Well our time is getting closer, Emily is having the becip lenghtening next Monday. We have gone through two sugeries before, but this one has me more concerned on how well will she handle it after surgery. I am looking for insight on how kids of this age (4 yrs.) handled the 8 week splinting process. When did they return back to pre-school and how did they handle the outside play equipment? My daughter loves to play on the climbing bars and ride the bikes and I think it might be torture for her to watch the others playing, while she is not able to do so. Also any other surprises or challenges that may arise after this surgery.. any help is appreciated.
Julie Wolfgram
Bicep Lengthening
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NancyP
Re: Bicep Lengthening
I posted this on the scars topic as well, then got back to the topic list and found your post:)
My daughter was 4 when she had Mod-Quad, then 8 months later (still 4) had bicep lengthening. I showed Kelsey the splint for mod quad on injurednewborn.com and explained very little. When it came time for bicep lengthening, I explained that we were going back to the hospital for Dr. Nath to help her arm more. I explained that he was going to try to make her arm go straight by her side, and reminded her how much she liked having her meals in her bed at the hospital, the icecream, jello, tv all to herself, moving bed, etc. After the surgery (a breeze for us), she was bouncing on her bed in recovery trying to make her heart moniter spike up and down:) We are waiting for word on the caps surgery now, and I spoke to her a little bit about it, and so far she is ok. We know if she doesn't have caps, she will have the intercostal grafted or the c-7 transfer.
My daughter was 4 when she had Mod-Quad, then 8 months later (still 4) had bicep lengthening. I showed Kelsey the splint for mod quad on injurednewborn.com and explained very little. When it came time for bicep lengthening, I explained that we were going back to the hospital for Dr. Nath to help her arm more. I explained that he was going to try to make her arm go straight by her side, and reminded her how much she liked having her meals in her bed at the hospital, the icecream, jello, tv all to herself, moving bed, etc. After the surgery (a breeze for us), she was bouncing on her bed in recovery trying to make her heart moniter spike up and down:) We are waiting for word on the caps surgery now, and I spoke to her a little bit about it, and so far she is ok. We know if she doesn't have caps, she will have the intercostal grafted or the c-7 transfer.
Re: Bicep Lengthening
Julie - I think the biggest help was to inform the kids AND the parents before Maia's surgery. Maybe bring some pictures with you to school, a treat, ...maybe they can all color a pillow case with markers so that Emily can use that in the hospital. The more they understand it, they will be excited about it and will welcome Emily back with lots of love... the more comfortable Emily will feel about going back and being back at school.
Maia returned to school a week after the surgery. Her therapist stayed the first 1/2 day back so that the teachers would learn how to deal with a one-handed Maia and how to navigate the classroom and the playground. They were scared so this was very helpful for them...there wasn't much that had to be addressed outside of putting tacky paper down on the table when maia had to do a project. Well yea, they also learned how to dress and undress (coats, shirts and all).
The playground was no problem - it's highly padded with feet and feet of mulch. Maia did what she felt comfortable doing and there are a lot of things on the ground she could play with. Close to the end of her two months she was climbing up the slides, splint and all and the teachers had to talk with me about how Maia wants to get into everything and it is they that are just so scared for her. I also stayed there the first day she went back to school because once again the teachers were really scared.
About Emily and the playground - if you just talk with her that there will be things that she might not be able to do for a little while and ask her about other things she can do instead. Maybe provide her with some additional playground toys that she might like to play with instead? Ask Emily about it, I would say.
Is Emily going to be casted or splinted? I'm asking because I remember that Ian (Bridget's son) had a cast for his biceps lengthening...
I learned from Maia - best to be honest.
Do you remember - months before Maia's surgery and I was upset I asked everyone what I should tell Maia... I saved all the responses - they are on her website in the capsulodesis section.
good luck and we will pray for Emily and for you guys next Monday,
safe travels,
francine
Maia returned to school a week after the surgery. Her therapist stayed the first 1/2 day back so that the teachers would learn how to deal with a one-handed Maia and how to navigate the classroom and the playground. They were scared so this was very helpful for them...there wasn't much that had to be addressed outside of putting tacky paper down on the table when maia had to do a project. Well yea, they also learned how to dress and undress (coats, shirts and all).
The playground was no problem - it's highly padded with feet and feet of mulch. Maia did what she felt comfortable doing and there are a lot of things on the ground she could play with. Close to the end of her two months she was climbing up the slides, splint and all and the teachers had to talk with me about how Maia wants to get into everything and it is they that are just so scared for her. I also stayed there the first day she went back to school because once again the teachers were really scared.
About Emily and the playground - if you just talk with her that there will be things that she might not be able to do for a little while and ask her about other things she can do instead. Maybe provide her with some additional playground toys that she might like to play with instead? Ask Emily about it, I would say.
Is Emily going to be casted or splinted? I'm asking because I remember that Ian (Bridget's son) had a cast for his biceps lengthening...
I learned from Maia - best to be honest.
Do you remember - months before Maia's surgery and I was upset I asked everyone what I should tell Maia... I saved all the responses - they are on her website in the capsulodesis section.
good luck and we will pray for Emily and for you guys next Monday,
safe travels,
francine
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Re: Bicep Lengthening
My son Justin just turned six. He had the bicep tendon lengthening surgery on 1/23/02 along with capsuledisis and pectoralis release. From what I have been told each child is different though I do consider my son to be a little more on the wimpy side when it comes to pain tolerance. I am happy to report that we all survived it. I would say the first 24 hours was the worst. When he woke up from anesthesia he was very aggitated. He was yelling for me to take off his splint and he seemed to be in pain. He had a dose or two of morphine and that helped a lot because he started having an anxiety attack. He slept for a few hours after that and woke up a different child. We are five weeks post surgery and he is doing wonderfully. He returned to school one week after surgery. Kids are so resiliant and they seem to bounce back better than us sometimes. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Good luck - you are in my thoughts.