Shoes?…who needs shoes…
Yesterday was hard. We had been anticipating Tony’s return visit to the pediatric orthopedists. He has begun pulling up and scoots around pretty fast. This was a milestone of sorts for the next step regarding his leg/foot.
So Sarah and I took him to the doctor. The x-ray of his leg looks better. The bones have straightened out noticeably. We voiced our concern with him having a dominate side and it hindering his development…the doctor said not to worry. We also delved into the fact that he can’t wear a sock, must less a shoe, and that’s a milestone for moving up in day care. His heel isn’t in the normal position, so shoe and socks don’t stay on. So it was decided to fit him for an AFO…ankle foot orthotic. This will help immobilize the foot in the correct angel and allow him to wear a show over it.
But, Bryan, how do they fit a 9 moth old with such a custom device?
They cast him. The use material used to cast a broken bone, wrap his leg and foot with it, let it dry, and then cut it off. It was hard…mostly for Sarah and me…to go through that. He was great…but it really is hard to see your son begin a process that will affect him for years. Knowing he will have a brace, or at least a lift in his shoe, until he’s old enough for surgery…when they even out the length of the legs…it makes my stomach sink.
The doctor even mentioned that stigma of being “the kid with a lift” while we were there. The AFO will have a ¼ inch lift in it. I’m guessing, eventually, as he grows, he will have a pretty significant and noticeable difference in leg length. Then we have to decide when the best time to do the operation will be. The longer we wait the better chance for only having to put him through it once. However, the longer we wait, the longer he lives with this “difference”.
Now, I know we are blessed. Aside from this we have an extremely healthy and happy little boy. It was brought home while we were leaving the fitting office. A young boy, in a paraplegic motorized wheel chair, was in the waiting room with his mother. Sarah and I both noticed this. We both, at that moment, counted our blessing.
But it’s still hard.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
[...] story short: you can read about the day at Bryan’s site. I could rehash the same story here, but I’m still not really sure how I feel about it. [...]
September 9th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
God, I feel for you.
In late 2005 and early 2006 I spent more time in the hospital or recovering from abdominal surgeries than I care to recount. At that time, I was convinced that the worst thing a father could do was look up from a hospital bed at your small child and tell them you can’t hold them.
Then in September 2006 I found out the one thing worse. Looking down at a hospital bed and seeing that small child in it.
Sean developed a breathing condition that was never really diagnosed. He was too close to death, frankly, to worry with it and it was time to attack the symptoms.
I, and three nurses, had to hold Sean down while the doctors put the IV in him. He screamed. He thrashed. He would have cursed, if his three year old brain could have thought of any curses to throw at us.
I don’t even your emotions over this. Sean is fine now, crisis avoided. Your son will be fine too, when it is all said and done. But getting from where you are NOW to where he will be fine isn’t easy, and is an emotional roller coaster.
You, Sarah and the little ones will continue to be in the thoughts and prayers of me and mine. God bless.
September 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
[...] We don’t have the money to get my youngest son’s orthotic. [...]
September 29th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
My 3 1/2 month old has the same thing, diagnosed at only a month old, we are getting him fitted for his brace next monday. so nice to find your site and someone is going through the same thing. please let me know how things are and what to expect, so much, ty, lese
October 10th, 2008 at 9:56 am
[...] by Bryan Comer Tony got his AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic) yesterday for his Posteromedial Bowing of the Tibia. It seemed to fit pretty [...]