"I'll do it myself!!"

Owen is not the only one who is insists on independence. Starting about a week or week and a half after surgery- Aidan has insisted on doing whatever he can do on his own. He can roll over and pull himself along with his arms. We have a toddler mattress in the living room for him to lie on/play on/eat on (he can't sit up) and he gets on and off that by himself. We also have a VERY large bean bag chair- well, actually it is a memory foam chair, for Aidan that he pulled himself up on by himself today. He refused to let me help- "I'll do it by myself!!" Can you see that twinkle in his eyes?

Still spunky!!

Getting up on his hands and knee.

Bathtime improvised

Aidan stinks... and I say this in the most loving way. Aidan is still in diapers- he was in the midst of potty training when we went into surgery- and we (obviously) have put that on hold while in his cast. To be honest, I think life would be a little more difficult if he was using the potty- trying to hold him over the potty and aiming... I just don't see it working so well. However, unfortunately- we have had a diaper incident too. Aidan was, well, tucked into the cast in a way that made it so that when he urinated- it went right into the cast- missing the diaper completely. So, our Saturday this past weekend was spent trying to clean the iside of the cast (not such an easy task) and blowing him dry for about 3 hours (FYI- the cotton they use for lining the cast- does not dry very quickly). So, if you get close to Aidan- and stick your nose down by his cast- he is kind of stinky. Poor little guy. We try to keep him as clean as possible- we just miss about half of his body since it is cast covered. But at least his head, arms, feet and exposed other areas are cleaned. We have a perfect set up for Aidan's "bathtime". Our counter is perfect size for him to lie down beside the kitchen sink and we have a pull out spray nozzle to spray his head down. He doesn't love it- but I think he must feel better when we are all done. Here are a couple of pictures of Aidan getting his bath.

Some people are so inventive!

I'm amazed at some people's ability to step back and figure out solutions to something that I didn't even know was a real problem. I mean, I can problem solve- come up with ideas when the problem is identified- I just don't always think of the problem. Some may call this "seeing the silver lining"... others may call it "oblivious"-I'm thinking that most accurately in this case- we are probably looking at the latter.
Anyway, a co-worker came over today with a gift for Aidan. She and her husband created a little desk for Aidan while he is in his cast. It's made up of a dry erase board attached to PVC pipes arranged so the board can be held at an angle. The dry erase board has clips so books/coloring books can be attached to it too. Aidan loves it- and so does mama. It gives him some break from screen time! Thank you Karen and Karen's husband!!
Here are some pictures of their awesome invention...

Here's Karen showing Aidan how to use the desk. (By the way- notice- both have green on-This is not just a coincidence... Happy St. Patricks Day!!)

A front on view of Aidan with his desk. You can't tell in this picture, but he is sitting in his gigantic bean bag chair. It's filled with crushed memory foam and is prefect to help make Aidan comfortable. This is the place he spends most of his time.

And Aidan drawing in his board. It's perfect. Thank goodness for inventive minds and great friends!!

Visitors and going home...

Again, for some reason, these pictures posted in backwards order. I guess it's the user :). This is the way home. He is belted in in what is called an EZ vest. I don't like it. It doesn't feel safe and Aidan was able to loosen it after we had him in. So, I guess needless to day, we aren't going anywhere unnecessary during this ordeal! He did beautifully during the ride home!

Here Aidan in the elevator down to the car. He is in his reclining wheelchair. This is the most he cried through the whole experience. He thought he was getting the cast off before we left the hospital for some reason. So... when we told him we were going home and the cast was still on he was pretty disturbed...

And we had some very kind visitors that brought us lunch and Aidan some get well gifts :).

Post-Surgery

FYI- I posted a "pre-surgery" post that somehow ended up posting before Candy's post titled "Aidan's coming home today".

Just after surgery... Here's Aidan still groggy, having a hard time opening that left eye- and his silly mom flashes a camera in his face- come on mom- give the guy a break! (sorry Aidan!) Aidan took a while to wake up from surgery. He went back to surgery on his little wagon- a seemingly drunken little three year old (on Verset-sp?). It helped to relax. David and I didn't realize how out of it he was because he was playing his DS game correctly the whole while- with no changes to his accuracy- so his mind was alert. But then when he moved to get in the wagon- he was very floppy like a rag doll. He went back to surgery at 12:45 and we were called back to recovery at 5:30 ish. I guess the surgery itself took about 3 hours. The rest of the time he was in recovery waking up.

