7 Week Wound Check and Cast Removal

So yesterday E.R. and I headed into Shriners just before 5:00am. We got set up in the room that we had for her recovery after surgery. I don't think she recognized it, but it brought back memories, some good, many not-so-good to me. We shared the room with a family of a baby with club feet.

The procedure today was to remove her cast and check her healing. Best case scenario was that she would be doing great, they could take the pin out of her ankle bones, prepare the first mold for her prosthetic foot, and simply wrap her in a soft wrap (like an ace bandage). If she wasn't ready, we were probably looking at another cast for 2 weeks. By now I knew we could survive another 2 weeks if it was necessary, but it would be SO nice to be on our way to the next stage! If the best case scenario happened, the surgeon said it would take about an hour. Less than an hour if they couldn't do the mold yet.

E.R. was ready to go home after we had been there about 20 minutes. She got pretty mad at me when I wouldn't put her clothes back on and take her home. A big stuffed My Little Pony helped for awhile.

I carried her sedated little self down about 7:40am. There was some kind of computer glitch with paperwork, I think, so we waited awhile. Then they decided to just go ahead since she had been waiting so long. At 7:50, I left her and returned to the room to wait. The nurse told me I would be called when they began the procedure, but I never got a call. By now, I assume they know what they are doing, and I just chose to rest, since there was a LONG day ahead of me and I had to emotionally prepare for E.R.'s reaction to the anesthesia.

To my surprise about 35 minutes later two nurses came in with a calm, peaceful little E.R. They handed her to me and the prosthetist came in to tell me that everything had gone wonderfully. She made the first mold, and E.R.'s leg looked great. I felt E.R.'s left leg dangling down and realized that she felt lighter because she was CAST-LESS! I had to sit down on the bed with her because the relief just washed over me. As all the shock was wearing off (since I wasn't ready for her to even be done with the procedure - let alone already up here), I also realized that she was completely peaceful and not screaming and thrashing as usual. Part of me was afraid to hope since there was still time for her to fall apart, but the rest of me was realizing this was COMPLETELY different than our last two times coming out of surgery/procedures. The nurse told me that they hadn't had to put her under completely since there was no cutting or stitching needed. So the medication that she doesn't tolerate well was never used!!!! Oh the joy!

I snuggled on the bed with E.R. as I had seen many other parents do post-surgery (and hadn't been able to do with her before!). She was calm and quiet and seemed relieved to see me. There was no trauma, no trying to jump off the bed, just peaceful recovery. Within about 10 minutes she was sitting up, asking for juice, and her clothes, and ready to pack up and go home!

Today she was given a Cabbage Patch doll that she had picked out way before her surgery. The doll had been given an amputation on her left foot, and has a prosthetic foot as close to E.R.'s as possible with a doll. The prosthetist showed her how to put the doll's foot on. E.R. loved it.

We were in the car 4 1/2 hours after arrival. I think both of us felt much lighter!

E.R. has had about 24 hours now to get used to her new leg. She is able to really crawl and play on the floor now, and she can use her left leg for the first time in 7 weeks. She is not going to walk on it for at least a week. But it is fun to see her getting around, and completely comfortable with her leg. She isn't concerned at all. In fact the cast was so annoying that I think she is just 100% relieved to have 2 legs now!

We go back in for a follow-up check with her surgeon in a week. No more inpatient appointments for us!!!

I really think the hardest parts may be over! Thank you for all the prayers and support over the last year, and especially the last 2 months. We are on the home stretch now...