Cast Off

This is it. The Spica cast comes off today. Good-bye beat up, scuffed up, grass-stained, smudgy orange cast. Yippee! The last few days, Maxim has really liked being scrubbed as much as I could reach with cool washcloths and then rubbed with anti-itch lotion. I am concerned for Maxim right now because during this time in the Spica cast he has obviously lost weight, especially in muscle mass. He has gotten quite good at pulling himself around the house and yard with just his arms but still they are stick thin. The only bulges of any kind are at the joints. Another concern is that before the hip surgery, Maxim's doctor and her team had already concluded that the weekly casting of his feet up to that point had accomplished all the re-positioning they felt they would be able to and they had no intention of attempting any further manipulation. In other words, they think they have gotten his feet as far as they are going to be able to. I should clarify for those who do not understand that when a child has club feet, you don't just surgically set everything back in place. You go through a series of castings in which the feet are continually moved into slightly more correct position. When doctors conclude they have gotten as far as they can, surgery is done to set the feet in that position. In Maxims case, they have not accomplished the ideal position at all but far enough that if they remove a bone called the talus (sp?) on both feet and then do some fusing, they can at least get him into a position where he will be able to walk someday, although lacking much flexibility in his ankles. The foot surgery is currently scheduled for Friday, September 11. The last comment from our doctor was that we could have a break from all casts during the part of the summer we will be traveling, but outside of that they will keep Maxim's feet and lower legs casted right up until that surgery. No further manipulations. Just casting to maintain the position they're already reached. Today, when I take Maxim in to have the Spica cast removed, I will be petitioning the doctor and her team to continue manipulating his feet as far as they can right up until surgery. We will travel for three weeks in August (to see my family in Washington State - wooooohoooo!) during which Maxim will be without casts, but I would really like them to do everything they can during the rest of the period before September 11 to gain the optimum position. My thought is what does it hurt to keep trying when we have all this time left before the surgery. If we don't have them keep manipulating Maxim's feet little by little every week, just like they have been since February 18 (with the exception of time in the Spica cast of course), I will always wonder if we could have accomplished more. Anyway, please pray for us when you read this. That the x-rays will look encouraging today, showing Maxim's hip is still holding good position (pray boldly if you believe that his hip could be in even better than expected position); that I will have wisdom in speaking to the doctor and she will be receptive and cooperative with whatever is God's will for Maxim; and that Maxim will start gaining weight; that things will go well as Maxim starts some physical therapy. Thanks for stopping by. Have a terrific last day of June.