For some reason- Mario got some of Aidan's aggression. Maybe Mario didn't warn him about the surgery part. Aidan needed to bite on something as he was coming fully out of sedation. Mario seemed to be the answer. The nurses in recovery thought the doctors casted Mario (and showed us what the doctor's did when we came in to see Aidan in recovery). We explained that Candy had done it and they were impressed with her craftiness. Aidan needed Mario near him when he was distressed- getting medicine he didn't like/feeling pain. He would find Mario in his bed and hold him next to him (or, in this case, in his teeth!)

I think the IV bothered Aidan almost as much as the cast. He kept saying, can you get this off of me? Most of the night in the hospital was spent trying to get Aidan not to rip out his IV. It was close off- because he was only on regular tylenol after surgery (he got morphine during surgery- and had said he would have a morphine button after- but apparently they decided he didn't need it and did very well just on tylenol).

Again, a little out of order. This is right before discharge after his IV line was removed. Ahhh... he was very glad to have that gone.

Going through an uncomfortable moment... you can tell in his eyes. I added this pic to show that his left leg is exposed. The doctor said he tried to leave as much of Aidan visible as possible. Thanks doctor! He also said even if he grows a little- he won't need re-casting- he will just kind of extrude out of the cast like play-doh. hee hee!

Aidan is coming home today!

He's done so well the hospital is releasing him early! Very early, as Christy and David were prepared to stay until Monday or Tuesday. So they are all packed up and just waiting to be released basically. Yay!

Aidan is doing well. He understood he was getting surgery and getting a cast, what he didn't understand was how 'stuck' he was going to feel. So once in awhile he sort of feels a little freaked out by the confinement. Who wouldn't? But that was totally expected, just hard to watch him struggle with. It is also something that will subside as he gets used to his new routine. The cast he got this time is fiberglass, which is much more lightweight than his previous plaster casts, it is also not the full cast on both sides, just the one leg is fully casted with a partial on his left leg. The doctor told them he could be as active as the cast will allow within reason. So basically he's protected enough to be a little boy, which is wonderful. Obviously, he won't be jumping on the bed for awhile, but he can wiggle, squirm, and move to his heart content without giving his parents a heart attack and that is a good thing.

Christy tried to post pictures last night on here, but wasn't able to transfer files onto the hospital computer, so she promises to do so as soon as possible. David and Christy are doing very well and are so proud of their little guy. They sound sooooo exhausted though and I am not sure that they have slept much in the last couple days. The surprise release from the hospital is very welcome, but they will have to do some espresso shots before they hit the road I am guessing.

The ride home will be a bit tricky. Aidan cannot fit into a upright carseat so his only option is a lay down vest type restraint that basically doesn't totally protect him in case of an accident, just prevents him from being thrown from the car. So I am sure Christy and David would welcome some safe journey thoughts and prayers as this causes some obvious anxiety.

The hospital staff was so impressed with Aidan's ability to cope with his situation. He has been polite and calm throughout the ordeal, meeting milestones way ahead of expectations. He is ready to come home! Thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and words of encouragement. It means a lot to my sister's family to have such a wonderful support network. And as much as I've enjoyed writing here, I am excited to report that most likely it will be Christy and David posting the next news later this evening, from the comfort of their own home. :)

Pre-surgery

Thank you to Candy who kept everyone updated while we were away. Thank you to everyone for positive thoughts and prayers- they worked! Aidan did exceptionally well- and was released before expected only about 24 hours from the start of surgery.
I'm going to post some pictures in different posts... here are some pictures of pre surgery- maybe a little out of order-
Here's a picture of Aidan's pre-surgery bath- he had a fun time "swimming". It will be his last swim for about 6 weeks- so he hung out in the bathtub to enjoy the water for a while.

Here's Aidan eating his 5:30am breakfast. He had to stop all foods by 6am, so we woke him early to eat (he had a late night the night before because of our long trip to the hospital and we were out of his element... so he was pretty tuckered when we woke him up- but he ate and even was able to drink until 9am- his preop appointment was at 11- surgery scheduled for 12, so he didn't have to be without for really all that long!) Aidan kept saying, "Okay, I'm ready to go home now." He was always very polite and understanding when we told him we had to stay for him to see the doctor.

Here he is in the pre-operative waiting room. Look at those big trusting eyes! ...
Again- in pre-operative waiting room. It's a good set up- lots to occupy the kiddos while waiting.

Aidan Update III

He's doing great! Christy and David are in the room with him now and he is still sleepy, but starting to wake up. He is doing so well the nurses have removed his IV, (but left in the port in case they need it). He did get the partial cast on his left leg with a full cast on his right. So- so far, so very good.

Aidan Update II

Aidan is out of surgery and resting :)

The doctor was pleased how everything went. He added a couple pins that will need to come out in six weeks under general anesthesia. But all in all, a very successful surgery. Christy and David will get to see him soon and I'll have more information to share then.

