The Casts are Off!!

After 10 1/2 weeks in serial casts, Faith is finally cast free!!!

On Tuesday last week we made the journey yet again to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. This time all of us went! We were all excited! We had all grown to hate those casts!! They did what they were supposed to do in molding Faith's feet, but all of us had been kicked or stepped on by the casts - and that does NOT feel good! Also, she weighed a TON in the casts and Mommy's arms, back and shoulders were tired!!! The night before the casts came off, we wrote Good -bye on them in 10 different ways. We were not sad to see them go. 

We were so excited, we got there 40 minutes before the clinic opened. Well, we were excited and the traffic was surprisingly scarce! Finally, it was time and Faith was called back. First, Mr. Anthony removed the casts from the Raggedy Ann doll she was given on surgery day. 

As soon as the baby's casts were off, Faith said, "Faith's turn" and was ready for me to put her on the table. Faith's turn was loud, though...she did not like that scary, loud cast remover machine at all! 

She had a lot of help and distractions, though she really just wanted to look at pictures of Pop Pop on my phone!

This is Faith's doctor, the fabulous Dr. Karol! We have loved her and everything she has done for our little girl!

Finally the casts were off!!! YAY!!!

Next we headed downstairs to get AFO braces. She will wear the braces during the day for 6 weeks. Then we will go back for a follow up appointment with Dr. Karol and hopefully get to ditch those braces, too! 

Her feet were smelly and pretty gross. She kept pulling dead skin off her legs and giving it to me. Yuck! 

Once her braces were on, the doctor had us go out to the waiting area and get her to try to walk around to make sure they were fitting right, but after 10 1/2 weeks, Faith's legs were pretty atrophied. She could not put much weight on them at all. 

When the appointments were done, we celebrated by going out for dinner! To our surprise, the waiter brought out a big chocolate brownie with ice cream....we told him later that it was a very special day and he said he knew we must be celebrating something!

I really wanted to do this, too....but I am a little too old to get away with it:

The best part of the day was when I put Faith in her bubble bath! She has been taking sink baths since the casts were put on and when I set her in the warm, bubbly water, she laughed and laughed!! 

It has been slow progress in the braces. We had a few days where Faith was very frustrated at her lessened mobility and there was a lot of whining and crying. Now, a week later, she is able to take about 10 steps at a time. Each day she gets a little stronger and can walk a little further. 

Here is a before and after of her sweet little feet: 

Before the casts - 

After 3 serial castings and heel cord surgery:

AMAZING!!