Hardware

So if that doesn't make your stomach turn...

The above x-ray was taken after Clark's surgery yesterday morning. We were told that the doctor was going to put in staples, so I was a bit surprised to see these four screws. I almost cried when Jeff showed me the x-ray.

As most of you know, Clark's left leg is an inch longer then his right leg. The discrepancy is almost entirely in the femur so the doctors decided to close the lower left femur growth plate until the right leg catches up. This should take about 1-1.5 years. After the legs are even, Clark will have another surgery to remove the screws.

Clark's surgery went well yesterday. He came home to our apartment in the early afternoon.



Jeff tells me how brave Clark was at the hospital. He just got up off the bed, said goodbye to Jeff, and walked down the hall with the anesthesiologist.

Yesterday Clark seemed to be doing well. He enjoyed showing off his crutch skills to his siblings:

During the night, Clark was having more pain though, and today it is stiff. I'm sure it will take a week or so to get his mobility. He won't bend his leg right now.

Jeff and I are so grateful we live in this day when there is this option for Clark. The doctor was telling us about how they used to take care of length discrepancies in the past (not that long ago). The doctor would consult all these complicated formulas and charts and then make a total guess of when the patient would stop growing. Then the doctor would calculate how long before that time it was needed to make up for the discrepancy and go into the long leg and BREAK the growth plate altogether by cutting the bone. Then everyone would just cross their fingers hoping the other leg would grow until even and then stop. What a mess.