"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Brace Yourself


We are home! Victoria likes to party when she travels! She especially likes using the barf bag as a hat. 


I was so glad that we had Sunday to relax and spend time with my friend Catherine and her family before our big "cast off" appointment. 


We dined on official Philadelphia food.


There is nothing better than a Whoopie pie for breakfast (or lunch and dinner!)


Catherine even took me to get a special mango gelati! This is Julianna, Andrii (who is also from Ukraine) and Zack.


Victoria was pretty darn perky for our early morning at Shriners. She had a great nights sleep, even though she insisted on sleeping with me in a single bed the night before. My face was flat from being pressed up against the wall all night. Those casts really take up a lot of space.


Then they brought out the saw......



The saw was really loud and it vibrated. I think she was shocked to see the casts come off. She probably thought they were going to be on forever.


Poor baby!



I was surprised at how swollen her legs were. I thought they would be really skinny and pale. I wasn't sure what to do after the casts were off. I was afraid it would pop her hips back out if I picked her up, so we just wiped her off (there was still quite a bit of cheese in there!) and waited for instructions about what to do.


She will have the medal plates in her femur bone for about a year. They put the plates in since they had to cut her femur bone to get the ball of the femur into the hip.


Here are her hips now on the left, and before the surgery, on the right.



She actually seems to be in more pain than she was when she was in the casts. I can't tell if she is just really scared or where it is actually hurting her. Being in the car seat seems to particularly hurt her. She screams in a panic if we move her. I thought we wouldn't need the wheelchair anymore, but her legs actually seemed to be spread wider now.



We had a bit of time after Shriners before our plane left, so I asked Catherine to take me across the Benjamin Franklin bridge so I could say that I had been to New Jersey. I have never been there before. I collect magnets so I was on a mission to get a magnet from New Jersey. Poor Catherine had to battle traffic in the rain to take me there. She also had to drive me all over the place just so I could find a magnet. What a great friend!


Yes, I was officially in another state. Very exciting! What can I say, I am easily entertained!


 The brace is not too hard to put on, but we have to take it off and put it on everytime we change her diaper. Fun times! She has to wear the brace 24 hours a day for two weeks, and then only at night and for naps. The doctor said to take it slow. She still needs a lot of support to sit. We are taking things at her own pace and letting her decide when she wants to move her legs closer together.


Our flight home was delayed two hours, so we finally got home at 1 am last night. Victoria does not want to sleep, even with Bendadryl. But we are so glad to be back! There's no place like home!

14 comments:

  1. Oh I hate to see her so sad. :( It will pass..... But so sad! :( How are you doing ?

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  2. Maybe this won't apply.. But I broke my hand six weeks ago and I'm still in a half cast/splint, but the doctor told me to start taking it off and moving it around to work on range of motion and it HURTS, more than I would have thought. The ortho told me while in the cast, the tendons shorten and when the cast comes off and you move it, it hurts to stretch them. I've had two kids in casts and one hurt when the cast came off for a few weeks and one didn't at all. So maybe it just has to do with pain tolerance, where it is, etc? I hope she feels better quickly!

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  3. My sweet, precious Victoria! I love the picture of the two of you with you comforting her. The love of a mama. You're such an amazing mom, woman and friend! We've been praying and will continue to do so!

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  4. I want to add on to what Kona's said. I have an old back/hip injury with terrible chronic pain. I finally found a magical angel healer that works on lengthening the tendons and breaking up the scar tissue with his hands. He calls it non-force chiropractic, but it's medical massage, myofascial release, etc. It has really helped my flexibility, range of motion, stability, and lessened my pain. I wonder if someone's gentle hands would help her feel some relief??

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    1. Myofascial release! That's the first thinkg I thought of! I will be praying for her to feel better soon and for you as well! You are an amazing mom for all you have done for these two precious little ones!! God Bless you!!

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  5. It hurts me just thinking about what she is going through. I have NO idea how you can handle it as the mommy. {{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

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  6. Thankful you are home and she wasn't too traumatized by the process. Praying for no pain and that she heals perfectly!

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  7. I have been waiting for an update, not that you have anything better to do ha. I know nothing about these kinds of braces, but can she actually move her legs together if she wanted to? Is she still stuck with her legs out?? THanks!

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  8. Glad you two are home and hope Miss V is feeling herself in no time. God bless and be with you all!

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  9. I'm glad that sweet victoria is cast free!!!! Hopefully the pain goes away quickly!!!

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  10. One summer I had a broken wrist and was in a cast for 12 weeks. My whole arm hurt when that cast finally came off! My skin was SO sensitive-air blowing hurt. my muscles were weak and I felt like everything might fall apart. It's a very unsettling felling when you've gotten somewhat used to the cast. I know she'll get better soon - prayers for all of you!

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  11. sweet girl! I am just so glad she is getting the help she needs to heal, and the love from an awesome mama!

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  12. I know I'm catching up backward... but this made me cringe for her! Poor girl!!! Praying for you all. It is so hard when they don't sleep at night.

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