kristaphillips (I preface this post by saying I LOVE Annabelle’s physical therapist…)
So, Annabelle’s sweet PT lady used the B word last week.
Braces. For her feet/ankles.
While Annabelle has made some GREAT progress in the last few months as far as using those cute legs of her and cruising, we’ve kinda stalled out there. She won’t let go of things at all. And she is still pretty wobbly, especially in her ankles, when we try to have her use the walker.
There is also talk about a type of undergarment that will help keep her hips steady too.
Lord have mercy on us all.
Now, let me just say. If she NEEDS them, we will buck up and do it. I know a lot of kids need them, but in my brain, Annabelle shouldn’t be one of them. Yes, she’s delayed because of so much time in the hospital. And her little muscles and bones may need some extra time to figure out how to do this thing called walking. But her bones and muscles are whole. There is nothing “wrong” with them, except that they need to catch up.
But at the same point and time, she is having to catch up with a bigger/taller body than most, and due to her lack of good nutrition and health issues that first year, she lacks that stability that most babies gain.
I just… *sigh*. I don’t want this for her. And a wee selfish part of me groans at yet another thing heaped onto this already struggling to stay afloat Momma, although I stuff down that complaint pretty quickly because in the end, I’ll scrounge up the strength to do what is needed somehow.
This next week, Annabelle and I are on “walking” mode. We are going to go buy her some “good” supportive walking shoes that will help her ankles. We’re going to be pushing things around this house like crazy, walking and chanting, “We don’t want no stupid braces, Nope, Nope, Nope!”
Do I think I can cure her wobbliness in a week?
Nope. But I figure it doesn’t hurt to try, right?!?
Annabelle tried some braces on today, by the way. Uh, yeah. Anyone remember the picture of when she first tried on her glasses? The holy ever-lovin’ terror on her face?
This was worse.
And she stopped the second we took them off.
*big sigh*
So, your prayers this week as we practice walking are appreciated!!
The girls go back to school from spring break this next week too, so we’re going to be readjusting back to our schedule as well.
I wasn’t a huge, huge schedule person until Annabelle.
I now crave it.
And have been known to yell with the best of them when someone gets me off said schedule. (not proud of this… just stating a regrettable fact…)
Discussion: Are you a scheduler… or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-er?
First off I understand about the braces. Logan was put in braces just before he turned 1 and was out of them by 1 1/2 because he gained the confidence and enough strength to walk. He has muscle tone issues as well as his CHD and various other things that are awry. They really did help him a lot and he got used to them more quickly than I thought. However, I am where you are at because I just found out that he too needs to go back into some sort of brace. I think we will struggle more with them this go around. Yet, I remember from the first go around that in the end….him walking and being able to do whatever other kids were was so worth it. They have given him a year without them to try to strengthen on his own to no avail though and he is starting to slip behind again. So I decided that if they help him do what he is supposed to do then I support that and it doesn't mean forever. Nor does it mean forever for Anabelle. Maybe just for a while until she gets the confidence and more strength is some of her other muscles. Then maybe she will get a chance to be brace free once again. I do understand where you are coming from, been there….done that……have the t-shirt. Hang in there. God is good all the time….all the time God is goo.
I, unfortunately, have to be a scheduler as well, but this is only because my son gets messed up when things are not in a certain, set way. I will say though, it has helped me a lot better to focus ad I do get a lot more done then when I was "whenever I feel like doing it" or "it'll be there later."
I wish Miss Annabelle (and Mom, of course) all the best of luck with learning to walk. She'll do it, with or without the braces! She came around for her glasses and I'm sure she'll do the same for the braces if she must have them.
Praying for you and your always! 🙂
I am a bit of both. I schedule things out of necessity but am totally fine flying by the seat of my pants as well. I would say I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants (when I don't have kids to take into account).
Also, I somewhat feel your pain about the braces. I have a nephew who is 13 months old and still doesn't roll over. He has some needs. They want to put him in a vest style back brace to encourage him to sit up right and not slouch. As I watched him this week while his other sitter was out of town, I am sure that if he is "made" to sit more upright in the every day, little things, that he would get it on his own. I don't want to see him in a brace but, just like you, if he has to have it, he has to have it. I just wish I lived in the same state as he so I could bbsit him all the time and work with him. God knows what he and Annabelle need. We will keep praying that Annabelle proves everyone wrong (my nephew too).
my daughter has braces for her ankles. shes only had them for maybe 3 months but they do help her walk better and not fall as much. i'm a scheduler. i have to have a schedule and if not then its hard on me.
BTW…. I DO fully realize that it's Good Friday. A super important day. But I'm saving my thoughts for Monday… which is a super special day for us and that it falls right around Easter this first year makes it even more poignant.
(I had horrible fears of people being like… what kind of Christian is she!?! She's ignoring Good Friday!!! Rest assured… I am not! I promise!)
I don't know if this way of thinking would help or not – but Olympic Gymnast Shannon Miller had braces on her legs when she was a baby for a year because her legs were turning in instead of growing straight and now she's a two-time olympian.
Maybe God has something similar in mind for Annabelle and what he wants for her future but that this is a challenge that she needs to overcome first.
As far as schedules – it's a must as often as possible. BIG difference in her personality, how she sleeps, eats, etc when she is on a semi-set schedule compared to none like when she is at her dad's house.
For myself and things I want to do – I mostly try to plan it all out if at all possible, but things like the weather sometimes get in my way, lol.
I was not a scheduler until Simon came along. It has progressed in the same direction as your tendencies. Now I have been known to yell and dole out punishments to the ones who drag their feet and mess with my schedule! We have even come to the point where both the 12 year old and the 10 year old have asked me numerous times "Mom, why are you so cranky?!"