The Good News We've Been Waiting For (Not the Nameless Royal Baby!)

It has been a while since I've written and I realize I have a lot to write about. However, I decided that this blog will focus on the appointment we just had because it was such good news. We finally saw Braeden's orthopaedic surgeon and he looked at Braeden's feet with excitement (Funny what makes people happy!). The doctor said that Braeden's feet look bigger which is a good sign because the tendons are not holding his feet back from growing. He also said that Braeden's feet are at the right flexion (in medical terms - 10 degrees dorsiflexion) in order to walk. Yeah!

The next step is to ensure that Braeden's feet do not go back to their original position. To help prevent relapse from happening, the surgeon has decided to put Braeden in custom-made splints that he wears during his naps and at night until he is 4 years old. I don't know if the surgeon is trying (or experimenting) with my son's situation, but apparently these splints are rare. Most children get the boots and the bar (aka: Mitchell braces) after this type of surgery and have great results, yet the doctor believes that in Braeden's situation the splints will work better. When we were talking with a resident during our appointment, she said that she wasn't aware of any other clinic that uses these custom splints like this.

Looking at the statistics online, atypical clubfeet has a high re-occurrence rate because (as the doctor says) we are fighting against genetics and the feet want to pull back in. Making sure that we stretch his feet twice a day and ensure that the splints are properly used will help to reprogram the tendons and muscles where they are supposed to be. It is interesting watching his feet trying to pull in, especially when Braeden is just sitting on the floor playing or when he is in his jolly jumper. Undeterred by this, Braeden is scooching everywhere and getting into everything like he is supposed to at this age. Also, he is already trying to stand up in his crib and everywhere else he can. I can't believe how resilient babies are! It took Braeden very little time to re-learn scootching on his bum and trying to stand up. Lets face it, as we get older we become wimps! If I had a major surgery like him I'd be the biggest whiner ever.

Medical Miracle

Before heading out to Braeden's appointment yesterday, while waiting to pay for our lunch, an older lady looks at Braeden, then looks at me and says: "My grandson had clubbed feet. After 10 hours of surgery and then casts, he is fine now. It really was a medical miracle!" I look at her, nod and smile. Half believing it, and the other half thinking "We will see with my little guy..."  Braeden's feet have been atypical from the beginning.  Hence, the hesitation.

However, I am glad to say that Braeden's appointment yesterday went "normal-ish." I say "normal-ish" because the doctor that regularly sees Braeden was on holidays so we met one of his colleagues who was just as knowledgeable and just as good a doctor. Our original doctor suggested that Braeden be put into splints instead of boots and bars (aka: Mitchell braces or Ponseti AFO braces) because he believes that his feet will find it harder to regress. As Braeden continues to grow, we will know if the splints are working by whether or not they are keeping his feet where they are supposed to be.

What I found surprising was the drastic change in Braeden's feet when the orthopaedic technician removed Braeden's casts.

Before First Surgery (August 2012)

After Second Surgery (June 2013)

   
Looking at pictures of his feet like the ones above, puts into perspective how much the medical world has progressed. It was only 10-15 years ago that club feet were treated by breaking the bones of the feet and then casting them. Now, serial casting, cutting certain tendons and then re-casting are used to correct the feet. Thankfully, the current treatments can be less invasive and waaayyyy less painful. So really, the lady was right, treating club feet by surgery and casting is a medical miracle.

Hoping, Wishing & Praying

These three words encompass our answer to what is next for Braeden. We hope that the surgery takes, we wish that no more surgeries have to come and we pray (along with many other people) throughout this whole process.

The doctor was pretty positive that Braeden's surgery worked because he was able to get Braeden's feet up to 10 degrees, which is ideal. However, there is still that slim chance that the surgery did not take and we are hoping, wishing and praying that this will not be the case.

We hope, wish and pray that by the end of 6 weeks in casts, Braeden will be put into either braces with a bar (aka: Mitchell braces) or clam shell braces (what he had after his first surgery) to hold his feet in place. Kendall and I are wanting the Mitchell braces (though they're more expensive) because they give Braeden a little more mobility with his knees. I'm not sure how long the braces will be on for, but from what I've read about atypical club feet, my guess is that he will be in them full time, and then just while he sleeps until he's around 4.

Lastly, we are hoping, wishing and praying that he will not have to go through another surgery. In Braeden's club foot case there is a higher chance of re-occurrence around the age of 2 and the only option would be for surgery at that point in time.

All that being said, Braeden is still doing great. He loves looking at his toes in curiosity and grabs at the ends of the casts periodically. And maybe even eats the cotton from it. Yuck! Good thing cotton is digestible... Sometimes at this age, they tend not to sleep well because they love to wake up in the middle of the night and play. At first I thought it was his teeth, or pain or muscle spasms post-surgery before I realized the little guy just wants to be up and have us playing with him. We are just thankful that the change in sleep patterns is due to a phase he is going through and not because of pain.