So Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy was a cake walk compared to hip osteotomy. Maybe because he was older and we have already been through so much, I am not sure but he was a trooper! He did have some reactions to the medications such as extreme itching. He also vomited a lot but that is typical for him. He stayed 5 nights in the hospital and then I stayed at a hotel with him for 2 additional weeks so he could receive intense physical therapy. My mom came to stay with us since I had the baby with me. It all went very smoothly and I am so proud of him these last 6 weeks.
We have settled into a routine at home but we don't stop! We have a huge booklet of stretches to do twice daily. We focus on getting them done once because between school and 4 other kids there is seriously no time to do them all twice! But, he does receive PT in school 3x a week and I have hired a personal trainer to come to the house 3x a week so he is working out plenty! I do 30 minutes of stretches before school and then another 30 or so minutes after school. He has an aide that comes to the house Mon-Thur at 4pm so he usually goes for a bike ride or walk and then I finish whatever needs to be done in the evening. All this hard work is paying off and he is progressing. He is getting stronger every day and is walking so much better. He was running today in his walker! I haven't seen that in years.
Dr. Park predicted that he would only ever walk in his walker even after SDR but just 8 days after surgery he commented on a video of him walking and changed his prediction that he may be able to walk using quad canes. Only with some serious hard work and determination I imagine but this kid is killing it! He has hardly given any attitude working out and completely all his stretches. This comes from a child who is obsessed with watching youtube videos. He lets me shut his computer and stretch him out! I am so impressed and this was my biggest fear. I did not think he would work this hard afterwards.
So our lives don't stop. I am always exhausted but in the end I wouldn't change any of it. I thrive on chaos and my children keep me young. Some days my body doesn't feel as young as I wish and my wrists are not fairing well with all the stretching but I will do anything for this child. I really hope one day this all pays off and he can become more independent.
POST SDR
Brendan has ZERO spasticity!
NO longer takes baclofen
No longer needs Botox
Can side sit
Can comfortably position himself on all fours and balance on 3 limbs with assistance
Can move around on the floor much quicker and smoother
Can be put into half kneel
Stretching him is actually loosening his tight muscles
No toe walking
Can bend knees while walking
His body is so different. All the doctors and therapists I asked were against SDR. They told me without tone he wouldn't be able to do anything. Well 5 days after SDR he was walking in his walker again and now 6 weeks later he is running. I don't think he needed that tone after all! I wish more doctors would get on board with this surgery and not scare us away from going ahead with it. I should have done this when he was 3 but listened to everyone else and decided not to.
Check out his daily process here:
