Hi all

Thankyou all for your welcome and good wishes. It's good to know
you're out there! Last week was mad hence my delay in posting.

We saw Mr Aston at GOSH last Monday. (Mr Jones was "away on
professional leave"). He was very fast talking and seemed quite blase
about it all! Unfortunately we've come away with the feeling that
it's something of a cattle market up there! Sorry to moan but I do
have alot of experiences of hospitals and I'm just not impressed
with this one so far! Hopefully it'll get better.

Anyway, Mr Aston said that they have a maximum 6 month wait for
treatment to start! but they will put her on the list as "fairly
urgent". Lottie's treatment will be: traction for "about a week",
off to theatre to manipulate femur into correct position, possibly
do arthrogram as well. Plaster spica cast for 6 weeks, then back in
for a new plaster spica cast to be worn for another 6 weeks followed
by an abductor brace to be worn full time for 3 months. If they
can't position the femur correctly when she's in theatre initially
they will wait untill she is 18-24 months old before treating her,
(she is virtually 11 months now), we are hoping that this won't be
the case, we just want to get on with it. The sooner we start the
sooner we finish! I did try to ask some questions but was told that
the nurses will be able to tell me how to look after her and that we
don't need to get anything, (no bean bag etc), he also said "It is
quite easy to look after a baby in a spica cast, most parents tend
to carry their child everywhere as they cannot wriggle and fit
easily into your side".

Lottie had a developmental check at our local hospital two days
after our appt@GOS. They were keen to know about GOS and were
amazed, the head physio was in with us and her mouth dropped open!
She said I'd better get down the gym as the spica casts are heavy
plus the weight of baby! They were very helpful though especially
the physio. She said any problems, or if GOS can't help, to get in
touch, will be able to get us wedge pillow and probably a paddle
board. Thought our pushchair would probably be ok.

What do you all do about car seats though?

Oh well, that's my update! I hope to have some news soon. Mr Aston
said if we've not heard from them in four weeks to chase them! So
watch this space but don't hold your breath!! Without humour I'd go
nuts!

Take care, Andrea & Lottie x