One more cup of coffee

Club Foot, Week 4: visit with a scalpel

Today was Nathan’s fourth visit to the pediatric orthopedist today, and, right on schedule, had his tenotomy to cut his achilles tendons. The doctor had told us that some babies hardly mind at all, some object as much as they do to the normal adjustment, and a few really objected.

Nathan was in the latter category.

If the numbing cream did anything for him at all, we couldn’t tell. Nathan didn’t like the cold numbing cream going on, didn’t like the cold iodine being applied, and completely lost it when the scalpel touched him. And again on the other foot. I have never seen him so mad or so scared.

It was a little scary for us to see him so upset. I mean, we knew he was fine, but it’s really sad to see your baby so upset and be completely unable to explain what’s going on.

He calmed down almost instantly afterwards, so I don’t think it was still hurting him. But ever since then, he keeps suddenly waking up and screams for a few seconds before he calms back down. He’s still pretty scared, we think.

We’re hoping that, like when he first had his casts put on, he’ll be all better by tomorrow.

Poor baby. :(

Posted by Mike at January 27, 2005 04:11 PM