...And So Our Journey Begins....

So, this blogging thing is something that I never thought I would ever do...I am not a professional writer  and I never felt a need to create a blog to update everyone on our day to day happenings until now...

On August 3, 2011 we welcomed our perfect little son to the world ~ Brayden Thomas was born at 1:19am weighing 7pd 15oz.  Garry and I were so excited to finally meet this little person that would complete our family of 4.  I was so excited for our daughter Lauren (15mths) to meet her new little brother.  I layed out her special "Big Sister" outfit a few weeks ahead (this way it was all ready for when I was to go into labor) so that my sister, who was taking care of Lauren, knew exactly what to put her in prior to arriving to the hospital that special day.  

Lauren had recently learnt how to walk just a few weeks prior so that was all she wanted to do while visiting Brayden and I at the hosptail, well, that and hold her brother for about a minute - it was just enough time for us to quickly snap a photo and then catch him while she was pushing him away.  As a Mom I couldn't have been happier and I have never felt more complete to see my two little kids together.  How blessed did I feel!  

As most of you know, I am not one to just sit around and wait for the world to pass me by, I prefer to get going on things and make them happen.  So, at about 12pm (about 11hrs after Brayden was born) I was ready to get going and get baby and I discharged!  Why not, Brayden was healthy and I had already showered, cleaned up the room and packed everything up!  My Dr wasn't surprised that I was ready to go and made sure to let the discharge nurse know that she was fine with this.  Finally at about 3:30 our discharge nurse came to see Brayden and I.  She was there to tell us about all of the different packages we were receiving, things to watch out with him, stuff I needed to watch for myself over the next few days and a few more tips/info.  While sitting on the room chair,  the discharge nurse asked if we had ever had Lauren limp checked out.  Garry and were a little confused as we just thought that was part of the developmental process a little one goes through when walking and that it would all even out in time.  The nurse said it again, and then said "that looks like hip dysplasia"...our hearts sunk.  Garry and I remember just feeling that drop in your stomach and then saying to each other we'll get it looked at, but I am sure it is nothing.  That night I contacted my Dr who then asked us to go and see her in her office the next day. 

While at the Dr's office the next day Lauren was examined for about 20+ mins.  She was prompted to walk back and forth down the narrow hallway of the office, her hips were pushed, pulled and pumped to see if there was anything abnormal - nothing was found.  Because the limp was noticeable our Dr wrote us a req for an x-ray on Lauren's hip and leg.  Once Garry and I got to the car we called the hospital to see if we could have it done that same day, but unfortunately we missed it by 15mins, they were closed.

The next morning we left the house early to make sure Lauren got her x-ray as soon as possible.  We arrived at the hospital or 9am and basically waited about 15mins before we were called in for Lauren's x-ray.  The Technician was so sweet, he knew that having our daughter strapped to a table was really hard for us to see, specially for me - Brayden was only 2 days old and my emotions were running wild.

Once we were finished we were escorted to the waiting room, we just need to make sure the radiologist had the images he needed.  It took about 10mins for the Tech to return to tell us that our Dr had been called.  Garry and couldn't wait to speak to her, we basically ran out of the x-ray area and back into the main lobby, were there was cell reception, and called her.  Lauren did in fact have DDH.  We are really blessed that we have an amazing Dr for Lauren, Brayden and I, she did everything that day to make it easier on us and try and provide us with as much information as she could.

On Aug 9th we were scheduled to see the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon.  Walking into the clinic was mind numbing.  I just remember thinking, I have customers/ friends on the next floor up, I have walked these halls over 100 times for client visits, never did I think that I would be here now for my daughter, that we would be using this clinic for personal reasons!  The Surgeon probably felt like Garry and I were never going to let him go, we asked so many questions only to realize we had only more we needed/wanted answers on.  He left us about an hour and a half later.  Lauren's x-ray, as we were able to see it, had a left hip completely out of her socket.  She was going to require a "Closed Reduction" and should that not take while in the OR she would need to have an "Open Reduction".  Further to that, she would require casting for 3 months.  She would have one cast for 6 weeks and then a new cast would be put on for another 6 weeks.  This cast would start just below her chest and end at her ankles.  Over the course of the next 3 months Lauren would need to be x-rayed to make sure everything stayed where it needs to be.  But, we may not be finished.  During surgery, should for some reason her hip and femur not accept each other and the hip socket not start to form while in place Lauren will also require a "Pelvic Osteotomy" (re shaping of the pelvis and casting for another 3 months).  Hearing that our journey may not be done after 3 months of this was too much for me to take, that sent me into a real emotional low for my little girl.  How were we going to do this to her possibly twice??