Correcting the foot of our princess

Hello everyone.  My name is Christine and am from a small community in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.  On November 23rd, 2011, we were blessed with the early arrival of our beautiful baby girl Aubrey.  While in the recovery room from my c section, a nurse casually mentioned that someone would be by to talk to us about our daughters clubfoot. Just like that, like it wasn't a big deal.  I remember feeling very confused, I was holding my baby and she was perfect, what was this clubfoot.  I was afraid to look. We finally took a peek at her foot.  I think I did good at holding back the tears, but inside I was a wreck.  Her left foot, so tiny, was definately not right.  We waited and waited for someone to come and talk to us, but it never happened.  Dr's would come by and look at her foot, then her hips and back, but no one explained anything.  On the day we were released, three days after Aubrey was born, we were finally told that she would probably need casts to correct her foot, and we should count on travelling to Winnipeg (5 hours away), every week for these casts.  In the meantime, we were told to go home and enjoy her.

When Aubrey was 5 weeks old, we travelled to Winnipeg Children's Hospital, where they finally explained to us what was going to happen. Aubrey has left clubfoot,she will need 6-8 casts, a tenotomy, and then boots and bars.  All new terminology, and we're still learning.  Aubrey just had her achilles tenotomy, and is in her final cast - #7. We go back to Winnipeg in 2 weeks for her boots and bar, a new stage with new challenges! 

I am very thankful for this group, a place I can go to when I am feeling alone with clubfoot and all of the issues that come with it.  I look forward to learning tips and tricks, as well as sharing stories with others, in hopes of making this journey a happier one.