Foot surgery again

As you all know Anna's left foot is a club foot.  Last year she had serial casting and tendon release surgery to correct the foot enough to get it in a brace so that she could learn to walk.  She has done so well that she has walked her way into more surgery! Yay and Boo all at the same time. Initially the plan was to do a complete workover on her left foot to align the bones and get the foot in a more "natural foot" position.  Currently her foot still turns under if she doesn't have her brace on. Last week when we went in for her pre-surgery consultation I started talking to the doctor about problems we were having with the brace on her right foot.  He watched her walk and looked at the foot and said that it is a foot problem that is making bracing that foot difficult.   So..... she's also having surgery on her right foot now.  Poor girl will be in full leg casts on both legs for four weeks! Thankfully she has a wheelchair she can maneuver herself and she will be able to get down and crawl.  But no walking for four weeks. After that she will have walking casts until her new braces arrive.

So tomorrow, April 3rd at 12:00pm she will have a 3-4 hour surgery to correct issues with both of her feet.  We had hoped for an earlier appointment which would have made going home the same day more feasible, but it looks like Anna and I (or K.C.) will be spending the night at the hospital.

A lot of people have asked me if this surgery will help her walk without crutches or without braces. Pretty much the answer is no. She will always have to have braces on her feet to support her and there are too many factors involved to know if this will help her to walk without assistance.  The main purpose of the surgery is to get her feet more easily braceable in order for her to continue to be as mobile as she is.  It might even help her walk without crutches, but the truth is that her left leg is just not very strong and has so many issues that walking unassisted just may not be in her future.  Of course, Anna likes to break the rules, so you just never know.  She does amazing things with what she's been given and we know this surgery will help her to have the best mobility we can give her.

Please pray that Anna does well during and after surgery and is in minimal pain.  The one benefit having Spina Bifida is that her sensation is greatly decreased in her feet, especially the left one.  She will be in much less pain than the rest of us would be in.  Also please pray that she would adapt well to using her wheelchair and crawling for 4 weeks.  She has proven that she can adapt to any situation but she is so mobile right now that I know it will not be fun for her to have two bulky casts on her legs. 

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers for Anna.  We know that this temporary discomfort and inconvenience will be worth it for the end result.  Although there is no surgery that is going to allow her to walk without bracing, this surgery will help her to continue to increase her level of mobility.