And the X-ray Says....
On the first of this month, Avery had his 7th cast removed, and new x-rays were taken of his spine. It was a very exciting day, but my nerves were also going crazy waiting to find out the results. It was a super fast process, and before I knew it, I was viewing Avery’s new spine images and comparing them to his first one when we started the journey.
What a beautiful sight to see! There is still a slight curve, but Dr. Glotzbecker said that it is at a good place, and...ready for it...he would like to do a two month trial with Avery wearing a brace (yay!!). If the brace can hold his spine where it’s at, then we can be done with the casts. If there is a regression, Avery will have to go back into a cast and then see what happens from there. I was so happy and excited to hear that Avery would not need another cast right now, that I just wanted to hug everyone that was there in the room with us.
After receiving the good news, we were sent to the bracing room, and had Avery fitted for his brace. They had to make a mold of his torso, which reminded me of elementary school when we got to make masks with papier-mâché. Surprisingly, Avery did very well with it, and laid still the whole time.
He was able to get a whole week off with no cast or brace, which we enjoyed every second of. Tomorrow I will be bringing him back in to pick up the brace, and meet with the nurse and bracing team to learn more about it. As of right now, all that I know is that he will need to wear the brace for 23 hours and will be able to take an hour break each day if we would like him to. That means we can start bathing him regularly, now, and fit in some squishy cuddle time. Unless you have been through this with your children, you have no idea what that means to me. It doesn't seem like much to some people, but it is heartbreaking having to go long periods of time without being able to give your child a REAL hug. A hug where you can feel their body melt into yours. A hug that doesn't have a hard plaster cast separating the two of you. Let's just say, it can be a very emotional journey.
Other parents that I have spoken with have told me that pretty much all the same rules we had to follow while casting will also apply to wearing a brace. That means still no getting it wet, avoid the outdoors as much as possible on very hot days so that he doesn't overheat, watch for sores developing under the brace, if it does happen to get wet dry it immediately so that the moisture doesn't destroy the padding on the inside, etc, etc. All fine by me, because I'm just happy he isn't in a cast right now!
In May, we will be heading back to meet with Dr. Glotzbecker again, and to make sure that the brace is holding Avery's spine the way it should be. Then from there, we will find out what will happen next. So, please send lots of positive vibes our way, and prayers that there will be no regression! The best part, is that he will no longer have to go under anesthesia, as it is not necessary with the brace. In Avery's case, with his autism, I was beginning to get a little worried about how the anesthesia was affecting his development. So I am very relieved that we do not have to continue with that. So very grateful for all that Boston Children's has done for our little warrior.
Stay tuned for more updates coming later this week/beginning of next week! As always, a great big thank you to all of you who continue to show your love and support for Avery. It truly means more to us than you will ever know.
Other parents that I have spoken with have told me that pretty much all the same rules we had to follow while casting will also apply to wearing a brace. That means still no getting it wet, avoid the outdoors as much as possible on very hot days so that he doesn't overheat, watch for sores developing under the brace, if it does happen to get wet dry it immediately so that the moisture doesn't destroy the padding on the inside, etc, etc. All fine by me, because I'm just happy he isn't in a cast right now!
In May, we will be heading back to meet with Dr. Glotzbecker again, and to make sure that the brace is holding Avery's spine the way it should be. Then from there, we will find out what will happen next. So, please send lots of positive vibes our way, and prayers that there will be no regression! The best part, is that he will no longer have to go under anesthesia, as it is not necessary with the brace. In Avery's case, with his autism, I was beginning to get a little worried about how the anesthesia was affecting his development. So I am very relieved that we do not have to continue with that. So very grateful for all that Boston Children's has done for our little warrior.
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