Cast Off!

Oh yes, the day has finally come!  It has been the longest 8 weeks of our lives, but we can finally put it behind us.  Evan's cast has been REMOVED!

Hard to believe this was 8 weeks ago. 

Right after it was removed.  So happy!

Evan's cast removal appointment was originally for this Monday.  When I woke up on Friday morning (the countdown was 3 more days until the cast was off!), the news was declaring a major snow storm was going to hit Western PA on Sunday thru Monday.  Evan's appointments to his orthopedic doctor have been about 45 minutes away from our home, in the South Hills.  I, of course, immediately freaked out.

How am I gonna get Evan to his appointment in a foot of snow!?  I can't drive in those conditions!  That would just be stupid!  But I do NOT want to push this date back!  I want this cast OFF!

So I did what any mother would do.  I tracked down his doctor and begged for an appointment that day.  It was only 3 days earlier than his original cast-off date.  And you know what?  They got us in.  Never, ever underestimate a mother who is trying to get something done for her child.  And the best part?  The doctor was in his office that is very close to our home!  I only had to drive Evan 10 minutes to get his cast taken off. :)

Once the appointment was set, I thanked GOD profusely for working whatever powers he worked, and called my mom and asked her to leave work to come and help me with Evan.  And, of course, she dropped everything and ran to us. :)  How lucky were we that things were finally working in our favor!?

I managed to get Evan down for a nap before his 1:30 appointment.  He maybe got 45 minutes of rest in, but it was better than nothing.  We woke him up, got him in the car, and sped off to his appointment.  I was extremely nervous.  Evan was enviably aloof.  Once we arrived and checked in, the nurses took us right back.  No waiting at all!  It was a night and day difference compared to the facility we had been going to for the past 8 weeks.

As soon as we got to the room, the nurse (her name was Barbara... she was so sweet!) told us that she would be removing his cast first and then Evan would be x-rayed.  I was a little thrown because he was always x-rayed first.  I was slightly nervous because I thought What if it isn't healed all the way and they have to re-cast him and oh my God that would be awful!!!  But I quickly shook my doubts off and decided to listen to the nurse.

She immediately got to work, and I got to hold Evan the entire time.  He screamed, but it was not nearly as bad as the first time when he got his cast cut down.  Nurse Barbara started with the cast that was around his waist.  That took her the longest.  After some sawing and scissoring action, she managed to peel the thing off like an onion.  A very, very, very stinky onion.  Oh yes, the smell of urine and gamey-ness hit everyone in the room like a ton of bricks.  My mom got the brunt of it.  She was standing down-wind from the smell.  Haha!  After the waist was complete, Nurse Barbara moved on to his leg, which went surprisingly very fast.  Evan's left leg was very dry and scaly and hairy!  Not overly hairy, but his little hairs were very long.

Next was the x-ray, and Evan hates x-rays.  Poor kid.  He knows when it's x-ray time and he immediately starts screaming.  Once that was finished, it was back to the room to wait for the doctor.  And once again, we didn't have to wait at all.  He immediately popped in our room!  He looked at Evan's x-rays and declared him HEALED!  We just need to stop back in 6 weeks and then again after a year.  In the meantime, the doctor explained physical therapy is Evan's next hurtle to overcome.  He prescribed Evan to attend therapy 2-3 times a week for 6 weeks.  Ouchie.

We left there happy and exhausted and emotionally drained.  I was just so thankful I could finally hold my little boy again... normally. :)

My happy boy is back

We got home and fed Evan and then gave him a bath.  He was up and moving around (still acting as though he had the cast on) within 2 hours.  I love my determined little guy!

He has just been the happiest little man since his cast has been taken off.  He is still sore, but he isn't letting that slow him down.  He's been using his toy walker to get around the house, climbing our stairs, and playing/eating constantly.

And I am grateful for every moment of it!

~Nikki