So i don't know if any of you remember my last post about serial casting, i haven't been on here in a while. Well, after my last visit to my ortho Friday, it's almost official I will need serial casting. I have bad knee contractures and my legs are just pretty tight in gerneral and i am in a significant amount of pain almost all the time. So yeah, while I want something to be done about it, right now, two long leg casts for a whole month seems like just about the most horrible thing in the world.

I'm 15, you're average teenager, I've got a busy life to live, and anything to get in the way of it just seems.. awful.

One of the hugest issues I've been having with it is the timing. They are doing a gait study just to make sure its OFFICIAL offical, but everyone has told me to count on it.

I'm in a very prestigious high school, and absence isn't totlerated very well. While I don't neccesarily want to miss school, who wants to screw up a whole month of summer? I Live in southern CA, so summer's pretty scorching as it is without having casts. I also attend a lot of adaptive sports camps during the summer.

This has also started a lot of fights between my mom and I. Driving home from the doc, I was really upset, and she was just all "I'M GONNA HAVE TO GIVE YOU A SPONGE BATH HAHAHAHAHA"
Thanks, mom.. so supportive.
I was consisering doing it during spring break and then doing a study contract for the 3 weeks remaining, but my mom said that was a big fat no. There is NO way I can go to school in casts. Too much transition.
My mom also said I was being inconsiderate of everyone else because my dad and her work full time, and me wanting to do it during school would be too much for them.

I feel like a big baby, but I haven't had any form of procedure for 6 yrs, and there is just so much to consider along with it. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments about the issues brought up. Please reply...
I need help.:confused:

I'm sorry you have this on you right now. When do they want to do the surgery?? Could they posepone it until its convinient for you?? I guess and I know its easier said then done, but I guess you have to weigh the pros and cons and decide how long you want to live with the pain and go from there. I know I probably was no help to you at all but its just something to think about. Good Luck on your decision!! And your mom's comment about giving you sponge baths, that was so unkind,

Man, that sounds really rough, I'm sorry.

I had bilateral hamstring lengthening when I was 13 and so I was in long leg casts for about 2 months. It really wasn't that bad. Don't get too down about it. It was the middle of summer in L.A. and I wasn't too hot or uncomfortable. And if it's just serial casting without any surgery you shouldn't be in pain or anything. I was able to go out with a wheelchair/crutches, I just had to make a few adjustments.

Can you stand on your own? I was able to give myself my own sponge baths by leaning against a counter. That was really mean of your mom to make a comment like that! And maybe your doc could put you in waterproof casts. I had regular casts for a month and waterproof for a month, so I was able to shower, swim, the whole nine yards!

I promise it won't be that bad. If you have any questions just ask :)

Hi,

I actually had pretty much the experience you're describing two summers ago. I was in full casts for a month and although we rented a wheelchair so I could go out, I never ended up going anywhere. So I stayed in the house for a month, excluding a couple walks, but thankfully we had air conditioning so it wasn't so bad.

As far as being really upset about it, I can understand that too. I'm a person who never usually complains, but just being cooped up and not sleeping well made me very crabby. I snapped at my parents a lot and things like that.

That said, I think you should just get it over with. It sounds like you need the surgery and although it seems like a huge deal now to have this done in your free time, afterwards you will look back and be glad it's over.

As far as your mom, maybe "joking" like that was just her way of dealing with being upset and worrying about everything?