Aidan Update

I am writing for my sister since she won't have computer access until this evening or possibly tomorrow. She wanted to make sure that everyone was updated on Aidan's progress, so I am hacking her blog until she can take over. So any incorrect medical information that might happen would be totally on me. I try to pay attention, but you know, lots of big words... Thanks! Candy

Aidan was wheeled into surgery at around 12:45. The surgery is expected to last at least three hours and then he'll rest in post op until around 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. Christy told me that Aidan was so cute when they first gave him the drugs to relax him, laughing slowly and at everything. The hospital staff has been wonderful and they've made every step as comfortable for Aidan as possible. He was allowed to eat this morning until 6 a.m., drink up until 9 a.m. He didn't have to come into the hospital until 11 p.m. and everything started at that point. He didn't get the IV until after he was comfortably drugged even. So all in all, as pleasant an experience as can be hoped for.

Aidan is having a Pemberton procedure where they will be building up the anterior shelf of his hip bone. There. That sounded like I totally knew what I was talking about, didn't it? Here is a link that is sort of hard to read and full of more information than I personally can absorb, but it is interesting and Google told me it applied to this situation.

There is the possibility that both of his legs might not be casted. Christy isn't sure, but one of the nurses implied that he might just have his right leg fully casted and the other partially. This will be much more comfortable and cooler if it is the case. And in other good news - there is a Starbucks right down the hall from where Christy and David are waiting. Nothing like mixing caffeine and adrenaline. But actually it sounds like the hospital is a very good place with a wonderful cafeteria, and yes, places like Starbucks. All of these things making it more tolerable. Christy and David sound really good. I imagine the time will start to really drag here soon, though. That is a long time for your baby to be in surgery.

Christy and David truly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers right now. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and kind during this crazy time. I will be sure to post again when I get the next update.

Mario's predicament

Aunt Candy...eh hem... I mean the Doctor, discovered that Mario also has a bad hip. Mario has already had his surgery and is now sitting in his spica cast. Aunt Candy picked him up from the hospital and brought him over last night for Aidan.



Aidan was gentle and caring to Mario in his situation. You could see the wheels turning...


Aidan also recently acquired a doctor's kit. We wanted him to understand what is going to happen when he gets to the hospital so he wouldn't feel so poked and prodded, but understand that what they are doing when the take his blood pressure and listen to his heart, etc. Aidan really gets it. Here he is listening to Mario's heart. Sounds good!


Last night, before he went to bed, Aidan said, "Mama, I don't want to have a strange muscle anymore because that means I won't be able to play." So, he gets it... understands he will be confined. We are just trying to get him to also understand this is temporary... However, this morning, poor Mario was rejected. Luigi was the man of the hour. (Aunt Candy also brought Luigi over for little bro). Aidan swapped them this morning. Note: Aidan calls his hip problem "strange muscle" because he heard the doctor responding to our question about his complaints about his "good" hip being sore. The doctor said he probably has a strained muscle and Aidan said "Yes, I do have a strange muscle"... and that is how he explains his problem hip since that appointment.


And, Owen, gladly took over the role of Mario's care taker. He was very gentle and loving toward him... although he did take one dive from the breakfast table- Mario-not Owen, thank goodness, I don't need two kiddos in casts!

Here we go again...

Remember this??

I think those were actually two different castings... point is, the previous surgeries and castings didn't seem to work- or at least not as much as we would have liked them to. Here's what is going on now:

(CT scan from the end of December of 2008) It shows Aidan's acetabulum not developed as it should- and a slight dislocation.

The "bad" hip is on the left side of the picture. The doctor drew a line a little up and across from the tailbone. He said this is where he plans to cut the bone, shift it and take bone from the top of the hip and fill in the gap. He also plans to re-structure the acetabulum (the socket part). Then, they will put him in another spica cast (I'm guessing like he was in when he was little- but I don't know that for sure). The doctor says he is about 85% sure this will work (i.e. that he will walk normally after this). He said since he hasn't seen a situation quite like Aidan, he just isn't sure. They have tried to take care of Aidan's problem hip with less restrictive surgeries in the past, but they just didn't work. So, they are really going for it this time. He will be in the hospital for an estimated two to three nights for pain management. Then David and I will be taking turns staying home with him to care for him.

Aidan has been in pain lately- so we are comfortable with our decision to go through with the surgery, although at the same time, we feel badly that he will have to go through this whole thing. It will be interesting to see how he handles the surgeries this time- previously he has not really had a "voice"- at least now we will know what he is feeling- rather than trying to guess. Anyway- hopefully that gets everyone up to speed on the plan for Aidan. His surgery is March 13th.