Safe and Sound in St Louis

After a long day of travel, we are here at Haven House in St. Louis. Matthew doesn't want a cast, but doesn't seem to upset when I tell him there is a good possibility. We brought the crutches just in case.

Tomorrow will be another long day. At the hospital by 7:30 until 2:00. Then back to the airport. We arrive home at 10:00 pm, so by the time we clear customs and cab home it could be close to midnight.

Will update Tuesday if I can.

Not Broken

Those were the two best words I heard this weekend.

Matthew rolled on his foot. With all the changes with shoes, he has not been wearing his brace and he rolled on his foot. Two days later he was still not putting weight on it so I took him to urgent care.

They were very concerned by the look and shape of his foot until I explained all that has gone on with that little foot. They decided to X-ray both feet to have something to compare.

Good news, there are no fractures that they could see. So most likely a soft tissue injury. He is now in a tensor and back on crutches.

Will be taking him to his regular doctor Monday to have it checked (as per urgent care doctor's advice) and will have Steve take a look on Wednesday to see if he can give us some more information.

Hoping he is off the crutches for school.

Getting Ready

We leave for St. Louis in four days. Trying to get the last things done before we go.

Crossed this one off my list yesterday. New pads for the crutches.

Old pads.



New pads.


I had to raise them up a level as he has grown so tall. Only one more adjustment left on these.

Matthew was actually excited about the new padding. Hoping that means he is coming to terms with the cast possibility. I hope so. He just received another birthday invitation. This one for a pool party the weekend he could be in a cast.

Four Weeks Today

Matthew's next appointment with Dr Dobbs in St Louis is four weeks today, Feb 8.

I have mixed emotions. First, I am hopeful that this time, finally, he will not need a cast. I am hoping that the lift on his shoe is doing it's job. That it is finally holding the correction. And, then, I worry that I am placing so much hope on a half inch piece of rubber. Seems that since seeing Dr Dobbs in October I have been holding his words too close. He said that at some point, Matthew will no longer need casts. Gosh, I know for the normal person, that statement seems silly. Of course at some point there will be no more casts. But after 7 years of this, I truly am no longer able to see the forest for the trees.

I am trying to decide if I should bring Matthew's crutches (yes, he owns his own crutches. Getting crutches for a young child is near impossible). Normally, I would think, yeah, grab them. Can't hurt. But now, with the new travel restrictions I worry that traveling with hollow metal tubes that are crutches will only slow us down and cause havoc. But, to have them if he is casted makes our lives so much easier as we change planes in airports. (they are supposed to keep all weight off of the cast for at least 24 hours to let the plaster cure)

And then there is the whole issue of travel restrictions. How can I travel from 7 am til 5 pm with a 7 yr old with only a small purse to carry things on? And, I have not owned a purse in over 20 years. Where do I even buy one? Days like this I want the chance to line up and kick Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in the butt for making airline travel that much more difficult.

Feels Like Christmas

The view out our window is enough to make you think Christmas is just around the corner.


And we got to open this cheery looking package today.


Not sure who I felt more sorry for. The poor doctor attempting to remove a Dobbs cast or poor Matthew who had to endure it. Normally, cast removal takes five minutes tops. This poor guy was stumped and mystified and it took him 40 minutes. Normally, the cast comes off in two pieces. This poor guy butchered the cast (better then butchering the child) and we only saved 2 of the bigger pieces.


Matthew is doing well and walking on it already, although it is tender and he tires quickly. Shouldn't take long before the crutches go back into storage.


Also stopped in and saw Matthew's orthotist for a lift on his indoor school shoes. Found out that only 3/4 inches and more are covered here. How silly is that? So 1/2 inch lift is considered...what? Unnecessary? Cosmetic? How silly. They shoe should be ready in a few days.

Here's hoping this leg length discrepancy and shoe lift is the last piece of the puzzle and his foot stops regressing.

Crutches

Matthew went to school today. When I dropped him off, I noticed his p/t was there and had just finished up with someone. I chatted with her about Matthew and his cast and his trip. I asked about getting crutches. Her first response "any other kid, I would recommend crutches, Matthew is so fast and so adaptable, he can probably get away without them" But after some more conversation, she decided that he should get some for the exact same reason Sue said (thanks Sue, you were spot on!). She was worried that hobbling for 6 weeks could take its toll on his hips and toes. So off I went in search of pediatric crutches.

Turns out that is no easy feat. Let me re-phrase that, it is no easy feat for some one who was casted outside of the city. In order to get those crutches, I needed to have a letter from an orthopedic doctor from the hospital. She said I could go and see one of the doctors there and they would write up a letter for me. Had to laugh, with my luck I would see Matthew's surgeon who was not impressed with me taking Matthew to see Dr. Dobbs.

I went to plan B. Called all over the city. No one had pediatric crutches, except for one place. Yay! I picked them up and took them to the school so Matthew could try them out with the p/t there. No go. Even though they were rated for kids 4 feet and under (Matthew is 3 feet 9 inches) they were too small.

Back to the store I went. Turns out no one rents crutches that size, you buy them. So I went to trade them in for a bigger set. No go. The next size up was for 4 foot 6 inches and taller. They were way too big. Turns out the man at the store was another angel in disguise. He said he had an idea. He had a broken set of adult crutches in the back. He took off the leg extender from those and put them on Matthew's set. Perfect fit. No charge.

Gosh, this road we are on is hard, but we have found such wonderful helpful people along the way. We are so lucky.

As promised, here are some photos from the trip.

Matthew in the airport with the birds he bought, one for him, one for his brother.

No Mommy, I am to tired to get up.

In the exam room. Did I mention he got a stuffie EVERY time he went to a new area?

One last photo of his foot before casting.

New best friends waiting for a spot in the casting room.

New friends and new casts.

Resting at Haven House.

On the plane ride home with his new collection of stuffies thanks to the Shriner's.