Date: 2/28/2007
Subject: Good-Bye Casts!

Update for today:
We returned to the Clinic on Tuesday night for an 8:30 AM appointment with Dr. B and Dr. H on Wednesday Morning. We were lucky to get a room at the RMD House again. I am so impressed with the wonderful service they provide.

We met with Dr. B first. He removed her cast and cleaned the wounds. Kaytlin and I sang the Laurie B*rkner song "Buzz Buzz Buzz" as the cast saw was buzzing away to remove her casts, Ok I sang in her ear and she cried. I am so impressed with the strength that this little baby shown us. Although she cried, and I knew she was hurting. She kept telling me she loved me. Mommy cried as well. She kept telling me she was “All done” and it was time for “Bye-Bye”. About six other ortho docs popped in to see her feet...I told her she is famous! (Dr. B had called the other orthos on staff to come look at her feet in the OR, so they could see what clubfoot surgery performed in China looked like...and all offered their ideas and opinions). She was also casted for her AFO’s (Ankle Foot Orthotics: a plastic brace that will hold her feet in correction.) They will have butterflies on them. We will pick them up in two weeks.

She came home in "rigged" splints to hold her feet in correction. Dr. B did not recast her, as they want me to do wound care for the next two weeks. I don’t mind looking at her wounds, but the thought of putting soap and water on them gives me the willies! LOL I guess they thought I could handle it since I asked to see the photos! (Ok, we also kept the pins that had held her feet in correction post op…they pulled them out during the cast change!) Dr. H (plastic surgery) was surprised that I wanted to see what things looked like. He said that although the wounds look bad "to a reasonable person", to him they look good, and over the next couple of MONTHS, they should start to heal. I guess since he is the doctor and knows more about healing wounds than I do, I have to believe him! It is going to be a long process that is all I know. However, she is allowed to be up and bearing weight, and her feet look beautiful to me. By summer, she should be able to put on a pair of shoes and run with her brothers! She is really mad at me today because every few hours I make her walk from the edge of the carpet in the LR to the couch. I know it is uncomfortable for her, but the more weight bearing she does, the more likely her feet will stay in correction. The more weight bearing she does, the less painful it will become. I hate being the bad guy right now, but sometimes you have to use that “tough Love” knowing in the long run, you are doing what is best for your child! We are going to need your prayers as we move into this new world of wound care.