Help Harry Walk Fund

Today (Thursday) we walked over to the hospital and as I mentioned in Tuesday’s post it was to be today that Harry would have his leg’s and feet measured and to find out what the serial casting had achieved so as you can imagine we was a little nervous as yesterday was a significant day with the cast’s coming off and seeing those two lovely flat feet. Michael met us promptly and made a big fuss of Harry and his new trainer’s and Harry walked in on his frame with real purpose. Michael positioned Harry on the treatment table for the measuring and from that moment everything seemed to go wrong Harry struggled and was not happy again , Michael jotted down the result’s and then tried to placate a very upset Harry who just wanted to touch everything that he should not be touching the more Michael tried to appease him the worse he became. Blair came in to the room to look at the results and then Beth and then the new’s we had dreaded, although the casting’s had given Harry increased range in the ankle  they felt it would be best for Harry to go back in to cast’s until Monday at least. With us being told the complete opposite new’s that we wanted and the fact Harry was not doing what was being asked was too much for Shane and she blurted out something about Michael not being the ideal physio for Harry as Harry was not responding to his way’s and method’s like he did for Beth and Blair. I looked at Michael and he looked crushed his face told a story and it was the first time I had seen Michael look this way and I felt for him. Beth and Blair said it was up to us if we was to go ahead with the recasting and left us then Michael apologised to us for not being able to motivate Harry in to completing his task’s, with that Shane left the room in floods of tear’s she never wanted to hurt Michael’s feelings but felt she had done. I explained to Michael as I had done a few day’s ago that Harry is a sensitive little soul and has alway’s had female physiotherapist’s and just seem’s to respond better to female’s and it was his not his fault, Michael took what I said onboard but still looked upset. I know from what I have read and heard from other parent’s how good Michael really is he has a wacky over the top sense of humor and alway’s give’s 100 percent and his fellow work colleague’s hold him in high regard but with Harry it was not happening as we had hoped and when your time is precious you just want your child to flourish and we know when we return home the expertise that has been across the road from us will be many mile’s away. Laura from the Orthotic’s team came in to the room with Harry’s new splint’s two pair’s one for day’s and a set for night’s they are to be worn to maintain the heel cord stretch and hopefully prevent Harry from further surgery. Shane came back into the room with puffy eye’s and Michael managed to get Harry standing on a steep wedge to give his leg’s a stretch then Erica appeared and asked what were the result’s of her casting’s I told her and then said what Beth and Blair had suggested and  how we had been so elated yesterday and now so deflated today, she came up with an idea that Beth and Blair said was ok and that was for us to put Harry in to his splints straight away and use them until Monday and come back in to be measured and if this fails to give Harry the required range then he would have his leg’s recasted  later that day. At least it would give Harry some time off over the weekend with out the cumbersome cast’s but he will be wearing the fibreglass leg splint’s. Harry finished off on the total gym but was still unhappy and for the second day running I was glad to leave. We purchased a second pair of trainers to fit over Harry’s splints and Harry managed over four hour’s in them. It has not been one of our best day’s in St.louis but no one said it was going to be a walk in the park and I alway’s felt that we would have difficult day’s and this has been one but it’s how you deal with it and how you carry on, their might be tear’s of frustration from anyone of us but there are also tear’s of joy and I am sure the latter will prevail!!!!!!