journey and the journey we are on with our "Hip" daughters! Please continue to keep us and our children in your prayers!

Together we are making a difference!

Fall Update & Abby's Hip Video

Ab and Jake. He is 15 years old

Abby is doing amazing, all things considered! We have had an amazing summer with family camping trips and weekly adventures to different Provincial Parks within a two hour drive of our house.  We all loved the cast free summer, the sandy beaches, and swimming almost every day!

 Ab and cast free Legs at Sandbanks Provincial Park

 On October 11 we were back in for another follow up.  Her Doctor likes how the left hip is healing and how the right hip is staying "in place," but the right hip angle is still very high. (over a 30 degree angle)   However with this being said he loves her range of motion and her ability to run, jump and play almost as well as the other children her age.  So he would like us to see him again in January.  To see how much if any her hip angle will change from now till then.  I am optimistic, but fully aware that my now three year old keeps saying she "will have a purple spikie cast next that will go down to her toes on the right and her knee on the left." Time will confirm I guess. So till our next appointment, we have a cast free Christmas and New Years!


Abby's x-rays taken October 11, 2012



Abby's Hip Story in a Video

The following link is a video my husband put together of Abby and her 'Hip Journey" so far.  I think is it just amazing, and from reviews on facebook, you might need a Kleenex box beside you esp if you are a "Hip mom!"  Please share as you feel necessary!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAVLqH97eOk



Abby (in purple) warming up at her gymnastics class!









           





My favourite two people in the whole world!



Blessings be to you all this Holiday Season and I will see you in the New year!!

Hope the 'Hip' Hippo!!

This has been a project that Gina and I have been working on for about a year now.  As it states, we needed something in a child's form to explain to them and to us what was going on.  With the help of our dear friend Cherie Hope has been created! Well almost she is in cue waiting to be printed as I type!

Gina and I both have birthdays in November...and as I'd like to say God's birthday present to us this year is a copy of this book in our hands! It has been a long tedious journey, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel!  We both hope and pray this will help other children and families!

Pin Removal Day - July 24, 2012

The beautiful summer Tuesday Of July 24 saw us back in the operating room for pin removal from Abby's left salters osteotomy that was performed March 27, 2012

Looking back on this day now...it was fast and without any issues and life went back to normal very soon after.  We stayed away from the beaches and pools for about a week,(to let the incison site heal) but then we were right back enjoying our Summer 2012!

However walking your child down the halls of the sterile surery suite and trying to make them laugh as you place the "gas" over there sweet little face, telling them it will all be okay and just breath it in ...while you are breaking into a million pices praying with everything you have to just hold on till her eyes roll back and face turns pale...and God help the man who ignored my child's issue for so long that that is why we are doing "this again"...he better be no where in site!  Yah....still sucks.  But she did wake up again smiling and all that had been put aside...for now.

So since it was a smooth day procedure for Abby, there is not much for the story.  We went in, had the surgery.  He reopened the initial left hip salter osteotomy site. Unscrewed the two screws, bla bla bla and put humpty back together again!

Waiting with Daddy

Being silly with mommy while we waited some more...



Abby smiling for the camera so we could send Daddy a picture of Abby to show him she was alright while I was with her in the recovery room.



Relaxing at home a few hours later...she preferd my sunglasses, snugles and movies of her choice

From the day the pins were removed while still in the OR



About one week later.  Her skin is a little sensative to the adhesive.

 ...And you should see the way she runs now! :)

Our Fundraiser for Hip Dysplasia!

GARAGE SALE!

On a cold and rainny Saturday morning , together with my family and some friends we gathered outside on my front lawn and praied the rain would stop!

 With the encouragment from 'One Hip World' I put together this garage sale thinking I had a tone of stuff I could sell and make money to donate to the Intarnational HIp Dysplasia Institute (IHDI). 

However as I went through my house I realized unless I start selling items I use, there was not much.  So I put an advert out to my neightbours, friends and family.  Then I prayed!

But the morning of my garage sale my two car garage was filled!!



At about 0400 this morning the rains came.  At the time I did not know that since I was still sleeping but my sister told me when I opened my front door at about 0550 to her and a close friend sitting on the porch watching a light rain fall. We opend up the garage doors, because the sale was on rain or shine!  Just after 0600 as we were starting to lay out the goods a car pulled up and two men jumped out and said "good morning?"  My reply was "you are a litte early!" (the sale said from 0700-1200)  But as soon as I said that silly comment I told myself to be happy!  They ended up purchasing a lot of items and I do remember them comming back later that morning!

