Today is the day!

Just look at her! Clearly, she is the reason I have a tough time getting things done!

I haven't posted since April. Yikes! Literally, Gracie had not grown since then. Her head had the same circumference for months! Most moms don't know the circumference of their kids' head, but I know mine! I also know that she finally grew and "popped out" her flat spot! It's over. No more helmet. What was supposed to take two months took eight, and it was totally worth it. Gracie looks beautiful, and that helmet probably saved her from a couple of concussions! (No joke!) I am very glad to be able to kiss her head again (as opposed to plastic), and I look forward to watching her hair grow. It looks pretty blonde!

Good News!

Gracie has been in the "clear helmet" for six weeks, now. She visited the orthotist three weeks ago, and I just KNEW there was going to be good news. Three weeks is plenty of time for a head to grow (when it's still growing, that is), and I didn't see any reason that we wouldn't see results. My hopes were crushed when I discovered there had been growth...but on the wrong side! Grrr... I decided to give it three more weeks. This time I was not as positive about seeing results. However, yesterday's visit came with good news. Her flat side has grown one-eighth of an inch. That doesn't sound like much, but initially, she needed half an inch improvement. She grew one quarter of an inch in the first four weeks of banding (back in November), there have been no gains since due to the skin episodes, the skin problems ended when she received the new band (helmet), and she has gained one-eighth of an inch in the new helmet. That brings our total to three-eighths! One-eighth to go and we reach our goal! I don't expect perfection, but I do want to reach that goal and have plenty of room in that pretty little head for her brain to grow. Is that too much to ask? hee hee

I posted a picture of the girls in their Easter dresses. They were so cute! Gracie wore a headband with a pretty bow, but she sat in her carseat and pulled the bow to pieces before we got to church.

Hanna and Tony are sick this week. Hanna stayed home from school, and I am keeping her home again tomorrow. She had the stomach flu last weekend and has had a fever for days. Hopefully, she will get better soon. Tony didn't get sick until Tuesday, but his symptoms are basically the same as Hanna's. The Pezzola's can't stay healthy this year! We are picking up every bug out there!

Take care, and I hope all is well for you and your families. Thanks for checking in on Gracie and her crooked melon (which isn't so crooked anymore)!

New Helmet

Here it is! Gracie was fitted for her new "clear" helmet this morning. It has no padding, so we hope that will improve the way her skin reacts to her wearing schedule. I know it looks hideous, but there are some very good points about this helmet. First, we can see through it to her skin. This way, if there are any irritations, we can see them right away. Next, it is much smaller than the first two helmets. It is about a quarter of an inch thick. Finally, it is very flexible. I can put it on her (and take it off) very easily. This is good because I can clean it and give her skin a chance to cool off without going through a big ordeal to take it off of her. We will see how this one works. Hopefully, all will go well, and we will get Gracie's head rounded out. Please cross your fingers for no more rashes. I can't bear to put Gracie through any more suffering.

Hanna is at her Grammie and Grampie's this week. She is out of school for conferences, so Mom and Dad took her for a few days. She is having a great time. It has been quiet around the house without her, but it has felt really good to have a little "me" time.

Casting

This morning Gracie was casted for her new helmet. Once again, I worried way more than I needed to. She was calm and very well-behaved. Things got a little ugly at the end but only after the plaster cast was removed. I don't think she liked getting cleaned up. However, she thoroughly enjoyed her warm bath when we got home!

As you can see, a cloth stocking was placed over her head and face to prevent the plaster from getting in her eyes, nose, and mouth. Strips of plaster-coated cloth were placed on her head (after being dipped in warm water). She sat on my lap, and I think it was probably kind of relaxing for her. It will probably be about two weeks until the new helmet arrives. In the meantime, Gracie's head continues to heal from the last outbreak. It is looking really good, but she has quite a few scratches from her sharp (trimmed daily) nails. Hopefully, the itching will go away soon and the sores will heal.

News

No picture today, but I do have news. The "vent" holes seemed to be working on the "colander" helmet. Gracie was still developing small "rashes", but they healed rather quickly (two to three days) so we opted to keep trying. She worked her way into a full 23 hours each day, but last Friday her head was completely broken out when I removed the helmet for bathtime. She looked like a tomato! I am convinced that she must be allergic to something in this new helmet. We visited the orthotist today, and we have decided to order a different type of helmet for Gracie.

