Wednesday, July 1, 2009

UFO's

Today Gavin had an appointment with a pediatric orthopedist. He went in to be casted for Ankle Foot Orthotics, also known as AFO's. The boys and I call them UFO's though, because it's more fun to call them by this name! Here is a picture of them casting Gavin's lower legs, to make a mold for fitting him with the right size:



He was NOT impressed with the whole process! He did fine for the first leg, but then decided that he had had enough! They had to lay him on his belly the whole time and they also had to stretch his ankles and feet into proper flexion (Joel says it's called dorsal flexion), which probably hurts him a little because he is so tight in his ankles. I didn't get pictures of him during, because I was too busy trying to comfort him. But trust me, he was mad! Poor guy!

The AFO's are for keeping his ankles in a good position. Right now he has his feet almost always pointed (Joel says this is called plantar flexion) and we don't want them to get 'stuck' in that postion. They will also be used to help support Gavin when he is in a stander. His stander is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'm excited about this! I'm sure he won't like it, but I know that it will be good for him. I, on the other hand, am not looking forward to ANOTHER piece of equipment in our house for him! For a little guy, he takes up a lot of space!

Here is a picture of some AFO's, minus the straps that will be on them:



Here is Gavin after we got home. I laid him on his blanket on the floor, and he was out in minutes flat! I guess getting mad wore him out!



"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:15

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was just checking someone else's blog and their daughter just got a stander. And she has purple UFO's. :) How very cool. He can now be upright and see what is going on. Will this help with the strength on his legs? Praying that he tolerates his new devices. Love The Hilton's

Here is their website,they are friends of Dan and Amanda and they go to Harvest OPC. http://vedrafamily.com/vedrablog/

Tamara said...

Bless his pee-picken little heart! Oh look how tuckered out he is!! Yeah he is getting a stander?? What kind??? I know as it is right now Abbs has 5 pieces of equipment and one more on the way! She does take up a lot of room, they do, but its accumulative to the amount of love they fill our homes with! ((HUGS))) to you sweet friend!!!

Cammie Heflin said...

Addy hated getting casted too. When she first got her stander she hated it, now it's much better we just had to keep putting her in it. I'm sure Mr. Gavin will hate it at first too!

My name is Sarah said...

Oh Gavin, I hated when they did that stuff to me too.

Elyse said...

Bless his sweet, little heart! I am sure he was WORN OUT to the MAX by the time you got home!
~Elyse

Lacey said...

Man, it looks like you punched him out. Jax has AFO's, his weren't near so messy to make, his therapist just did it at our house. Its funny how different states do things different.

Unknown said...

Poor little guy. He looks wiped in that last picture. What a trooper! I totally understand the whole "we need a bigger house" because of all the equipment and I'm guessing there is still so much to get. How lucky he is to be able to have all those things though. We'll pray that it won't take long for him to get use to the stander and it will give him a new position to try out.

ANewKindOfPerfect said...

Here's a link to the No-Rinse Shampoo that I buy. I get it at a local pharmacy. Not like Walgreens or CVS, but a stand alone pharmacy that sells medical supplies as well. Try finding one near your hospital perhaps? Otherwise you can order it online. :) There is a conditioner as well!

http://www.alimed.com/Alimed/product/No-Rinse-Shampoo-and-Bath,12077,32.htm?&source=google&adgroup=NoRinseProducts&adtext=No-RinseShampoo$3.63/ea&ctt_id=2111052&ctt_adnw=Google&ctt_kw=no%2Brinse%2Bshampoo&ctt_ch=ps&ctt_entity=tc&ctt_adid=2721890974&ctt_nwtype=search&ctt_cli=2^9055^35766^564948&gclid=CJe6nd-8t5sCFRYiagodOlSxBQ

Hope said...

He's so cute. Bless his heart!