What's new with Antosia?

Over the past year, the priority in Antosia’s treatment has been her legs. Moving independently, and now perfecting this skill, is a huge achievement for her. Of course, there is still a lot to be done (learning to walk on uneven ground, learning to maintain balance and correct posture), and we are working on this during daily therapy sessions, but we remain hopeful that everything is constantly moving in the right direction. Every three months, we take X-rays of her legs and send them to Dr. Paley. Based on these, the doctor assesses whether everything is alright. Additionally, in the first half of 2015, we will have a follow-up visit with him to find out when he predicts the next surgery. In the meantime, Dr. Milud Shadi from Poznań is keeping an eye on Antosia’s legs, which makes us feel much safer.

In 2015, we would like to improve the function of Antosia’s hand. After numerous consultations (Poznań, Hamburg, Chicago, Italy), we know that creating a pincer grasp is practically impossible. However, it is possible to separate the webbed finger, and if her muscles are strong enough, Antosia might learn to grasp or at least hold light objects using a pinch grasp. At the end of December, we have a consultation scheduled (which I hope will be the last one) in Kraków with Dr. Chrapusta. If she confirms the opinion of most surgeons, we will begin arranging the date for the surgery.

As of today, I am terrified at the thought of further surgeries, anesthesia, pain, and potential complications. I would like to postpone them for as long as possible, but I know that is not an option.