O.k. so now what?

 O.k. So, now what?

You can imagine the shock after realizing that Valencia's legs were so close to being amputated. There were no warning signs. No distress, no pain, nothing. When Valencia all the sudden had to be out and her legs were so wrapped up they were the color of blueberries, with as tiny as she was the sight was scary even scarier if it's your daughter's legs you're looking at. Once her legs began to regain color the relief was overwhelming, but, now what? The questions flooded my mind. Can she feel them? Will she walk? Can it be fixed or corrected? Is the rest of her o.k.? So many questions, but all I could do was listen. I listened to every doctor that came in and would overload my pre-degree brain with words that only google could help me understand. 

I was a new mom with a baby with a health condition (still didn't know what it was) so scared was no where near what I was feeling I was simply put OVERWHELMED. I knew one thing the first step that any new mom has to make and that was to choose her pediatrician. I knew that doctor that saw her in the surgery room was the the doctor I wanted, after all he was the first one to see her legs in their first light so he knew the uphill battle we would be facing. I wanted him. If there was nothing else I knew I at least knew that. I called the doctor's office and they immediately got me in. Apparently he told his office to anticipate my phone call and to schedule me immediately.  I was too excited to know that there was an opening. 

We stayed only two days in the hospital and Valencia had constant check ups while there. I would just listen to all the doctors, I would take notes, I would take pictures, I've always known that knowledge is power but in this instance I had none. I felt helpless.  I only knew I had to get this new knowledge and quickly I knew that our journey was just beginning and I needed to know everything I could so that we would know how to care for and handle Valencia. 

If you are facing the same situation with a child of yours my advice right now is to start a binder, have lots of notebook paper and write down EVERYTHING, questions, notes, what doctors say, everything write it down and keep it all. You will be amazed one day how far your family has come, I'm thankful for my notes and it's helped me with so many doctor visits.