Sunday, March 18, 2012

A Second Opinion...

If you have ever hesitated to get a second opinion?

If you have ever felt funny about questioning your doctor's opinion?

If you have ever felt like you were betraying your doctor if you ask for a second opinion?

DON'T

Don't hesitate

Don't question

Don't feel guilty

ASK

Remember this post, Relapse?

We truly believed that Lizzie's foot was relapsing.

Lizzie's doctor thought her foot was relapsing.

We were preparing for surgery and casts


MORE CASTS


We were preparing for a wheelchair


We were preparing for NO soccer!


And then...

We got a second opinion

from a Ponseti approved doctor (go here for more info on the Ponseti casting method for clubfeet)

This doctor wasn't close

He was 3 hours away

and I don't like to drive in unfamiliar places

I guess you could call me directionally challenged

and I get REALLY tired

Funny how operating on less than 5 hours of sleep at night will do that to ya!

Go figure!

So, Lizzie and I loaded up REALLY early Monday morning
armed with coffee and snacks and coffee (heh) and directions

VERY detailed directions - sigh...

and off we went.

It was an adventure.

My girl always loves an adventure.

I love that about her!

It was the two of us against my lack of navigational skill the world

and we made it

and it was SO worth it!

This doctor...

This Ponseti approved doctor

doesn't think she is relapsing

This doctor thinks that she has a “drop foot” which means that her tendons are not strong enough to pull her foot up and over when she walks, causing Lizzie to drag that foot...

which means that if we had done the surgery, it probably would not have worked and Lizzie would have gone through an operation and weeks of casting and wheelchairs...

FOR NOTHING

This doctor did say that she may need surgery in the future...

that she still may be relapsing but that he would like to try something else first.

He wants to put Lizzie in AFO's – braces in her shoes

“special shoes”

Which means...

NO casts


NO surgery


NO wheelchair


(at least for now)

and

SOCCER!!!!!


Which makes Hubby Lizzie very happy!


Hehe!

Which makes this Momma very happy

 
Thank you to those who prayed for our Lizzie

The Lord used those prayers to direct us (literally – hehe) to the right place

to the right doctor

to our second opinion.

To read more Sunday Snapshots, go here
 
Sunday Snapshot

17 comments:

  1. Oh, Annie!! I am so very grateful that this doctor has other options to try to first address this possible relapse!!
    Dear Lord, Thank you for this doctor and for guiding Annie there! I pray Lord, that you would use these brace shoes to strengthen Lizzie's foot! In Jesus' name, amen

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  2. oh i'm so happy about the second opnion! Yay for no casts, surgeries, or wheel chairs! Woohoo for soccer! Praying that AFO's will help Miss Lizzie's foot! <33
    God Bless!
    -Kirstie Bikakis

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  3. Annie - what amazing, amazing news! Tears of joy right now - I'm so happy for Lizzie, for you, and for your whole family! And you are absolutely right - never doubt getting second, third, or even fourth opinions! I am forever grateful to my parents for the dozens upon dozens of trips they made from our home in northeastern New Jersey down to Baltimore so I could have my neurosurgical and orthopedic care at Johns Hopkins because they didn't feel that the doctors in our area were knowledgeable enough. When I was five, my maternal grandparents chose to pack up, pull me out of kindergarten, and move out to Chicago for five months with me when they read about an experimental bladder therapy that they felt would give me the best possible chance at continence and ended up changing my life more than I could ever describe. You are one awesome momma - I'm so happy you made that trip!

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  4. OH YAY!! Thank You Jesus!!

    What great news!

    I second the second opinions!

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  5. Great news Annie!!! Praise the Lord!!!

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  6. Hoping you see marked improvement with the braces.

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  7. HOORAY! I'm so happy for her and you! Bring on soccer season!

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  8. Thank you so much everyone! Please continue to pray that she will accept these "special" shoes and that we will be able to keep them on her feet this summer!! She loves to be barefoot:) Don't we all! Thanks again so much. Honestly knowing that you all were praying for her helped me so much!!

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  9. Oh wow! That's such great news for all! Yipeeeeeee!

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  10. Great News Annie!! So glad for Lizzie! Will continue to pray for her.
    Cherie

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  11. Yeah!! What great news for you all, especially Lizzie! I also followed my "gut feeling" and avoided a major surgery by questioning our doctor and seeking a second opinion. Never feel guilty about following your gut when it comes to your kids :-)

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  12. Oh Annie, this is wonderful news! Praise the Lord! So glad you got that 2nd opinion! Yay!!!!

    Hugs!
    Tammy

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  13. Thank you Annie for this post! We are newly home and recently found out our daughter has hearing loss and a couple of 'markers' so they are on the 'syndrome' hunt. Anyway, I think a reminder that second opinions are what we all need was a good lesson for me today. Thank you!!

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  14. What a precious family you have. I am so happy for Lizzie and you--praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. BTW--I think you will receive this comment which means I got my commenting issue repaired. I figured out it was a web browser issue--Firefox was the problem.

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