3731 Welcome back, leg.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

If you explain so clearly that nobody can misunderstand, somebody will.

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Nugget got her cast off today (3.5 weeks).  We went to the doctor's office, quick xray, doctor said looking good, nurse went at it with a saw which Nugget didn't like at ALL, and then it was off.

Her right calf is visibly smaller than the left.  The calf muscles will be weak for a few weeks.  Doctor said not to encourage her to walk.  Let her go at her own pace.  And absolutely NO CLIMBING for three weeks.  (I don't know why. That's going to be rough.  She's part monkey.)  Come back in four weeks.

In the waiting room there was a big wooden train set on a low table that fascinated her, so after the cast was off we let her play with it for a long time.  She was standing holding on to the edge of the table, and she fell three times.  Either the leg doesn't want to hold her up, or she's bending the knee as if the cast is still on, but there's no bulk now under her foot, which unbalances her.  Or both.  So, yeah, it'll be a while.

I don't think she truly noticed that she had her real leg back for a while.  Back in the car, strapped in her car seat, she looked at her legs, studied them, then she lifted the right leg by the knee and foot, and kissed the calf.

"Welcome back, leg.  I missed you."
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3723 Been a while

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Wow.  I hadn't realized it had been so long since my last post.  Everything's ok.  I just haven't had a lot of time, and haven't had much to say.

The Nugget has finally started walking with her cast.  Because the cast has a bend in the knee and ankle, she can't straighten that leg, so she's a bit lopsided and wants one hand held when she walks.  For the past 2.5 weeks she had been crawling dragging the cast or scooting on her bottom to get around.

Not that it's slowed her down any. 

About 10 days ago a little neighbor friend came to visit. The friend had been pushing a toy lawnmower that blows bubbles.  Her mommy told her to leave it at the end of Nugget's driveway.  Nugget happened to be in the yard when they arrived.

She took one look, yelled, "Mine!  Mine!  Mine!  Mine!" and scooted on her bottom across the lawn and down the driveway so fast no one could stop her.  Of course, once in possession of the coveted mower she couldn't stand up to push it, and it lost its charm.

I didn't know she knew that word (Mine!) or had those sentiments.

She's almost thirty pounds now, and the cast adds some weight.  Daughter is maybe 5'0" and 102 pounds, so the past few weeks, when Daughter had to lift and carry the Nugget everywhere, and Nugget wants to be picked up all the time because sitting on the floor next to Mommy's feet is not at all the same as standing and hugging Mommy's hip, have been hard on Daughter.  (I can't lift the Nugget at all any more.  She's getting tall.  She's about up to my waist.)  I've been spelling Daughter for a few hours every day, so she can at least get a shower and some rest for her back.

Next Tuesday they have an appointment with the cast doctor.  We'll find out then whether the cast can come off, get replaced with a smaller one, or has to stay on a little longer.

I'm going to check K-Mart for one-a-them bubble blowing lawn mowers to celebrate when the cast comes off.
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