Cast Off!

Waiting, waiting, waiting in the lobby at Shriner's Hospital in Portland. Could this be the day? It was a long day today -- we left at 8:00am and got home a little after 3:00pm (with a stop for lunch, too). But it was nothing like the 47 days Jordan spent in the spica.

First she needed an X-ray to make sure her hip was healed enough to ditch the cast. It was! (before on the left in grey, after on the right in blue) Here's one last look at the tunnel through the cast.

Then it was time to wait for the cast cutting ceremony.
Chop, chop, chop
Cut, cut, cut
Stink, stink, stink!
Good riddance
Now, for the incision
It looks great, even ready for a bath!
When the going gets exciting, Jordan goes to sleep. She was sawing logs even during the last part of the saw cutting. The cast tech was amazed -- he'd never seen anything like it. Most kids, especially 2-year-olds, go mental with the sound of he saw, the tickling of the cutting, and the sensations of touch after 7 weeks protected. But that's our Jordan! Robin & I were not at all surprised. Ahhhhh, a regular, size 5 diaper!
Pickled foot
Then it was off to Orthotics & Prosthetics for her new Rhino brace. It has to come off for diaper changes, and she is allowed to bathe, but other than that she has to wear it continually for the next 1 to 3 months (the doctor will decide at then end of each month how many months she'll need to wear it). Then we'll slowly taper off the time in the brace, keeping it on for many more months at night only. It's just to remind her where her hip should be & to be gentle with it, because the hip should be stable enough now that she can't hurt herself (or we won't hurt her unless we dangle her by her right leg). If it is going to pop out again, it'll be because of her weak muscles and joints, not because of moving her leg around.
At home on her tummy at last!
Now that's some dead skin! We were so busy today, and she was so tired, we decided to save the 2-hour bath until tomorrow. Besides, it didn't really even stink as bad as we thought it would, I think the duct tape saved us.