Just jammin to my new Ipod Nano in pink that my awesome husband got for me. He combined my birthday, mothers day and anniversary and I am so excited! It is so fun. I even put photos of the boys on it. And it has a stopwatch so when I run, I can see how long I am actually running, instead of looking at my cell phone when I leave and when I get back, hey one minute can make a difference!
Now, on to what I really wanted to write about.
Yesterday, Sage, Kolby and I went to meet a family with a little girl one month younger than Kolby who was also born with bilateral club foot. She is not doing as well as Kolby. When Kolby doesn't wear shoes or when he does, no one would notice that his feet were clubbed at birth. His feet look perfect and pretty much like every other babies feet. This little girls are much worse. Her feet are still noticeable turned in. She has been through two surgeries in her short life. It breaks my heart for her. Guess what doctor she sees? The doctor we didn't go back to. When Kolby was 7 days old, we took him to Dr. Marsh at Yale New Haven Hospital. We were so glad that we were going to receive world renown care. We had done our research. We knew we wanted the Ponsetti method for treatment. It is the best. It is proven. Dr. Ponsetti is still seeing patients at the University of Iowa. He has done extensive research and his treatment is proven time and time again. In is non-invasive. It requires castings changed weekly with the casts going half-way up the baby's thigh. (I would show pictures of Kolby with them on but they are on a different computer.) We knew this was the best option for our baby. I knew it. We wanted the best and weren't going to settle. But, we were going to Yale, how can you get better than that, right? Wrong. So wrong.
We spent time talking to two residents, asking questions. Asking about the Ponsetti method. We were assured that is what Dr. Marsh practices. We asked the resident, if it were your child, would you bring him here or go somewhere else? He said he would take his child to the Childrens Hospital where the doctor is treating club foot everyday. RED FLAG! We asked how many club foot patients he sees. I don't remember exactly but I want to say 3 a year. Finally, we were taken back to the casting room and met Dr. Marsh himself. We asked him some more questions and he assurred us that he is excellent with club foot. In fact, so excellent he has been treating the same patients for 18 years! RED FLAG! Club foot is very correctable. It might take a few years and of course we expect to take Kolby in for check ups but he shouldn't need treatment at 18. 2 Red Flags. We went ahead and got casts put on Kolby. I held my 7 day old baby on my lap as the doctor "massaged" his feet and Kolby screamed and he slapped plaster around Kolby's foot and up to his knee. RED FLAG! We asked about the cast going up his thigh. Dr. Marsh looked up at me, crying and said that is the reason we don't put casts up the thigh. Implying that the reason was because of my emotions.
We made another appointment, hoping that we would find someone better. Right when we got home, we got on the internet and looked at Connecticut Childrens Hospital and found Dr. Thomson. Wonderful Dr. Thomson. We called afraid we wouldn't be able to get an appointment. We got one in less than a week. We are so fortunate. The second casting was so different. Kolby still cried. But they gave me sugar water to dip his passy in. And there were two of them doing the casting. Dr. Thomson would hold Kolby's foot in the exact position that he wanted and Tony would apply the plaster cast. Tony made sure the casts were smooth which made them look nice and he made sure Kolby could wiggle his toes. A world of difference.
After writing all that, I want to make sure that glory goes where it is deserved. Dr. Thomson has treated Kolby beautifully. But the glory goes to God. My BIG God. He corrected Kolby's feet. Kolby is close to walking because of God, not man. Kolby went to Dr. Thomson because of God. The Lord guided us to the best doctor in our state. We are forever grateful that Kolby's feet are so beautiful. My prayer is that Kolby will use his beautiful feet for the Lord. Romans 10:14 - 15 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Kolby's going to do great things!
