Understanding...

Tomorrow it will be four weeks since we received Ava's diagnosis from her Orthopedic doctor. I think every moment since then all I think of is what Ava will have to endure and what can it be that is keeping her from growing. My heart aches for my daughter but I also know she is a strong little girl and will survive anything brought her way. Over and over she has proved to us what a fighter she is. I am slowly getting over the shock of what Ava will go through and taking the steps needed to prepare for the upcoming months. A lot of information was thrown mine and David's way at that appointment. Now that I have had time to digest what will happen I realized I didn't even have the name of her exact diagnosis or the surgery that will be performed. While we wait for the day of the surgery to arrive we have appointments with her other specialists to try to determine what is causing the growth delay. I feel like we are working against time to find answers and having to deal with two separate  issues is very overwhelming.

Today was the first time I felt ready to call the doctor's office and hear the information we need to know. Ava's diagnosis is Bi Lateral Congenital Hip Dislocation. She will undergo an Open Reduction Surgery, a Capsulorrhaphy, an Abduction Lengthening, a Pelvic Osteotomy and the finally a Spica Cast. Wow! No wonder we did not retain much from our office visit. The first thing I did was google every word that was given to me so I could understand what would happen to my baby. Plain and simple they need to fit the ball back in the socket, put pins to hold it in place and lengthen the tendons, hamstring and heel cords to allow proper growth. Next a spica cast will be put on to hold everything in place while she heels. And all this has to be done twice. Again this was a lot of information to take in but I do feel better knowing. The more information I obtain helps my family and I understand what we will be up against.

Ava's health and diagnosis has consumed my life. It is the last thing I think about before bed and the first thing I think of when I wake up. Tears still fill my eyes through out the day just thinking about what she'll go through.  I try to keep busy and keep life as normal as possible for both Jack and Ava, but no matter what I am doing the wheels are turning about the next doctor's  appointment, what test has to be done, trying to prioritize and plan for what is to come. All I want for my children is to have a healthy and happy life. I pray we will get an answer soon about to the growth problem and we all make it through the next few months stronger then we began.