Hopes Dashed Again! and Cutting To The Chase!

Okay - in starting this blog, I wanted this to be a way for Bailey and I get our thoughts and feelings out and hopefully the information will serve as a blessing to others.  Since I am just starting this blog 11 years into our struggle, I have been trying to bring the entries up to date...BUT! Since I am somewhat suffering from my attained age and decreased memory, I will try to bring you up to date in this posting.

Bailey went from the spica cast to another one (I think it is called a broom stick cast) that went from her thighs to her ankles with a bar running horizontally between her knees.  When we went back to the doctor for the removal of this contraption we learned that yet again, the open reduction had failed.  They would need to be more aggressive.  The surgeon called in the reinforcements.  The next open reduction included 2 additional surgeons that specialized in pediatric orthopedics.  They had FINALLY made some headway.  By this time, I was pregnant with my youngest (Hayden) and still trying to work a corporate full-time job.  Thank God for my mother in law...she was able to watch Bailey during the day as no day care on Earth would touch her.  (After Bailey's 9th surgery, and after Hayden was born, I decided I should leave corporate America to be able to take her to her doctor appointments and the like.)

I remember laying in the hospital bed with Bailey in her cast, holding her and singing to her.  Hayden would be kicking her the whole time.  (This was the start of the sibling rivalry!) I was about 6 months along at this time and the nurses would FREAK! When they would see me holding her...they were so afraid they were going to have to deliver a premie!

Hayden was also born with DDH.  BUT! Because I was certain that I wouldn't let a diagnosis escape us early on, we learned of her situation when she was 4 weeks old.  After a hip ultra-sound (that insurance refused to cover), the surgeon told us to put double diapers on her for 6 weeks (this pulled her legs into a "froggie" position) and then we did a re-check and she was perfect.  This was a blessing but also quite a blow...an early diagnosis with Bailey would have changed so much!

We repeated the spica cast and other casts for Bailey several times.  Each time she would require a cast change, it was considered a surgery.  FINALLY! After about 15 procedures, including hardware removals, we were told she was looking good and could go home and be a normal kid.  We would just followup with the doctor every year on her birthday to make sure she was progressing.

The "broom stick" cast...you can see the shorter of two sides...
notice the duct tape!