handsful

Dylan – look closely, you can see his holding his little foot.

Yesterday, we took our first step in the journey to help Dylan WALK.  Our appointment at Shriner’s was at 9am…not too early, unless you factor in that we live more than 2 hours away from Greenville, SC.  Getting up before the sun does is just wrong!  I guess I’m spoiled.

So the big kids could focus on their school assignments, we brought both Dylan and Lainey.  I had to drive, following Randy in his company car, since he had a meeting scheduled in Columbia right after our appointment and then he was driving on to meetings in Atlanta for the next few days.

Our day was spent registering as new patients and seeing different doctors, radiologists, nurses, and others.  During our visit, we learned that the SC Shriner’s sees about 300 limb difference patients each year.  And, at no cost to the patients.  Amazing, and a blessing.

Every time we entered a new room, Dylan would shed new tears.  We’ve come to expect this when we’re in any type of “doctor” environment.  Usually, he’s fairly easily consoled when we can convince him there are no “owies” coming.

The x-ray showed that he does not have a working knee – only cartilage.  We weren’t expecting anything more, honestly.  Their plan is to amputate through the “knee” and fit him with a prosthesis.  Surgery should be sometime in the spring – maybe April.  We did learn that, with children this age, they cast the leg post-surgery for about 3-4 weeks to protect the leg as it heals.  Oh joy.  Another cast EXACTLY like the one he just got out of.

We’re waiting to hear from the surgery coordinator regarding an actual surgery date.  It’s hard to look that far ahead – Lainey has her next surgery February 23rd.  We told Shriner’s that we wanted the month of March off!

Our challenge now is to somehow communicate to Dylan what’s coming…he loves his little leg.  And, it makes me very sad to think of him losing it.  Thankfully, we have friends here with a daughter that went through the exact same thing.  We plan on taking our cues from them on preparing Dylan, not to mention tons of prayer.

Today marks 2 months since Dylan joined our family!  What have we learned so far about our little man? 

We learned that he’s willing to risk bodily injury by copying his little sister.  Hence, the broken leg.  But, that’s all behind him now since he’s cast free and happy as can be!  I’m not sure who enjoyed his first bath in almost a month more – him or me! 

Dylan’s favorite things to do these days are draw with the dry erase board, blow bubbles, and match colors.  He loves to find things with matching colors! 

He loves to show us his belly and yell BELLY!  We praise him when he eats well, telling him he’s got a full tummy.  He grins.  He’s not gained any weight lately, still holding at 27 pounds.  The pants in the above shot?  18 month size.  And, they were roomy.  He’s 3 1/2 – the boy needs some pudge!  I’m adding vanilla instant breakfast powder to his milk.

Holding food in his mouth has all but disappeared, but he’ll sometimes still refuse to eat a bite of something.  We can usually encourage him to try.  And, he eats much more on his own now.  Last night, he was chowing on chips and salsa :) 

You’ve heard of a “sweet” and “salty” tooth, right?  He’s got both.  In spades.  Not sure if he’s like that because he didn’t have many treats in China, or because maybe he had too many?  Probably the latter, thinking of how many birthday cakes came through that orphanage! 

He loves his siblings.  Insists on hugs and kisses from each one before he goes to bed.  Lainey loves him tons, as long as he’s not taking her stuff.  She’s learning to deal with it and we’re being as patient as possible…usually. 

What else?  He learned he can roll his tongue and shows us constantly.  He’s calling Randy either “baba” or “dally” – trying to say daddy, we think.  He calls Lainey “Lammy”, which we think is too cute.  Water is “woggy” and he’s learning to say “up please mama” instead of whining for me to pick him up.  He rushes to find the duck in the Usborn*e books we read at night.  Everytime, he says “anudda one!”  He loves for us to spin him around and around when we hold him.  Daddy is better at this, mama gets dizzy!   He holds his little hands together and (usually) closes his eyes when we pray.

In these 2 months, we’ve learned that life is much more fun with him here!

No, I’m not talking about that old sweater in the back of my closet I no longer wear.  Dylan got his CAST off today!  Okay, I tried to make a joke. 

Seriously, though.  Marley…

and Lainey accompanied me and Dylan to his appointment today.  I assumed they’d x-ray his leg before deciding to remove the cast…just in case.  I was thrilled to hear that they had no doubts.  It was completely healed and it was coming off!  

Marley was kind enough to take pictures of the whole process, since I was up on the table with Dylan resting against me. 

Don’t worry, Dylan isn’t foaming at the mouth.  Barclay, the child life specialist, was blowing bubbles to distract him.  The cast cutter was very loud (think dental drill) and we weren’t sure whether or not it would scare him.  It didn’t.  He wasn’t exactly happy the whole time, but he was calm – I think he went to his happy place, wherever that is.  She said it’s more the norm for kids to scream through the whole process.  She was impressed with our little man’s courage.  By the way, Barclay was there during the casting process, too.  If I ever need a scary hospital procedure done, I want her there with me, too. 

The nurse went completely down the leg side of the cast.  Then down the inside of the leg, and then down the waist section on the right.  Once all was cut, it was time for the…

spreaders!  She cracked the cast open along each cut line. 

And, then cut through all the cotton and inner plastic lining. 

