Here's a follow up to how Andrew's hip and spine are doing these days.
I brought Andrew to a new Orthopedist this past Monday. Dr. Abromawitz has an office right here in Mount Airy. Andrew's old Orthopedist has moved on to Hawaii, so we are currently looking to find a new doctor. I had been referred to Dr. A., and on the contrary through some friends I have also heard DO NOT take your son to see him. I did go there just to see on my own, and because he was so close to our home. The doctor spent a good hour with us asking very relevant questions as to where we were now with things. He helped me get Andrew out of his chair and examined him, which you would think would be the norm, but it isn't. He sent us downstairs to the FMH lab for an xray on the hips and spine and offered to help us out at the lab on the first floor of the building. We were told to go back to his office after the xray and the doctor would go over the xrays with us. Andrew's right hip is still completely out of it's socket. There actually isn't even a socket anymore. The leg bone has moved even further "north". Actually,the xray is quite shocking to look at...The left hip is fine. The spine (with an xray taken holding Andrew upright sitting on the edge of the xray table) is at a 45% curve and "not as bad as the doctor had anticipated after reading previous doctor notes and seeing previous xrays. The doctor explained that at this point the hip is "beyond repair". If Andrew starts to show signs of pain then we will deal with what to do at that point. At this time, I still feel Andrew is not showing any pain, he isn't walking, and I am able to dress him and care for him without issue. Andrew's spine is just to be watched at this point. The doctor said he would not operate on Andrew's spine, that if it came to that he would refer us to his colleague. The other new issue at hand are Andrew's feet. They are actually rotating and we have trouble moving them to the "flat foot" position. It can be done, but it is getting more and mroe difficult. The doctor didn't even beleive that I could put Andrew's feet into his foot braces. He mentioned that the braces I have for Andrew now are not appropriate for Andrew in that they bend and move too much not giving Andrew the solid support he needs. I showed the doctor that I could fit his feet into the braces, and I was told by his teachers at school that he wears the braces the majority of the school day without complaint. Andrew's ankle bone on the inside of his left leg is starting to almost "pop out" and break through the skin. At this time it isn't breaking through the skin, but this is the concern. Andrew's feet could be operated on as well if it came to it. Our next step is to meet with the doctor for a very thorough discussion on all of our options. We will plan this meeting for this summer. I actually liked the doctor more than any doctor I have come across in awhile. He was friendly, helpful, to the point, and knowledgeable. I am not sure I would pick him to do surgery on Andrew, because of what I have heard, but that is it for now.
My mom wanted to see the Tall Ships visiting Baltimore this past week. I had read that a good place to view the Tall Ships departing Baltimore today was from a park on Kent Island. Well, this morning my mom, the kids and I drove right past Baltimore and onto the Eastern Shore. We hiked about a mile (see us above happy before our trek..)to the viewing point only to find that we couldn't push Andrew's wheelchair in the sand. We left, picked up a crabcake lunch to go and watched for ships from a parking lot by the Bay Bridge along with many others. We waited until 3:30pm. ZERO tall ships sailed by. As we drove back over the Bay Bridge one was passing by. Just one. The kids did say they had fun though. The better part of today was swimming in the pool tonight! The temperatures are warming up. So is the pool water! There's a happy Drew.
