She did it! Our daughter has completed her first spica cast "trimester." Six weeks of casting down and, G-d willing, 12 weeks remaining. This is the third significant milestone she has reached, after traction and the closed reduction.
On Monday, she admits to Scottish Rite to remove her current cast. This will be completed in an operating room, while under general anesthesia. During this time, her team will complete an arthrogram- they will inject dye into her hip using a needle, then complete a series of imaging to determine her femoral head's positioning. Should her imaging show favorable results, we can proceed with the next six weeks of casting. For today, we continue to think positively.
Below are our latest thoughts:
1. Bryant's Traction and spica cast care are two vastly different processes- what has been the biggest change?
We have been very grateful for the ability to reintigrate her into society. We have managed 3 1/2 weeks of daycare, a handful of restaurant excursions, two visits to friends' houses, major league baseball game, an arboretum visit, a bowling alley visit, and a youth soccer game. Excursions are challenging, but we treasure the ability to leave home with her, as opposed to our month of home confinement during traction.
2. What have been the biggest spica cast challenges?
Diapering (in general) was our first major hurdle. Now, we are limited mostly by three issues:
a) Where to diaper in public places- Due to her age and the position in which she is casted, she cannot fit on public diapering stations. Either we limit excursions to between diaper changes, bring a quilt with us to change her on the floor, or don't go out.
b) Car seat- Scottish Rite has generously loaned us one car seat. As they are rather pricey, we have not purchased a second (we previously kept a car seat for her in each of our cars). This affects our ability to split daycare drop off or pick up duties, run errands, and manage emergencies.
c) Errands- Even if we do have both the car seat and time to bring her along for errands, she is too heavy to carry while shopping and too large to stow away in a shopping basket. Either we carry her for very brief errands (which do not require us to hold much else)or we push her in the stroller. I have not yet taken her grocery shopping with me.
3. An earlier post detailed a diaper leak- have there been any more?
We are proud to report that was the singular diaper leak for this cast. Her daycare earns an A+ for their perfect record- the one diaper leak was at home, overnight. We were able to clean it early enough and well enough that no odor lingers.
4. Hip Chick seems rather crafty, any new tricks up her sleeve?
She has a blooming career as a smuggler. Earlier this week, she snuck two pieces of chalk home from daycare in her cast, to be discovered during a diaper change. Several times, I have caught her attempting to stow away her beloved pacifier. This morning, she attempted to stuff zoo animal figurines into her cast. Clearly, she outsmarted us on this matter, but we have implemented more frequent "cast checks."
5. What will her next cast look like?
After her CT four weeks ago, we were advised that she will likely be casted in a similar position as her current one. Her final cast may have a lower waist and her legs may be drawn closer together, but she would have a bar connecting her legs. This is pending encouraging imaging results, of course.
6. What would we like to accomplish during the next six weeks of casting?
My husband and I have been too concerned with her care to have a date night since before she began traction. Time for us to begin letting go a little.
7. Which aids have been the most helpful for her spica cast management?
a) Spica desk- Our little hippie is not a big fan of our bean bag chair. She is much happier in her desk and I suspect this would be the case for many in her age range. We purchased one from the rather talented Ivy Rose carpenter, but there are patterns available via other online blogs for parents who would like to build one themselves.
b) Rocking Bee- Our toddler-sized rocker is the best place to dress and clean her
c) Baby wipes- We have managed to keep her very clean without baths via frequent wipe-downs with her usual baby wipes.
d) Portable booster seat- We have used it both in restaurant chairs and her stroller.
e) Our daycare- We are extremely fortunate in that our daycare wanted to learn about hip dysplasia and how to care for children with needs like our daughter. They have done a magnificent job of nurturing her and her classmates in this situation. We could not have asked for more.
My thought are with you for the recasting. :)
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