Whoo-hoo! The cast is gone!!

Today is 7 weeks from the surgery, and they took Alex's cast off! I am so proud not only of how well he endured the 7 weeks, but also with how well he did when they took the cast off. I was worried - loud noise, moving his legs - but he was a trooper. I'm sure the ear coverings we brought from home helped, but if you notice in the later pictures he's not even wearing them.

Before they started...

... cut on the inside of the leg...

...then the outside of the leg, then on his left side of his body... (notice his hands. He's saying, "OOOOOO. Tickles!" and wiggling his fingers like he's tickling someone!)

...they used a "can opener' to open the slits and off popped the cast!

...A little more cutting to get it all off and...

...VOILA!! 2 naked legs!

He has complained more today than he has throughout the whole 7 weeks, but after being in one position for so long, I'm sure his muscles are tight and sore. And he's not really complaining THAT much. I just know he hurts because he's not a complainer at all, so any little whimper and I know he's in pain.

My superhero may not have abs of cast anymore, but he's still my hero! a

And a big thank you to Shriner's for their great job. They are very pleased with how everything looks so far. We go back in on Friday to be measured for a hip abductor (splint) that he will wear when walking just to protect him, and hopefully no more surgery!!

Way to go Alex!!

June 27, 2008

Two years ago today I met the most amazing man. I'm lucky enough to call him my grandson.

McKallister Vance Hinckley was born still. He never opened his eyes, cried or even pooped. But his "life" has touched many people, including myself.

He must have known he wouldn't be able to share experiences here on earth with us because he sure let us know his personality while in utero. We know he would have been big! And I think it's safe to say his personality would have been large as well! I'm so grateful for those few months I got to be his Nanny - even if it was through the stretched out skin of his mom's tummy. That may sound odd to some who have never experienced the beauty of a stillborn, but it's so true.

The day that he was born was the greatest day of my life. Honestly! I was witness to the miracle of birth and how fragile life is. I also witnessed how close the spirit world is to ours, as I could feel his presence in the room as a comfort to all who were there. (At first I wrote to all who loved him, but that's not true because even the nurses commented on the "feeling" that was in that room.) What a strength to my testimony on eternal families, and what a reminder to me of how much I love my whole family and want to spend eternity with them. Every day I think of Mac, and everyday I thank my Heavenly Father for being his grandma, as well as Mike's wife, and mom to a great group of kids!!


Now - two years later - I wish him a very happy birthday! No cake for him to squish around in his fingers. No candles. No gifts to rip open. But a lot of loving thoughts, and even a happy birthday song sung by me and Alex - complete with the "cha-cha-chas" -while we visited him at his park.

His gravestone looked great, albeit crooked. Someone must have known it was a special day for him and cleaned him up a little bit. (Sorry this pic is sideways. Me and my computer skills!)

We left him a brightly colored balloon, with a little message from Nanny, Papa Joe, and Alex. I loved the chubby fingers holding up their number 2. I saw it in the store and just knew that would be Mac, holding up his thick hands to proudly tell everyone how old he is.

We also left him a truck. He was going to be all boy, and what little boy doesn't love trucks! He would have loved crawling around in the dirt pushing trucks and tractors around. Heck! I would have loved doing it with him!!

And before we left I looked around at all his friends. I've said it before, but Mac's park (aka the cemetery) is a very calming place. To be surrounded by little angels who have lived a very short time or were born still like Mac has got to be as close to heaven as we can get without being in the temple. And as I glanced around, I noticed a little message from my boy.....

...a bunch of mushrooms! A little kiss from heaven to anyone who needs one. I maybe can't give this kid a hug, a kiss, or even a birthday present, but I like to think these shrooms are just for me. They're his way of telling me "I love you!"

I love you, too, kiddo! Happy , happy birthday!!

Best friends are the BeSt!!

Have I said lately that we live in the greatest neighborhood ever? Well, we do! The neighbor kids all know how bored Alex is, and they are doing their best to help out. Just look at the picture below to see what they are doing while I take a minute to blog....

... that's Kelsey, Brendon and Alex playing a video game with Kirsty Lou watching in the background. And if you look real close right next to Kirsty, behind Alex's feet...

... you'll see Babe! Another one of Alex's good friends. (She was pretending to be camera shy when I went to take her picture.)

We really are blessed to live where we do, so close to family and friends on all sides of us!

Half-full kind of day!

Earlier this morning I thought to myself, "It's 10:30 and I haven't gotten anything done! The dishes are stacked in the sink, Oakland is still in her pj's, I should be doing laundry, and I haven't even eaten breakfast, yet!"

But then I stopped to think of my morning. It was FANTASTIC!! By 10:30 this morning I had fixed breakfast for 4 kids, and fed 2 of them, and put the dishes in the sink. I had gotten 3 people dressed - yes, I'm counting myself - and supervised the 4th person. My make up was on and my hair was done, I had changed 3 diapers already, and 'toileted' Alex (that's enough details for that!), I had served 2 snacks , and had already put the babies down for their naps, made and played with a snap "dragon" (complete with eyes and nose) that ate everyone's noses and piggy's...



...filled up squirt bottles and squirt guns at least a dozen times...


... all while singing songs and playing guys with Brendon and Alex.

So forget the laundry and dishes. There will be more tomorrow! But I have a fun life to live!!

He's made it 3 weeks in his cast...

...now only 4 more to go!!

I have to admit, Alex has done an amazing job with this cast. Not that it should surprise me. He is such a trooper! He gets around fantastically - sometimes too good when he walks even though he's not supposed to - and doesn't complain much at all. In fact, the biggest complain I hear is when it's time to turn off the video games, but he complained about that before his surgery!!

His appointment to see how things are going, and how much longer the cast needs to stay on is on June 30, which will be 7 weeks exactly from his surgery. I am nervous. Or pessimistic, I'm not sure which. I can't get rid of that gut feeling that this just isn't going to work. I'm not usually a pessimist, although if you read through some of my past posts you may disagree with that. But still deep down I am afraid that we will have to do more surgery, and that he will never be the same athletic-run-around-try-anything kind of kid.

But - he is able to get in and out of his wheelchair with minimal help, him and I have figured out the toileting routine, the few sores he has gotten have healed up nicely and he is generally happy. What more could I ask for at this point? I 'm very proud of how well he has adjusted to this part of his life. Way to go, big guy!!