We have a Helmet Graduate!

**it has taken me almost a month to write this post. I guess I felt if I didn't write it down for the world to read, it wasn't entirely true. I was not overly happy that Cash graduated. But it is what it is I guess. 

Cash has been out of his helmet quite a bit from fever & his surgery. I decided to take him into Star to get an adjustment. We are scheduled next week but Cash just seems really uncomfortable in it. Especially when sleeping. 

Cash pulled him self up for the first time while playing in the waiting room. 

Mr. Dwain did a scan first thing. (I finally had someone (my mom) with me during a scan and got pictures!)

Mr. Dwain took some comparison pictures. 

And he checked the numbers. 

He had gone from 3.5mm asymmetry to 4.7mm.  My heart sank. I held back tears. I couldn't believe it. He had over 1 mm of growth in the wrong direction.  We made the decision to be done with therapy. Mr. Dwain said there wasn't any room left in the helmet for adjustments. So I got out his graduation shirt I had made for him. 

The front says "Bye Bye STARband, Hello Hats".  

On our way out the door Mr. Dwain said if I have another baby to make sure that when the eyes are close on their back & when their eyes are open on their tummy.  And hopefully that way he won't see us again. 

My mom and I took Cash to Build A Bear to have a bear made to wear his helmet. 

He's pretty cute. 

So since Cash has been out of his helmet I have been a nervous wreck. For one thing, he keeps hitting his head on everything. And the other is we are getting ready to go on a 13 hour trip to visit my parents.  That is a long time for him to be in his car seat. I am so worried that his head will get flat again. I am so scared he will regress.  I feel after all this time, money & effort that we will loose it all. I know I am over thinking it but I am just worried. 

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. 

Cashs Surgery & Mothers Day

This past Friday Cash had to have surgery.  Tyler was unable to go with me due to work scheduling.  He had a concrete pour scheduled for 3 am Friday morning.  My mom came into town so I wouldn't have to go by myself.  I am so thankful for her.  The 3 of us went to Dallas on Thursday and stayed the night.  We had to be at Children's Surgery Center at 6:30 am. 

Poor little guy couldn't have anything to eat after midnight and nothing to drink (clear liquids) after 4:30am.  We got to the surgery center at 6:30am and we found out his surgery wasn't scheduled until 9:00am.  I felt horrible that he couldn't eat.  I am so thankful that Cash was preoccupied with everything else to remember he was hungry.   

Cash had an undescended testicle that needed to be moved out of his abdomin and into...well I think you know where. ;0) 

Cash loved exploring his crib. 

He looked to stinkin cute in his gown. 

Cash was given some relaxing medication to help him not care that he was hungry and to help with any separation anxiety he may have had.  He was so excited to have a cord attached to him.  He played with it for at least an hour, non stop!

This was Nurse Shannon.  She was Cash's OR nurse.  She was AMAZING & Cash loved her.  I gave Cash a hug and kiss and when I handed him to her I started to tear up.  She told me he was in the best care and hands.  She carried him to the OR.  I was so glad she carried him and didn't wheel him away in the crib.  The surgery took about an hour.  I called Tyler and told him I would let him know as soon as Cash was out.  Dr. Jacobs came in and let us know everything went well and Cash had done great.  Now we just had to wait for Cash to get out of recovery. 

Here is my sweet boy in post op.  It broke my heart when he came in all wired up and crying.  As soon as I picked him up he calmed down and fell back to sleep.  He did well taking his liquids.  We were able to go home about an hour later. 

Cash slept for almost the entire drive home.  When we got home he had a bottle and played for a little while before taking another nap.  We alternated Tylenol & Motrin every 3 hours for the first 48 hours.  My mom and I took turns with the night doses.  That way not just one person was up every 3 hours.  The next day you would never have known Cash had had surgery. 

Cash didn't wear his helmet during his surgery or the following day. 

Sunday was my very first Mother's Day. 

I was so excited to spend it with my son and my mom!  I honestly can't remember the last Mother's Day I was with my mom. Living in different states makes it hard.  

Cash & his daddy got me flowers.  

After church we went and had an amazing brunch. 

The rest if the day we were lazy and just relaxed. It was a great day! 

Helmet Adventures!

We had another special delivery this last week.  I was so so excited to find Cash another book about plagiocephaly.  This book is so well written and I love how it sparks imagination & adventure.  I am so grateful to have this book to read to Cash when he is older to help him understand and know why he had to wear his awesome helmet.     

Cash was super excited to get his new book.  We read it together before bed.  

And then Cash had to taste the book!  LOL everything goes into his mouth these days!

You can order this book here on amazon.com.

One more month

Cash had his 3 month scan today.  We were running late today, so we didn't get to see Mr. Dwain. Instead we saw Ms. Libby. Cash loved her and her name tag. ;0)

We had to take an appointment selfie. 

Cash played while we waited for Ms. Libby. He sits up so well now. He has also mastered how to go from sitting to crawling (still army crawl) and from his belly to sitting. Such a big boy. 

The red is his intinal scan and the blue is the scan from today. His little head is rounding out nicely. 

He started at 9.9 mm asymmetry.  At his 2 month scan he was 4.3 mm asymmetry and today he is at 3.5 mm asymmetry. Our goal is to get as close as we can to 0. 

I love seeing his progress over the last 3 months. 

The image on the left is from his initial scan and the image on the right is from today.  The flatness across the back is getting better!  He has gone from 103% to 96.6% to now 95.5%.  (The % is the ratio between the length (front to back) of his head to the width (ear to ear).)  Our goal here is to get as close to 90% as possible. 

Ms. Libby recommended that we continue treatment for another month. I want to get the best results possible.  We got back May 23. He will turn 9 months on the 23, be in his helmet 4 months on the 23 and hopefully graduate.  

I have found lots of helmet mommas on Instagram and one of the ladies just wrote a book inspired by her sons adventure with his helmet.  Today it is available on Amazon.com. 

I just ordered it and I can't wait for it to arrive next week!!!! I am so happy to have  special books to read to Cash. :0) 

This boy loves his helmet! 

Cash loves to FaceTime with his daddy. 

Busy, busy.

Cash found his helmet. At first I was worried that it was bothering him. He was touching and pulling at it a lot. But every time I took it off to check, there were no red marks.  Not much else has been going on with the helmet.  We go back in 2 weeks for a scan & hopefully graduation.  I am done.  Senioritis. It's so close I can taste it. I know it is selfish, but I can't wait to not have to have a bath every night.  I am so ready to not have to smell alcohol.  I am ready to cuddle and kiss and love my babies round, beautiful head.  His hair is growing in and I love to kiss and smell and rub my cheek on it. 

Cash has been very busy the last few weeks. 

He finally got to meet his Aunt Casey!! 

It was love!!! ❤️❤️❤️

And his cousin Sebastian. 

He had his first dentist appointment. 

*it looks like he wasn't happy having his teeth cleaned...he was. It's just the picture.  I had just laid him back and tried to take a picture real fast and that's what I got.*

He went to his first ball game. 

He loved watching the batters.  

He went to his first birthday party. 

Our very good friends turned 4!!  Cash loved loved loved the balloons. He has an obsession with strings (hoodies) and was in heaven with all the balloon strings. 

 

He has started pulling up on things. 

Busy busy. 

And here are a few of my favorites from the past few weeks. 

**sorry for any typos. Mobile post again. 😉