Annabelle had a checkup today - her first for awhile. As always, I was nervous going in. I often forget about the journey we've been through, and I'm always a bit taken aback when people ask me how Annabelle is - I forget.
I forget all the tears and heartache and sleepless nights through the Pavlik, and the Rhino, and the Spica.
Today's checkup was nothing short of perfect. My girl's hips are still perfect.
Her next checkup isn't for another year.
Showing posts with label Dr. Olney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. Olney. Show all posts
Monday, June 15, 2015
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Healthy Hips
We had our first no-intervention checkup today with Dr Olney. Annabelle has been out of her brace for a little over a month.
Her hips are healthy.
Her hips are perfect.
WE HAVE HEALTHY HIPS.
I'm crying tears of joy as I write this.
Her hips are healthy.
Her hips are perfect.
WE HAVE HEALTHY HIPS.
I'm crying tears of joy as I write this.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
No more Rhino!!!
Lately Annabelle hasn't been sleeping as well as she used to - she's always been a pretty awesome sleeper. My little adventurer has also been taking her brace off herself! I've tried to put it on under clothing to make it more difficult for her - but overall, it's just not going as well as it had been.
The last time we saw Dr Olney, he had said we would keep her in the brace at night as long as she was tolerating it - which we felt she no longer was.
I emailed Dr Olney's nurse today, and mentioned she wasn't sleeping as well, and was taking it off, and she said .... we can go without the brace!!!!!!!!!
We have another appointment next month with Dr Olney, so we'll see how she's doing without the brace on.
I can't believe this journey we've been on for 19 months is changing courses. I just pray her hip continues to develop and heal as we've been hoping.
The last time we saw Dr Olney, he had said we would keep her in the brace at night as long as she was tolerating it - which we felt she no longer was.
I emailed Dr Olney's nurse today, and mentioned she wasn't sleeping as well, and was taking it off, and she said .... we can go without the brace!!!!!!!!!
We have another appointment next month with Dr Olney, so we'll see how she's doing without the brace on.
I can't believe this journey we've been on for 19 months is changing courses. I just pray her hip continues to develop and heal as we've been hoping.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Life with a hip baby
It's been nearly seven weeks since we said goodbye to the Spica cast. She's been out of it longer than she was in it. It seems like a distant memory. I definitely don't miss it, but it wasn't that bad. It was short lived, and it's now past us.
Annabelle is doing quite well now, she's become extremely mobile and army crawls herself all over the house. She's only allowed out of her brace for four hours a day, so she doesn't get much time to practice 'real' crawling, sitting or standing - all of which she cannot do on her own yet.
I have managed to get her standing and sitting with assistance and she will stay in that position for a small amount of time - while clinging onto a toy for dear life! She still can't get herself into a sitting or standing position on her own - and I suppose that will just take time. She definitely has more range of motion than she did - but she's still limited and guards her right hip quite a bit. I work on stretching it when I can, however it occasionally pops when it's moved - which Dr Olney's nurse said can happen (and is okay). It freaks me out when it happens, though, and she SCREAMS in pain.
We see Dr Olney again on the 16th - and assuming all is still going well with her hip - she should have the amount of time allowed out of her brace to increase.
Annabelle is doing quite well now, she's become extremely mobile and army crawls herself all over the house. She's only allowed out of her brace for four hours a day, so she doesn't get much time to practice 'real' crawling, sitting or standing - all of which she cannot do on her own yet.
I have managed to get her standing and sitting with assistance and she will stay in that position for a small amount of time - while clinging onto a toy for dear life! She still can't get herself into a sitting or standing position on her own - and I suppose that will just take time. She definitely has more range of motion than she did - but she's still limited and guards her right hip quite a bit. I work on stretching it when I can, however it occasionally pops when it's moved - which Dr Olney's nurse said can happen (and is okay). It freaks me out when it happens, though, and she SCREAMS in pain.
We see Dr Olney again on the 16th - and assuming all is still going well with her hip - she should have the amount of time allowed out of her brace to increase.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
bye bye, Spica
I have many mixed emotions tonight as I write this ...
I am happy that my baby girl's cast is off. I'm happy we're one step closer to healthy hips. I'm happy the hardest part is past us.
