therapy

When Will was going through his first prosthetic making process in the summer of 2008, I recorded it here, here, here, and here.  I thought that our friends & family might like to see the gazillion steps that go into creating prosthetics.  It is no easy task and is actually quite an art form, as I've learned.  I have decided to do something similar with Ellie so that our friends and family can see what goes into the taping and splinting of Ellie's lowers that we do at the hospital.

Here is Ellie with her primary therapists:  Rosa & Brenda

(Brenda was also Will's pt when he was learning how to use his first set of prosthetics.  Bless her heart -she has had to do some serious therapy on our children & on me!)

Obviously, Ellie loves Rosa & Brenda!

As an infant, they do her therapy while she is in a bouncer.  Perhaps this is why she naps so good in a bouncer!

They set up all their supplies within easy reach.

(This week, they are teaching me how to do this & supervising me as I begin to do it on my own.  To say I am overwhelmed is an understatement.  It was a lot of work this morning and so many details to be aware of - and they've only taught me the first three steps!) 

I am very nervous about doing this all on my own at home.
I also haven't quite figured out where to set up my "taping station" at home.  I need to add on an orthopedic unit!

First they do her exercises.  I do the same series of exercises at home three times a day.  Some of them she doesn't mind.  Some of them make her scream.

Then, they put some protective film on her legs followed by underwrap and tape.  There are very specific directions for applying the underwrap - it was difficult for me to do this morning.  The tape also has very specific directions as it is being used to carefully hold her foot into the proper position.  

(This part below, I won't be doing at home.  It can only be done here at the hospital in Dallas.)

Then, they mold plastic around her legs and feet to create KAFO's (knee, ankle, foot orthotics)

These are what we commonly refer to as splints.

It takes several minutes for the kafo's to dry.

Once it is dry, they line it with soft flannel to protect her skin and apply straps.  

They use a combination of soft straps and colored velcro straps.

Naturally, I tend to choose baby pink for my color.  (Although I did do orange Halloween week.)

And then they do the other leg and foot.

And then I take her home where I can remove the splints three times a day to do her stretches and exercises.

48 hours later, I cut off the tape and take her back in to do the whole thing over again.

It's a lot of work.

For the weekends, they make soft casts but I forgot to take any pictures of this process.  I won't be doing the soft casts at home - just taping every 24 hours and bringing her back every other week for new splints.

Wears me out just thinking about it.

So I think I'll go take a little nap.