Massages

    I remember as I tried to prepare for what it would be like to live with a fixaot I remember reading about the constant massages other parents had to give their children to help relieve their pain, comfort them, distract them, help them fall asleep, etc. So I knew it would be in my future I just didn't realize just how much. Last night as I was massaging Amaya's foot she asked me to massage her kneecap. How do you even do that? I smiled and asked her if there's even anything there to massage? I pushed her kneecap around, up and down and put pressure on it. I'm not sure why, but that seems to help relieve her pain and helps her fall asleep. The past two nights she's also been getting out of bed so that she can stand and put weight on her left leg. She says it helps alleviate some pain from her knee. She's been getting up about two to three times before she actually falls asleep. But the last two nights she has been sleeping pretty good. She's been falling asleep within an hour of going to bed and even thought she tosses and turns and moans throughout the night she isn't waking up. 

    Yesterday I called the orthopedic office and thanks to Marilou's efforts I was able to schedule Amaya's next physical therapy sessions. Amaya will continue to do therapy three days a week up until her surgery to remove the fixator. Melissa said we'll have her sessions up until her pre-op appointments and surgery, so that she doesn't miss any sessions. As I looked over the forms that Marilou emailed me I saw the prescription form that Melissa filled out and Dr. Nelson signed. It specifically states that Amaya can not miss any treatments. A lapse in treatments could harm her. So as I had to call, and call, and talk, and push and demand I had that thought in the back of my mind. I usually don't like being pushy with other people but I know that Amaya needs her therapy and I did all that I had to, to make sure she didn't miss any.  I'm so grateful to Marilou, and Melissa for their efforts to make sure that Amaya's therapy wasn't interrupted. 

    Since I had to schedule the appointments last minute (yesterday was Amaya's last scheduled session)  I had to take any times that I could get. So now she mostly has Monday, Wednesday, Friday appointments but their all at different times. I had made her last appointments early in the day or in the afternoon so it didn't disrupt her school schedule very much, but it didn't work out that well this time. But, since her teacher let us know that she's ahead on all levels I'm not too worried. I just hate disrupting the class. 

    Yesterday at therapy she started by doing bends with Melissa then pulling herself on the stool, riding the bike, then climbing on the ladder. As she was on the ladder Amaya told Melissa that she thought she could be a zombie doctor for Halloween since she really wants to be a doctor, but she kind of walks like a zombie. She's funny. Amaya also worked on the total gym machine. She worked on bending her knee and also on straightening her leg completely (that's been really hard for her to do lately). Melissa said that its not only that her muscles get tight, but that the muscle forgets to move a certain way (to bend or straighten). Melissa applied new tape to Amaya's knee before she started bends. Her knee started at fifty-six degrees then quickly went to seventy degrees. She was able to get up to ninety-two degrees in about two minutes. 

   We still haven't received a call to schedule the removal surgery. Even though its not a big surgery, its still a surgery and certain thoughts and fears creep up. I know its a removal and a lot easier than getting the fixator on, but its not something to be discounted as just a removal. After all its not like a cast, or brace or anything else that can just be easily removed. Plus there's also going to be a rush rod inserted into her femur, so I feel a little stir of emotions that only another parent who's gone through this can understand. I guess no matter how small a surgery is, no surgery is ever small when it comes to your own child. Amaya has asked about it a couple of times, mostly at night when she has to lock the bar in place. She's getting a bit excited for the fixator to be removed and to not have to deal with the not so fun things that come with a fixator (locking the bar, hard time falling asleep, pain, tight muscles, etc.). I'm glad she's gotten past the fear. Talking with Dr. Nelson helped ease her mind. I'm so thankful for the time, patience and kindness he shows her. It makes a difference.

Amaya climbing up the ladder.

Amaya rode the big loop today into the adult gym then back.

Amaya working on the total gym machine.