Check out the snow hat hair...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Rice Cereal
Jack had his first rice cereal experience today and he LOVED it. Since his vitamin D and iron levels are basically on the floor, we are supplementing with formula and rice cereal. Hopefully this is all Jack needs in addition to his exercises. GG was excited that she was the first one to feed both Grace and Jack their first "solid" food experience. Grace even danced for Jack while he was eating.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
DUDE!?
Really? Dude. Come on. The one gak for the day had to be when I was taking a picture of Grace loving on Jack.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Answers about Jack's leg conditions
A version of the email I sent Daniel about Jack.
The blessing is we have more answers and tools to help our little Jack than we started with. And if treated at a young age, the problem usually doesn't come back. Jack will always be followed carefully throughout his growth and development. He will also be susceptible to early onset of arthritis (between his teen years and age 30).
The specialist wants to diagnose Jack with Infantile Blount's Disease. It is a form of bow-legs that affects only the tibia or shin. There is no femur involvement. But there isn't any certainty of the disease until he is at least 6 months.
He said that in most cases with infants (9 months-15) and/or toddlers there is no effect on their ability to walk. The doctor said that there probably won't be any need for aggressive treatments (surgery) until he is between 15-18 months.
1. So the first thing we need to do is have his vitamin D levels checked regularly to determine if he is having a hard time metabolizing it. (Apparently it is a cause.) (I had to have his blood drawn this morning before going to the appointment and the specialist said this is why--to screen his Vitimin D levels. So that will happen monthly and can be done Guthrie.
2. No baby shoes and we have to keep him off his feet. The specialist said we don't want to add any additional stresses to his ankles and feet.
3. We will continue with the bi-weekly measuring of the space between his knees and the curvature of his shins. There is a possibility that the curvature will remain until his muscles of his lower back and legs are strong enough to support standing. So that leads us to number four.
4. Continue with the muscle strengthening exercises and the massaging exercise for loosening his tendons. It will help with the charley horses too.
5. Jack has vitamin supplements as well as a special diet for myself since I am nursing him. (Poor diet is a cause too.)
6. Monthly checks with the specialist to document any progess in addition to his well-baby appointments.
7. At four months- we can supplement what we do at home with monthly physical therapy appointments.
8. At six months they will do a series of x-rays to give him the complete diagnosis of either Infantile Blount's Disease or just bow-legs.
9. There are additional treatments if there is progressive worsening of the curvature of his shins. There is a trial bracing period (check out www.eorthopod.com and look up blount's disease in children to check out the braces). The braces have to be worn for 23 hours a day and as the bone straightens out, the orthotic is changed every 2 months.
10. Surgery involves cutting the shin bone to realign it. There is also a procedure where they can surgerically restrict the shin bone to allow natural growth to reverse the bowing process. This procedure usually leads to a leg length discrepancy.
The blessing is we have more answers and tools to help our little Jack than we started with. And if treated at a young age, the problem usually doesn't come back. Jack will always be followed carefully throughout his growth and development. He will also be susceptible to early onset of arthritis (between his teen years and age 30).
The specialist wants to diagnose Jack with Infantile Blount's Disease. It is a form of bow-legs that affects only the tibia or shin. There is no femur involvement. But there isn't any certainty of the disease until he is at least 6 months.
He said that in most cases with infants (9 months-15) and/or toddlers there is no effect on their ability to walk. The doctor said that there probably won't be any need for aggressive treatments (surgery) until he is between 15-18 months.
1. So the first thing we need to do is have his vitamin D levels checked regularly to determine if he is having a hard time metabolizing it. (Apparently it is a cause.) (I had to have his blood drawn this morning before going to the appointment and the specialist said this is why--to screen his Vitimin D levels. So that will happen monthly and can be done Guthrie.
2. No baby shoes and we have to keep him off his feet. The specialist said we don't want to add any additional stresses to his ankles and feet.
