All the Latest Happenings!!

So, it has been a bit of time since my last entry. The last time I checked in was Avery’s birthday. After that, things got pretty crazy around here. 

Avery is now four months into wearing his brace...well sort of four months. I would say more like three months, actually. He started in March, but it has not been easy. I don’t want to scare other parents on this journey, but for the love.... this thing is like a torture device. I sure as heck would not want to wear it, so I can only imagine how a three year old must feel. Once he is in it, he’s good to go. But actually getting it on him is more than a struggle. Then there is the hot summer heat to add to the misery. Avery is a heat box no matter what time of year it is, even during the freezing winter months here in New England. He sweats just sitting and watching tv. Add in a thick plastic brace that is not breathable at all, and the undershirt, and you get one sweaty mess of a toddler. So we have to do super short increments of brace wearing just so he doesn’t get a heat rash all over his torso, or worse, he starts overheating and it causes heat stroke. 

Fun in the sun and cast free!!

There is good news out of all of this, though!! So, please, if you are a casting/bracing family, do not get discouraged. We had Avery’s first brace checkup at the beginning of last month, and did an in brace x-ray. I am SO excited, happy, pleased, full of joy and so many other wonderful emotions!!! With his brace on, he is getting 100% correction!!! ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!!! I wanted to hug the doctors and nurse that were sitting in the room with us when Dr. Glotzbecker told me this. My heart was so full that day. Now, this doesn't mean that our journey is over. He still needs to continue with the brace, and they still need to monitor him to keep watch for any regression that can occur. The next appointment is scheduled for October, and at that appointment they will do another x-ray, but this time it will be with the brace off. So there may be a slight difference, but the fact that he’s getting complete correction with the brace on is awesome. 

Sadly, Dr. Glotzbecker will no longer be with Boston Children’s, and so Avery will be getting a new ortho surgeon. We got to meet him at the appointment, and he seems very nice and Avery didn’t seem to have trouble warming up to him which is always a plus for us. We will definitely miss Dr. G, though... And if you are reading this, Dr. Glotzbecker, we are beyond grateful for all that you have done for Avery and we can’t thank you enough. Avery was truly lucky to have you caring for him on this journey.

We will miss you, Dr. Glotzbecker!!

Another big happening from the past few months was the beginning of preschool! Avery started preschool right after his third birthday, and he absolutely LOVES it. I do believe he even has a little girlfriend in his class. He calls everyone in his class his friends, which just melts my heart. He adjusted very well to their routine, has been doing very well with the special education services that he receives, and he even got to be a part of both the spring concert and the special preschool performance. Now we are in the summer session which will help him stay on a routine so there won’t be any struggles with transitioning, or as many struggles, once the fall school year starts. 

We also started with ABA again, except this time we went with a different center for services. I believe in always going with your gut feeling, or when you’re a mom, always going with your mommy instinct. I did not agree or feel comfortable with the way some things were done while working with the other center, and when Avery aged out of early intervention on his third birthday, I made the decision to leave them and find another organization to work with. From what I have seen so far, I feel much more comfortable with our new providers. Of course, it also helps that I have a friend who works there and she’s actually part of Avery’s ABA team. So that, too, eased a lot of my worries about switching. 

First day of Preschool!

Overall, Avery has been doing so well in all areas and I could not be more proud of him. He amazes us every day with something new he has learned, another challenge he has overcome, or another milestone he has reached. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year brings for him.