Do you realize what month it is? It’s December. DECEMBER. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath (and not posting) since September.
I’ve been waiting for the pain to start. The crying. The ripping off of her brace. The daily request for pain meds, and of course, waiting to pull her wheelchair out of the garage.
It’s December of 2020, and we haven’t made it through fall without debilitating pain since 2016. How is she this year? She’s completely FINE! I KID YOU NOT!!!
I emailed Dr. Frick, and he agreed, popping over a prescription for a new brace. Great!
A couple weeks ago she started complaining that her leg hurt, but when the brace came off, she was fine. Opinion: Her brace is too small due to natural growth, and her calf muscle re-developing due to the hinged ankle of her brace activating her calf muscle for the first time since July of 2016.
We arrived at Hanger today, and to my surprise, Chuck is back! He tested the strength in her leg and asked me how much longer she had to be braced. He seemed very surprised when I told him that she would possibly need one through adulthood, but probably at least through skeletal maturity.
Then he asked if I had gotten a second opinion, because that didn’t seem right.
What?!
So at this point, I’m guessing he either doesn’t remember us, or when I asked him if he knew what pseudorarthrosis was, and he said he had experience, he was not 100% honest.
So, square 1. *le sigh* I explain. I show x-rays. He seems to understand. Cool. Let’s do this. So, he molded her. Very uneventful.
Then, assuming he knows nothing, I pull up my journal entry from brace #12, fitting #1. I go over our list of required alterations for the new brace, which were wrong on the last brace he ordered.
- Anterior (front) shell needs to come all the way to the ankle. We can always trim.
- Please put the pretty transfer pattern on the interior shell.
- Shell on the outside of the brace.
- Double check the height of brace.
- DO. NOT. STRAIGHTEN. HER. BOW.
- Have her brace made by Cascade in Washington. The Florida vendor just isn’t as good. Period.
- Attach Velcro with rivets on both sides of brace.
- Non-slip grip added to bottom of brace.
- Chip sewn in on boot.
He seemed amendable to everything, so great! We have an appointment set for January 11th. It’s set out extra far due to the holidays. I’m supposed to call Friday to make sure it’s there.
2 weeks until her 1 year post-op. I’m NERVOUS. But I have a feeling great progress will be seen, and great things will be said! ??