Lifting him up, they slid out the bottom part and then lifted off the top part.  Voila, leg!  It didn’t look nearly as awful as I was told it would.  The skin was very dry, especially his “knee” area.  Dylan uses that area of his little leg to walk, so it gets used like a foot and has a thick callous on it.  His other knee looks the same, though not as bad.  They took him to x-ray and it showed lots of bone growth around the break – they were satisfied and will see him again in 2 months for another x-ray. 

He was a happy boy to say goodbye to the cast and everyone involved!  Well, actually we brought the cast home.  They tore out all the (yucky) insides and taped the cast back together.  Maybe it’ll make a nice mobile for his room?  Heh.  And, no I didn’t make him wear the hat, he insisted! 

I’ll try and post pics of the lovely bubble bath that I dumped him in when we arrived home!  He doesn’t seem to be in pain at all, but he is favoring the leg a bit (they said it was normal, his leg has been in that same position for a while and his hip could be sore).  He’s already scooting around the house a bit.  :)  I’m so glad to have this journey over with!  Now, next Monday, we travel to SC for his Shriner’s appt. to discuss his leg and eventual surgery and prosthesis.  The boy can’t catch a break from doctor’s offices!

Dylan has been in his spica cast for 17 days now.  He’s scheduled for removal in 9!  So, how’s he doing…

He’s showing no signs of pain anymore…woo hoo!  He sleeps well, and began sleeping on a pallet on the floor beside our bed a week ago.  Little by little, we’ll get him to HIS bed.  Four days ago, he decided he’d had enough of being in one spot and got mobile.  His casted leg either drags behind or he scoots on his bottom with the cast in front.  It works.  Oh, and last night he got very adventurous and climbed ALL the way up the stairs when we weren’t looking.  Oops.  Maybe we got used to him being in front of us!  He also discovered he can “stand” on his leg and casted leg.  It looks like he’s surfing! 

We’re thrilled to pieces that he’s over the hardest part of this cast and now we’re all counting down the days until it’s OFF.  I can’t wait to get him in the bathtub!

Dylan had a follow-up visit yesterday with the pediatric orthopedist who casted him.  They took another x-ray and everything is lined up just like they want it. 

They scheduled him for cast removal on 1/26…THREE weeks.  I can’t believe it…that x-ray didn’t show any healing that I could see, but these guys are the best so I guess they know what they’re talking about. 

In the meantime, Dylan is doing better and better everyday.  He’s becoming more active…actually flipped himself over on our bed tonight.  He spends his days in his bean bag chair (awesome idea from another BTDT mom!), in the Ergo carrier with mama, or just sitting on the floor with one of us for back support.  He fits in his booster seat at the kitchen table (but not the highchair!), and is doing fine in his car seat (that’s a tight squeeze, but thankfully works).  He’s sleeping well most nights, and mama is excited to not have to wake up as often during the night for pain meds…yawn. 

In other news, Abbey started Drivers Ed on Wednesday.  The class is held at the local high school, and when I dropped her off for her first day it felt really strange.  After 2 days, she’s even more firm in her decision to continue being homeschooled.  I know high school has changed a lot since I went….those kids looked scary!  :)

So, what else?  Marley enjoyed getting back into horseriding today, sporting her new riding pants she loves.  Payton and Ethan are lamenting the starting of school, as usual.  Well, mostly Ethan.  And, Lainey is still working out the kinks of not being the baby anymore. 

Life is anything but boring around here.

Saturday, after he was casted, and transferred to a regular room.  Going in and out of his drug stupor.

Baba can bring out a laugh.

Same night he came home (Sunday), the kids couldn’t wait to sign that huge cast.

even, Baba!

of course we chose a RED cast.

So, a quick run-down on the last few days. 

On Thursday, we drove about 2 1/2hrs to a Christmas get-together with Randy’s family…lots of fun, Dylan met tons of extended family members and did great.  We dropped 3 of the kids off at their cousin’s house to stay till we could pick them up today. 

Today, we were scrambling to get ready for another 2 1/2hr Christmas get-together trip  – this time with my extended family.  The little kids were playing on and around the stairs, I was packing a bag of things we’d need for the trip.  I heard Dylan jump and cry out a little, Randy grabbed him up to give him hugs…and, then took off his pants to check out his leg. 

No, it’s not supposed to look like that.  And, for some strange reason (I think we were both clinging to denial), we decided that I should go ahead and drive towards our planned destination while he took Dylan to the ER to be checked out.  He’d drive over as soon as they were done. 

About 1 hour into my drive, Randy calls to say Dylan has a complete break of the femur in his little leg, they’re transferring him via ambulance to a children’s hospital, and he’ll most likely need surgery to set the leg.  I make an immediate u-turn to drive back home. 

Arriving at the hospital, I’m thankful to learn that they don’t need to do surgery, and can set the leg during the casting process…we choose red and he’s wrapped from the bottom of his little leg (with a hole at the bottom), up to his hip, and then around his waist and up to his chest all around. 

I stay until 9:30, then drive back home to be with the other kids – Randy and his dad, (who drove the other kids back home for us), will be staying with Dylan through the night. 

He’ll be in the cast for 4-5 weeks. 

 I realize this isn’t life-shattering, very far from it.  But, life sure can change on a dime.