HIP DYSPLASIA: Final Day!!!

My wife and I woke up a little bit late this morning, tired from all the preparation for the final operation of our son's hip dysplasia. It was in the same time last year that our son had to wear a spica cast for his 2 months of recovery period from the operation on his hip dysplasia. Today, as we wait for the final hour of his operation, we had to prepare ourselves of his ordeal in undergoing the operation again. But this time, it will be a different one. An operation to finally get rid of the hip dysplasia that takes its toll on our emotions, feeling helpless and sorry for our son, that at such a young age, he had to go through this already. But looking on the bright side, he will be free from early arthritis, scoliosis and other symptoms that he will get if his hip dysplasia will not be corrected.

We began the morning by having our son eat his breakfast. After that we let him drank his milk so as to make him full. Prior to the operation of his hip dysplasia, removal of spica cast and metal plate with screws and other operations for that matter, a patient is required not to eat 6 hours prior to an operation. We then had him took a bath, forced him to make poop, and waited for his pediatrician to arrive to check him for the last time. An hour later, the nurses arrived to put the dextrose already and we had our son believed again that he is brave and strong boy too! And strong he was! We had to wrap him using a blanket and almost everyone held him on his legs, body and arms to put the dextrose. This time, he was crying already and wanted to move. When it was over, he marveled at the cast on his right hand with the dextrose on it. After that it was Barney, Dora and Spongebob time again.

We're now waiting for the next two hours to pass for his scheduled operation. As we wait, we're trying to ignore his constant pleas for milk, food or even water. It reminds us of how difficult it is to be parents but at the same time, how lucky we are to have a kid who is brave enough to go through this ordeal.