It's hard to see my baby in so much pain, though. I hadn't expected it quite this much. I had expected her to be in pain after surgery - that just makes sense. I understood that we should anticipate her to be uncomfortable after the cast removal since she hasn't moved her legs in six weeks. What I didn't anticipate was the pain she has been in. It's breaking my heart. I hate that she's in pain. I wish I had planned for this possibility in my schedule, seeing as I work tomorrow - it's hard knowing she'll be here and uncomfortable and I won't be able to be with her.
Otherwise, all went well. Both of her hips are in place - yay! Her left hip is starting to develop more, which Dr Olney was pleased with. We go back to see him in six weeks. Until then, we're back in the Rhino cruiser for 20ish hours a day - 1.5hrs out in the morning and at night and the other hour can accumulate through feedings, diaper changes, car travel, etc ...
I am happy that my baby girl's cast is off. I'm happy we're one step closer to healthy hips. I'm happy the hardest part is past us.
It's hard to see my baby in so much pain, though. I hadn't expected it quite this much. I had expected her to be in pain after surgery - that just makes sense. I understood that we should anticipate her to be uncomfortable after the cast removal since she hasn't moved her legs in six weeks. What I didn't anticipate was the pain she has been in. It's breaking my heart. I hate that she's in pain. I wish I had planned for this possibility in my schedule, seeing as I work tomorrow - it's hard knowing she'll be here and uncomfortable and I won't be able to be with her.
Otherwise, all went well. Both of her hips are in place - yay! Her left hip is starting to develop more, which Dr Olney was pleased with. We go back to see him in six weeks. Until then, we're back in the Rhino cruiser for 20ish hours a day - 1.5hrs out in the morning and at night and the other hour can accumulate through feedings, diaper changes, car travel, etc ...
Friday, October 12, 2012
Blessings come from raindrops
I think we're nicely getting used to the spica cast. Annabelle has been sleeping relatively well, she has been eating well, and is a bit less frustrated now about her lack of mobility. I think her pain is doing a lot better too.
Looking back on our journey so far, it's been frustrating, it's been full of worry and tears. We have learned a LOT. They always say parents with kids with conditions become experts, and while I'm definitely not an expert, I feel relatively well educated ... enough to answer questions when people ask them ...
Every day since Annabelle was born I have been so grateful that her hip dysplasia was caught early. As Dr Olney has told us, this is often not detected this early in life. Most of his surgeries are done on older kids, aged 2-3 who are diagnosed after they start walking. I thank God that Annabelle *WILL NOT* remember the Pavlik Harness. She won't remember the Rhino Cruiser, or mommy and daddy twice handing her over to the OR nurse. She won't remember the Spica Cast, she won't remember the pain. She will remember the stories we tell her down the road, and how much love her mommy & daddy had for her through this whole journey.
The few weeks before Annabelle's surgery, she cut six teeth, to bring her total to EIGHT. Those few weeks were frustrating beyond belief. A few days before her surgery I decided that her cutting her teeth then was a blessing. She endured that discomfort prior to surgery and going into her spica cast. Now I don't have to worry that her fussiness/discomfort is from incision pain or from the spica.
While we were waiting outside the recovery room for Annabelle to be transported to her room, there was a family with a little boy that looked to be about two years old. His mommy was explaining to him that he had to walk with the "nice nurse" and she would see him afterwards. I feel so blessed to not have had to explain to my daughter why I was sending her away. To not wonder if she would look at me afterwards wondering why I sent her off to be in pain. The last glimpse I have in my head of her being taken to surgery, is her smiling at the OR nurse while playing with her hat.
I am also extremely thankful that the closed reduction was unsuccessful. We didn't have to endure 3 months in spica, with a cast change at 6 weeks over the hottest summer on record.
All in all, I am so, so, so grateful that the condition our daughter has is FIXABLE, CURABLE, and something that we will be able to put behind us.
Looking back on our journey so far, it's been frustrating, it's been full of worry and tears. We have learned a LOT. They always say parents with kids with conditions become experts, and while I'm definitely not an expert, I feel relatively well educated ... enough to answer questions when people ask them ...
