Moving right along

William & Blake October 2009 prior to first cast



Welcome Fall!  It is nice to have a new season.  Summer was a tough road for the casters.  The heat plus the cast made for lots of inside days.  It brings smiles to my heart to hear stories of these little troopers playing outdoors again and families trying to relax a little and enjoy the change.  I reflected the other day back 1 year ago to the fear of our initial diagnosis.  It is crazy to think we have a spent a year in this cast and a year getting used to the diagnosis.  I think it is often cathartic to vent at times at the year we have missed.  I think back to watching the others in our lives go through their first 2 years and I can see so many contrasts as well as similiarity's.  I believe William's last year has been a good one.  A year he has grown both physically and emotionally.  We are extremely grateful for his cast.  It has allowed him to grow straight and tall without worrying about his spine spiraling out of control.  We have met and gained a whole new family of friends in this process as well. I have seen him grow emotionally as well.  He has many friends big and small.  His brother Cody's class are some of his favorites.  He smiles everytime he see's his favorites...Kate, Isabelle, Paige P., both Nates and so many others bring joy to his afternoons.  The girls love to get knuckles from him and he loves the attention of giving them. 
       The sorrow comes from some of the little things.  We went to the pediatrician the other day and he sobbed at the sight of him.  he said no cast mommy. I kept saying no cast baby, just your boo boo.  He is not stupid....Dr. equals cast.  Cast equals anesthesia which equals waking up sore.  I know this passes, but at the moment for them it is miserable.  I think I always try to paint this picture that everything is rosey.  The reality is there are very definitive moments of casting that suck...yes the alternative sucks more...but they suck non the less.  William and his friends carry around approximately 1/4 their body weight on a daily basis.  They don't ever get away from the uncomfortable sleeping, They each have their own additional battles...sleep studies, geneticist appointments, constipation, rashes, sores, colds can be debilitating, the heat is a hazard.  These are just some of the crap they deal with. 

Cast #1 Noverrmber 2009, Day 3

Cast #1 Nov. 2009 Day 2

       Ok so I always end on a positive note.  Casting isn't a piece of cake, but it is manageable.  The kids are better at dealing with all this than any of us mommy's and daddy's.  We are lucky enough to be able to renew our strength through them.  Dylan and Gianna got their new casts last week.  Both are home and doing great.  With that said I think both sets of parents are still recovering.  Each cast brings sorrow that we are not at the end of this journey, but each little caster gives us the strength to continue the journey.  I promise to make the next post less whiney and more upbeat.  KEEP THE PJ's coming!  The drive has gotten HUGE with lots of centers to send smiles to!