Re: Just got back from our first appointment

[Guest guest]

Oh my goodness 9 hours in the car. You poor thing. The things we

all do for our kids

I am glad to hear that everything at the appointment went well for

you. But you know may amaze you and figure out how to get

around quite well in the casts. My Becky was recasted at about 10

mos old, and actually could WALK in the casts, I have no idea how

(she is bilateral too!!) When we went in and got that set changed

they were cracked and broken around the knees and ankles. LOL Now

she walks in her DBB.

I hope that things continue to go well, and before you know it

you are going to be done with the casting and well on to the DBB.

and BEcky 11/12/01, bilateral clubfoot

> It took us 4.5 hours to get to Shriner's Hospital in

Massachusetts.

> Then my son was examined by Dr. Mack's assistant who just couldn't

> believe I spoke with Dr. Ponseti on the phone. He kept asking me

> questions about what Dr. Ponseti said and then told me they will

be

> seeing Dr. Ponseti in Baltimore, I guess at some conference or

> something coming up? Anyway, after waiting about an hour Dr. Mack

> came in and rated his feet as severe. He estimates 8 casts because

of

> his age, but that's just an estimate. The assistant told me

they've

> never had to operate on clubfeet, other than the tenotomy. The

casts

> they put on look just like the pictures on Dr. Ponseti's website

and

> they both know Dr. Ponsti and respect him a lot. So I'm feeling

> pretty good about them following Ponseti's method.

>

> The only thing that made me a little nervous was they said they

are

> using a different kind of brace rather than the DBB, although he

said

> if I wanted to use the bar that was fine with him. He talked about

> overcorrecting the feet and told me about the difference between

> Ponseti casting and other casting methods. My son hated having the

> casts put on, but I could tell they weren't hurting him and he

> doesn't seem to be hurting now.

>

> I can tell it's going to be very difficult for him to crawl with

> these casts on and I share other parents', who started this late,

> frustration that we could've been long past casts by now if we'd

> known about this sooner. But I'm feeling very positive about the

> outcome and if there seems to be any problem along the way I am

> heading straight to Iowa and Dr. Ponseti himself.

>

> Thanks to everyone who's answered my questions and encouraged me

to

> go with a Ponseti doctor. It's made all the difference. From now

on

> we're going to get an early morning appointment and I'll go down

the

> day before and stay overnight, 9 hours in the car once a week is

just

> too much for both of us.

>

> and born 11/10/03 with bilateral clubfeet

[Guest guest]

,

I'm glad 's first appt. w/ Dr. Mack went well.

Please keep us posted as you learn more about the brace that they're

using. You can always get Dr. Ponseti's opinion about the brace when

you get to that point. I hope their expectations are wrong and

's foot responds well to the casting and you won't have 8 sets.

I know about the driving....it took us a minimum of 9 hours to drive

one way from Michigan's upper peninsula to Iowa City when

started treatment there. We did it four weekends in a row, leaving

Saturday, arriving Sunday, appt. Monday morning, driving back Monday,

work on Tuesday! After four years, I can say it wasn't too bad!

It will eventually be a distant memory for you!

Thanks for the update!

& (3-16-00)

left clubfoot

[Guest guest]

, I'm sure that you are relieved and feel that you are in good

hands! That is such an incredible feeling! Just curious, which

brace are they using? Is the new prototype that's being developed by

Shriners? Let us know if you hear more about it.

Daiga and Owen, 02/04/03

Unilateral LCF, FAB 14/24

> It took us 4.5 hours to get to Shriner's Hospital in Massachusetts.

> Then my son was examined by Dr. Mack's assistant who just couldn't

> believe I spoke with Dr. Ponseti on the phone. He kept asking me

> questions about what Dr. Ponseti said and then told me they will be

> seeing Dr. Ponseti in Baltimore, I guess at some conference or

> something coming up? Anyway, after waiting about an hour Dr. Mack

> came in and rated his feet as severe. He estimates 8 casts because

of

> his age, but that's just an estimate. The assistant told me they've

> never had to operate on clubfeet, other than the tenotomy. The

casts

> they put on look just like the pictures on Dr. Ponseti's website

and

> they both know Dr. Ponsti and respect him a lot. So I'm feeling

> pretty good about them following Ponseti's method.

>

> The only thing that made me a little nervous was they said they are

> using a different kind of brace rather than the DBB, although he

said

> if I wanted to use the bar that was fine with him. He talked about

> overcorrecting the feet and told me about the difference between

> Ponseti casting and other casting methods. My son hated having the

> casts put on, but I could tell they weren't hurting him and he

> doesn't seem to be hurting now.

>

> I can tell it's going to be very difficult for him to crawl with

> these casts on and I share other parents', who started this late,

> frustration that we could've been long past casts by now if we'd

> known about this sooner. But I'm feeling very positive about the

> outcome and if there seems to be any problem along the way I am

> heading straight to Iowa and Dr. Ponseti himself.

>

> Thanks to everyone who's answered my questions and encouraged me to

> go with a Ponseti doctor. It's made all the difference. From now on

> we're going to get an early morning appointment and I'll go down

the

> day before and stay overnight, 9 hours in the car once a week is

just

> too much for both of us.

>

> and born 11/10/03 with bilateral clubfeet

[Guest guest]

> ,

> I'm glad 's first appt. w/ Dr. Mack went well.

> Please keep us posted as you learn more about the brace that

they're

> using. You can always get Dr. Ponseti's opinion about the brace

when

> you get to that point. I hope their expectations are wrong and

> 's foot responds well to the casting and you won't have 8 sets.

