New Club Foot Item

We did our second trip to Vancouver in October to get Parker's new boot fitted for his club foot. The cool design of cars and trucks that's on the boot got his attention! Lucky for him he only has to wear the boot at night. Some kids have to wear it all day.

This new item is much easier to sleep with compared to his boots and bars. Parker, who is known to be a bit stubborn, will often refuse to put his boot on before bed. Daddy, who has inherited enough patience for all of us, slips on the boot when Parker is in a deep sleep.

Club Foot Update

We headed to BC Children's Hospital for Parker's club foot appointment. Parker is no longer having to wear his boots and bars at night.
















He'll be required to keep wearing his runners. Which lately he's been averse to wearing them. He rather put on his rubber boots. He seldom likes doing the norm.

We where crammed in a little corner of the Casting Room to get his foot cast so that they can fit him with an ankle foot orthosis.


















He'll wear this for a year during night time.















We will go next week to get it fitted. The clinic called me this week to see what design Parker would like his AFO to have. I think he'll be impressed with what I've choosen.

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And here is my little munchkin at about five months old wearing his cast. So cute!

Run Forest Run!

My boys are growing. I'm 'in love' with motherhood these last few weeks.

Not so long ago James was so malnourished he had trouble walking. Parker was wearing a cast for his club foot.

Now they are running as fast as they can. Picking up sticks, rocks and getting really dirty.

Not so long ago James didn't pay any attention to Parker. Parker didn't pay any attention to James.

Now they make belief together, fight together and hug each other.

I am loving the moments.

Update on my Club Foot

Note: Internet is back at lightning speed. Here is a post by Parker that was scheduled to be up a few weeks ago...

At the beginning of this month I headed to Vancouver for my regular club foot check-up. I love going there. I get juice, cookies and to play with the toys.

Mommy always seems to strike up a conversation with one of the parents. This time it was a cute mommy with her little baby boy. He was 3 months old wearing his boots and bars. I remember those days: having to wear those suckers for 23 hours a day.

Dr. Alverez was thrilled with my progress. She said, 'Not all patients have such a great success." I'm lucky Daddy is so committed in putting on my boots and bars every night.

The best news is that when I turn 3 I am boots and bars free! Looking forward to sleeping bare feet and moving around in my sleep without this bar between my legs!

Clubfoot Treatment

Parker has been sleeping with his boots and bars since he was five months old. During the day he wears his New Balance shoes. At $55 a pop we make sure he is wearing his runners all the time. Though he is very good at taking them off or convincing us that he needs to wear his winter boots when you go get groceries.

The first Monday in April Parker has his appointment with Dr. Alvarez at the BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver. This appointment is to ensure his club foot is in the corrected position. Our last appointment Dr. Alvarez was very impressed with Parker's progress. His ability to squat impressed her. It is near to impossible to squat if one or both feet are clubbed...try it!

His foot looks great to us too: it no longer turns inward or points down. If he's lucky Parker will only have one more year of wearing his boots and bars.

FEET

Boots & Bars

Parker
I am now having to wear little white shoes with a bar to make sure my foot stays straight. I wear it 23 hours a day. I now get to take a bath every day and enjoy the sun. I got some snowboard stickers at West49 and stuck them on my bar. I now look like a baby snowboarder!

James
Here I am in the tub with my little cousin Liam. He is only 2 months older than Parker. We had fun playing together but I'm told I need to work on my sharing skills. I am not too sure why that is! I still love to eat, play and talk. I just love my new home!

Appointments

Parker and I flew to Vancouver yesterday for his third cast while James hung out with his Dad at home. We are going back next week for a new cast and at the end of the month Parker will get fitted with boots and bars. He will need to wear them during the day. Once he starts walking he'll be sporting special shoes and only needing to wear the boots and bars at night till he is 3 years old. I learned that clubfoot occurs in approximately 1 in every 750 babies and is two times more common in boys than in girls. Every Tuesday the BC Children's Hospital holds a Clubfoot Clinic so we see lots of babies receiving this innovative treatment.

Today James had his first visit to the dentist and he impressed his parents. Dr. Kalinski (nee Painchaud) was able to polish James' teeth and give him a fluoride treatment without James squirming too much. No cavities! Yippee! (www.aestheticdentalclinic.com)

One more thing Parker has now started eating cereal once a day. Perhaps with a fuller belly Parker might just decide to sleep through the night!

My Foot!

Tuesday I got botox injected in my leg to fix my foot. Dr. Alverez said I was a very brave boy and she also said I was really cute. I like her! Next Tuesday mommy and I go back to Vancouver to get a new cast.

Here is a picture of my cousin Noah. He is so cool! He wants to be a spy when he grows up! And my bro is doing good too. He is the funniest person I know.
Hugs & Kisses,
Parker

Party Time & Botox!

On Saturday Lisa & Jeff (Fletcher) hosted a Welcome Home Party for me! I loved playing with my little friends that attended the party. They are so much fun! Last week we also had our cousins Leanne and baby Liam visit. Mommy and Leanne got to share motherhood stories. I think I heard them say the get tired...I wonder why?
We got back from Vancouver today. My little brother got a new cast put on his foot at the BC Children's Hospital. He sure was not impressed. He cried so much last night that I had trouble falling asleep! Next week mommy and Parker go back to Vancouver so Parker can get a botox injection done to his foot. This way his foot will get better so he can run and play with me.
Bye for now!
James

The Bucket!

Last night, to remove Parker's plaster cast we decided to use a bucket! Filling the bucket with water and vinegar Michael held him for 30 min and Parker slept through it! This was much more successful than last week where we had him soak in the tub for 40 min and he had cried through the whole thing! Today he got his new cast (No. 3) put on. It takes Dr. O'Farrell about 5 to 7 minutes to put the cast on as Parker screams through it! Parker is quite well known when we walk back into the waiting room!

Dr. says everything looks good...

Took little Parker in for his first Doctor's visit and everything is looking good. Parker now weighs 7lbs 2 ounces which everyone feels is excellent weight gain. We have all settled into a pretty good routine allowing each of us to get enough sleep. The week after next, Parker has his appointment with the orthopedic specialist to have a look at his foot. We may have to have a serial cast for several weeks which holds the foot in a progressive state of correction allowing his foot to straighten out fully at the last stage. More to come soon.

Never a dull moment

Parker had a bout of jaundice but a night under the lights has straightened that right out. Now that he is home, we are continuing to rehab his foot which became twisted from his position in the womb (I guess not enough room for him to stretch as he was breach for the majority of the pregnancy). Feedings are going really well with both Joanne and Parker doing their part. Joanne is feeling stronger everyday and is really enjoying this gift and as you can probably already tell, so am I.