This post is brought to you by the number 26

We had our appointment today. I got the feeling that they had already decided our treatment course from the pictures and medical records I provided in advance. It was Dr. S's opinion that we are in the 10% of the infantile scoliosis patients that does not just get better on its own (something I was already convinced of but still a tiny bit of me was hoping to hear otherwise). They also were not so concerned about whether her xray was seated or laying down like our previous appointment. The doctor here said he would speak with the one in Boston to help us with some follow ups and cast removals because traveling is hard. It was exhausting getting here on my own but in truth I really wasn't on my own since many strangers were so wonderful and offered to help when ever I struggled. It was wonderful to experience such generosity and it restored some of my faith in humanity. The nurse was very kind. She told me they have 25 families currently in treatment with Mehta casting so that makes us #26. We are on the schedule for the end of October. Everyone says the first cast is the hardest. It is made more complicated because of my latex sensitivity. Tomorrow it is time to return home and start planning our next trip down for the cast. Next week we go for one more opinion which is a back up in case of insurance issues. *fingers crossed that insurance will approve the casting*

T is for Travel

It turns out that I am simply unwilling to ac cept just one opinion. For full disclosure we struggled a long time to have our family and had to turn to specialists so I learned the hard way that I shouldn't just trust one person's opinion. I have to admit that I haven't been sleeping much because I am up worried about logistics. The first is that I've never traveled alone with a baby. Alone yes... but only when my task was to just get myself from place to place and even then I wasn't always very successful. Now I have to bring Baby E with all of her stuff! Not only that be to do it two weeks in a row to get two other opinions. The other source of stress is that I don't like leaving Big Sis behind. All of the plane tickets are booked so now I just have to line up hotels and rental cars. I have to say that these children's hospitals have been wonderful. They are very nice over the phone and so willing to help traveling families. I will post again once we have our appointment in Cincinnati.

W is for waiting

We had our appointment with Children's and we were directed to wait until December to get a new xray. We also found out that our initial xray wasn't valid because it was taken in the seated position. It should have been taken with her lying down. This means we have no idea what her Cobb angle is at this point. Waiting is frustrating but waiting and not knowing puts us back at square one.