You would think it would be a very easy process. Just snip the skin, but it is very complicated because of all the tiny nerves and muscles involved. I was very nervous about letting such a little baby be put under general anesthesia. (I've never even had it.) In a way, I felt like we didn't really need to do anything. Surely, he would learn to compensate and it wasn't glaringly obvious. The doctor talked about how much it could limit him. He mentioned things that I hadn't really thought about. He said that he would never be a concert pianist or even be able to wear a baseball glove. In my training in therapeutic recreation, I saw that these things could be adapted, but we decided that it was best to go ahead with the surgery. He was lucky enough to have something that could be "fixed" unlike so many others.
I was terrified as we sat in the waiting room. I had just handed my baby over and had no control over his well being. When the anesthesia wore off, his voice was scratchy from the breathing tube and he was all bandaged up. Then, we had to keep his hand elevated 23 hours a day for 3 weeks! That was quite a challenge. We tied it up to the car seat and crib. I tied a old pair of pantyhose to the splint and hung it around my neck so that I could put him in the front carrier and hold his hand up. One night, we couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He cried and cried. A week later, we saw that he had cracked the splint and it was poking into his skin.
Well, that was then. At the appointment, the doctor said that it was looking so well that he didn't need to come in for another year. He even went and got other doctors and students to show them how wonderful it looked. We still have to make sure that he has full use of the hand as he grows and is able to do more developmentally. For now, though, he is not having any problems. What a trooper!
9 comments:
I never knew about the split in the cast. How sad! His hand does look great though. It was a pretty miserable few weeks though, as I recall.
That's a LONG TIME to keep his hand elevated!! I'm so glad the doctors are pleased with it and that you are too :)
Poor little fella, bet he was miserable. Glad you figured out what was wrong. Hope he is doing well now. So proud of you and Jimmy. Blessing to you both! Love and hugs. Sue and Roger
I can't believe you had to keep it elevated so much of the time! It sounds like you had to be pretty creative. I remember when Maya got her ear tubes, it was a much simpler procedure, but I was pretty nervous about it. It is always a relief when they heal well.
I felt for you during all of that! I remember when Shawn had the same thing done, It was hard and I didn't have any other kids that needed attention or that I had to keep away from him! I am sure Jackson did a good job...I do remember feeling scared to turn my baby over to the nurses, I cried, and then when I saw him on the table with all the tubes and the cast after surgery, he looked so much older than he had just a few hours before...That was a big introduction to motherhood! Good job getting through it all!
I had no idea!!! What trauma to see your baby go through a surgical procedure. So glad you're through it and he's healing well.
Oh Denise~ I had no idea! Wow, we're so blessed to have modern technology. It must have so very hard to keep his hand elevated. I can't even imagine!~ He's beautiful though and I know what great parents you are to him!
Love you,
Bonnie
by the way, why elevated for so long, just curious?
what a hard thing to do!! and a little miracle at the end. it's a helpless sort of feeling when you hand your baby to a doctor for something difficult like that. Henry had to have a UTI test at Children's when he was a couple months old. even though it was a short and simple procedure it was still hard to do.
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