Nothing is impossible for You, You hold my world in Your hands, I believe You're my healer

We've got three very sick Littles. Brody and Madi have ear infections, Madi has bronchitis in her right lung, and Gracie and Madi have fevers. Luckily aside from the fever, Gracie is the healthiest. So antibiotics and breathing treatments here we come. Parents PLEASE do not take your sick kids in public or even worse to SCHOOL when they are sick. It's beyond inconsiderate!
Last Thursday we went to the kids PM&R appointment. PM&R is for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Anyway, she has always been on my side in thinking that Gracie's leg issues should be fixed now!! instead of down the road when she is 5+ years old. There are a number of reasons these things should be fixed now like: so she can learn to walk without so much struggle, so she doesn't have to learn how to walk again at five years old, so she won't remember the events, so she can develop and catch up, the list goes on and on. Anyway, I was talking with her yet again about how none of the three Orthopedics have been on board on fixing the leg and basically won't here of it. She suggested we do XRays of her hips and leg and that she wanted to contact another Orthopedic within Texas Children's and would personally email and call him. We did the XRays that day and I was shocked to receive a call on Monday from that Orthopedics's assistant wanting to schedule an appointment with us. But when she said that doctor only sees patients in Sugarland which is over an hour away I said we couldn't do that and we ended the call. A little while later she called back and the doctor said he would see us in the Med Center... um, unheard of and not only that but he wanted to see us the very next day!!!
So today we saw the new Orthopedic. I was praying so hard that this fourth Orthopedic would want to help us and be competent. Folks, I think our prayers were answered! In walked this American born American trained Orthopedic doctor that is a dad! We went over a lot of information and discussed what we've tried and all the things that haven't worked. He said he isn't one to go right to operating but given everything going on with Gracie's leg and history this is a good route to take. With what she has going on in her leg, it causes the main blood vessels to not be where they should and a lot of times they are webbed around the leg. Because of this, we have to have MRI and MRA done so the doctor knows how to go about the surgery and the risk. There is also another major thing... he will have to shave down her bone in that leg so her legs will be the same length. She will have plates and screws in that leg. He also has to stay away from the growth plates. She has also developed a contracture at her heel/foot/ankle because of the ways she has to walk on her tip toes because her leg is contracted so he will need to release the tendon there as well. Make no mistakes this is a major surgery. He said she could possibly need a transfusion, she will have to stay at least 23 hours in the hospital, she will have a spinal block so she can't feel her legs, will be in a full leg soft cast for 7 days and then a full leg hard cast for 6 weeks, she cannot walk on her leg at all for 6 weeks and will have to get around in a wagon or stroller, she can't go to school for a week, and the pain management and starting over in walking. Those things sound really bad and we do realize that. It's very difficult to purposely put your child through something that we know will be so painful and hard. The good outweighs the bad though. Ricky and I watch her work her tail off in therapy week after week. She struggles and fights and has earned every single accomplishment but let me make no mistake about it, it's all been very hard for her. I've not for one second let things be made easy for her and she has rose up and met all the challenges and conquered them. This surgery isn't to be a crutch and if the nonsurgical things would have worked we wouldn't be sitting here today going over all this but the truth is none of those things have worked and they've been painful. We know this has to be done and I've searched and hoped we would finally find someone to help us. With that, it does not make this any easier. It's going to be pure hell for her but I know that come February or March our girl will be walking and running right along with her bubby and sissy. So please, please, please, please keep our girl in your thoughts and prayers. She has to be sedated for the MRI and MRA which is never fun. After all of that the doctor wants to meet with both Ricky and I to go over those results and to schedule the surgery. He would like to get this done in October which is very quickly approaching! I'll update as we know what is going on.

KP