Deep breath - hairwashing (help!)

Right.

Deep breath.

Sometime very soon I need to tackle hairwashing.

I have deliberately avoided this until now, but the weather has been very hot (well, for March it has) and J is sweating in his heavy-weight cast.

I've investigated the trays that the occupational therapist mentioned:

I can't see how J is going to cope with any of those. It's like wrestling an alligator (a very strong one at that!) to clean teeth and he loathes lying on his back now (he finds it hard to get up with the new cast, though he's getting better).

He was never keen even in the bath because of the risk of water getting in his eyes. And yes, we do have a special jug that means that when he holds still it's unlikely to go in his eyes. Sometimes it was just easier to get it over and done with quickly with lots of water (including in his face) and then dry off the hair and tears at the same time.

If he co-operates then any of the above might work. But if not ("NOOOOOOOOOO"!!!!) then I may as well hold him upside down and dunk him in the bath. Yes I am kidding, before you start getting worried!

I guess the key is distraction, distraction, distraction...

Wish me luck! (I'll report back!)

How very young children adapt and "get on with life"

I am amazed at how adaptable very young children are.

J doesn't seem to view his new cast as anything that would stop him - he just gets on with what he wants to do and on the whole it's as if he isn't wearing the cast at all.

Yesterday he wanted to pick daisies. I would term that as "difficult" for J at the moment because he can't just bend over as he could without the cast. But he didn't hesitate when I said about picking them, he just carefully moved his legs further apart, very carefully bent his legs and moved his body forward (he's learning how to deal with the extra weight and knows he would topple if he were too quick) then reached out with his hand. I'll try and video it next time.

Adults might complain and moan and we would wonder when we'd be able to do things how we used to be able to. None of which would help.

On the odd occasion when he has toppled over or has got stuck on the floor, he has squawked for me to help, but once he's up again that's the end of the matter.

I'm torn as to whether to draw a lesson from that for us or whether to simply make it an observation for now. There is an argument that we can be *too* stoical when things are hard - but perhaps it's "living in the moment" where children are our best teachers.  

The Big Day - in photos

Having got up at 4.25am and been on the go ever since (we left hospital 6pm and got home at 9.20pm after J got upset in the car and needed a break at a service station) this is going to be minimalistic but I hope to write more tomorrow.

The good news is that J is ok. The cast is on  and it's purple and blue - but he didn't get any say in the matter :-(

He was a bit wobbly after the procedure (the new cast is heavier and affected his balance) and found it hard to get up from certain positions. But he attacked lunch with gusto within an hour of leaving recovery and went off to play in the huge play area, running, climbing and everything with few signs of it having affected him!

5.55am and J is etcha sketching as we set off in the car

 J looked  v peaceful till he spotted the camera...

 J said no to everything until one of the wonderful nurses let him "ping" the thermometer caps. He did it again and again and was much happier after that!

 J didn't want an identity bracelet and was refusing when suddenly bubbles appeared - the play specialist is an expert in distraction and spotted that we needed some help. Fantastic!

 Playdo. Spot froggy in the background adorned with the stickers J "earned" for putting on the bracelet. Spot the said bracelet now taken off on the table...

 Stickle brix. J loved them. V glad I got some at the NCT sale the other day.

 We went to the pre-op room about 9.20 (there were problems with beds for post-op so we were delayed). J had had a syringe of pre-med already and was drowsy on the way down (looked drunk!). By this stage he's pretty much out of it. The idea is that he won't remember the anaesthetic next time so he won't remember to hate it!

 Receiving the gas

 This is amazing - they agreed to take my camera into the operating theatre. The pics below are of the cast being applied.

 This is on the frame- after the undercoat is stitched on they then manipulate the spine.

 Plaster of paris is applied

 Now the layer we're familiar with - the coloured part.

 They cut a hole in the tummy to allow for expansion when eating (in the past it was found the stomach was distorted permanently and there were big probs)

 Note the monitor on J's ear (I think heart)

 The felt edging is applied to make it softer on the skin.

 This cast has two holes at the side for rib cage expansion.

 All done and a hug from froggy :-)

 J was on a nurses knee for an hour before they called me (his temp had gone down to 34 degrees so he was wrapped up in blankets). Here we are up in the ward afterwards. Note the huge gap above the shoulder. I guess it's for movement - but it makes him look v american footballerish in clothes!

 Right as rain.

 Back to normal - if it's not plugs it's poking tubes in the v accessible holes by the cot

 I got him a lovely balloon while I was waiting for the call to get him

 In the play area in the afternoon

 Dolls house

 Getting weary

 J got upset on the way home so we stopped at a service station. This is about 8.30pm having been on the go all day...

 I told the photographer to take more than one because one or other of us would have our eyes shut and J deliberately closed his eyes and laughed. He has a lovely sense of humour :-)

I will blog the details tomorrow.
Good night
All is quiet with J, so I'm hoping for a quiet night...


[infantile scoliosis J's diary blogspot]
http://infantilescoliosis-diary.blogspot.co.uk/