Cast On, Cast Off, Cast On...

   We had a very busy October-November. October 16th -November 14th Addie had 5 sets of casts. The first four were changed weekly and the last was following her Achilles' tendon release and will stay on until December 8th. It has been a crazy and busy couple months. The time during the weekly casting change the kids and I just bounced around the Northwest area from house to house.
   We finally came home for a little over 2 weeks before we head back up North for her arm and foot follow-up. She has been doing amazing with her arm! She has almost 90 degrees external rotation and a regular 30-45 abduction. We are pleased with the results so far and anticipate more as she continues to strengthen it!
   The Dr who did her feet was also pleased with them. He said he got full correction through the surgery! We have never had that before so we are excited to see how they look after the casts come off! Their office told us that the typical plan is for the child to wear braces for 3 months after surgery day and night and then switch to just night time ones. Addie had started to walk a bit without her braces right before casting but it was all on the side of her foot and was very awkward and uncomfortable. We are hopefully that now with the correction she will be able to walk on her feet correctly without braces in a few months.
   The plan after our next trip is to come home and have multiple therapy sessions a week. The goal is to continue 1 a week for OT, 2-3 for PT, and 1 for speech. It will be crazy for awhile but the hope is that the PT will help keep the correction we have gained from surgery in her feet. The OT we are hoping will continue to help strengthening her arm so she is able to increase her range of motion. The Speech is just to help get all of her syllables out so she is able to be understood more easily.
   It has been an incredibly difficult and exhausting 8 weeks but God has been faithful. We are so thankful we were able to travel to see this doctor for her feet and the one for her arm. We are amazed by her continued improvements! I don't want to have to be gone that long from home again, but if she is able to walk without braces like they anticipate it will all be worth it!
   This is the verse God gave me during our 5 week trip "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." 1 Peter 1:6 He is saying that we rejoice in our salvation in spite of the difficulties of life. We all face our difficulties but for those of us that have found our hope in Jesus we know there is a greater purpose. This is not all there is. When I was gone for so long I had fun and did things that were nice but I wasn't home. It was all off a little because I wasn't where I belonged. That is how life on this world is supposed to be for Christians. This is not our home we are aliens here, Heaven is where we want to be. We can have fun and experience things but our goal should be to do what needs to be done to get home. I just wanted to get her casts on and her surgery done so that I could go home. When there is an end goal in sight it makes the trials not as bad. We can rejoice because we know that He is leading us somewhere for His glory and in the end we will be with Him. You should all know one of my favorite verses by now Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." That time away wasn't easy, it wasn't ideal but God had a purpose. I was where I needed to be and I know a few of the reasons why. When we are following Him, He leads us places we would never go alone but we are not alone! There is good that has come from that time away and there is more that is coming. So in the midst we must choose joy so that we don't miss an opportunity to bring Him glory or to share with others that He has put in front of us!

Psalms 23

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.