3. We will continue with the bi-weekly measuring of the space between his knees and the curvature of his shins. There is a possibility that the curvature will remain until his muscles of his lower back and legs are strong enough to support standing. So that leads us to number four.
4. Continue with the muscle strengthening exercises and the massaging exercise for loosening his tendons. It will help with the charley horses too.
5. Jack has vitamin supplements as well as a special diet for myself since I am nursing him. (Poor diet is a cause too.)
6. Monthly checks with the specialist to document any progess in addition to his well-baby appointments.
7. At four months- we can supplement what we do at home with monthly physical therapy appointments.
8. At six months they will do a series of x-rays to give him the complete diagnosis of either Infantile Blount's Disease or just bow-legs.
9. There are additional treatments if there is progressive worsening of the curvature of his shins. There is a trial bracing period (check out www.eorthopod.com and look up blount's disease in children to check out the braces). The braces have to be worn for 23 hours a day and as the bone straightens out, the orthotic is changed every 2 months.
10. Surgery involves cutting the shin bone to realign it. There is also a procedure where they can surgerically restrict the shin bone to allow natural growth to reverse the bowing process. This procedure usually leads to a leg length discrepancy.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Smiles!
You would have never known that he was tested for nerve damage (which he passed with flying colors) four hours prior to the Hay Maze.
Monday, October 6, 2008
A Reason to Celebrate
So Saturday night, Moose didn't go to bed until 4 in the morning. But last night... Drum roll please.... HE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. That is right 7 hours! WHOO HOO! Praise God! We are doing the crazy Gracie dance this morning! Now we are off to the neurologist!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Spilling the beans
This verse really speaks to our hearts right now. Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. Philippians 4:6
I know I haven't really gone into a whole lot of details about Jack, because we don't really know much ourselves. And I don't really share things that bother me or challenges that our family faces. But here we go. So everyone is on the same page. (This a version of the email I sent Daniel, since he is in the field... I'm not sure if he can get his email from his mac account, but the information is here too for Papa...)
Jack's pediatrician is concerned about Jack being bowlegged. His legs are not "uncurling" as they should and they are really tight. He screams out in pain every time we move his legs to put him in the chest carrier or his car seat.. the muscles are really tight. His legs also do this twitching thing, which we understand was supposed to stop or at least slow down... but that's becoming more intense too. About every two hours his right leg will twitch for about 10 minutes...
The marathon of doctor appointments started Today, Wednesday.
So, first things first-- Jack is 11 pounds 2 oz and he an ace getting his shots (probably because he was already tired from the poking, prodding, and measuring of his legs). Little dude whimpered for a quick couple of seconds and that was it. He is a brave little guy.
Jack's measurements of his legs haven't changed since they first measured them two weeks ago. The concern is mainly with his shins as Daniel predicated. Jack's ankles haven't rolled out yet and his feet are still flat. The doctor was pleased about that. So Doctor Pederson wants to continue with the measurements (every two weeks). He is sending us to see a neurologist on Monday about his legs twitches. He is also sending us to a specialist next Wednesday to make sure that he (Jack's doctor) is doing the measuring of the curves of Jack's legs correctly. At the end of next week we meet with Dr. Pederson again to go over all the information from the neurologist and the specialist. From there two things will happen.
1. They will continue to measure/monitor his legs every two weeks until he is a year. If Jack's legs don't do anymore curving or it seems as if they may fix themselves naturally based on his measurements, then he will just need special shoes when he starts walking as a precaution and to help make sure his ankles stay straight and his feet are flat. He suggested staying away from baby shoes and to keep him in socks.
2. If his legs are getting worse then they will schedule him for casts for his braces the first week in November and he will get his braces around the third week in November. He will only have to wear them at night when he sleeps. They would want to fix them with "soft" braces before his legs worsen further and his bones get harder and then have to be broken.
(There was a third option that Dr Pederson touched base on... and that was if the twitches are connected with the bowleggedness he may have to have surgery on his tendons. He also reassured me that if there is a possibility for surgery that he would get himself, the neurologist and the specialist together to meet with Daniel and I before discussing it further.)
