Second Round of casts

We got back from St. Louis yesterday evening. Isaac had his second round of casting, and I am seeing some improvement already. It was sweet, for the few minutes when the casts were off, to be able to stroke his little legs, bend his knees, and kiss the spots where the casts had rubbed little blisters. He didn't like the noise of the casts being "sawn" off, but he did alright otherwise.

This time, the casts are actually bent at 90 degrees, so hopefully he will be able to crawl on his hands and knees again. He went back to his belly crawling because his first set of casts were bent at an angle that he literally couldn't crawl hands and knees. He hasn't resumed normal crawling, though. I'll keep working with him over the week. . .

Our appointment at Shriners was later in the morning than last time and we waited longer. It wasn't bad, though, as the waiting room is really geared for children and long waits. There were toys for kids of all ages,
and a Shriner who came through frequently with cookies and a "pet" panda bear. I'm so grateful that Isaac gets to be cared for at Shriner's! What a gift it is to have access to the best doctors in the country for his condition, and at no charge.

Image via Wikipedia

I chatted with other parents as we waited, and one mom told me that some of the Shriners Hospitals are having to be shut down for lack of donations. It is a tough economy, but oh, that made me sad. What would I have done for Isaac if not for Shriners? And there are so, so very many children there with conditions that are so much worse than Isaac's. Horrible, crippling diseases and deformities. I watch in awe as they walk by, brave and often smiling, making their way through life and treatments and taking it in (halting) stride. I'm sure there are harder private moments, but all those moments are ameliorated by the mission of the Shriners.

Isaac's problems have really opened my eyes to the goodness that there is in the hearts of men all around me, and it is a blessing to see it, as well as to be blessed by it.