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The Appointment That Changed Everything...

This post was written retrospectively...

April 3, 2025

Today was Parent Teacher Interviews at school.  The morning was a PD session for teachers.  As our appointment at the IWK was at 9:00am, I just took the morning off work.  I scheduled my Parent Teachers to start at 1:00pm, leaving me plenty of time to get from the hospital to work.  We dropped Jude off at my parent's house, then Jon, James and I headed downtown.  Our expectations were a quick appointment, assuming we would continue with physio, ask about physical restrictions, discuss crutches, and then go home with a follow up in a few months.  How very wrong we were...

When we got into the office, we sat waiting, and met with Dr. Logan's resident.  She spoke with us in detail about Perthes, and we were able to ask questions.  I remember asking if this would affect James' growth, which it should not.  She wrote James a prescription for Celebrex, which is an anti-inflammatory to help with his pain.  

Then, Dr. Logan came into the room.  He was extremely serious.  No smiles, no laughter, very intimidating.  He did a quick, rough, physical exam on James.  When he stretched and lifted one leg, his entire pelvis went with him.  He had close to zero abduction on his right leg.  That with the x-ray was all it took.  He told us James' case is serious, that it's bad. He told us that he wanted to take a very aggressive approach, to give us our best chance.  He said he is going to admit James to the hospital, and set him up in traction for 2-3 weeks.  Being admitted will fast-track our MRI appointment.   We will see how things go, but he suggested after a few weeks of traction, James will have a surgery, in which Dr. Logan will cut his tendon.  He will then be in petrie casts, and do a femoral osteotomy. 

All 3 of us were crying. 

Dr. Logan let us know he was going to bring in his nurse, who will go over admission papers, and Child Life, who will discuss staying in the hospital for an extended period of time, and what that is like - to answer any questions James may have.    

My mind was in a million places...but I had to stop and ask if I could still get to work by 1pm.  He said if he was just told what I was told... he would be in no state to go to work.  I excused myself and called my Principal, bawling on the phone, telling her I would not be able to get in today, or for the next 2-3 weeks, maybe longer.  Jon started a list on his phone of things we need to get or do.  This was Thursday.  Dr. Logan said he would give us the weekend to get organized, and we would be admitted Monday morning.  

It is truly amazing just how quickly your life can change.  

  

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