In July this year DK arrived looking more or less like this
Even without medical training, it is pretty clear to see that his feet were, well, in the wrong place so began a rather tedious and long winded series of casting his legs and feet on a weekly basis.
After 11 casts, he had a small but unpleasant operation to lengthen both of his Achilles tendons and was then put in another set of casts for 3 weeks, these were removed yesterday. Now the next phase begins - he will have to wear this brace 23 hours per day for 3-4 months and then gradually reduce the time he is wearing it so that he is just sleeping in it by about 10 months and then he will wear it to sleep for another year or two. The shoes clip on and off the bar and can be angled up and out according to what the doctor decides.
His first impressions were not good. Yesterday he cried most of the day and none of us slept very well last nigh (except J) but today things seem to be better. Here he is enjoying some of his precious 60 minutes without the brace. He did seem happier without it and managed to smile a fair bit until it went back on again. Some things are not fun to have to do as a parent!
Here are his trotters as they look today. Hopefully when we get a second opinion from the specialist in the UK next week she will be happy with them and we won't have to go anywhere else for further treatment.
Fascinating sequenca of photos.
ReplyDeleteDK looks like a skate-boarder.
What a change in such a short life - things never look as bad when you look back on them & youv'e come out the other side. I think that you eventually only remember the good things.
What a brave & gorgeous little boy DK is.
ReplyDeleteHis feet look perfect to me - hope the specialist agrees when you are over here.
Pxx