Use Those Feet

In the scheme of living at the hospital, today could be filed under good days.  Averi didn't need oxygen last night, her ANC finally started going up (to 12, but up none the less), and her orthodics came today!

Here's the background on Averi's feet...she doesn't know she can use them.  When you try to stand her up she pulls her legs up.  If she ever does straighten her legs, they are overextended because she is mad, which also doesn't use any muscle.  You can't learn to walk if u refuse to stand.

After some encouragement from a friend and DS mom, I decided to push the issue of getting orthodics.  The catch?  They don't usually prescribe orthodics until a child is standing and cruising.  I convinced her inpatient PT (who has worked with them but never prescribed them) that orthodics would help Averi be more aware of her feet, give her something to push with when trying to crawl, and help give support to her almost nonexistent little ankles.

It worked.  She made the call and worked out a way for the man who makes them to come to the hospital for the fitting.  After several weeks of being in and out of the hospital for illnesses, we finally started this cycle and he came last Friday to measure her ankles.  And today, they finally arrived, all cute and tiny!

Orthodics have to be worn with shoes, which is funny because Averi's feet have never been big enough for even a size 1.  With the orthodics on, however, she fits snuggly into a size 3.  Looks like we are going shoe shopping.