A Visit to the Spina Bifida Clinic

Friday was a big morning for our little family- our much anticipated meeting with the Spina Bifida Clinic. Of course the night before Carson decided he didn't want to sleep so Nate and I did our best to try and focus on what the doctors there had to say. We meet with an Orthopedic doctor, a dietitian, a Physical Therapist, an Occupational Therapist, and a pediatrician. Most of their assessments on Carson were things we had already learned, but there were a few new bits of information.

The Physical Therapist confirmed that she believed that Carson would some day walk with ankle braces. Secretly I had always hoped that maybe he would exceed this and wouldn't need any assistance at all, but after meeting with her we know it isn't possible. Carson does not have calf muscles or the ability to build them. This means he'll need the ankle braces to help balance out his shin muscles and quads.

In the near future Carson may also need casts on his legs to help increase his flexibility in his ankles. The tendons in the front of his ankles are extremely tight forcing his feet upwards. We are currently working on exercises to help stretch that tendon so that his feet will rest at a normal angle. Hopefully if the stretches are successful he won't need the series of casting.

Overall Nate and I felt uplifted and motivated after his appointments at the Spina Bifida Clinic. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by Carson's special circumstances, but compared to what could have happened, Carson is well off. It puts it in perspective.

Also positive to report is Carson's baptism right around the corner; March 1 at 9:30 am. We'd like to extend an invitation to everyone- friends, family, and anyone else connected through our blog. We will be serving at least cake (but probably also a light lunch) following the service. The baptism will be at Woolawn CRC. This is not the church Nate and I attend (We're currently looking for a new church), but it's the church Nate grew up in and was also baptized at. Please join us!

We'd also like to remind everyone to please pray for Carson's appointment on Wed. Recently the fluid in his ventricles increased so he will be having a CT scan to take a closer look at his brain. It is likely that we will learn that he'll need a shunt surgery to relieve the fluid. Please pray that the tests will reveal a decrease in fluid.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and support. We hope to see you all on March 1!