Monday, March 08, 2010

Kolby's Club Feet Part 1

I started writing this post last August. I want to finish it. Someday. Even as I read through it today, I cried. Not out of sorrow. But out of the reminder that God is good. He has brought Kolby through so much in such a short 4 years.

Tomorrow is Kolby's birthday.

************************************************************************



Here I am checking out my sweet babe for the first time. I'm pretty sure at this point, I was saying his feet look clubbed. I was right.

Our little Bo at home within the first week. We used this picture as one for his birth announcement and took the opportunity to tell friends and family about Kolby's club feet. We also thought that this was probably the way he sat in the womb. Which also explained why I didn't feel kicks but more pushes.

Kolby is 6 days old getting his first set of casts. We went to Yale New Haven Hospital expecting the best, top of the line care. I believe, had we stayed with that doctor and his care, Kolby would not be the same little boy as today. This doctor claimed to practice the Ponseti method. We had researched the Ponseti method and knew it is the best, most non-invasive treatment of club foot. And it is proven. This doctor assured us that he practiced Ponseti's method. He told us he still treats the same patients, 18 years later. (Um, yikes) Then he started manipulating Kolby's feet. Kolby screamed. He applied casts up to Kolby's knee. The Ponseti method talks about applying the cast to the thigh to ensure that it doesn't slip and cause further damage. As we questioned him and I cried as my 6 day old screamed and had casts applied, he looked at me, looked at Drew and said "See why we don't put casts all the way up the thigh?" As if to say, the mothers can't handle it. We spent time talking to the resident. When asked the question, "Would you bring your own child here for treatment?" He said "No." (Um, huge yikes!) Most likely, Kolby would have seen a different resident and a different doctor every visit resulting in inconsistent care and probably surgery with a lifetime of pain and problems.
Here is Dr. Thomson our beloved doctor at Connecticut Children's Hospital in Harford, CT. This is the first time that Dr. Thomson applied Kolby's casts. He was so good with Kolby and with me. So much more gentle. Each and every time they gave me sugar water to dip Kolby's passy into. It helped sometimes and others not so much but at least I could do something besides watch my babe scream. They kept his diaper off so they could get the cast nice and high. As a side not, we drove 45 minutes each way to see him. Most of the visits were me, Sage and Kolby. It was hard, it took our whole day, it caused us to eat out for lunch and pay for parking. I would do it all over again in an instant.

First set of correct casts.

What a difference one week makes in the right kind of correction. After taking off the casts, which they did by soaking them, Kolby's feet and legs were so tender. We were extra careful holding him while we waited for Dr. Thomson. And he was extra careful as he applied the new casts. I remember one time a resident coming to look at how Kolby's feet and he grabbed it normally and twisted it around. As Kolby immediatly began screaming. And Dr. Thomson calmly explained the amount of pain that he had just caused my little one. The resident quickly apologized. I don't think we saw him again.



13 comments:

  1. Kristy, Hey! It's Anna. We met at the scripture party!

    What a precious baby boy you have here...and the picture taken when the set of correctly placed casts came off, is amazing! Wow. Such a drastic difference.

    I can't imagine having to hear my newborn in such pain, and I am so thankful you found a good doctor up there. I would have wanted to snap at that resident, but thankfully that doctor was calm yet directive with him!

    I would LOVE to talk to you about doctors in CT, since my husband and I are moving there in late May. Can you possibly email me? I'm going to leave another comment with my email address, which you don't have to publish. I have a million questions about CT in general. We're going up soon to look for a place to live, and I don't want to be on a bad side of town! Yikes!

    Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. you know how much i love kolby. reading more of his story makes me love him and you even more. incredible work of God.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, Kristy. This story makes me cry eveytime I've read it. God is so good. You would never have known that Kolby was born with is feet turned so far in. He walks and runs! AMAZING!!!!!! Happy Birthday big boy!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Amazing, Kristy! Truly amazing. God is so good. I always know that, but to read Kolby's club feet story and see it documented with pictures is just a testimony to His love and provision for us. You are a great Mom, and Drew is a great dad! Kolby and all your kids are so blessed to have godly, caring parents, as yourselves, always going the extra mile. Happy Birthday, Kolby!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh friend, this brought tears to my eyes. It is amazing that God, through that great doc and your consistent care, was able to heal Kolby's feet. He's an amazing kid.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This story made me tear-up, too. I am so glad you found a wonderful doctor who took great care of ALL of you. What an adorable little guy he was and still is.

    Where did all that dark hair go? :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am of course crying. Moms just know, don't they? I am praising the Lord that Kolby has come so far. Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I cried when I read this too. Thank you for sharing. I'm so thankful for you that you found a doctor to take such great care of Kolby. And so thankful that Kolby got such a great mom in you! Praise God for giving you the grace to handle it all with such grace.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy Birthday Sweet Kolby! Your story started out with God's hand clearly in your life... I can't wait to see how he continues to use you for good through your sweet spirit!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am in tears, but that is a pretty constant thing around here these days. Bless his little heart, I can't imagine how tough that was on you in the very beginning of his life. God is so amazing and I might have done something not so nice to that doctor jerking his feet around and it might have involved my own hand! It bothers me to the very core when doctors who are suppose to take care of us end up being someone so heartless and so careless. Thank the good Lord that you got placed with a great doctor that took such good care of Kolby! you are an amazing mom and thank you for sharing part of his story with us! Kolby is a beautiful little guy who has such a bright future ahead of him. Happy Birthday Kolby!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kristy! This made me cry! I hadn't seen these pictures before....how difficult it must had been all of you. So thankful that Kolby's feet are healed!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I never knew what you really faced with Kolby and his feet. Thanks for sharing these pictures and your life with us. Your boys are so blessed to have you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good for you for advocating for your son. We moms are our children's best advocate.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make my day and bring a smile to my face, so thanks!