When Gracie was fitted for the first helmet, a lazer scanner was used to take a picture of her skull. This "scan" was sent to a company that manufactured the helmet to fit Gracie perfectly. It fit snug against her "holding spot" (the place on her head that we want to remain unchanged), and it left room on the side that we want to "grow out". The new helmet will be created much the same, but the "fitting" process will be different. This time her skull will need to be "casted". Basically, a stocking will be placed over her head (with holes left for her eyes and mouth), and the orthotist will pour plaster over her head to create a plaster cast. I will try to stay positive about this... Yep, I am positive that Gracie is going to kick and scream. Ha!

The helmet will be pretty ugly. It will have no padding (we think the padding is the culprit in this whole mess), and it will be clear (as in transparent). Yuck, huh? However, the new "hat" will be a quarter of an inch thick. This is a big change because her current "hat" is at least an inch thick (including all of the padding). Anyway, please be thinking about Gracie Thursday morning at 10am. I am sure she will be thinking that I am subjecting her to cruel and unusual punishment at about that time. :)

Pasta, anyone?

Gracie is normally pretty serious, but from time to time, she gives us a big 'ole smile. This one is a partial smile (I think she knew I wanted a picture of her). However, she was in the church nursery yesterday, and the girls told me she giggled and jabbered the whole time I was gone. I think she likes to be around the other babies.

Well, we have worked Gracie back into her helmet. Amy, Gracie's orthotist, drilled holes in the back of the helmet to allow air to, hopefully, cool her scalp. It looks like a colander! The holes are only on one side because the right side (from the back) is the part that literally pushes on her head. It is called the "holding spot". The idea is to hold the round side in place while the flat side is allowed to grow into the round part of the helmet. So far, so good! She has developed a few rashy areas, but I am trying new ways to keep her body cool while she sleeps. Based on Gracie's non-stop eating patterns lately, I think she is going through a growth-spurt. That means this is prime head-shaping time! Grow Baby, Grow! (and round that head out at the same time)

The girls are still doing well. Gracie is sitting up, and she scoots across the room. Hanna changes her mind about being a big sister by the day. One day she loves Gracie and wants to play with her, and the next day she decides that Gracie is an annoyance. Ha! My favorite part of the day is when the girls are at the kitchen table during breakfast and lunch. They giggle and carry on about silly things. Gracie can't take her eyes off of her big sister. Hanna is definitely Gracie's favorite person whether Hanna likes her or not!

It's Been a While...

Yep, it's been a while since I have posted. Initially, it was because all was well, and there was nothing interesting to say. That has all changed! Gracie has started developing a heat rash under her helmet. Each time we must remove the helmet to allow healing. This is causing much lost time. We had thought she would be out of the helmet by now or within the next month (at the longest). Her progress was super in the beginning! However, for some reason she is developing these rashes (which are painful, itchy, and ooze). It took eight days to heal the rash the last time. When all seemed well, I put the helmet back on for one night. I removed it in the morning to find that the redness and bumpiness had developed all over again. Kiddo has spent a lot of time in oatmeal baths, and her hair always looks grey from powder. She doesn't mind, though. I have the most tolerant kid I have ever known!

The pediatrician said Gracie's skin needs to breathe more. Our orthotist is drilling small holes in the back of the helmet for airflow, and she is making the hole on top wider. When Gracie's head is healed, I will begin a schedule similar to the one we used in the beginning...an hour on, an hour off, etc. If the rashes continue, we will try a new kind/brand of helmet. A company makes one that doesn't use any padding. It could be that the padding is causing all of the problems.

We will just have to see what the future holds for Gracie's Little Noggin! Whatever it is, her head is looking great. I am grateful that she has had the opportunity to come this far in her treatment. She's a great kid!

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Hanna is doing well. She went back to school on Tuesday, and she was happy to be back. We had a fun winter break together, though. We spent six days with Aunt Mellie and Uncle Paulo in Portland. It was fun, and Hanna was spoiled big time! She had her own room at Mellie and Paulo's (complete with Barbies, games, and coloring books), we went to Seaside, OR and visited a carousel and arcade, we visited OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry), and we spent an evening at Chuck E. Cheese.