For reasons that sounded good at the time, we decided to torture ourselves in November by scheduling three different surgeries. We began with Cali having her spinal cord untethered and a large lipoma removed from her back, resulting in a foot long incision and a tremendous amount of pain. Then we moved onto Sophi, who had plates/brackets screwed into her left knee to stop it from growing. This is because she is missing her fibula in her right leg, resulting in a much smaller, shorter, and weaker leg. We are hoping that stopping her left from growing will allow the right leg to catch up somewhat, resulting in less of a discrepancy and helping her hip, leg and foot. And finally, Xander had reconstructive foot surgery on both feet, including removing two of his very large toes and a section of foot, releasing tendons, adding brackets, and debulking throughout his feet and ankles. I'm sure he had well over 100 stitches. The poor kid was then put in double casts and given a wheelchair. Through it all, they were the three sweetest, most resilient patients. We dubbed a spot on our couch "the surgery spot" and each one spent several days there recovering after they were home from the hospital.
I am so grateful that all surgeries were successful, and that we have access to fantastic medical care. We are in love with Primary Children's Hospital and so thankful it is within an hour driving distance from our home. We again found our ADA home such a blessing as we now had two kids in wheelchairs! I am so in awe of my courageous kids who showed so much fortitude during those tough times, as well as those who stayed home and pitched in to help out here. They are all recovering so well and Xander is even hobbling around! Thank you to everyone who loved on them and our family during that crazy month!
Poor Parker must have felt left out, because in the middle of it all, he dislocated his shoulder (again.) Despite physical therapy, keeping it in a sling for a couple weeks, and hardest of all, laying off of basketball for awhile, it has since happened twice more and he is scheduled for surgery as soon as the basketball season ends. Because he wanted to be extra manly, he also took an elbow to the eye resulting in another trip to the ER.
These are the things we go through so we appreciate the easier times, right?! (:
