Making a List

Hi, everyone!



I thought it might be helpful to start a blog chronicling Sophie B's adventure through her upcoming hip surgery. Not only will it be helpful for all of us; it may also help other parents as they encounter these same issues.



I know that a lot of you have a lot of questions. Honestly, I don't know that this blog will provide answers! But maybe, by starting a list here and posting what we do (and don't) know we can get our ducks in a row for November. If nothing else, this will give us a venue for a round-table discussion to get things rolling.



Here's where we stand now:



1. Sophie's actual surger will be on Monday, November 23 at 9:30 a.m. She will arrive at 7:30 a.m. for pre-op and the surgery will take place at Palmetto Richland Hospital. We will stay for three days. With the holiday, we will probably be released on Wednesday evening. Sophie will be in a "frog-leg" cast. This cast will begin below the pelvis (where the hip creases are) and end at the ankle on each leg. Her calves will be held apart by a rod so that her legs cannot close. This will stabalize her pelvis and femur. She will be in the cast for approximately 6 weeks.

2. The actual surgery is as follows: Sophie's hip socket is too shallow to keep the femur from "popping" out; therefore, it will be reshaped with sterilized cadaver bone which will be held in place with a pin. When the cadaver bone is placed, the Dr. will evaluate whether or not Sophie's femur needs to be turned. If so, he will make a second incision, snip the connective tissue, turn the femur and hold it in place with a metal plate. The pins and plate will be removed approximately 6 months later. For more information on hip dysplasia surgery, see this link:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia7.htm

3. Sophie will be at home for six weeks. The first three weeks, she will be at my home. The next two weeks, she will be at Chris' home. She will then return (with Jack) on Christmas Day to my home for the duration of Winter Break. We are hoping the cast will be removed at the end of Winter Break and she will return to school at the beginning of January. For her care, I am taking off the first two weeks and Susan is taking off the third. My mom will be with us to help for those three weeks. Chris is taking off the next two and Bonnie is coming up to assist him. Susan and I will be off on Winter Break for the week following Christmas.

4. Regarding equipment: The Dr. will assist us with renting a wheelchair for Sophie to use while in the cast. It will recline and the legs will extend in the front. The entire wheelchair will fold flat. For the car, she will ride sans car seat with legs out on the back seat. Someone may need to sit with her to make sure she doesn't pop the buckle. : ) At home, Chris and I are both planning to put her mattress on the floor so that she doesn't try to get out of bed and fall.

Here's what is left to do:

1. Set up an appointment to get Sophie re-fitted for her AFOs so that they are ready for her after she has her surgery. This will provide more support as she gets back into walking.

2. Get paperwork ready for a new wheelchair for post-surgery. Sophie is quickly outgrowing her old wheelie; in addition, it's definitely past it's prime. Sophie's PT pointed out that we may need to wait until after the surgery to have it fitted since her hips may shift. However, we are going to get everything else ready.

3. Get aqua therapy set up. We have made contact but still need to visit. This is going to be vital for Sophie's rehab.

4. Get the Personal Care Aide set up. We have to re-interview for this and it can be a tedious process to schedule.

5. Get a schedule going for people to take Jack to/from school, daycare, and tennis; set up "dates" with Jack and parentals, etc. Several of you have offered to help with this (e.g., Brooke is taking Jack in the afternoons of my dance concert rehearsals in December) and we would love it! We are striving to keep his routine as similar as possible.

6. Get a schedule going for parental relief. The parentals are all going to need a break from time to time - to go to the gym, get out of the house, go grocery, etc. That will be essential to maintaining our sanity!


Many of you have offered to help and asked what you can do to help. I hope that this helps you know where we need you and what we need.

I hope you use this forum to communicate with us and let us know where we can use you - prayers, transportation, relief. Please feel free to use this blog as a forum where we can all collaborate together and get this adventure starting on the right foot (pun intended!). Hopefully, with your help, this will be smooth sailing and Sophie B will be up, walking, and better than ever before long.

Love you all!

Jenn