Hannah's Update

Hannah's last appointment at Shriners Hospital for Children went very well. There is a possibility she will have x-rays of her right leg done during her next appointment in December. This would be done to look at the bone where they amputated to ensure it isn't growing a spike which can become quite painful. Other than that, things still look good. They're just keeping an eye on the development of both her little legs.


We were so pleased to hear that Hannah had gotten taller! Instead of making her a new prosthesis, they were able to simply add a little length to her existing one. The gentlemen that lengthened her prosthesis amazed me. We had never met him before and I, regretfully, never caught his name. This gentlemen had only small stubs for fingers on his left hand. His right arm was not fully formed and his right hand did not appear functional. Yet, the gentleman lengthened Hannah's prosthesis and then carved out a wooden facade to match the color and shape of her existing prosthesis. I am still amazed by his determination and true skill. Thank you, Mr. Gentleman, for doing such an incredible job with our daughter's prosthesis. Thank you!




Hannah's prosthetist said that while Hannah's prosthesis is not supposed to get wet, we can still just let her be a kid.....let her play in the water puddles....let her wade in the ocean if we go to the beach. SO, I've been letting her run through the sprinkler (can't really do that with just one leg anyway :) and wade in the baby pool (whenever she sees Joshua in the baby pool stomping his feet, she HAS to do the same thing). Yet, this wooden facade thingy they added to her prosthesis has gotten me a little concerned. When it gets wet, the wood becomes extremely pliable (thankfully, it appears to only be a facade and there are mechanical workings actually holding the foot onto the leg). The first time this happened, I quickly took her leg off and tried to dry the wood with a hair dryer! That did not work very well. I now simply let it dry on it's own...she'll be getting a new prosthesis in a few months anyway ;)


As I got Hannah ready for her bath tonight, she looked down at her four pretty little pink toes on her left foot and commented on how pretty they were. She then looked down at her right leg (we had already taken off her prosthesis) and she commented that she had no toes on that leg. She then shrugged her little shoulders with her hands out as if to say "I don't know what happened to those toes." I know there will be many difficult moments to come as she tries to understand her little legs. May we have the grace and truthfulness to explain to her that God formed her in my womb perfectly just as she is and that we were all created for His glory. May she fully and joyfully accept her condition knowing that her Savior is soveriegn. May our sweet Hannah (and Joshua) love God with all her heart and seek to glorify Him in all things....including her little legs.