Hip Spica Cast - Post Op Closed Hip Reduction
After we pulled into our driveway at the end of a very long day yesterday, I turned around to find our patient like this. Less than 10 minutes from home, she had finally fallen asleep. Our Post Op Appt was at Seattle Children's Hospital Bellevue Clinic, scheduled for mid morning which required a 6:15 AM wakeup call for the little one. The day was so exciting that by 4pm, no nap had been had. Once a sleep fighter, always a sleep fighter and a Spica Cast does not help that.
Spica Cast CarSeat
The fancy carseat pictured is a Hippo Special Needs Car Seat
, by Britax. This is a carseat designed specifically for babies/toddlers in Hip Spica Casts. Due to the way she is casted, our own carseat was not an option (Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat). The other option for transporting her would have been a special harness, however, we live 2 1/2-3 hrs from Seattle Children's Hospital and I work full-time so a harness would not be a very good option for us. Prior to the Spica Cast, Roslynn was still rear-facing. Due to the added weight of the cast and the Hippo Carseat's weight limits, she must be forward facing while she is in this carseat.
Seattle Children's Hospital Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center - Outdoor Play Area
Post-Op Closed Hip Reduction
The Post-Op Appointment with Dr. Dales went well. We arrived in Bellevue over 1 1/2 hours early! We allowed our selves over 3 hours to drive West over Snoqualmie Pass and allow for traffic, especially on I-405. We were so early that we tried to find diapers that would work inside her cast, as luck would have it, no stores near the clinic were open until closer to our appointment time. Since we live in a smaller, rural town, we do not have many options available for Spica Cast supplies. I purchased as much as possible ahead of time from Amazon Prime
and Costco, however, the inside diaper size/style remained a mystery until once that cast was on! Instead, I passed the time by successfully changing my first Spica Cast Diaper inside a vehicle!
and Costco, however, the inside diaper size/style remained a mystery until once that cast was on! Instead, I passed the time by successfully changing my first Spica Cast Diaper inside a vehicle!
Dr. Dales confirmed Roslynn will be in a Spica Cast at least 12 weeks. The first 6 weeks will be in one cast. Then we will go back over to Seattle or Bellevue for a cast change. Every time, a Spica Cast is changed, the child goes under Anesthesia and an Arthrogram will be done. An Arthrogram is where dye is injected and child is under X-Ray so the Surgeon can see exactly where to line up the Femoral Head into the Hip Socket. Therefore, a cast change is a fairly big procedure. She will spend another 6 weeks in Cast #2. The hope is that after 12 weeks in the Spica Cast, she will not require a third Cast, and can then go into a Strong Hip Brace.
By the time we near the end of Cast #2, it will be mid-late November, which means nasty Mountain Passes, Pass closures due to snow/avalanche control, and Central WA Winter Weather setting in. We are praying that 2 Casts is all that will be necessary. This girl wants to be outside All.The.Time now and with two parents working full time, 12 weeks in a Spica Cast will be a bit taxing as is. We were granted in network benefit exceptions from our health insurance just to be treated at Seattle Children's (more to come on this topic), the second benefit exception expires the end of 2014 so all the more reason to be done with Spica Casts and Hip problems.
By the time we returned home from our Post Op appointment, it was early evening. The infamous wind was ripping at our home, the kind of wind where car doors slam into your shins, and walking up a sidewalk becomes a steep mountain climb! The perk of this wind, is the beautiful weather it brought through and a double rainbow sunset that ended the evening.
From RSV and Pneumonia, to Bilateral Hip Dysplasia and Spica Casts, this has been quite a year for our little family. Fortunately, the Lord keeps bringing beauty into our lives. I continuously need to look up and see this beauty, take a deep breath, and allow my anxious heart to be stilled.
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