Long overdue Update...

CHINESE NEW YEAR~2009

Do you ever put something off for so long and then when you finally get around to it, you feel so guilty for putting it off that you put if off even longer? Well, that's what has happened to me. I put off updating and then I continue to put if off because I don't know where to begin and the vicious cycle continues.

So here I am, updating you on Amelia.

The casts came off without a hitch and her feet look terrific. Her toes even look different, long and straight. The doctor put Amelia in these walking shoes~rather cumbersome~that would give her support and help her walk. They warned us that her feet would be very sensitive and she might not walk for a couple of weeks with the shoes. It would be hard for them to predict how long it would be before she would walk barefoot.

So we put the boots on her and she even slept in them. After about 24 hours (if it was even that long), Amelia was stomping around the house in those cumbersome shoes like nobodies business. Within 48 hours, she chucked the boots and opted for her AFOs and regular shoes and she started wearing her Dobbs brace again. She hasn't looked back.

Gaining back her strength was our priority and fortunately, she did not revert back to some of her bad habits from before. It wasn't long before she was back to the same p0int as she was before the surgery.

During physical therapy, the therapist discovered that Amelia had a limb difference of about 1/2 inch~which is rather significant. Most people have some sort of slight difference in their legs, but not 1/2 inch. So we returned to St. Louis with this information seeking advice from Dr. Dobbs.

Steve and I both went this time~we did a power trip. Thankfully the weather held out and we didn't have to reschedule. Dr. Dobbs examine Amelia's feet and was very happy with how they look. We were thankful for that~so off to x-ray we went to get her legs evaluated.

We returned to the room and waited~the techs came back and said they needed to isolate her hips. My stomach churned because I had a strange feeling I knew what was coming next. When Dr. Dobbs returned to the room he informed us that she did not have a limb difference, Amelia has congenital hip dysplasia! I know about hip dysplasia, I've followed two families journeys as they have adopted daughters from China with the same issue.

My heart just aches for Amelia as we await surgery in April to repair her hips. At this point we know that she will need bi-lateral femoral osteotomies and there will probably be surgery on her pelvis. We just aren't sure of the pelvis yet. The surgery will address all the issues when we return. She will be in a Spica cast for 6 weeks~yippee. We have been prepping her for the surgery and the cast. I don't believe that she understand that it will be a body cast and not leg casts. I don't think she will be very happy.

We covet your prayers as we move forward with Amelia's surgery and recovery. Millie has the heart of a loin and I know she will be fine. It will just be so difficult for her to be completely immobile for six weeks after finally getting her feet flat on the ground. I worry about the pain she will be in. The hospital stay is several days long~another logistic nightmare of us. But we will enlist the help of family and friends and come through with flying colors, I'm sure of that.

I have loads of photos from Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm working on a slide show to post....keep watching!