The rains came and left all morning but when they started to fall I found myself praying, too hold off a little longer.  And they did! 

The people kept coming, and coming! It was amazing! One man bought one little toy car for $40! Others were your normal garage sale people.  I had told my sisters that when they were barttering with people to start higher than normal, but to really not let them walk away without there special something.  And most imprtant not to say, "well it is for charity." I just felt it was more polite that way.  I guess that is just me.

My son had a blast selling his cookies and kool-aid! He was frezzing but did not want to leave his post to walk around "just in case a customer comes!"  In the end he sold all of our cookies and his Aunt Lori's cup cakes and One Hip World cookies she had made for us!





Abby's Second Surgery for Hip Dysplasia

Tuesday March 27, 2012 marked the morning of our daughters second surgery to correct her hip dysplasia.  It was a cool dark morning and as we drove to the hospital I found myself reading the places the transport trucks were from wishing I was there and not where I was.  I didn't want her or my family to have to go threw this again.  Not only is this hard on Abby who this time needs to be broken, in order for her to heal and walk with out pain (hopefully), but It is hard on my son who once again gets pushed to the side a little.  I love to treat my children the same and special but it is hard not to give Abby my attention first every time when she is like this.  And he feels this for sure! But I guess if I am able to acknowledge; they say (whomever THEY are!) that, that's the start!  I just wished THEY gave more advice on how to do the next part! LOL

At 0818 her and I once again walked down that long busy, filled with all different types of special O.R equipment to the room at the very end.  In I walked carring my baby Abby laughing all the way and giggling her inocent heart filled from her toes giggle since I kept tickling her to distract myself from the tears that were welling up inside my soul.  I danced with her aroung the room.  Showing her all the cool equipment and introducing my baby girl to all who gave me eye contact and to show them her beautiful laugh.  Then I laid her on the grey cold skinny table, her eyes big with fear and trust all the while she giggled and laughed.  In walked her Doctor and and before saying 'Hi' or 'good morning,' hearing her joyful laughter, comes out of his lips..."She's like a lamb before the slaughter.  Look she is so happy and what's going to happen..." in jumped a nurse who said "Doctor, from a mothers heart please stop!"
Maybe because I work in the health care field or it is my personality, but I initially thought wow you are so bang on with that comment, but HEY this is my little Lamb! I am also glad to see that I am not the only one who has to put their foot in his mouth!  Lord knows I have done that too many times!!

The surgery went well!  She had a left pelvic Salter osteotomy and they gave her a hot pink cast!

Abby's initial x-ray at 19months

This photo is post her initial surgery of a bilateral open reduction

 and now the second surgery of a Left Salters Osteotomy.  Abby age 2.5 years.

(casted photo)

A random persons x-ray, but I found it helpful in comparing

where we started and where we need to go.

This picture shows the right hip is dysplaced and the left is normal.

We then were moved to the pediatric ward and found ourselves in a private room this time! Thank you Jesus!!  My husband and son came to visit later in the day,
and my son was such a good loving brother! I hope this continues forever!!

The next morning we woke, and I thought there could be a chance that we might be discharged today! However I asked Abby and she told me"no, tomorrow."  Oh, okay then.  But as the day went visitors came and left.  Then I noticed that her heart rate was up tremendously and her Sp02 was considerably low.  She looked pale and cyanotic all at the same time, but I first switched the Sp02 prob to make sure it was reading well then ran out to grab her nurse. Well after a number hours of wondering what it could be the blood worked only showed that she was anemic but not to the point that she needed a blood transfusion.  So she was diagnosed with Adelectisis because of the inability to clear her lungs post surgery.

This too resolved with time and meds and we were discharged home on the Friday April 30, 2012  However on the day of discharge when the nurse was taking out her IV's Abby was very concerned and with her big blue eyes she looked up at the nurse and pleaded, "but please don't take off my pink spikie cast."

Here are some pictures of our stay this time.

On May 10, 2012 we have our next visit with the Doctor to determine if there has been enough healing in her left hip to take her cast off.  Then she has the summer to learn to walk again. (for a third time) 
And then as per the Doctor, in September we will re-evaluate the right hip and determine if it too will need a Salters Osteotomy or not. 

So we wait.  Hip Dysplasia is teaching me a number of things...the first being patient.