Sunday Morning Blues

Little one is still not doing well.  Thus, we are all feeling like we have gone 10 rounds this morning.  We think that he thinks that if he cries enough, we will take him back to that nasty doctor to get the casts removed.  Oh, how I dread Friday when we do take him back to get the casts removed, only to have the 2nd set applied.  I just don't even want to be in the room. 

For those who have asked - Yes, we are giving him over-the-counter drugs for pain.  He cries even with the drugs.  We are also giving him drugs for itching.  He cries anyway.  He is not allowing himself to sleep. Each time he drifts off, he startles himself awake with fighting, kicking, rocking - anything to ward off sleep.  Two sleepless nights so far.  Aaron does NOT take naps.  Not once since he has been home with us.   I think 6 years of being forced to lie in bed for 2-3 hours every afternoon, whether he was tired or not, was quite enough for him.  We think we are going to invest in some sort of mild sleep aid for tonight - either for him or for us.  Yikes!

We have set up a TV right in his little play area, and he has a nice little couch where he can lie and watch videos if he wants, which is a privilege because we usually limit videos fairly strictly. We're treating the casts like an illness. TV soothes him a little, but he is so exhausted and miserable that they only take the edge off.  He is holding onto his Pooh bear for dear life.  Thankfully Pooh is no worse for the wear.  We decided that Brown Bear needed to have casts on his legs like Aaron.  Poor Brown Bear. 

The reason Aaron's casts go so high on his legs is so that they can not only correct the angle of  his ankles, but also twist and mold his footbones into a more natural position. The insides of his feet are turned inward and down from birth, and we need to correct the whole position of his foot. The longer cast provides more torsion for making these corrections. An added benefit of casting above his knees is that we can also increase the range of motion in his knees, which has been limited from birth.

I just keep whispering to myself that this too will pass.  It is short-term agony for long-term gain.  He is loved.  He is not alone.  He has a family.  All will be well in the end.