Max's new casts.

Short video of Max's legs.

All smiles:-). Getting the casts cut off.

Max's X-ray from Friday. Post op 4 weeks and in casts. The screws at the ankle are on the casts, not inside. The screws up top are in the tibia.

Update from Max's visit

We had a very busy day on Friday! Max and I flew out on a 6:30 am flight (we had to be up at 4:15am...). We were running a bit late and ended up literally running to our gate, despite making it through security pretty quickly. (The nice thing about having a wheelchair is that you go through the Priority lane at security.). We made it on time and were able to be the first people on the plane. Max was great on the flight, mostly just watching movies on the iPhone. Our flight got into Baltimore so early that we had to sit on the runway and wait for the plane that had not yet taken off from our gate. We arrived about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Eric took a later flight out of Cleveland so we had about a 2 hour wait for him. We grabbed some breakfast and just hung out (again, Max watching movies and me, struggling to stay awake!). It was nice because Eric took the carseat with him. There was no way I was going to be able to carry the carseat and push Max in the wheelchair all day. Especially since we took a cab to the appointment and had to take the carseat with us the whole time we were at Dr. Ain's office. (The carseat is a Britex Champion and it is huge!). We have one of those pull along Go Go Babyz to pull the carseat it it is a huge pain in the neck!! Good concept, bad design! Eric had a horrible time trying to unhook the seat from the carrier multiple times during the trip! There has to be a better product out there for this (any suggestions??).

Anyways, we got to Hopkins about an hour before Max's appointment and, on the advice if several parents who have been through this, I gave Max a dose of Valium before the changing of the casts. I heard it can be very stressful, especially for a 3 and 1/2 year old. After we got registered (always takes at least 20-30 minutes...), they got X-rays in his current casts. Max was really starting to melllloooowwww from the Valium so he was super cooperative:-). I was shocked when I saw the X-rays on the monitor. I guess I never realized that he would be cutting both the tibia and the fibula. (Which does make sense because the fibula overgrow and bow, but I hadn't considered it and Dr. Ain had never mentioned it...) I will attach the X-ray after this post.
Then we went to get the casts off. The fellow that cut them off was very nice and very good with Max. We put headphones on Max with his Curious George songs on and he was so calm.

After the casts were off, Max pulled his legs straight up and put his feet right by his ears and just sat like that, completely folded in half!! I guess after not being able to do that for a month, that was the most comfortable position. We got to see his incisions. They are healing so nicely. Again, I didn't realize he had 2 incisions on each leg. (One for tibial and one for the fibular access). The tibial incision is pretty big...but will be a thin scar because he used continuous, dissolvable sutures. The other incision is about half the length. We got to wash him up a bit with soapy water (his feet were STINKY and all the skin is peeling off...) before they put the new casts off. It was hard to wash him up though because he just wanted to lay with his feet by his ears! He didn't give them any trouble at all when they put the new casts on (still in Valium-induced state:-). The new casts are very festive, red and green. The only difference is that they bent his knees at about a 30 degree angle. The last ones were mostly straight with very little bend at the knees. Dr. Ain said the casts will definitely come off in 4 weeks. Yay! Halfway there!!

I have to say that I even more proud of Max than I already was. He has been such a trooper through this whole experience and then I find out it was not just 2 bones that had been cut, but 4!! And 4 healing in incisions. He is truly amazing:-)

Our flight home was very uneventful (Eric had flown out before us so was waiting at airport with the car all ready for us). By the time we got home, we were exhausted! I am not looking forward to doing that same trip again in 4 weeks but at least we know we will be coming home cast-less after that visit! Yay!!

Post-op visit tomorrow

Tomorrow we head back to Hopkins for our 4 week post-op check up. Eric and I will both be able to take him, which is good because the logistics of transportation and the enormous car seat is a NIGHTMARE!! Especially with Max in casts and a wheelchair...
Our appointment is at 11:25. I assume it will involve X-rays and checking out the incisions after he takes off the casts. I am going to give Max a dose of Valium about an hour before our appointment (on the advice of other moms;) and bring big headphones so he can watch Curious George on my phone while the cut off the casts...hope that distracts him enough! (I forget, am I supposed to take a swig of that Valium before this appointment too??!! Haha!). I have been warning him the they will cut off the casts but...they will put them back on!! I have also been demonstrating how the saw will vibrate too. (While gently shaking him...). I hope I have prepared him enough.

I keep telling Eric to remind me to ask about putting Max's feet in the sink to wash them before they put the casts on again. He hasn't had his feet washed in a month and they are stinky!! And the skin is all peeling off... It's not pretty!

I hope to hear good news that the bones are healing nicely and I hope to see nice straight legs under those casts;-)

I will update after our appointment. We fly back in tomorrow afternoon.