Thanksgiving and the Family

Oh My how I love Thanksgiving! It might be might favorite. don't get me wrong I LOVE Christmas but there is just something relaxed about thanksgiving to me. It is all the family togetherness and none of the gift-giving stress. My favorite part is that my Aunt Sarah and her family will be here like they have been for as long as I can remember. They make the trek down from NC and stay for several days. I LOVE getting to spend time with them.

I wanted to also make a very special request for a new friend. I have met some really awesome people during this whole process of the SDR surgery. Some in real life and some are Internet friends that I hope to meet one day. Well my new friend @www.johnnyinadress.blogspot.com is one of those new friends. He son Cliff will be having the SDR surgery this coming up week. I have been praying for this family for awhile now but wanted to extend that prayer request. We know that God is in control but I wanted to ask for all of you to please pray that the doctors, nurses and everyone that will be involved in Cliff's care is under a blanket of prayer. Please pray that Cliff's mommy, daddy and family will be rested and feel at peace during the surgery. And of course please pray that Cliff will be calm and have a quick and smooth recovery after surgery.

As far as James news. Dr Park was very happy with were he was in his revovery. Dr. Park felt that James was right on track and in some points was a little a head. He was pleased with his lever of strength and his ability to get up into tall kneeling by himself. James showed them all how well he walking in his walker with and without braces. He also showed how we are working on getting him into using his canes. Dr. Park told us that he sees James being able to move from the walker to the canes very soon. James hips are better than pre-op! We were excited to hear such good reports.

There are a few concerns that Dr. Park adressed with us. James is having what is called Tibleal torsion. This means that from his knee to his foot there is a twisting. His left foot is turning in. We thought it was his hip causing his but we now know that it is because of the TT. This is not the best news and could mean that around 12 or 13 James will have to have this corrected. The plan of action for this is to work on therapy activities that support corrected positioning. we have time and James being so young on our side. Right now the bone is not twisted but the muscles are trying to twist it. We are just going to do our best to correct it without surgery. Concern #2 is James' heel cord on his left leg. When you dont walk and naturally stretch out your hamstring and heelcord they become too short as you grow. This is what has happened. So you see walking is not all just about walking. It affects so many other parts of your body. his right foot isnt too ba but his left heelcord is also contributing to the twisting of the leg as well. The plan of action for this is night time stretching int he form of braces that James will sleep in. Not too excited about that, but we will do whatever we have to. I dont want James toe walking since that is so very bad for that heelcord and the ability for James bones to grow correctly. We will do the braces for a year and then when we go back to see Dr. Park we will talk about if James needs Heelcrod lenghtening. Dr. Park think that he will but the good thing about having had the SDR we will be able to do a less invasive proceedure for this. In fact we should be able to do a out patient procedure that St. Louis does. That is pretty much all the medical info that we learned on our trip. It was a short and sweet trip but a good one!!