Meanwhile, in between all of the appointments-- We have some exercises to try to strengthen his legs and loosen up his tendons in hopes that it helps with the curving, twitching and the pain he seems to be feeling after legs twitches (it was explained to me as charley horses, but the neurologist will give me more information about that). Doctor Pederson said if we wanted more data, then he would try to see if tricare would cover sending us to a second specialist. PopPop suggested doing them in warm water, and I think that is a marvolous idea. So we are going to spend some time at the pool in the afternoons before dinner.
On a better note, Jack's throat has healed from the acid reflux and that seems to be getting better-- so I have to continue to keep him upright as much as possible after eating. Wendy and Sandy also showed me some other tricks. So thats good that he doesn't need any further intervention on that one.
I know I haven't really gone into a whole lot of details about Jack, because we don't really know much ourselves. And I don't really share things that bother me or challenges that our family faces. But here we go. So everyone is on the same page. (This a version of the email I sent Daniel, since he is in the field... I'm not sure if he can get his email from his mac account, but the information is here too for Papa...)
Jack's pediatrician is concerned about Jack being bowlegged. His legs are not "uncurling" as they should and they are really tight. He screams out in pain every time we move his legs to put him in the chest carrier or his car seat.. the muscles are really tight. His legs also do this twitching thing, which we understand was supposed to stop or at least slow down... but that's becoming more intense too. About every two hours his right leg will twitch for about 10 minutes...
The marathon of doctor appointments started Today, Wednesday.
So, first things first-- Jack is 11 pounds 2 oz and he an ace getting his shots (probably because he was already tired from the poking, prodding, and measuring of his legs). Little dude whimpered for a quick couple of seconds and that was it. He is a brave little guy.
Jack's measurements of his legs haven't changed since they first measured them two weeks ago. The concern is mainly with his shins as Daniel predicated. Jack's ankles haven't rolled out yet and his feet are still flat. The doctor was pleased about that. So Doctor Pederson wants to continue with the measurements (every two weeks). He is sending us to see a neurologist on Monday about his legs twitches. He is also sending us to a specialist next Wednesday to make sure that he (Jack's doctor) is doing the measuring of the curves of Jack's legs correctly. At the end of next week we meet with Dr. Pederson again to go over all the information from the neurologist and the specialist. From there two things will happen.
1. They will continue to measure/monitor his legs every two weeks until he is a year. If Jack's legs don't do anymore curving or it seems as if they may fix themselves naturally based on his measurements, then he will just need special shoes when he starts walking as a precaution and to help make sure his ankles stay straight and his feet are flat. He suggested staying away from baby shoes and to keep him in socks.
2. If his legs are getting worse then they will schedule him for casts for his braces the first week in November and he will get his braces around the third week in November. He will only have to wear them at night when he sleeps. They would want to fix them with "soft" braces before his legs worsen further and his bones get harder and then have to be broken.
(There was a third option that Dr Pederson touched base on... and that was if the twitches are connected with the bowleggedness he may have to have surgery on his tendons. He also reassured me that if there is a possibility for surgery that he would get himself, the neurologist and the specialist together to meet with Daniel and I before discussing it further.)
Meanwhile, in between all of the appointments-- We have some exercises to try to strengthen his legs and loosen up his tendons in hopes that it helps with the curving, twitching and the pain he seems to be feeling after legs twitches (it was explained to me as charley horses, but the neurologist will give me more information about that). Doctor Pederson said if we wanted more data, then he would try to see if tricare would cover sending us to a second specialist. PopPop suggested doing them in warm water, and I think that is a marvolous idea. So we are going to spend some time at the pool in the afternoons before dinner.
On a better note, Jack's throat has healed from the acid reflux and that seems to be getting better-- so I have to continue to keep him upright as much as possible after eating. Wendy and Sandy also showed me some other tricks. So thats good that he doesn't need any further intervention on that one.
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