Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
I don't really mean to have these huge gaps between updates...it's just the way things have been happening lately. Hopefully there are some of you who still read, and if so here's the latest......
Thursday we went to Scottish Rite for the last time for a couple months. The pavlik harness didn't work and we were told about the next step. I must admit, I kind of laughed while the nurse was telling us about this, but honestly I think it was so I wouldn't cry. Apparently the next step is traction. We get a wagon with pvc pipes rigged on it, Clark's legs are wrapped and he's suspended by his legs from the pipes. He can come out 3x/day to eat. Hello...for one thing Clark is an attached baby, he's very rarely not in someone's arms, and for another thing....babies eat more than 3x/day!!! I had prepared myself for a 1/2 body cast but I think this traction thing sounds worse. He will do that for a month. But thankfully not until August. I'm asking for lots of prayers that the traction works, because if not, the next thing is manual placement or surgery. Both of which require him to be fully sedated. I'm not exactly sure of the process for the traction, but it sounds like an intense procedure too.
Most of you probably know that I've been a nanny for my nephew Kade since he was about 3 weeks old.
I was there when he was born, and being together so often has led to Kade and I being pretty close. I missed him so much when I was on bed rest and in the hospital. Thankfully my grandmother was able to help me out big time and keep him during that time and throughout our NICU stay. I'm so happy that now things are normal enough around the house that Kade is back with us when his mom is at work.
Thursday we went to Scottish Rite for the last time for a couple months. The pavlik harness didn't work and we were told about the next step. I must admit, I kind of laughed while the nurse was telling us about this, but honestly I think it was so I wouldn't cry. Apparently the next step is traction. We get a wagon with pvc pipes rigged on it, Clark's legs are wrapped and he's suspended by his legs from the pipes. He can come out 3x/day to eat. Hello...for one thing Clark is an attached baby, he's very rarely not in someone's arms, and for another thing....babies eat more than 3x/day!!! I had prepared myself for a 1/2 body cast but I think this traction thing sounds worse. He will do that for a month. But thankfully not until August. I'm asking for lots of prayers that the traction works, because if not, the next thing is manual placement or surgery. Both of which require him to be fully sedated. I'm not exactly sure of the process for the traction, but it sounds like an intense procedure too.
The growing boy
I was there when he was born, and being together so often has led to Kade and I being pretty close. I missed him so much when I was on bed rest and in the hospital. Thankfully my grandmother was able to help me out big time and keep him during that time and throughout our NICU stay. I'm so happy that now things are normal enough around the house that Kade is back with us when his mom is at work.
Finally...the boys are together!!
Hopefully they'll be best buds :)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Ahhhhh!!!! Sorry it's been forever and a day since I posted an update! So many things have been going on that I just haven't had the time to really sit down, think and translate what's been happening into a post.
My cousin Kyle graduated from high school, we took Clark to graduation and the big party afterward. That was really exciting and exhausting for all of us! But Clark did really well, and the party was outside in the 90 degree weather.
Clark is now 9lbs and it seems he's growing a little more every day. We had another appointment at Scottish Rite yesterday. His doctor is pretty confident that the harness isn't going to work, even still we will be "trying" it for another week. After that, we will have a little break from everything while the doctor confers with Clark's pediatrician and cardiologist to determine the right time to start manual placement. That could be weeks, or months...we're just not sure yet. The biggest factor is that he will be under anesthesia during the proceedure. Either way they will get the hip in, whether using surgery or not. They put him under so they're prepared if the hip doesn't go in manually, they can just start surgery. It's scary for us because surgery is such a huge deal for such a little baby, especially one with compromised lungs and a heart issue.
After hip placement, they will put him in a cast for 6 weeks. Then, because of growth, stinkiness, etc, they change the cast out and we do another 6 weeks. Then we repeat that again, for a total of 18 weeks in the cast. Hopefully after that, the hip is in, and stays in. Please pray for us all during this. Especially Clark, he's been through so much already. He needs some normal.
Clark loves baths...he actually laughs out loud!!
My cousin Kyle graduated from high school, we took Clark to graduation and the big party afterward. That was really exciting and exhausting for all of us! But Clark did really well, and the party was outside in the 90 degree weather.
Clark is now 9lbs and it seems he's growing a little more every day. We had another appointment at Scottish Rite yesterday. His doctor is pretty confident that the harness isn't going to work, even still we will be "trying" it for another week. After that, we will have a little break from everything while the doctor confers with Clark's pediatrician and cardiologist to determine the right time to start manual placement. That could be weeks, or months...we're just not sure yet. The biggest factor is that he will be under anesthesia during the proceedure. Either way they will get the hip in, whether using surgery or not. They put him under so they're prepared if the hip doesn't go in manually, they can just start surgery. It's scary for us because surgery is such a huge deal for such a little baby, especially one with compromised lungs and a heart issue.
After hip placement, they will put him in a cast for 6 weeks. Then, because of growth, stinkiness, etc, they change the cast out and we do another 6 weeks. Then we repeat that again, for a total of 18 weeks in the cast. Hopefully after that, the hip is in, and stays in. Please pray for us all during this. Especially Clark, he's been through so much already. He needs some normal.
Clark loves baths...he actually laughs out loud!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)