She is sneaky, though... I know she tries to hide that I am doing physiotherapy, even while we have cuddles!
Can you see her hand is in a brace?
She does lots of lifting and has hurt her wrist.
She got told today that it will take around 8 weeks for it to get better!
I told her to toughen up! I've had much worse!
Dexter
Dexter is getting very tall, and he is getting heavy. When he's being carried, he doesn't hold on. He needs full support. Dexter has passed the weight that professionals are required to lift him. He is heavy enough now, that they can demand Dexter be lifted and carried in a hoist.
Using a hoist is not practical for Lenice... not while she can still pick Dexter up, and carry him. For now, that is easier than using bulky equipment.
Lenice has already injured her foot. Carry Dexter means extra pressure is put on her feet. She wears special shoes, to help support her foot.
Lenice's knees are also giving her some pain, from the constant lifting and moving.
Then, just before Christmas, she was run down, and a combination of stress and exhaustion led to her case of shingles.
Today, her wrist was checked. It has been giving her pain for a couple of months. There is a lot of tendon and ligament damage. Knowing Lenice was going home to three children, one with multiple disabilities and a total dependence on Lenice, the advice to 'rest it up and let it heal' was thrown away. Lenice was given a support brace, and told it will take about eight weeks to 'heal'. She has to wear the support brace for 24 hours a day, for the first week, and a follow up appointment will determine what happens from there.
Unfortunately, this is just the beginning.
Dexter will continue to grow. Lifting Dexter into and out of the bath is difficult. Putting him into the car is also hard. Everyone knows that you should bend your legs, when lifting, and to keep your back straight. It's hard to do that, when you are putting a little boy in a bath tub, or into a car seat.
Just carrying Dexter can be difficult, but we have been doing it since he was tiny, so we have adjusted our method of lifting and carrying him, as he's grown. We don't realise the weight we are lifting and carrying. And, we lift and carry Dexter with love... because he needs us, and he will continue to need us.
And Lenice? Lenice will ignore the pain. She will underplay the level of pain she is feeling. She will feel constant niggles and aches, but will work through them... because Dexter needs her.
She didn't ask for Dexter to have cerebral palsy.
She didn't know she would have a son who is so reliant on her.
And, she didn't know just how much love she would have, for her incredible little boy. And so, she will continue to lift and carry Dexter, and support him in every way he needs.
Cerebral palsy makes life very difficult.
Dexter's Fun Plans
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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