Anna Davis.... this was your week!

Anna Davis,

You knocked it out of the park this week.

Seriously.

I cried. Dad cried.

We are so proud of you.

Here is the thing- you have struggled with math.  Really struggled.

I have gotten frustrated.

( how can 7 spoons look equal to 2 spoons?)

This week, you prevailed!!!

I sent your amazing teacher an email to say "virtual high five."

She works hard. Thinks outside the box. Thinks about how you think.

We are lucky she is your teacher, and you are her student.

We are proud of your hard work and dedication.

If next week is a 0/20, that is ok too. We will get there.

 The very next day... you got your brace remodeled.

We are on a long journey to ditch that brace, and this was a step.

WOOT WOOT!

Miguel, the super brace maker was ready to take the step of shaving it down.

Deep breath!

Let's hope that foot of yours holds.

Next up, this stunner will be your sleeping brace.  You think the blue is too boring.

 Maybe rainbow this time.

 All the excitement was too much.

You went to bed that night with all the lights on and chaos around you.

You capped off the week with the news that you are on track to graduate from OT!

Can you believe it.

ONE YEAR of very hard work.

Anna Davis. You are one of the strongest people I know.

I am so proud of you

EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!

Thank you for being such an example to me.

xoxo

mom 

Dear Anna

Dear Anna,

When I was pregnant with you and we were told you had a club foot.  I really had no idea what the future would hold.  I will say, I have underestimated this damn foot and your incredible spirit, every.single.step of the way.  Some day, I will write about the story of the ultrasound, that windowless room where everything changed, and the few weeks that followed before we saw the bright light at the end of the tunnel.  

Today, I write to you for one reason only.  With every medical diagnosis, there is the actual diagnosis, and what the carrier does with it.  I imagined that this would be easy.  I realized it would not very quickly.  During one of our routine ultrasounds I asked the tech for a picture of your club foot.  She quickly responded, "we don't give patients pictures of birth defects and deformities."  Um, ok.  I left the hospital and cried.  I was so sad that this label was attached to my baby girl.  Furious is now a better description.  (I cry when I am so mad I don't know what to do with myself.)  My amazing OB thought that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard and promptly snapped this shot for me.

Through your various treatments, people have said so many stupid things, and asked SO many stupid questions. (life lesson kids: there is such thing as a stupid question)  Other children have whispered, they have asked questions, but kids have never been cruel.....until now.  

Anna, we have NEVER EVER seen you as anything but perfect.  We know you are perfect.  Because of this, it never crossed our minds that your foot, or brace, or shoes, would be a thing......and now they are. 

This makes me so so sad.  I wish others could see you for all the amazing parts of you.  Your tenacity, dedication, kind heart, giving spirit.  ANY of these things.  Not your one difference.  I watched this Ted talk this evening by Aimee Mullins.  

 One of my favorite parts is that in any diagnosis there is an X factor.  

That factor is the potential of human will.  

Anna Davis, the world better watch out, because your potential is infinite.  

You are stronger and braver than anyone we know.  

We love you, we are proud of you, and if you are having a hard day, we will cry with you.  

But never, ever let some kid on the playground tell you that you are not these things.  

Believe in you, believe in what you have accomplished.

xoxo

mom

Shoes!

Dear Anna,

You are wearing two shoes for the first time in almost three months! Congratulations baby girl.  We are so excited (I am lying, but I don't want to say we are heartbroken) that we have this fancy new orthotic device for you.  You and Daddy went to meet with your orthosist today to learn all about your brace.  It has such style- you did a great job with your choices.  So, off you both went to Nordstroms to get a snazzy new pair of shoes to fit this snazzy brace.  For the first time EVER, your left shoe is bigger than the right- TWO AND A HALF SIZES BIGGER! (the brace takes up a lot of space).  Woot woot!

 One of the best parts of this device is that it is addressing your leg length differences.  There is a 1.5 cm riser built in to make it easier on your hips and knees.

 So, we are still having the two sizes, two styles issues.  Well, the backs are clearly different on these two, but it is barely noticeable?

 I think I am mostly stunned that your right foot is so big! You have officially passed Taylor in shoe size department.  I didn't see that coming so quickly.

So, my sweet Anna girl.  We continue to be astounded by your strength, perseverance and enthusiasm for all of this. We are in awe.  

xoxo

mom 

Cast on. Cast off!

Anna,

You are the best sales person I have ever seen.  You went to Dr. G last week and we really thought you would need another round with casts.  You told Dr. G that you needed a break- you wanted to ride our bike, you wanted to take a bath and you were over this whole situation- so I was almost shocked when he said, "ok, let's take the week off and see how it goes."  What?

So, you are in the boot and working so so hard to walk with your heel first, and follow dr's orders.  If you are not in the tub taking a long bubble bath, you are riding around the block for as long as you can after school.  You are such a rock star Anna Davis!  We are so so proud of you.

 A little atrophy on the left:)

You have been fascinated by the incision markers.

Obviously not for the faint at heart, but kinda cool.

xoxo
mom

Anna!

Anna,

You are making such great progress with you foot.  Dr Gamble was thrilled with your incisions and the swelling was almost gone.  The best news of all is that you were allowed to walk out of there!  It was a bit short lived- your foot is not quite back to 100% so we are still keeping the scooter on hand.

Javi took off the purple cast so you could keep both halves. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, you decided to have a green cast for this round and it looks great!

xoxo

Scooter

Anna,

Your dad is so smart sometimes. We have been struggling with your wheel chair. It is really heavy and hard to manage.

So, over the weekend, you set out with Dad to figure out a better solution. You now have a scooter!!! It is much lighter and easier to manage. Best part is that you and Tay can go for a spin.

Xoxo

Mom

Anna!!

Anna,

You are my hero!!! You had surgery yesterday and were awesome. Mommy and Daddy are so so tired:(

We love you so much baby girl!
Xoxox

the foot

Anna,

Your club foot is the perfect symbol of your resolve, undying spirit, and resilience.  We have known about your foot since I was 20 weeks pregnant with you, and your treatment has been ongoing since the day you were born.  Tomorrow, we hope you have your last surgery.
This was the day of your first surgery- July 3, 2007.

Before your second surgery!

After the "happy medicine" before the surgery.

(above) Recovering at home after your surgery last January.  Anna, you are the strongest girl we know and we are so beyond proud of you!  Since the minute you heard "surgery" you have been totally focused on the positive- getting a fun color cast, moving to the guest room, and I am sure the undivided attention of many helps too!

Our fingers are crossed that this will be the last surgery for you, but if for some reason it isn't, we know you will take that in stride too.  In the meantime, Daddy and I are just trying to keep up with you.  While our hearts are broken that you have to suffer through anything at all, we know that you have the strength to get through, and carry us along with you.

We love you baby girl!
xoxo
mom and dad