Every day since Annabelle was born I have been so grateful that her hip dysplasia was caught early. As Dr Olney has told us, this is often not detected this early in life. Most of his surgeries are done on older kids, aged 2-3 who are diagnosed after they start walking. I thank God that Annabelle *WILL NOT* remember the Pavlik Harness. She won't remember the Rhino Cruiser, or mommy and daddy twice handing her over to the OR nurse. She won't remember the Spica Cast, she won't remember the pain. She will remember the stories we tell her down the road, and how much love her mommy & daddy had for her through this whole journey.
The few weeks before Annabelle's surgery, she cut six teeth, to bring her total to EIGHT. Those few weeks were frustrating beyond belief. A few days before her surgery I decided that her cutting her teeth then was a blessing. She endured that discomfort prior to surgery and going into her spica cast. Now I don't have to worry that her fussiness/discomfort is from incision pain or from the spica.
While we were waiting outside the recovery room for Annabelle to be transported to her room, there was a family with a little boy that looked to be about two years old. His mommy was explaining to him that he had to walk with the "nice nurse" and she would see him afterwards. I feel so blessed to not have had to explain to my daughter why I was sending her away. To not wonder if she would look at me afterwards wondering why I sent her off to be in pain. The last glimpse I have in my head of her being taken to surgery, is her smiling at the OR nurse while playing with her hat.
I am also extremely thankful that the closed reduction was unsuccessful. We didn't have to endure 3 months in spica, with a cast change at 6 weeks over the hottest summer on record.
All in all, I am so, so, so grateful that the condition our daughter has is FIXABLE, CURABLE, and something that we will be able to put behind us.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
we are home!
I'm glad to be home with my baby but a bit nervous to learn how to take care of her at home ... at the hospital everything is a bit more adapted to her ... at home, we have to figure out what works!
Annabelle is doing well now, she is still in some pain but we're trying to keep on top of it ... she's nursing well, and she ate babyfood this morning as eagerly as she always does. She's back to smiling frequently, but is definitely more subdued. She wants her mama all the time ...
Annabelle is doing well now, she is still in some pain but we're trying to keep on top of it ... she's nursing well, and she ate babyfood this morning as eagerly as she always does. She's back to smiling frequently, but is definitely more subdued. She wants her mama all the time ...
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| Good morning, beautiful |
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| Morning smiles |
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| attempted tummy time |
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| Meet the Spica |
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| playing with daddy |
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| going home! Yes, I did match her dress to her cast, I had bought this dress before her attempted closed reduction as her "Going Home outfit" |
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| Photo with daddy! |
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| Riding home! Her new rented Britax Hippo carseat ... She looks uncomfortable, but she actually slept the whole way home |
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Open Reduction and Capsulorrhaphy
I'm so glad today is finished.
Annabelle had her surgery, an open reduction with capsulorrhaphy, which took about 2 hours. We were able to see her about 4.5 hours after the nurse took her back to the OR. She was heavily sedated on pain medicine and was occasionally moaning. It took Annabelle a long time to wake up, and even longer to smile, which is rather unusual for my normally very smiley girl. We skyped with daddy & big sister this evening and big sister got Annabelle to smile. It was nice for her to see her baby sister at the hospital and to have a little view of the cast that we've talked about.
Here's a little photo recap of our day:
Annabelle had her surgery, an open reduction with capsulorrhaphy, which took about 2 hours. We were able to see her about 4.5 hours after the nurse took her back to the OR. She was heavily sedated on pain medicine and was occasionally moaning. It took Annabelle a long time to wake up, and even longer to smile, which is rather unusual for my normally very smiley girl. We skyped with daddy & big sister this evening and big sister got Annabelle to smile. It was nice for her to see her baby sister at the hospital and to have a little view of the cast that we've talked about.
Here's a little photo recap of our day:
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| last bath for six weeks!!! |
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| totally oblivious to the day ahead |
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| waiting for Dr Olney to arrive |
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| arrival in her room |
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| Daddy watching over her |
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| starting to wake up |
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| first time holding her |
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| starting to play |
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| Love my girl. |
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| First smile of the day, Skype with Daddy & big sister |
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| Sweet dreams, sweet girl. |
Waiting ...
Annabelle is in surgery. We got a call a little over an hour ago from the OR nurse saying that they had just started. Dr Olney anticipated anywhere from 2-3 hours from start to finish, as they'll be applying the cast and I'm assuming it will have to dry.
The wait is hard, and I'm trying to keep myself busy ...
The wait is hard, and I'm trying to keep myself busy ...
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