"She's walking really well!"

We had a doctors appointment today. It's been 6 weeks, the longest we have gone between visits since Pre-Op in May.

Dr. Scott examined Mary and asked how her leg feels. She admitted that at the end of some days she is sore (knee, or ankle, etc.) but not at the end of every day. Mary had been complaining about her foot but a small shoe seems to have been the culprit. He said her knee is wobbly and her ankle is stiff. Her knee will probably improve but her ankle is probably the way it will be. He said nothing is bad and he is happy with how everything is looking. 

Dr. Scott did confirm Mary does have all of her bones but not her ACL and other ligaments which means her range of motion in her knee and ankle will be different than if she didn't have FH.

He said in a "year or so" we may consider stopping the growth on her "regular" leg to make up the final leg length difference. At that time he could work on her scars and straighten her foot if need be.

He said her foot can straighten but when she is tired she will point it in. 


He is clearing her to do more activity because the more she does the faster she will recover. Her muscles are week but she won't hurt anything. He did state that with longer lengthenings it can take a full year after everything is off to recover.

The Physical Therapist that works with Dr. Scott will reach out to Mary's actual Physical Therapist to advise to start working on ankle flexion to see if that will help her gate.

Mary no longer has to wear the splint at night but he suggests an ankle brace for support during basketball so her ankle doesn't turn in when it gets tired.

Our next visit is two months away...further and further spaced out!

But the best part of the appointment was when we were walking out and the parking attendant who has seen Mary over the past 8 months but isn't the most outgoing person called out to us that Mary is walking very well. When I was actually in my car paying to leave I thanked her for the comment. She said she remembers when she used a walker and told me "she is one tough girl"! It was a very nice comment from a "stranger" who we didn't even realize was cheering us from the sidelines.