Ossification

Ossification.  It's a lovely word to say, sort of rolls around your mouth and falls beautifully off your tongue.  Ossification.  It's a funny word to say too.  I keep wanting to tell a corny "No I haven't been drinking Ossifer" kind of joke.  Ossification.  This week it is my favourite word in the world. 

Wikipedia - Ossification (or osteogenesis) is the process of laying down new bone material by cells called osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone tissue formation.

This is what it looks like:

You can see Boo's left side is shaped differently.  The socket is steeper and the ball is smaller.  Compared to previous pictures, the ball is huge.  This is ossification.

Over the last six months I've been watching our Boo running, climbing, jumping and dancing.  I've watched all of this wondering at each movement if her hip was still in place, watching for a sign that would confirm things either way for us.  Three months ago we saw Mr T and he was not happy with Boo's x-ray and another surgery was on the cards, but he wanted to wait to see what might happen - he mentioned something about miracles sometimes happening - yeah right.

Last week Boo had her nine month post op check, and I was made to take back all my cynicisim.  Miracles do happen.  Boo has ossification happening in her hip!  Go Boo my amazing little bone grower! 

What it means is that we've got a reprieve of 12 months before a final decision is made on further surgery.  Further surgery means an osteotomy - reshaping the pelvic bone using screws and plates, followed by another six week stint in a spica.  It could go either way but at least we have a great 12 months in front of us.  Roll on summer  - swimming at the beach, chasing kites at the park and riding bikes along the coast.

No words necessary

Happy family

Today, Mr T played Santa and gave us three great gifts.

1. Boo's latest x-ray shows that her hip is still firmly in place and not likely to move out again in a hurry.

2. The bloodflow to Boo's socket is good and is getting better meaning that the bone has a good chance to grow.

3. The brace is off, gone, out the door!!!

Boo seemed to know what was being said as she started clapping her hands when we were told the brace could go, and shes had a lovely afternoon since hopping around like a bunny.

Where to from here? Three monthly checks and x-rays to make sure it all goes to plan and a re-assessment in a couple of years to review the growth of the socket bone.

Happy family!

Brace yourself

For the last two weeks Boo has been in a Rhino Cruiser brace which supports the upper thighs, hips and waist.   The brace stays on almost 24 hours a day, but can come off for bath time and  nappy changing.  After the spica, caring for her in the brace is a breeze.

Boo is loving being able to have a bath, she splashes around, giggles and kicks her legs - it's so lovely to see her legs and feet again (and not have a stinky baby)!

The first 10 days or so didn't see much action, but in the last two days Boo has figured out how to sit up in the brace and has out how to shuffle around the floor.  So far only in circles, but I'm sure another few days will see her shuffling across the room and into plenty of mischief.

Sleeping is not so great (specially for J and I as we struggle to get up for work after a long night of wake up calls), although that might be more about the terrible twos rather than the brace!

Another appointment in 4 weeks and fingers crossed the brace will be able to be discarded (no it won't be going straight to the pool room).

Oh and yes... she's still smiling and dancing.

Getting the wiggle back

Shes got legs... and she hasn't stopped wiggling them!

It's been a big day today in our house... you might almost call it second Christmas.  Today at about 9.00am Boo got her cast off.  Whilst it was incredibly exciting for me, it was all a bit traumatic for Boo.

The cast saw was loud and scary, then all of a sudden her legs were free and wobbly.  With nothing to hold them in place her muscles were screaming as they stretched.  Poor Boo - I've never heard her cry with pain before.  But true to form, within an hour or so and it was all smiles and giggles.

Her legs have literally not stopped moving.  From her toes to her ankles to her knees, shes been wiggling away all afternoon and it is just beautiful to watch.

Apart from some dry skin, a few crumbs, and one rogue hair clip the cast wasn't as awful as I thought it would be after six weeks.  Boo now has a brace that she needs to wear full time for the next six weeks.  The bonus is that she has her legs free and can move around as much as she wants.  We're also allowed to take it off for bathing and changing etc...

Mr T confirmed that her hip looked good, so fingers crossed this next six weeks is it for us.

Here's some pictures from today's roller coaster ride...

Holding on tight to Daddy

Family shot before the cast came off and things got traumatic

First piece of cast comes off

It's all a bit much for wee Boo

Boo's old legs

Getting the wiggle back!

Halfway there

I've been reading John Kirwan's new book, 'All Blacks Don't Cry'.  What an amazing man, not only breaking through his illness, but talking about the intimate details of it publicly... yes I am once again, a little bit in love.

Two things really stand out for me in the book:

1.  JK talks about when he was first going to Japan and the worry he had about not knowing whether he was doing the right thing.  His father gave him some advice - saying that no matter what happened he'd look back on it as an experience - whether it be good or bad.

2.  JK talks a lot about enjoying the moment, about tasting the coffee and feeling the shower.  Really enjoying each moment.

When I look at our Boo, I can see exactly what he is talking about.  Here is this little girl, going through an experience that none of us would wish on our worst enemies, yet, she's just enjoying the moments.  How can it be that an 18 month old has this figured out, yet it takes the rest of us half of our adult lives to come to the same realisation?  It must be because she's our amazing Boo.

Here she is - enjoying the moment:

 

We had Boo's cast change this week.  Everything went well.  We'll get the results of the scan next week, and hopefully a confirmation of a cast off date. JF was in the hospital with her by 6.45am.  We were out at our local cafe for pikelets by 12.  Boo was tired, but happy and has been full of mischief over the last few days.  So many lessons to be learnt from this brave little girl.

About an hour after theatre:

Week 3

I have decided that after three weeks of being spica parents, we've earnt the right for a small vent... just a small one, and just because we are dog tired, but be warned ...

Being a spica parent is hard. Of course we are thanking the universe for all the good things that are happening in our lives.  The way Boo has adapted to her cast.  That a dislocated hip is not life threatening and is fixable.  That Boo is so young she won't even remember any of this.

But here's some realities for you...

1. Boo stinks - literally.  Of course we can't get her cast wet, so she gets a a sponge bath from her chest up, and a hair wash.  But imagine wearing tight fitting clothes and not washing for three weeks, gross.  The truth is that my beautiful princess pongs.
2. Boo is contipated.  Because she's not moving around, her digestive system isn't at it's best.  Constipation and a tight cast = a very unsettled and unhappy Boo.
3. Boo is not sleeping very well.  Which means Mama and Dada are not sleeping well, which in turn leads to a tired grump spiral especially when you add in points 1 and 2 above. 
4. People look at us funny in the street.  We're so tired we probably look like P addicts so I thought perhaps I should hang a sign around Boo's neck saying 'My Mama and Dada didn't hurt me, I've just got a bung hip"
5. Boo is getting frustrated.  Although she's adapted well, she still wants to be busy and play with J.  Instead she has taken to pointing and squealing.  Add a little of this to point 3 above and you have a lovely recipe for a happy family.

Nine weeks to go and counting...