Last of the long cast

Ethan had several people sign his long cast so I got some pictures of the signatures before they cut it off to check things out and decide if he needed to have his heel cord lengthened or not.

And check it out!!!! A short cast. He still isn't supposed to put any weight on it yet, but can start with a little bit next week. We had to go to three places around town to finally find a cast boot that is small enough to fit without being so long it looks like a clown shoe. This was at stop number two. We have three weeks in this cast, then they'll do a mold of his foot in order to make a new brace, then a couple weeks in another short cast until the brace comes in.

First Day of School

We're a week into school already, hard to believe its that time again. Brandon is in 3rd grade and Ethan in Kindergarten.

It was a rainy day so we couldn't get the usual in front of the building picture but had to get one inside. It was a bit of a rough day for Ethan with new kids in the class a new para and a new principle but we made it through.

Hospital

Ethan's surgery went well. He was in quite a bit of pain for the first few days but is doing much better now.

Ethan is wearing the Wall-E hat that the anesthesiologist gave him while Daddy feeds him jello and he gets fitted for his wheelchair that he'll be using until the cast is off.

The playroom was right across from Ethan's room so it was easy to get over there to play.

We go back after 3 weeks and the surgeon plans to take the cast off under sedation and see how it's healing. Ethan's heel cord is tight, the surgeon didn't want to do anything with that yet, he wanted to see if keeping the leg casted in the bent position will help stretch the heel cord enough, if not, if not, he might go in at that time and lengthen the heel cord. Either way, they will put another cast back on, most likely another full leg cast for three more weeks. When that one comes off, they can do a cast of the left foot in order to make a mold and make a new brace for that leg, then he'll get a short cast for a couple of weeks until the new brace is ready. Yes, that adds up to about 8 weeks in a cast, and Ethan is already tired of it. He wants to get up and walk so badly.

Ethan's surgery

Ethan is having surgery on his left ankle on Monday morning. This site does a good job of describing what will be done.

http://gait.aidi.udel.edu/procedures/splitposteriortendontransfer.pdf

There might be a little more that the surgeon will have to do once he gets in there, but more likely he will do this, then do more at a later date after we see how he responds. One of the issues is that because of the nerve damage from his spina bifida and his tethered spinal cord, some of the muscles are weaker, and if he does too much, those weak areas might not be able to hold up under increased pressure and he could start having issues in the opposite way. We are also watching his right foot closely because it is just barely starting to do some of the same things that the left has done.

Depending on how he's doing and handling the pain, we might be able to go home later that day. I think the hardest part will be dealing with being in a cast for 6 weeks, especially in three weeks when school starts.

Ethan is 6 years old

We had a fun birthday dinner at Chevy's, including hats and ice cream

Ice cream is important, can't even let the spoon out of our mouth to wipe up a drop of ice cream.

Ethan had a Batman birthday. He picked a yellow cake with yellow icing because that is the color of Batman's utility belt.

Brandon's Birthday

Brandon wanted an Indiana Jone's Birthday, so his chocolate cake was topped with a scene from one of the movies.
It took a little bit to figure out how to make the stand that the idol was sitting on. Brandon didn't mind eating all the M&M's from the gumball machine until he got to a brown one that I could use to be the sack of sand he used for a weight.

Birthdays

The boys got a Wii for their birthdays. Can you get a little idea of the excitement that Brandon has with the Lego Indiana Jones game?

Big brother is reading the back of the case of his game, guess I'd better do that too.

The boys gave each other cap guns for their Birthdays. Brandon's had a handkerchief so Ethan had to borrow one from grandma but decided to wear it on his head instead of his neck.

Brave Brandon

Brandon was determined to pull his tooth himself instead of letting me use the dental floss or pliers. He worked for a long time last night but nothing yet. Ethan was ready to help by holding him still while I pulled, but I set a deadline that if he didn't get it out by after lunch I would pull it before he went to grandma and grandpas.

Guess what!!!!!

He pulled it all by himself!!!

Great job Brandon!

Fishing

Ethan has been wanting to go fishing for weeks and we finally had a chance.
He was full of questions.
No one caught anything, but we had fun.

It took Ethan quite a few tries, but every once in a while he was able to cast it himself.

Brandon can cast his line better than Mommy can, that's for sure.

Pictures

I decided to try and take some pictures myself and have printed instead of going somewhere to have their 8 year old and 6 year old pictures taken. It was a lot of fun, and I might've found a new hobby.

This is one of my favorites. I do want to go back out and see if I can get one with some better smiles.

Ethan with another of his favorite sidewalkers.

Ethan's friend from the previous week was at pom pom camp and wasn't there, so she made Ethan a friendship bracelet. He wore it and talked about her all week about how much she missed him.

Brandon's first lost tooth

Brandon lost his first tooth at Grandma and Papa's house. A little dental floss and a tug by Papa and out it came.

Now Brandon wants to loose all his teeth at their house, their tooth fairy gives more money than ours does. ;o)

More riding

The second session Ethan was back to his flirting self. He now has a couple of favorite pretty girls that are sidewalkers with him.

Fun at home Therapy

First it is Ninja Ethan hitting the bop bag.

Now Batman Ethan knocking down Spiderman. The Bop Bag has been great fun, and a good way to work on coordination.

Hair Cuts

It was hair cut day today. Ethan wanted his hair to be like Mace Windu from Star Wars. He is bald. I tried for the shortest setting on my clippers but that wasn't short enough, so we got Daddy's razor and shaved it all off. Just like he wanted it, bald like Mace Windu and Lex Luthor from Superman.

I had to add this picture just because the way he has his eyes just looks so freaky. ;o)

Brandon wanted his hair to stay long. I convinced him that it would be too hot and to let me go shorter and his bangs would grow out by the time school started anyway.

Horseback Riding

Ethan got to start the summer session of Therapeutic Horseback Riding today. He made such a vast improvement last session we're hoping to see great things again this time. He was a little on edge starting up again. He's riding Warrior, the brother of Allie that he rode last time. He also has two new sidewalkers, one of which was way to talkative to him and kept touching his back on his scar which he didn't like. When he is upset or emotional about anything, he complains more about his scar. He started to get back into the swing of things by the end of the session. When I asked him later in the van about it, he said he liked it, but he didn't like the girl with the purple shirt touching his scar. I think if we can get her to stop placing her hand on that part of his back, and he gets back into the routine of it, he'll do great and have a ball again.

Spray Garden

The park that Brandon's Cub Scout Day Camp was at has a lake to swim at, and also a really neat Spray Garden for kids to play in. Wednesday after Speech we had an extra hour until time to pick up Brandon so we hung out at the Spray Garden.

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school and the annual awards assembly

In second grade, the awards were based on the district assessments. Brandon earned a certificate for outstanding achievement in Math and Spelling.

Brandon's teacher is retiring this year and the second grade made this scarf for her in art class. She has been a wonderful teacher and even though I tried, I couldn't get her talked into sticking around a few more years so that she could have Ethan also.

Back in the classroom there were more awards. Brandon earned the All-Star Reader award for completing all 6 months of the Book It program. The class also voted on many different awards and Brandon was voted Best Reader, Friendliest Boy, Computer Expert and Second Grade Movie Expert.