Through this whole process my husband and I keep our eyes on God. We know there is a reason for this that surpasses all of our understanding. Make no mistake...although this has been (and still is) a very trying experience...we understand fully that we are still very blessed and that things could be so much worse. We have had an opportunity to see many children in varying stages of illnesses, etc. We remind Bailey every single day how lucky she is...
I know that this diagnosis of DDH is more common than one would think. My biggest regret and sorrow is that Bailey's diagnosis wasn't made in infancy where she could have had an easier "fix". I feel that there should be a more extensive/accurate test than a doctor holding the baby's hip and rotating their legs...this is a subjective method. C'mon medical science! Can't you come up with something better???
When we brought her home after the "successful" open reduction, I spent a lot of time holding her and hugging her (best I could) and we would dance and sing every chance we got. It was summer time so we couldn't really take her outside (since she was in the cast she would get too hot) so we would take her to the mall and stay there for HOURS! I blame this time for her addiction to shopping now. LOL
It was during this first recovery that I realized how small-minded people are...I can understand kids staring but the adults! URGGH! That would burn me up! One day we were at the mall with Bailey in her cast and in her wheel chair. We were in the food court (for the 3rd time that day) and she was eating a big cookie and drinking an ICEE. Her chair was filled with toys, and books and the like...very obvious she was being showered with gifts. These two older ladies were eating and thinking they were whispering to each other but in reality they were kind of screaming. They were discussing how we should have Bailey taken away from us as it was such a shame to see a baby in that condition. OH GOSH! Here we go again...poking momma bear! You could tell my husband was very pensive and hoping I had the self-control to not beat them with their own canes.
Clay (my husband) and I held on to the fact that Bailey was going to be just fine once we got through the recovery period. We were constanty amazed by Bailey's tenacious spirit...she actually learned how to WALK in that spica cast! It was so funny how she could really get around in that thing! When she was tired of "walking" she would pull herself just using her upper body. She was in the spica for quite some time, we would have to go in for cast changes periodically. I always looked forward to the look on the doctor's face when he saw Bailey on those followups. She would leave the hospital with a pristine cast and return with one that had the holes covered up by duct tape! Her initial start of a pink or "Barney" purple cast would end up silver. My husband has an unnatural obsession with duct tape, but he is okay with it! :) I think he can fix just about anything with that magic roll!
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