11/29/2007 Foot Surgery

Well we went back to our surgeon (Dr Roach) today to discuss the game plan for Olivia's foot operations. We went over what the two specialist had advised, and discussed a possible surgery date sometime in February. Since it is likely we will be moving about them, I told them to call us with any cancellations. Since we are only 15 minutes away we can accommodate a very limited notice. (We really just need to know enough in advance so that she doesn't eat the morning of) They stated that since the plastic surgeon only does his surgeries once a month that it was unlikely we would get a sooner opening for his time.
Just as we are about to leave our appointment they tell us they think they just had a cancellation for Monday, which happens to be on the plastic surgeons schedule. They ask if we will take the spot if our surgeon (Dr. Roach) can make time the same day to perform her surgery. After 30 minutes or so they come back and say that she can have her surgery Monday at 10:00am. Then this will put them on track to have the plastic surgeon do her skin graphs around 3:30pm (which was the opening in his schedule).
I have to sort of laugh, as her last surgery was exactly the same, we came in on a Thursday and found out that there was a last minute cancellation for Monday. They say this is rare, yet it has now happened to us twice.
Just a few days ago Olivia was asking me to have her feet "fixed"... she has trouble walking now that her hip and knee are "fixed", since her pointed foot is now too long. So she is excited to have her feet "fixed" so she can walk better and run and play again. She even said "Mommy, lets go to the doctor and Olivia, (snoring sounds), then wake up and feet all fixed". I was amazed that after just one surgery she understood that she would go to sleep and they would do the surgery and she would wake up and be all better.
She will have at least two full leg casts again... which neither of us look forward too. So we have been deciding on what her NEW color will be... she is debating between pink and purple. (She already has had blue and green).
She will get a cast change each week, so I am sure we will eventually have ALL the colors. They did mention that we may have another SPICA cast (full body) but I will BEG them not to. I just don't know if I can do that another 2-3 months again. They don't want her walking, and since she is so assertive she is always pushing the limits, they feel that the only way she won't try to walk in the cast is to make it were she CAN'T walk. But I told them she is ALWAYS supervised, so we will make sure she doesn't walk. Since she has limited use of her hands, when she is in the full body cast she can do very little and is so bored, she can't move, or hardly function. Not to mention the bathroom issue is a nightmare... so we will pray that they won't give her another spica cast.
Well I have allot to do to get ready for another week in the hospital, and to arrange care for my other children.
I must say again how COMPLETELY grateful we are for Shriners and all they do for our daughter and all the other children they help. We hope when we have got our daughter through the bulk of her surgeries that we can give back to them to show them the support and love they have shown us. If you are ever looking for a charity to contribute to, please consider them.