Traction Success and Closed Reduction

Hip Chick had a big day today... and an encouraging one!  It began very early and she ensured her clinicians earned every penny, as she was full of fight.  Everyone at Scottish Rite has learned that our hippie goes down swinging.

The morning sped by.  Vitals, a blood draw, an xray (actually, two- due to the aforementioned "fight"), and she was ready for a "goofy juice" ride to spicaville.  As soon as she stopped spewing venom at anyone sporting a labcoat and began cooing the balloons overhead, they lovingly carried her to the OR.  We received the pager above and nerviously busied ourselves with breakfast.  

Two hours later, we received her surgeon's page with grand anticipation.  A quick elevator ride upstairs and he met us in the hallway to deliver the news we had hoped for:  he was able to set the femur in place via the groin surgery and the closed reduction.  I bluntly asked him if this meant that her month of Bryant's traction was successful.  He advised that yes, traction was successful for the purposes of today's surgery and outcomes.  It softened her musculature enough that he did not need to open her hip to set her femur in place.

In other words:  WE DID IT!!

She had both a CT and an xray at 2pm this afternoon to ensure her femur remained in socket after casting.  So far, it is in place.  She will have an additional CT in two weeks to reverify.  Then, she will have an OR appointment every six weeks for 18 weeks.  She will require anesthesia for recasting and new imaging.  If her hip is found to have slipped out of place at one of her appointments, she will have to undergo the open reduction this spring or summer.  We have been informed that reshaping of the pelvic bone could be a possibility with a future open reduction, as well as a femur reduction.  And her surgeon advised that, should the hip take but her growth pattern remain inadequate, we could do a hip surgery again in one to two years.  Of course, there will continue to be a possibility of additional surgery until her skeletal development is complete.

So, our daughter still has a long road ahead, but we have a big milestone to celebrate today.

This evening, students from North Dallas High School volunteered at Scottish Rite, to provide a craft night.  I decided that our hippie was due some cheer and wheeled her upstairs.  A 10th grade girl eagerly offered to play with us and we took a seat.

We scribbled with markers and made macaroni art.  I padded my lap with pillows so she could sit in my lap and roll a ball with our playmate.  I held her next to a Little Tykes basketball net and let her slam dunk to her heart's content.

I returned upstairs with a very tired little girl tonight.  She wanted to sleep on my shoulders and I could not refuse.  A kind nurse finally helped me move her to the bed, which has enough room for us two to sleep together.

Here's to a positive end to the first month of her journey.  I hope each new day continues to bring her improvement.