The Four-One-One

It all started about 3 weeks ago. 

Everyday, we'd notice Davis' walking patterns changing.  It was such a slow progression, that we didn't really think too much of it. 

One day at school, a teacher would say, "He's been a little wobbly today."

One day, he tripped over his left foot.  And that hasn't happened in months.

One day, he had a really hard time getting down a short hill.

We thought that maybe his AFO's needed to be adjusted because we noticed some small sores on his feet.  The orthotist added some padding and sent us on our way.  His walking got so much worse after that appointment.  This was last Tuesday.

The next day, at therapy, we all sat around the PT room trying to figure out what was wrong with him.  He was turning his left foot in.  Scissoring.  Dragging his toes, Swinging his hips. 

Maybe a growth spurt?  Maybe the orthotist added too much padding?

We went back to the clinic on Thursday to have the orthotist, her assistant, and Davis' PT stare at him for another hour and a half.  She did some adjusting to his AFO's, but we came to the conclusion that his problems were starting much higher, around his hips.

By this past Sunday, Davis could barely walk.  He was falling all over the place.  Panic immediately sets in and I start thinking the worst.  What if there was some glitch from the surgery and he's losing control of his legs, slowly.  What if this is permanent?  It was so devastating to watch him struggle to walk when we've spent SO MUCH time, energy, effort to get him walking so well.  Not to mention, that he had all of a sudden become so unsafe.  There was no way I could send him to school. 

On Monday, I was ready to take him to the emergency room.  His physical therapist and a nurse at the neurosurgeon's office talked me off that ledge, though.  He couldn't even stand up.  Now, he was finally complaining of pain in his left groin area.  I'd try to physically straighten up his body and he'd immediately collapse.  He crawled to get around the house.  It was so sad.  I couldn't stop freaking out. 

So, we went to Scottish Rite to see his neurosurgeon on Thursday.  He had been out of school all week, but was actually slowly getting better every day.  By Thursday, he could walk but it was still really wobbly.  And he didn't want to stand up straight and put pressure on that left leg.  The doctor didn't seem too concerned.  He shot down my urging for an MRI and told me he'd be 'fine'.  He did some simple testing to make sure there was feeling in his legs and assured me that, if there's was something neurological going on, he'd be showing many other signs.  He still wants us to come in next Wednesday and see his whole team in the Spasticity Clinic. 

So, at this point, we still don't know what's going on.  Maybe he pulled his groin?  Maybe he just went through a growth spurt?  Maybe he wants to see what I look like with wrinkles and bald spots on my head?