Saturday, October 06, 2007

Two Posts Today!

O.k., for all of you who are "getting it down" for October, I think I deserve a pass for missing yesterday.

Paige and I spent the entire day in an itty bitty examining room, waiting for an OR to open up so she could have her hip put back into place. Because we were on-call for a cancellation, she didn't eat or drink for nearly 24 hours until we were finally taken into surgery at 5:30.

Her hip got much worse yesterday - the surgeon said her femur had slipped completely out of her hip socket and slipped nearly 3" up behind it. It was very obvious just from looking at it how bad it was.

He had a hard time putting it back into place, and once he did, he casted it, and it popped back out. So he had to take the cast off, put it back again, and re-cast it. She was in a lot of pain when she came out of surgery.

She has a spica cast, from just under her armpits, wrapping all around her body, and down to her knees, with just a small opening for her to use the bathroom. She is flat out on her back - she can't bend anything.

He was able to look at her hips with a tiny camera, and said that her muscles were just shredded on that hip - that it looked like strands of spaghetti. She will be casted for 2 to 3 weeks to allow these muscles to rest and recouperate.

After that, we will have to make decisions about more involved surgery to reconstruct her hips. He still is saying he is at a loss of how to fix her, only now, fixing her is our only option.

As you can imagine, getting her into the van to bring home was quite the feat. She had to sit on the edge of the seat, with the back of her neck resting against the seat. After she had sat there for a while, she was so uncomfortable that I actually stopped the van halfway home, and just laid her down flat in the back seat.

There's lots to figure out - and being a holiday weekend here, I won't get much of it settled this weekend. I need to find some way of propping her even just a little to feed her, as I can't feed her flat on her back because of her choking issues.

I can't even imagine how I will bathe her, and wash her hair. I need some sort of stroller to transport her, as I have nothing to take her to the van and to the hospital for appointments.

I've had to take a leave of absence from work, because I have to stay with her for the next 2 or 3 weeks...so, we'll take advantage of that time for just the two of us!

So, forgive me if I missed posting on Friday :)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh....I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine being in an almost full body cast...let alone being a child. Oh Paige, Miss E and I send you lots of hugs. Hugs for mama too.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

How long will she wear the cast? What can she do while it's on?

Jan Steck Huffman said...

oh no Bets...well know one thing. I have info. Nash has hip popping in the left hip and we have had his hip xrayed every year. No issues, yet. But I researched it (huh, moi?) and found the best mom website....
http://www.ashleysmom.com/hip_surgery.htm

I will email it too...even tells how to care for her in the cast.

hugs to you, and Paige!

Camille said...

Betsy, I am in tears!!! I love you both so dearly!!! We will find ways... I think Melissa has this FLAT stroller for Bella (she doesn't use it anymore) I will call her tomorrow... The first part of your post answered my problem. See, I wanted to cook for you guys and did not know what to make. I guess I will make you a lasagna and a warm apple crisp. Hopefully you do not get half a dozen of each from each of the TAG mommies!!! CALL ME FOR ANYTHING...
Love,
Camille

Unknown said...

oh Betsy,,, my heart is breaking for Paige. Poor kid - being in so much pain - how horrible! And that cast... I wish you lots of patience and strength for both you and Paige.

(((HUGS)))

Barb said...

Oh Betsy, I am so sorry to hear that Paige is going through this. I feel for her personally since I have a very bad hip from birth and was in a spica cast twice as a child. The first time I was a year old and my mom carried me around (not easy!) and the second time I was 11 and had a hospital bed at home and could only be transported by ambulance. I hope you are able to find ways of transporting Paige. It's quite a cast to deal with. Paige will be in my prayers in a very special way. Hip pain is awful. Sending lots of hugs to your sweet girl.

Barb (Michaelsmommy T21 online)