Possible Legg-Perthes...Monkey Face

I just wanted to ask for prayer. If you've read my blog for very long you know that my oldest, Beanie was diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition called Legg-Perthes (Legg-Calve-Perthes) in March of 2007.

Well, my little Monkey-Face has been limping off and on for about 6 weeks...we got her adjusted about 5 weeks ago and she kind of stopped and then it got much worse and so last week we got her adjusted again. Unlike the first time she didn't stop limping with the adjustment.

Last week I called Scottish Rite and asked them what I should do with her, would they see her. They said that they would but that our regular doctor was out of town at the moment and that they would call me when he got back in a couple weeks.

She fell down pretty hard on Wednesday and both her knee and her hip popped loudly. So I called my pediatrician, to have her looked at.

We saw my ped this morning. She feels the the mobility of the hip needs to be looked at further...and that it looks like this could be the same thing that we went through with Beanie just before she was diagnosed. She is sending a referral to Scottish Rite today. She would like us to be seen as soon as possible...she actually SAID, "I want her in there next week."

I also talked to Scottish Rite and expect them to call with an appointment time sometime today or Monday.

I would ask that you pray. Pray for healing. Pray for wisdom.

I'm feeling a little numb...almost fatalistic. I can't really explain it. I understood my emotions last time. This time I just feel like pretending that nothing is happening.

And I need you to pray for my Bubba. He is MAD. Not at me or anybody...just in general...and I don't think he knows how to deal with this either.

We don't even KNOW that it's Legg-Perthes, but it's hard not to assume that it is. I think it's fair enough to say we've dealt with this enough to know how to deal with it...but that we don't WANNA...and we don't want HER to have to deal with it...and what we want to do is kick and scream like a 3 year old in a tantrum...if you know what I mean.

Pray the Lord strengthen our backs to the task before us...and that we not lose heart.

See ya around...

Warm day in February

Well since I SAID Beanie finally started playing yesterday...I thought I'd show you just what I meant...it was practically a party.





And then they all got into it...while her sisters were spinning, Monkey Face had a photo shoot...





Apparently inverted causes NO hip pain...







See ya around...

This child...

This child has been bothering me for ALMOST a month.



This child got the flu way back then and started hurting and would say at least once per day, "Mom, my knee" or "Mom, I can't raise my right leg" (her Legg Perthes is in her left). Now there is a certain amount of soreness that happens with every illness. You know how older people talk about feeling the cold and flu in their joints...well same deal here. But this was more than that.

She then sorta got better and the ice storm blew in...and she started hurting some more. Now there is a certain amount of stiffness and pain that rolls in with any change in the weather. I don't tell you all of those, cuz well, we live in Texas...but suffice to say spring and fall are sore seasons for Beanie. But this was bad enough that she really did have days she could NOT get up the stairs...and a couple of times I had to help her into her bed. (It's a tall princess bed, you see.) But this was bigger than that. Now her joints were locking. Her muscles wouldn't relax. She started taking 2 epsom salt baths per day and I was giving a lot more motrin than I usually have to, and it still was JUST barely cutting it.



Well this week she was particularly troubling. I'm talkin' SORE! The "hurt you to look at her" sore. The "can I carry you, baby" sore. Round about Tuesday, I'd had it...course, Wednesday I woke with a raging fever and zero energy...so we sat. She sat in a bath...but we all sat.

Thursday, I managed to rally and take her to the chiro. He was perplexed. She was bothering him. He had NEVER (in the 2 years he's been working with us, including 14 days ago when we saw him last) seen her this stiff...this twisted. (I said, "I know, RIGHT?") So he adjusted a little here and there...her knees were completely wonky. Her right hip was out. And her back...her poor back...I could see it was completely crooked when he had her stand a certain way. So it was all adjusted. She felt better immediately.

But Dr. Jeff (that's what we call him) was still perplexed. He made her walk. He muscle tested. He made her stand. And then he said, "Well, hmmm, her left leg is finally shorter than the other. That's why her right hurts so bad, she's WAY overcompensating...she needs a heel lift." And sure enough, he was right. When she stood square with her back to me, her left cheek is a good 3/4 inch lower in her jeans.

Now this SHOULD be something I knew...I mean I'd seen the X-Rays...you don't lose HALF of your femoral head without losing leg length at least for awhile. Goes to show how much we DON'T think about things if we don't want to, because I was definately set back a pace. And that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that has been growing all month got to be about the size of a grapefruit.



So we went home. I called Scottish Rite...talked to them about her leg being shorter, they assured me this was normal. Talked to them about a possible heel lift, they agreed this could help. Talked to them about looking at the X-Ray from December 2009 again and making sure there was no Perthes in her right hip, they agreed that they would and call me. My momma heart needs to be sure.

Friday morning dawned with a very sore little girl. Into the tub she went and then BACK to the chiro...this time with the X-Rays that we have. He fitted her with a heel lift on the left side (9mm), adjusted her again, made her walk and stand again, and told me to bring her back Monday after her muscles had relaxed into the heel lift, so he could be sure it wasn't too high. And we went home.

