Hello again! Time for another update on Atticus. He's been doing great and getting stronger every day! The leg braces are really helping him a lot. They forced him to slow down long enough to really focus on what he's doing. He's developed such good core muscles, that he hasn't even thrown up in over a week!! (Thank you, Lord!!) He's able to sit up all the time now, his right leg is getting stronger, still working on coordinating crawling (though he's doing a pretty good "army crawl" right now), and we finally got a "stander".
The stander looks like some sort of medieval torture device. Seriously. It has adjustable pieces on it so we can configure it as Atticus gets taller, but it really looks awful! LOL! It has a large wooden base with two little gripper strips where the feet are supposed to go. Then moving up, it has an adjustable wooden slat that goes across the front of his shins/knees to help him stand. Then moving up, it has and adjustable piece that goes across the lower/middle back with these two "arms" that go snuggly next to his hips to help hold him up straight. Finally there is an adjustable piece that across his upper back, with two "arms" that go under his arm pits, and a strap that goes across his chest to hold him upright. All these adjustable pieces are attached to two wooden slats perpendicular to the base with holes drill all along it. It really is a sight. He can't move his legs or trunk while he's in it, but we work on OT with his hands, or I distract him with pat-a-cake or NFL Network! :) He's worked himself up to about 5-7 minutes before he gets tired and mad. Right now the goal is to get to 15 minutes.
In other areas, we got some great news from the Pulmonologist, Dr Brown. First, let me explain that Atticus has become quite the little stinker when it comes to leaving on his nasal cannula. He refuses to do so. It doesn't matter what I do, he figures out a way to take them off. The last time I tried taping them to his face, he just looked at me, narrowed his eyes, and "He-Man" ripped the cannula (tape and all!) off his face, then shook his head "no"! LOL! He does not like it at all! He even broke his last cannula right before the pulmonlogy appointment. So when we went to see Dr Brown on Tuesday, I asked if he had any tips or tricks for keeping the cannula on Atticus' face. He said that other than tape, that was it. He also said that since Atticus refused to wear them, and his sats were remaining about the same with and without the oxygen, he had no problem in letting Atticus go without the oxygen during the day while he was active, if I could slip it back on him while he was sleeping!! Hooray!!! Ding dong, the oxygen is almost gone!! Yay! No more having to untangle him as he's trying to be mobile! Nor more fighting to keep on his cannula. Well, almost no fighting. He still tries to sneak it off as he goes to sleep, but Mommy eventually wins, as I stay up later! ;)
Hmmm....what else? Oh yes! Atticus became offically 1 year post-Glenn as of January 12th!!! It's so hard to believe that its been a year already since his last open heart surgery! In mid-March, we'll be coming up on being home from the hospital for a whole year!! Wow! What a blessing! Atticus has been through so much in his short 15 months of life, but he is getting stronger and stronger every day. I'm so thankful for every moment I get to spend with him! Thank you for continuing to follow our story. And as always, Keep on prayin'!!
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