Re: pregnant with CF baby, overwhelmed, confused....

February 16, 2005

Leigh,

we're so glad you delurked to post.. we all know how you feel.. it's

normal. Please though be encouraged.. I think you will be by the

posts you receive back. Most times there is nothing else wrong with

the baby.. the vast majority of time. Many a parent has worried

themselves sick during pregnancy after getting the clubfoot diagnosis

that 'something else might be wrong', all for naught. Your baby will

almost positively be completely healthy in every way except for a

crooked foot, which can be corrected.

Even if people say, it could be worse.. it still is smore than you

bargained for.. and of course it's hard.. you don't want any of this

for your child, or for you. It will make the first months different..

with casts, appointments, etc. But it is something that is not as bad

as it seems at first, especially, importatnly, if you get good

treatment.

Your note especially caught my eye.. because my third child, too, was

the one with clubfoot. Also a girl, also left clubfoot.

She is now coming up on age 5, and is a completely typical, normal,

wonderful girl, who does anything any child her age can do. NO ONE

looking at her would have any idea anything had ever been wrong. She

does ballet, rides a bike, jumps, skips, tiptoes, swims, wears high

heeled dress up shoes.. absolutely everything. Even barefoot you

couldn't tell, unless I pointed out the differences.

Getting good treatment, esp. the Ponseti method, right from the start

is the key. You are lucky, though it might not seem so now, to have

found out ahead of time so you can plan and prepare and get off on

the right track from the start. Check out these links if you haven't

already..

It seems overwhelming and sad now.. but you will get through this and

everything will be OK. Gotta run now, but hope this helped..

Take care, and keep writing.. and reading..

and Claire

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