1 Day Down

Our cast saga continued on Tuesday when Gabriel went to get his cast changed. The pretty purple was replaced by a very clean white cast. To promote a different stretch Gabe's thumb was put in a different position. Albeit from tears when getting the first cast off (the cast saw is a little intimidating to a 16 month old) everything went well.

We hung out in the waiting room for awhile waiting for physical therapy to start. And as we waited, Gabe's little thumb wiggled it's way back in the cast. Because of Gabe's torticollus, his lack of use of his left hand/arm, and the fact that we're unsure exactly how much sensation Gabe has in his left arm the cast had to come immediately off. Poor Ms Danielle, and the first cast looked so nice.

We missed most of PT but Ms KC (Gabe's PT) helped Ms Danielle with the casting, so Gabe was able to spend time with her [smile]. But wouldn't you know it, we get home and are playing and Gabe wiggled his little thumb out again. Because Ms Danielle used a soft cast over the plaster I was able to unwrap the outer cast and soak the plaster off his arm myself. No quick trips out to CCCR West for us!

Thursday Ms Danielle put a 4th cast on Gabe, this time on his right arm. This 'restricter' cast is really pretty blue color (Matt likes it much more than the purple, hehe) and will be on for 1 week. During this week Gabe can't use his right hand; the hand he uses to eat, drink, move, play.

And while I anticipated it to be difficult, I didn't think the first 24 hours would be as insane as they have been. Gabe looks at his right hand and cries. He hits himself in his sleep with his right arm and wakes up crying. Gabe is completely miserable and it breaks my heart.

Gabriel refuses to do anything deliberate with his left hand, although we have made some progress during meals. He lets me put the spoon or fork in his left hand and guide it to his mouth. Not a lot of progress but we'll take it!

Ms Danielle said she could cut off his cast and make it into a removable one to help with bath time but that I'd have to make sure it stayed on all the rest of the time. After giving it a few seconds of thought, I decided we'd stick with it not being able to come off all week. Good thing too because with his gut wrentching and heart breaking sobs yesterday I would have cracked for sure.

Knowing this will only help him, and hopefully keep him away from a 3 week intensive therapy session when he turns 2, we'll keep working on it; moving lefty, using lefty and showing Gabe that lefty can work too!

I just hope the 'look at my cast and cry' sobs stop soon.

Gabe and his blue cast.