We leave tomorrow for Chicago. I have really mixed emotions about this trip... this step.
I am so excited and relieved that the casting treatment has had wonderful results for Makenna. Not only does her case back up the research, but it defies it as well. Makenna was past the so-called "window of opportunity" for casting to be optimally effective. She has an underlying condition causing the scoliosis, which also does not have favorable results in the data. All of these things and she is still shining like a Rock Star! I feel incredibly blessed. Incredibly lucky.
I feel so comfortable and safe with her in the cast. We are used to it. It's become "normal". We have a system and it works for us. We have adapted beautifully to our new 'normal'. I wrote before about how worried I am about compliance...mostly from me. I just worry that it will be too easy to say "no, it's OK, you don't have to wear it right now."... So, I keep asking myself if we are really ready for this step. Is it really time?
And, as if she could read my mind, Makenna asks a question. The first time this question has ever remotely come out of her mouth was today... we've been casting for almost a year and Makenna is now 3-1/2. "Why did the Doctor put a hug machine on me?" And so I had to answer. I told her basically the same thing I told Abby at the beginning. I let her feel my spine. I let her feel Abby's spine. We talked about how your spine hold you up and makes you stand tall and straight. And then I told her that her spine kind of had a mind of it's own and was trying to grow all curvy! If we let it do that, she wouldn't be able to stand tall and staight. We were just teaching her spine how to stand up tall.
Almost as quickly as she reminded me it was time, she reminded me that she was still 3.... she asked me, "What would happen if I didn't have my hug machine?" And when I tried to give the logically answer about growing all lop-sided... she chimed in "No, Silly. If I didn't have my hug machine, I would take a bath!!!"
I LOVE MY KID!!!!!
I am so excited and relieved that the casting treatment has had wonderful results for Makenna. Not only does her case back up the research, but it defies it as well. Makenna was past the so-called "window of opportunity" for casting to be optimally effective. She has an underlying condition causing the scoliosis, which also does not have favorable results in the data. All of these things and she is still shining like a Rock Star! I feel incredibly blessed. Incredibly lucky.
I feel so comfortable and safe with her in the cast. We are used to it. It's become "normal". We have a system and it works for us. We have adapted beautifully to our new 'normal'. I wrote before about how worried I am about compliance...mostly from me. I just worry that it will be too easy to say "no, it's OK, you don't have to wear it right now."... So, I keep asking myself if we are really ready for this step. Is it really time?
And, as if she could read my mind, Makenna asks a question. The first time this question has ever remotely come out of her mouth was today... we've been casting for almost a year and Makenna is now 3-1/2. "Why did the Doctor put a hug machine on me?" And so I had to answer. I told her basically the same thing I told Abby at the beginning. I let her feel my spine. I let her feel Abby's spine. We talked about how your spine hold you up and makes you stand tall and straight. And then I told her that her spine kind of had a mind of it's own and was trying to grow all curvy! If we let it do that, she wouldn't be able to stand tall and staight. We were just teaching her spine how to stand up tall.
Almost as quickly as she reminded me it was time, she reminded me that she was still 3.... she asked me, "What would happen if I didn't have my hug machine?" And when I tried to give the logically answer about growing all lop-sided... she chimed in "No, Silly. If I didn't have my hug machine, I would take a bath!!!"
I LOVE MY KID!!!!!