I do intend to blog about Christmas / New Years, however we did not have
the most magical Christmas I was hoping for. Our Christmas involved helping
Avery hit the bucket and make it to the toilet on time. We did however have a
nice Christmas, but all the pictures we have from Christmas are on my parents
camera (since our hands were full with other things.)
I would however like to fill you in on Marli’s Hip
Dysplasia. As I explained in my previous post, our Orthopedic Surgeon had
informed us that most likely the brace would not cure Marli’s hip because of
the angle that her hip is at. We had decided to try it out in the mean time
since surgery time was not expected to be available until January.
Well a week after she had the brace on Dr. Dulai’s (that is
our Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeons name) office phoned. They were given some
unexpected OR time before Christmas and wanted to get Marli in as soon as
possible. The Closed Reduction surgery that she needed is only effective
before 6 months old. At this point she
was 4.5 months old. After 6 months she would have to have an Open Reduction
which is much more invasive and basically an open hip surgery. The Closed
Reduction is only a die injection and then re-set the hip and then cast her. Sometimes
they have to do a small incision where they cut a tendon in her inner thigh to
allow for the hip to stay in the socket (Marli did not because thankfully wearing the brace a week prior helped stretch her out and make her more flexible.)
First we had to make sure Marli’s cold had cleared up enough
for her to be put under. I got in the next morning for our family doctor, and
she cleared Marli with a clean bill of health! I told our doctor that that was
great… but like 20% of me was hoping she wasn’t healthy enough, haha! The
reality of my little baby having to go under for surgery (even a minor surgery)
was hitting me, and the change in our life of caring for a baby in a Spica
cast!
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Dr. Dulai’s office got us in first
thing the next morning; the first surgery of the day. We showed up at 6am,
Marli was pretty tired and hungry before her surgery. She was not allowed to
eat for 4 hours before surgery. But it was sort of nice because I just rocked
her to sleep, it was the last time for a little while that I would be able to
snuggle my baby not in a cast or brace!
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Then the nurse came and took her
from us to be put under for her surgery. That definitely made the water works
turn on! But we went to get some breakfast and to find the ward that we would be
staying overnight, but waiting to see her was so hard! We just waiting in the
waiting area outside our ward and finally we saw the porter take her by. We ran
after her, and even though we had been looking at pictures on the internet of
this cast, it was still such a shock seeing her! First her IV was hooked to the
vein in her head, and all the other monitors hooked up to her little body. And
then of course this big cast that consumes most of her body. She was a little
groggy but when she came too, she looked up at us and smiled!
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| Keeping her warm while watching treehouse :) |
The whole day and night in the
hospital was did amazing! All the nurses just adored her, we would hear them
talk about how cute and sweet she was to eachother in the halls. Each nurse
would tell us how she was the happiest baby in a Spica cast they had ever seen!
She slept lots and watched some Treehouse TV, haha. I was so nervous that
nursing her wouldn’t work out because of the cast. She is such a great nurser
(and Avery was not, so it has been a breath of fresh air) but we worked it out!
She basically lays flat on her back on my lap and turns her head. Not too bad.
In the morning right at 7:30 they
took us downstairs for an MRI. Sometimes after the Closed Reduction the hip
doesn’t stay in the socket. That would have really sucked, because then they
take the cast off, we have to come back at 6 months for the Open Reduction and
go through the cast again! Thankfully the MRI came back good and her hip stayed
in! Dr.Dulai had told us the night before that the surgery went perfectly and
she expected it to stay in. So then we were able to go home. Not before a visit
from Santa who gave Marli and Avery a very nice present! Avery had been at my
parents and sisters house the whole time, but the nurses had told him Marli had
a 3 year old sister. It was very sweet. Everyone at the Stollery was just
amazing… (aside from a very unfriendly, unhelpful Occupational Therapist that
was supposed to give us tips… but did not and when I asked her for tips about
nursing with the cast she laughed and said no one had ever asked her that… okay…)
We have been home with our
sweetie pie for just about 3 weeks now. She has to wear this cast for 12 weeks
total. They changed it half way at 6 weeks because they grow so fast and it
gets dirty… which we’ve already experienced. In 3 weeks we have had 2 poops
leak out, I think not too bad, but man it’s a process! You have to make sure
you get it as clean as possible and most importantly dry! Its almost
impossible, but we’ve come up with some processes. Jordan is very good at
making sure its as clean as possible and dry.
Marli is such a happy, easy
going, resilient kid! She is coping so well! She was a little fussy last week
because I believe she was going through a growth spurt. Growing pains alone can
be painful, but can you imagine growing pains in a cast??? Her cast is a little
more snug this week! Thank goodness for that change half way.
We have lots of foam pieces all
over the house to try and make her more comfortable. Jordan is great at cutting
up pieces to suit the needs that she has. It is definitely hard going out, but
this week we’ve been out the same amount as normal and its gone really well! I
even went grocery shopping with the 2 of them yesterday; Avery in the cart and
Marli in the baby bijorn and it went great! They give us a loaner car seat from
the hospital that apparently is made for the Spica cast. Well its crap… she
doesn’t mind it too much. But it is more like a toddler seat, just rear facing.
We use a towel to prop her bum up so that her ankles are not digging into the
car seat. But most babies at 5 months if they fall sleep in the car or if you
are doing quick stops into stores you just keep them buckled in there seat and
carry the seat in, or prop it on the stroller. I cannot do this with the cast,
I either carry her or put her in the baby bijorn or try and place her in the
stroller which is all jimmy rigged with towels and blankets to sit her up high
enough. It is interesting that’s for sure…
We have to change her position
often to prevent sores on her body. She loves the jolly jumper, and the baby
bijorn. Those are great for keeping her off her back for a while. But we for
sure cannot wait to get this thing off! It will be so great!
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| Blow drying the cast out after poop explosion leak - Avery's always good to make her laugh |
Diaper changes… we have a hole to
work with. We have become quite good at it if I do say so myself! We put a size
2 up the hole (size 3 now) and then a size 5 on the outside in case it leaks.
You flip her on her stomach to stuff the back side up. She is getting better
and better at enjoying her tummy time. It is kind of a funny looking thing when
we change her.
As for baths I can just sponge
bath her because you cannot get the cast wet! She still enjoys that but it will
be so nice to give her a proper bath after all this!
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| Getting her diaper changed, she rests on a pillow while we stuff the back side of the diaper up her back |
When this cast is off, we will
have another ultra sound to see where the hip is at. Most likely she will be in
some form of a brace for a while. It may not be as intense as her pink brace,
but maybe a diaper splint or something along those lines. Anything will be
better than this! I swear my arms are going to be ripped after this (probably
not, but oh well)! Haha.
We have already planned out our
after cast party to the water park! I took Avery swimming at 4 months once a
week with a couple girlfriends and their babies. I feel sad Marli hasn’t experience
that yet because she loves water and baths. So that will be our big hoorah when
this cast comes off!
Until then we make the best of
this and I know when Marli is older this time will seem like such a small
moment of her life! But right now… not really! Haha, 9 weeks and counting J
