Casting Off

Millie's cast was taken off last Tuesday. This is another case where we looked forward to the milestone without realizing the difficulties involved. Without the support of the cast, Millie is no longer able to get around easily. She must use her crutches constantly, and is unable to walk. The muscles in her leg have atrophied (and those that had connected to her now non-existent upper fibula have to recover from being surgically reattached to her tibia)- and the important peroneal nerve that ran along the tumor site will take months to repair itself after the bruising from surgery. Because of this she has a condition called dropfoot. The dropfoot combined with the weak leg muscles makes it very difficult for her to take a step.

But, as she is Millie, she is trying. Every day she tries to put more weight on her foot, to stand on both legs, and to attempt stepping while holding on to our hands. Each step goes like this: She gingerly places her right foot flat on the floor in front of her while holding on tightly to one of us. Then she hops quickly with her left foot to meet up with the right. The force of the hop and added weight on her weak right leg causes the right knee to collapse down and inward until the other foot lands and she can straighten herself up.

She tries, though! She is trying so hard to strengthen her muscles. We'll see a physical therapist and a neurologist in the hospital this week (I guess I'll be meeting that same neurologist again who fought me about the feeding tube). We'll get some good exercises to do- and perhaps some kind of foot brace she can wear so that she can get around better.

We will be in the hospital 6 days this week- cycle 8 of chemo. I heard from the nurse that the pediatric ward is packed- so we may have difficulty getting a bed- and surely will be in a 3-family room. I am sure everyone there is just like us- worn out, impatient, and just wanting our old lives back.