> I know about the driving....it took us a minimum of 9 hours to

drive

> one way from Michigan's upper peninsula to Iowa City when

> started treatment there. We did it four weekends in a row, leaving

> Saturday, arriving Sunday, appt. Monday morning, driving back

Monday,

> work on Tuesday! After four years, I can say it wasn't too

bad!

> It will eventually be a distant memory for you!

> Thanks for the update!

> & (3-16-00)

> left clubfoot

I didn't get much information on the brace because we were mainly

talking about casting. He did say it holds the foot at the same angle

as the DBB, but it's easier to use. When we get to that point I will

ask Dr. Ponseti about it.

I hope 's feet respond quickly and we won't need 8 casts. The

drive is horrendous and it bothers too.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I bet will surprise you. never even paused with her

casts. We got back from her first appt with Dr. Herzenberg (she was

10 months old that day) and she immediately crawled across the

room. Now granted, she is unilateral so she only had one cast but I

bet he gets the hang of it in a couple of days! Two weeks ago I was

fretting about 's sensitivity, failure to put weight on her

left leg, etc, after her second tenotomy and last night she pushed a

toy across the room and " walked " in her DBB!

They do adjust -- and much faster than we do that's for sure!!

Marilouise

9/9/03, LCF, DBB 23/7

Owen and 3/20/99

> It took us 4.5 hours to get to Shriner's Hospital in

Massachusetts.

> Then my son was examined by Dr. Mack's assistant who just couldn't

> believe I spoke with Dr. Ponseti on the phone. He kept asking me

> questions about what Dr. Ponseti said and then told me they will

be

> seeing Dr. Ponseti in Baltimore, I guess at some conference or

> something coming up? Anyway, after waiting about an hour Dr. Mack

> came in and rated his feet as severe. He estimates 8 casts because

of

> his age, but that's just an estimate. The assistant told me

they've

> never had to operate on clubfeet, other than the tenotomy. The

casts

> they put on look just like the pictures on Dr. Ponseti's website

and

> they both know Dr. Ponsti and respect him a lot. So I'm feeling

> pretty good about them following Ponseti's method.

>

> The only thing that made me a little nervous was they said they

are

> using a different kind of brace rather than the DBB, although he

said

> if I wanted to use the bar that was fine with him. He talked about

> overcorrecting the feet and told me about the difference between

> Ponseti casting and other casting methods. My son hated having the

> casts put on, but I could tell they weren't hurting him and he

> doesn't seem to be hurting now.

>

> I can tell it's going to be very difficult for him to crawl with

> these casts on and I share other parents', who started this late,

> frustration that we could've been long past casts by now if we'd

> known about this sooner. But I'm feeling very positive about the

> outcome and if there seems to be any problem along the way I am

> heading straight to Iowa and Dr. Ponseti himself.

>

> Thanks to everyone who's answered my questions and encouraged me

to

> go with a Ponseti doctor. It's made all the difference. From now

on

> we're going to get an early morning appointment and I'll go down

the

> day before and stay overnight, 9 hours in the car once a week is

just

> too much for both of us.

>

> and born 11/10/03 with bilateral clubfeet

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I bet will surprise you. never even paused with her

casts. We got back from her first appt with Dr. Herzenberg (she was

10 months old that day) and she immediately crawled across the

room. Now granted, she is unilateral so she only had one cast but I

bet he gets the hang of it in a couple of days! Two weeks ago I was

fretting about 's sensitivity, failure to put weight on her

left leg, etc, after her second tenotomy and last night she pushed a

toy across the room and " walked " in her DBB!

They do adjust -- and much faster than we do that's for sure!!

Marilouise

9/9/03, LCF, DBB 23/7

Owen and 3/20/99

> It took us 4.5 hours to get to Shriner's Hospital in

Massachusetts.

> Then my son was examined by Dr. Mack's assistant who just couldn't

> believe I spoke with Dr. Ponseti on the phone. He kept asking me

> questions about what Dr. Ponseti said and then told me they will

be

> seeing Dr. Ponseti in Baltimore, I guess at some conference or

> something coming up? Anyway, after waiting about an hour Dr. Mack

> came in and rated his feet as severe. He estimates 8 casts because

of

> his age, but that's just an estimate. The assistant told me

they've

> never had to operate on clubfeet, other than the tenotomy. The

casts

> they put on look just like the pictures on Dr. Ponseti's website

and

> they both know Dr. Ponsti and respect him a lot. So I'm feeling

> pretty good about them following Ponseti's method.

>

> The only thing that made me a little nervous was they said they

are

> using a different kind of brace rather than the DBB, although he

said

> if I wanted to use the bar that was fine with him. He talked about

> overcorrecting the feet and told me about the difference between

> Ponseti casting and other casting methods. My son hated having the

> casts put on, but I could tell they weren't hurting him and he

> doesn't seem to be hurting now.

>

> I can tell it's going to be very difficult for him to crawl with

> these casts on and I share other parents', who started this late,

> frustration that we could've been long past casts by now if we'd

> known about this sooner. But I'm feeling very positive about the

> outcome and if there seems to be any problem along the way I am

> heading straight to Iowa and Dr. Ponseti himself.

>

> Thanks to everyone who's answered my questions and encouraged me

to

> go with a Ponseti doctor. It's made all the difference. From now

on

> we're going to get an early morning appointment and I'll go down

the

> day before and stay overnight, 9 hours in the car once a week is

just

> too much for both of us.

>

> and born 11/10/03 with bilateral clubfeet