Post Op X ray!

It has been 17 days since Ava's first hip surgery, some days it feels like yesterday, other days it feels like it's been months. I could not wait for our post op appointment! This was our moment of truth, the x ray to see if her hip is healing properly. After a 20 minute wait we were finally called in. The nurse came to get us to do the x ray, then we patiently waited for Dr. A. Once in the room, Dr. A put the x ray from 2 weeks before the surgery and the x ray from today on the screen. Ava's left hip was in place and everything was healing perfectly. Yeah!!! My eyes filled with tears of joy,this was the first time since her diagnosis that I felt true relief. My baby is half way healed. Seeing that x ray and having the comparison of her bad hip and now good hip says it all. There stood the reason we put Ava through this. There was the reason although I am exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally that I take each day at a time. I have read so many stories about things going wrong when hip dislocation is diagnosed at an older age that I found it hard to believe everything would go as planned. I am so thankful that so far in our journey everything is going great. I guess there is something to say for optimism and as far as doctors go we could not have picked a more encouraging and optimistic doctor. This has truely been a blessing.

Having a 4 year old in a Spica cast is very stressful. Ava has always had a sassy and at times demanding personailty. She's a girl who knows what she wants and now it's magnified, making moments that sometimes you just have to walk away. Everyone has been so generous with gifts and coming to visit but can be tremendously overwhelming to her. She has never been a child that wanted to be center of attention and now she has an abundance of it. There  are times when Ava has been less the gracious and out right embarrassing to us. None of it is acceptable behavior but she is a 4 year old stuck in a cast that has made her immobile and dependent on everyone around her. She gets tired and frustrated and we all have to remember she's four! This last 2 weeks has not been easy on any of us. We are all surviving on little sleep and doing the best we can to get through it. It breaks my heart knowing that in 2 1/2weeks we have to go through it again but knowing that after she  will be on the road to complete recovery makes it all worth it. By the end of August our Princess P will be healed.

I hope someone can learn or gain hope from our story. The statistics aren't great once diagnosed with hip dysplasia at any degree. The information that can be found is usually based off someone not having the expected outcome and looking for help. The biggest way to help others is raise awareness. Please pass my blog on, you never know who this may reach. If we can help one child or family get through DDH then this makes it all worth it. My family is so blessed to have such a strong support system and I want to give back to others that may not have the same. Keep praying for Ava's full recovery. I have no doubt that my strong, brave girl will beat the odds. xoxo