More News

We had our MRI on Friday in Iowa City. Dr. Joshi is looking for something in Alex's brain that would explain his abnormal gait, specifically toe-walking on the left foot, and tight heel cords. We also had a physical therapy appointment this morning to discuss what we could do to fix the toe-walking. On my way to the PT appt, Bill called and said that Dr. Joshi called with the MRI results. She had found some scarring deep inside the brain that would indicate that there had been damage to the brain. Now, this could have been caused by several things. It could have been in utero, if his mother had had a certain kind of infection or illness. It could have been caused during labor/delivery, or it could have been something after delivery, like a stroke or oxygen deprivation. All of it is hard to understand, but I am so thankful that things weren't worse. Dr. Joshi said that it is called sclerosis. You might think of multiple sclerosis, but it is just sclerosis, or scarring. She said that by looking at it, you could tell it was from a long while ago. Most likely around birth.
So I gave all this information to the PT and we went from there. She had several things that she wanted to look at with Alex. She measured his legs to check for identical length and then worked to get him to stand flat on his foot. Obviously he doesn't love it, but it is possible. We are to try and catch him standing incorrectly and then quietly go down next to him and pull his foot into the correct position. We also have a couple of stretching exercises to work on. In the next week or so, another therapist will be visiting us at home to order possibly two braces. One that he will wear in the daytime that will help force him to walk in a more correct manner, and the second brace, will be at night, more like a splint that will force his foot to flex back in the night. Neither of these is going to thrill him, but I am excited that at least they can be removed for bathing/swimming. The PT said that she views his problem as moderate, not severe and she doesn't believe that he will be in a brace for too long. Our hope was that we would get things taken care of now, so that when he goes to school it won't be an issue. I told her this and she agreed with me, that it was her plan to get things taken care of now.
It has been a really long day already, and it is only 3 pm. While all of this news is welcome, there is a certain amount of "chewing and digesting" that the brain needs to do. Mentally it is a little taxing. Today I found out that I didn't get the job that I interviewed for in Hubbard. I was really hoping for this one, and I really thought I would enjoy it. Combine that with the fact that the house in Independence hasn't sold, and you understand my heavy mind. I cried on the way home from the PT after finding out about the job, and Alex and everything else. I asked why!! Why didn't the job happen? Why Alex?? Why should he have to deal with this? Why do we have to deal with it? Why hasn't the house sold? Why us? And as I cried the only thing that came to me is BECAUSE. Because this is the life that God has for us. It is the life that He chose for Alex. Everything is in His plan. That honestly doesn't make this a whole lot easier. I am still upset. It still bothers me that I didn't get the job, and that the house hasn't sold and that our little guy has to go through all this, but as I think about the fact that God has his hand in it all, and as I remind myself of that over the next few days and weeks, it will get better. And honestly, somehow just voicing the thoughts (blogging them) helps. To reread them and see them in print makes them a little more real.
And what is it that little orphan annie always says? The sun will come out tomorrow... :)

Summer Haircut

for Alex!! Well, he is such a sweaty thing, we decided to cut his hair for summer. It was not a happy time. He doesn't like clippers, so Bill had to hold his hands down for me. When he was all done he was okay.