Now, I noticed something within about an hour. She was walking a bit more. She had been just sitting and if she had to move at all, it was with a lot of thought and a frowning brow. She was getting up easier. She was still stiff, make no mistake...but she went and got her OWN blanket instead of sending her sister for the first time all week.



She woke up Saturday morning a completely new kid. She said, "It doesn't hurt at all!!" I said, "At all????" She said, "Nope" and shifted her weight back and forth to prove it. She stepped up on a stool. She offered to make breakfast (she's a mean scrambled egg maker). I let her.

I also let her play outside with her sisters.

But I didn't let her help her daddy with soccer practice, because well, running on awful sore joints, even if they aren't sore at this MOMENT, seemed unwise.

I wouldn't let her ride her scooter, because well, she still couldn't lift her right leg high enough to ride her bike, I'm not sure pounding that leg down on the ground seemed like the best thing under the circumstances.

I wouldn't let her go to her friend's down the street to *build a hotel*...I thought that MIGHT NOT be a grand idea in light of this being the first time in a week she could carry her own weight up and down the stairs. By this time she was put out, to say the least.

She was sore again last night, but play worn sore...not itty bitty little old lady sore. I haven't seen her yet this morning. I don't know how she feels after even the small amount of playing yesterday. But I hope she's decided to stop being such a bother, cuz I've decided the sick pit of my stomach needs a break.



See ya around...

We, Wii, Wheeeeee!

About two weeks ago, we got a Wii.

Now it should be stated that as a former computer nerd, I am not really all that interested in my children being all that interested in video games. Other than a couple that we HAD already...they'd never even SEEN them until about a year ago when we got an older Xbox and the Leggo Star Wars game. So while the Wii looked fun, I wasn't interested...

Until I heard about Wii Fit.

Now, if you've read my blog for very long, you know that my oldest daughter, Bean, has a hip condition (Legg Perthes-to view more of that journey look here and here) that keeps her from doing many normal kid exercises. I actually have to THINK about how much exercise she gets, as opposed to my other kids who I need to slow down. In winter, it's harder than ever.

Well, I saw the Wii Fit. I scoured google for any mention of it. I asked people on boards that I frequent. I wanted to know...does it REALLY give you an honest workout...I mean it's a board on the floor that you walk around and shift your weight, how much of a work out could you get? The more that I read, the more responses I got, the more I was sure this was just the thing. It was non-impact (or could be completely non-impact) and focused on your "core"...you know that abdominal area that supposed to be the most important area...and it focused on balance which is an area that could improve for ALL my kids.

So we went in search of the elusive Wii Console and the even MORE elusive Wii Fit with Balance Board. It took us a little over a week to find both.

It has been a hit. The girls start their day with the body check...it basically weighs them and shows them their center of balance...not a big deal to people with normal femoral heads...but pretty helpful for Bean to realize she's REALLY leaning to the right.

Then they do their "workout" which includes some light yoga, some light strength training, some pretty good aerobics (hula hooping is like, WOW, fer sure) and some really fun, really challenging balance exercises. Monkey Face likes the jogging best, the rest of it is too hard to understand what she is supposed to be doing...she can do the step a little, but the rest of it usually just makes her mad. Bear likes ALL the aerobic stuff...she's actually unlocked it all. Her current favorite is the rhythm boxing, but she is a hula hoop MASTER. And Bean? Well, Bean can not do the hula hoop at all...she just can't make a circle with her hips...but she is AWESOME at the Tilt Table balance exercise, she's great at the step and rhythm boxing and I think her very favorite two are the ski jump and the slalom.

Weird enough, I'm REALLY happy with it. This from the woman who swore that her children would NEVER be exposed to video games on a large scale. I love that they are moving their little bodies in a productive way, even when it's too cold and wet outside...I love to hear them giggle when they miss a ski jump and their little cyber character (Mii) rolls down the hill as a snow ball. I love that it gives them coins and I can say, "You can play until you have 30 coins, then it's time to turn it off"...

Oh, and I love Wii Sports that came with the console. It rocks. I can't THINK of the last time I went bowling or played tennis with my husband. Bubba and I can take a couple of frames or sets just cuz...and it's strangely dreamy.

Monkey Faces FAVORITE game, Boxing on Wii Sports...she was so fast for the first 5 opponents that now the Wii thinks she's a pro and gives her harder and harder opponents...Bubba and I sneak in with her Mii when she is not looking and lose so that the scale will come down enough for her to be able to beat them again...



Bear likes boxing too...I like Bear's Mii best. It's quintessential Bear...with little blond piggy tales and everything...makes me smile every time I see it.



And here is Miss Beanie on her advanced Step game. She's way better at it than I am, which is irritating because it proves once again that I truly AM the clumsiest person on the planet...



Look...it's a jogging team...uniforms and everything...



And, doesn't this look like my Dad?



Well I think it does...

See you around...