Never Try to Leave Chicago at Rush Hour.

Okay, round one was over, but we knew that we had another surgery coming up. We increased our daughters Occupational Therapy to twice a week, and continued to work with her as she healed. We were given instructions on stretching exercises, and also advised of the ways we should NOT force movement. Our OT was awesome, and kept in touch with the staff at Texas Nerve and Paralysis Institute to make sure we were on track.

Our daughter thrived after theMod Quad surgery. She was able to raise her arm higher in just a matter of weeks, and was playing normally all day long within a month. She began to hold her arm down more instead of in a trumpeted position. There were a million tiny improvements, things that no one would really notice, but that were just tiny little blessings. She became stronger, more independent. I don't think she even remembered any of it after awhile. All there was to remember it by is a long scar in her underarm. Over time, and with the help of Vitamin E and Mederma, it will fade nicely. A small price to pay for mobility.

Before we knew it, it was time to see the good doctor in Chicago again. We made plans with another BPI family, and all stayed together for the weekend. The girls had a blast, and we were able to confirm that our daughter was ready for the more extensive surgery, called the Triangle Tilt. It is a much more involved surgery, and we wanted to make sure that she was in the best shape possible before making her arm immobile for a time. We also got to see her CT Scan results, and he explained the surgery in detail. We asked our questions and felt more prepared. Two weeks to go. Houston or bust.

It was our last big Hurrah, so we went to Navy Pier. We went to the Chicago Children's Museum (this place is AWESOME for toddlers!), and the Build-a-Bear workshop (beware the Build-a-Bear money pit!). We had our daughter choose a bear and its clothes, and she even picked out a little cast for its arm. We named her Erby and put her away for a gift after the Triangle Tilt.

We were as ready as we were going to get. It was time to wait. Again.