Shriners

Well, of course we have to have a picture! So, even though this post has nothing to do with ice cream or the fact that Zach thoroughly enjoyed his ice cream cone, here is a picture for your viewing pleasure. Or at least mine... On to the real reason for this post....

We are lucky to have a Shriners Hospital for Children an hour away in Salt Lake City. Zach's therapists had mentioned applying a couple of months ago and I got around to it a while ago. They accepted him and will see him for orthopedic needs. They don't base the decision on financial need but the needs of the children and there is no charge for all of the services performed within the hospital. They even make the braces there so they don't cost us anything. They are really expensive normally, I think about $1500 and have to be replaced often as the kids grow. So we are very thankful to be able to go to Shriners.

We had our first appointment this morning and Zach and I went up for his appointment at 8:00 in the morning. Of course we hit traffic and had a lot of stopping where there had been an accident. The hospital is located up by an area called The Avenues where there are a lot of beautiful old homes. Some are small and some are mansions, but most are well cared for and very charming. It had been years since I had been in that area but I would love to own a home there someday! Aaahhh. I digress....

Anyway, everyone was very nice at the hospital and the doctor evaluated his legs and hips to determine the need for bracing. He felt, as has his therapist, that braces called DAFO's (I don't remember the real name...oops) would help him support weight and to keep his feet in the right position. He also said that in the future he may need to have the tendons in his heel and hips released so that he can have the full range of motion that he should have.

They sent us over to the orthopedic section to make an appointment to make the mold for the braces but the nice man there squeezed us in so that we wouldn't have to return. It was a quick process, but Zach was getting tired and hungry, so he wasn't thrilled with it. The braces should be done in about two weeks.

They also sent us to physical therapy to have a therapist evaluate him but they were busy so I need to call and make an appointment. I'll probably do it for when we pick up the braces.

It was a great experience and I'm glad that Zach will have more tools to help him become as independent and mobile as possible. We will also be ordering him his very own stander tomorrow, one that he will be able to move himself around in. They will be coming here to measure him and show us the different options. By the time it goes through insurance and gets ordered, delivered, fitted, etc, it will probably take a couple of months before we get it so I guess we'll just have to keep using the one from early intervention. I'm very glad we've been able to use it, it's just really difficult to get him in, he knows how to undo himself and it takes up a lot of room.

Exciting things!