4 wks post surgery

We got the big red cast taken off and a big green one put on in celebration of St. Patricks day! Nolan's bone is healing well, but it is curving just a bit. Dr. Shoemaker molded his leg in the cast a bit today to correct it. We go back in 4 wks and HOPEFULLY this is our last one. He is in a long leg again but he made the bottom flat so he can try to stand on it.

He was such a trooper! Just some fussing but no tears the whole time. He had to get the red cast sawed off, X-rays with no cast on to support his leg, pins pulled out, antiseptic rubbed over his pin sites (one was a little infected), glue removed off his suture sites, leg molded in a straight position, and a new cast put on. He really does inspire me every morning to put on my big girl panties and deal. I love this kid so much.

As for the comments that bombard me everywhere I go...it's not getting any better. I'm so sick of "poor baby" and "it's ok, mom's drop their babies all the time." I've started telling people it's a skydiving injury or he was running with the bulls. If people keep pressing I honestly try to make them feel as guilty as possible for not minding their own business. I know it's horrible. I usually tell them all the gross details of the surgery to correct his BIRTH DEFECT! Of course then I get the...well did you do something wrong? I honestly can't win. Good news is that we only have 4 more weeks left of the cast and hopefully we are done with inappropriate comments coming at me from every angle.

Check up

Today we had our 1 wk post op check-up. They took the spacers out of his cast, closed the gap left for swelling, and put some red over the top. Figured feb is the month of love so red is appropriate. I think I'll get green in March.

The Post-surgery post

My kid is a rockstar!

The surgery went well. He was under for 2 hours total. Kaiser was awesome and let me be in the operating room as he fell asleep. It was really hard seeing him so scared but at least he wasn't alone and scared. I did cry for a good half hour in the waiting room though.

Both his tibia and fibula are broke. Dr. Shoemaker opted for a dome osteotomy to correct the tibia with 2 pins going through the bone to hold it in place as it heals. The fibula is just broke and lined up together. The tibia will act as a splint to line up with. We spent one night in the hospital to monitor his swelling and we were home by 2pm the next day.

He is on 2 dosages of Tylenol with codeine at night and 1 does of children's Motrin during the day. He is happy in a carrier (we use our Tula buckle carrier and ocah custom mei tai.) and is fine sitting playing with his toys. He does get frustrated that he can't crawl sometimes. He is still napping the same and sleeping well at night in his crib (we just transitioned him to the crib a month before the surgery).

The big revelation I have taken away from all of this is the beauty of positivity. Nolan is this little beam of sunshine even with pins and a massive cast. It makes me have a quick attitude adjustment whenever I see his huge smile.

Update

So we had our 1 yr check-up and it didn't go quite to plan. First having to track down my orthopedist to get an appointment was incredibly frustrating. Thankfully, now have every direct line number for Kaiser orthopedics. As for the appointment...there was no correction to Nolan's leg in 6 months. It's still showing an approximate 130 degree bow. Then there was the bomb..."I think it's time to consider surgery." This option has been lingering in my mind since day one but the optimist in my believed his leg would straighten out. Dr. Shoemaker said Nolan's case is the worst he has ever seen but surgery will be a definite full correction. After my initial panic attack, I knew he was right.

The night I broke the news to Cameron and he was shocked as well. The other option to consider was a brace and re-evaluate in a year. However the constant pressure on the leg from walking would hardly help the situation. After discussing our options, we both agreed surgery was necessary.


A few days later I got a call from Shoemakers office claiming someone had canceled and they could get us in within 2 weeks. The decision I had seemed so confident of even hours previously suddenly seemed like the end of the world. I kept it together on the phone. But I couldn't help but to break down and cry once I hung up.

My sweet, delicate, loving little man was going to endure a surgery that makes most grown adults run and hide. They will be breaking to bone, cutting a wedge on the outside of the curve, and the re-inserting the wedge on the inside. He will then have pins and a cast for 4 weeks. Following that will be a walking cast for 6 more. He isn't allowed to put any pressure on the leg for the first 4 weeks.

I'm so nervous and scared for my little dude. The last thing you ever want for your child is to deliberately put them through pain. I know that this decision is best though. I get so sad when I see him try to walk or stand. He gets it for a few seconds and then falls down crying. He is so angry that he can't walk or keep up with me. He knows something isn't right. I know this will all be worth it when I finally get to see him take his first steps. It's something most parents take for granted. I know that when I finally see it, I will be recording it and showing everyone around me. Watch out stranger in line at Target...you will be seeing a video of my baby walking. There was a point in my pregnancy where I didn't even know if he would be able to walk.

Oh and let's not forget the LLD. As of now Dr. Shoemaker doesn't see a significant difference. However, when you break the bone, it stimulates growth. His left leg will be getting a little longer after the whole surgery. Hopefully if there is any sufferance, this will correct everything and no more surgeries necessary! At least I could end the post on a good note. Lots more info and photos to come tomorrow post-op.