AFO (Braces) Are Here!!

This is how Superstar's feet where back in June when this whole process started:

He was NOT able to put his heels to the ground! No matter how hard he tried! It has been a trying summer and long fall with MRI and other testings. We finally after a delay due to illness were able to have surgery done. Surgery result in Superstar wearing casts for the last 6 weeks. However it was all worth it after seeing him today! This is below is him standing today!!!

Can I just say that I'm thrilled and overjoyed to see him stand flat footed! He has NEVER done that his whole life!! It's really amazing thing to see. In the picture above he IS wearing his new AFO (braces) and long with his NEW shoes. Can I just also say I was shock and taken back when we were were told we could get him a 5 mens! We were told a 5 Kids is the same as a 5 mens. We got from the kids department because Superstar liked the choice better. PRIOR to surgery he wore a 2 1/2. So I was shock to know his feet grew so much. If it wasn't for the brace he would have been in a 4 1/2. So 2 size in the last 6 weeks is A LOT!!!

Just so you can have a better look at Superstar's AFO! We love the turtle on the back with the rocket attached to its back. It reminds me of the looney toons cartoons I grew up watching with the coyote always trying to get the roadrunner! LOL Superstar will have to wear braces now for the next 2-3 years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lesson Plans Posted!

First I just wanted to say thanks for all the wonderful suggestions that I got on my blog and off my blog via emails! You guys are awesome for wanting to help me out!!! For that I'm thankful!

I looked over several of the suggestions and I've decided to get a scribd account. I've made up my lesson plans for this week like I try to do in Microsoft word and when I was done I uploaded the document to scribd. Then I embedded the document into my lesson plans web-page (see link in menu bar above).

I'm happy with the results! This is going to be such a time saver for me! So lesson plans for this week are up and posted! WooHoo...it feels so good to get back into the swing of things! Now if we can only get a break for this heat wave. LOL

Oh one more thing before I go. If you view my lesson plans you will see the kids now have "code names". Frankly I've been tired of using DS and DD, but yet I'm not comfortable with posting their names. So I asked the kids what they wanted for "code names".

DS told me Superstar and DD told me Web-princess, but I can use princess for short :) So from this day forward DS is going to be known as Superstar and DD is going to be known as (web) princess.

Okay have a great week! Superstar's EMG/NCV is going to take place this Wednesday, so I just ask that you keep him in your prayers.

Thanks and God Bless
SAHMinIL :)

MRI: Results For Toe Walking.

We got the results from the MRI today. (To recap for those that are new to my blog: My DS had to get an MRI done because of his toe walking.)

According the MRI DS bone structure in the foot is normal. So I was thankful to hear that. The next step is to call the hospital tomorrow to schedule an EMG/NCV.

EMG=Electromyograhy
NCV=Nerve conduction study

The podiatrist explain today that these tests need to be done to be sure that my DS brain, nerves, and muscles are communicating with each other properly.

That's all I have to share at this time. I'm thankful to learn that the bone structure is normal, but frustrated to learn that we need more testing done.

The doctor also mention that DS MIGHT need a foot manipulation under anesthesia done too. That's NOT surgery or anything like that. The doctor during the visit was manipulating DS feet, but felt there has been some resistance on DS part. Not anything DS can really help, just resistance, almost in an involuntary way. It's not anything that DS is purposely doing per say.

So doing an manipulation under anesthesia would help the Dr get a better understanding of what DS true range of motion is because under anesthesia DS will be totally relaxed.

Thankful Blessings

Thank-you Judy for hosting this Meme: Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings.

1) I'm thankful that my DS's MRI went well. We still are waiting for the results, but he did really really, well. The MRI did cause us a bit of a headache, but it's done and he did extremely well. The hospital staff told us they never seen a child do so well!

2) That I have opportunity knocking on my door. I've been approached (via email) by a software company to do a review of their product. (More info on that yet to come). They asked me to do the review because they came across my blog: Catholic Christian Homeschooling! I'm NOT being paid for it, but I'm still thankful because it is an opportunity to do something that I like to do!

3) That I have the opportunity to go to TX with my sister. She is back from Afghanistan. She did a 14 month tour of Afghanistan. She's home now and will be station in TX for at least the next 12 months. She's here in IL to get her 20 month old son, and later today we leave with her and her son to TX. We are driving down and then on Monday, my kids and I are flying back to IL. My sister and her son will be staying in TX. So I will be gone for the rest of the week...

MRI: Nightmare

This whole business with the MRI is turning out to be a nightmare. My son (8) needs one done because of his toe walking. I finally was able to schedule the MRI today. I tried a few times yesterday, but the hospital didn't have the order. It turns out the Dr. office had our insurance info wrong, they had us a HMO when we really are an PPO. So once that was corrected they were able to submit the order.

I called today and set up the time and date for the MRI. That part wasn't so bad, but that is what set off my nightmare. I found out that the DR actually wants 2 different MRIs so it's going to take 2 hours. They asked me if he could lay still for those 2 hours and I said yes....

Well I get of the phone, explained everything to my son, and he immediately started to cry. He feels that it's impossible for him to lay still for 2 hours. After spending 20 minutes trying to console him and having him watch videos on MRIs, I wasn't getting any where. So I IM DH and told him what was going on. DH IMed me back and told me to call the hospital to see if they can give him something to help him relax.

So I called the hospital explain the situation and got told that our only other option is to have DS be put under anesthesia. However in order to do that I would have to cancel the MRI, call the Dr. office and have them resubmit the order with anesthesia. Then I would have to call the hospital and reschedule the MRI for a time when an anesthesiologist is available.

So I then explain to my son that he has a second option, that they can put him to sleep. Well that made him cry even more. I've already have spend the last 2 hours trying to console him. I'm not getting anywhere. He honestly doesn't feel that he can't be still for 2 hours and the idea of going to sleep is freaking him out more, because he's afraid that he won't wake up.

He's crying, I'm crying, this is just a nightmare. Wake me when it's over.

Update: DS toe walking

As I mention last month I was going to speak to the DR about DS's toe walking. Well last Friday, I did speak to the Dr about it and he refer us to a podiatrist. Well we went to the podiatrist today. We don't have any real answers for why DS is a toe walker and what can be done about it. However, we have a better understanding of what is going on.

Images from Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialitist.

It's clear that the Achilles tendon is shorten. Most likely a result of being up on his toes all the time. However the podiatrist feels that shorten Achilles tendon is the secondary caused of my DS's toe walking.

According to the x-rays that DS got done today everything is "normal", but when the podiatrist was working with my son's feet, flexing them, he felt as if there was something that was blocking my son's range of motion, besides the shorten Achilles tendon.

He feels that PERHAPS the talus bone is out of place. That PERHAPS it's a little too forward and that it is blocking my son from having his full range of motion.

We DO NOT know if this is the case for sure and will not know for sure until more medical images are taken. I have to call the hospital later today and schedule an MRI for DS. Once I have the MRI schedule then I have to call the podiatrist's office and schedule a follow up with him one week after the MRI.

If it does turn out that the talus bone is out of place then it most likely can only be corrected with surgery. Although the podiatrist also mention that they might be able to do something with physical therapy. We don't know for sure, this is all guessing right now. We just at this point need more imaging done! More imaging will give us a better understanding of what is going on. The podiatrist chose a MRI over a CT scan because he said the MRI would give us a better picture of the soft tissues. I will provide an update when I have more answers.

Rediscovering Catholicism Giveaway winners have been announced. See this post here for the list of winners.