Avery's Curvy Road

Honesty time... I hate summer and can’t wait for it to end... I want the fall and winter back. At least for now.  As I scroll through social media, jealousy slowly starts creeping in, and it makes me feel sad. I see photo after photo of friends and family relaxing at the beach with their children who are playing in the sand and water. I see them on their family camping trips, at outdoor festivals with ice cream covered faces, the zoo, cookouts and hiking. They are all enjoying these beautiful warm summer days, making memories that will last a lifetime...  I then look up at my child, who is quietly laying on the floor in front of the air conditioner, playing with his train set. He looks pretty content, but then again, this is all he knows. He doesn’t know what he has to miss out on because of his condition. He doesn’t know the dangers of him going out in this kind of heat right now, so staying in doesn’t seem to phase him at all. Many people may comment and say, “Wel...

Thank you everyone for the kind words and well wishes sent for Avery this past week! He had so much fun being cast free last weekend. He got to spend Saturday afternoon with his grandma, and then Sunday we brought him to Newport for a relaxing day by the ocean. He played in the sand a little bit, and he even put his feet in the water! Last summer, on our vacation, he wouldn’t even touch the sand with a finger, and if we brought him anywhere near the water he would scream. So this was a HUGE improvement from a year ago. Proof that early intervention works!!  As many of you already know, Avery had to go in on Monday for cast #5. We were really hoping he would have been done, and transitioning to a brace after the last cast, but it is what it is. The good news is that the casts are working and doing their job. The degree of his curve went from 34 to 18. Unfortunately, we had those long breaks during the winter with flu season, and I feel that those breaks had some part ...

We are down to the final week of cast #4, and I can’t even begin to describe just how happy and relieved we are. I wish I could say that things got better, but they did not. This cast is officially going in the books as being the WORST so far. At this point, I don’t even care if Avery has to continue casting or transition to a brace. The only thing that matters to me is getting him out of the one he is in now. Within these last few weeks the cast caused sores on his hips that were so bad he now cries every time I have to change his diaper. I don’t even want to think about how bad the bruises are underneath on the areas we can’t see, which I think is also causing him to hate diaper changes right now. It just breaks my heart. Thankfully, I met some wonderful parents in the scoliosis group who were so kind and sent us some extra padding and medicated creams to help heal the sores. They have not completely healed, but they definitely look so much better. So, if you are one of those par...

For those of you who did not know this... the month of June is Scoliosis Awareness Month!! Make sure to wear green to show your support for all of our scoliosis superheroes! Last month marked one year since Avery was diagnosed with infantile scoliosis. It has been quite a journey, so far. A bumpy journey at times, but we always manage to pull through. This first year has taught me a lot about myself as a mother, and it has taught me a lot about my son, his personality, his weaknesses, and his strengths. We have developed a bond like no other that I know of, and it is a bond that I hope will last all of our lifetime together. He is my best friend, my sidekick, my hero...my little warrior.  We are now in the fourth week of cast 4. This cast has not been fun at all...not that the other three were, but this one especially has been the worst. It's tight on his hips and waist, mostly at night after he's been eating and drinking all day because his belly is all bloated...

Avery Michael, Today is your second birthday. In my eyes, you are now officially a toddler. In my heart, though, you will always be my baby boy.  In these past two years, I have watched you grow and change so much. You have overcome so many struggles already, and although you may not know it yet, those struggles have all made you a much stronger person. Since before you were even born, you have been a fighter, which is a quality that runs deep in your roots, and it is something that you should always be proud of. You are our little warrior. No one will ever be as proud of you, though, as your father and I are. You have developed such an amazing personality, and you are incredibly smart. You always find enjoyment in the simple things in this world, and you truly have a heart of gold. You have a heart SO big, that you are not afraid to show kindness and love to everyone you meet. I pray that is something you never lose as you grow older, because this world needs mor...