Partial Cast Removal.....

Hi Everyone!

Well, Sonya was supposed to have her whole spica cast removed today. It didn't happen. We had an appointment to go see her OI orthopaedic surgeon at 12:45pm today. The casting room was jam packed! Tons of kids with assorted broken limbs were everywhere! We waited 2 hours in the waiting room before finally being taken back for x-rays which they did through Sonya's cast. She was really ticked off about getting pictures taken of her pretty bones! I swear she knows when we enter an x-ray room, she instantly puts up a good fight! Her doctor then read her x-rays and 45 minutes later we were told that she was healing, but not well enough to have the cast completely removed today as they had thought would happen 3 weeks ago. They did want her to start working on regaining her muscle mass that had depleted significantly during the period of her immobilization. So, the casting technician whipped the very loud and scary circulating cast cutting saw out and Sonya started wailing as she adjusted the cast by cutting the top off. They call it a "window" or a "bi-valve", like a clam on the half shell just not the whole cast only the one leg. After some taping of the edges and some carefully placed velco, she was all set and ready to go! While Sonya is in a lying position the top can be removed for some leg kicking time and then during all other positions she should have the top velcroed on for her safety!

Sonya will have to stay in this "clam on the half shell" cast for 4 more weeks! I didn't get a chance to talk to her doctor about rodding surgery or the new problem of rib flaring as he was so busy he only had time to pop his head in for a second to direct the casting technician and he was then off to surgery. The new issue, rib flaring, is common in the more severe and moderate types of OI. Basically the bottom of her rib cage on both sides, but more significantly on her left, is starting to flare outwards creating a large bumpy rim near her waist. I have more researching to do on this topic before I can educate you all any further, but I do know that there are several rib cage deformities associated with OI and some can be very problematic. The good news is that Sonya will still have her cast off in time for our next beach vacation in Brigantine, New Jersey! Here are some photos of the "new look".

So happy to be home sweet home!

She hasn't kicked very much yet, she just wiggles and flops her foot around as she did with the cast before the adjustment.


Clam leg on the half shell.

I can and have lifted her leg slightly out of the cast without any complaints from her, so I think she isn't in too much pain!

Sonya checking out her newly exposed leg!



Putting on the "lid".

One band of velcro holds the top on and in place.

Clam all closed up!

The ride home was a bit longer than we expected too. The turnpike was all jammed up due to an accident involving a flipped over truck on an exit ramp carrying hazardous material and we sat completely still for about 45 minutes. There is still no word on what was spilled but there was a huge Hazmat crew on the scene as we slowly rolled by. Hopefully it wasn't anything too serious!

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. Sonya is still scheduled to receive her first Pamidronate infusions on July 13th,14th and 15th!