Annabelle’s Journey

I’ve been hesitant to write this post but I am here lying in the Cheslea Hotel feeling hopeful that tomorrow is a go. At the end of June we were contacted by SickKids and informed that Dr. Kelley is feeling better and that an extra OR date had come up and he wants Annabelle in for July 21st. I got the phone call while at work and knew instantly it was for a surgery date- and while we’ve been waiting for this for so long my heart sank. It is what we’ve been wanting for the last two years but of all the months of the year I so badly didn’t want it to be in July. I called Karinna st Sick Kids back and I knew instantly my reaction wasn’t what she was hoping for. At this point we have waited so long what was an extra two months to bring us into the Fall? I started to mourn our summer and all the wonderful plans we had. I had a good melt down, pulled my pants up and called her back composed and ready to just get it done. This time with a lot less optimism that it would actually happen. We ha...

 I have had my days of hard parenting moments but yesterday takes the cake for being one of my most difficult days of being a Mom. The morning was spent with Annabelle helping me pack our hospital bags and showing Annabelle some of the activities we had to keep us busy at the hospital. She was so excited to go to the ‘YMCA hotel’ as she called it- the hotel with a pool. We packed Ellie her doll and all her hospital supplies and we picked out the best snacks and juice boxes. We were finally packed. Sean had vacuumed the car and removed Fiona’s car seat. We were ready to go.  And then we got the phone call- an hour before we were scheduled to leave.  Karinna is Dr. Kelley’s secretary and has been so wonderful at keeping us in the loop with regards to surgery time lines and responding to my very many emails and phone calls. I saw the No Caller ID and knew something was wrong.  Karinna informed me that Dr. Kelley was not well and would not be able to operate. The surgery...

Yesterday was a hard day. Annabelle and I left early to head to SickKids to get her covid test done. She’s a pro at them now so it was no big deal. On our way home we stoped at Toy’s R Us to pick out an operation doll. Before we went in I pulled Annabelle on my lap in the front of the car and told her why we we’re getting this doll and that in a couple of days we would be going back to the ‘ big city’ as she calls it to see Dr. Kelley and he was going to help her leg grow big and strong. She took this pretty well but I’m sure the fact that I did it in the parking lot of a toy store has a big part in that! While we drove home we talked about her friend Addie and how Addie had this operation. I also told her that there was a special package at home that Addie sent in the mail just for her. After Annabelle played with her new doll and we had lunch and haircuts it was time to open Addie’s gift. Lisa, her mom told me she had asked Addie what they could do to help Annabelle with her surgery ...

Hi everyone!! Welcome to Annabelle’s Journey Blog! I am using this as a means to keep everyone updated on her progress as well as a way for Annabelle to look back on her journey.  Annabelle was born with a moderate Congenital Femur Deficiency (CFD) and a mild tibial hemimeilia  on her right leg. She was diagnosed when she was two and up until this point we have just been monitoring her progress. As of September 2021 her leg discrepancy was 4.54cm and her projected discrepancy at maturity is between 7-8cm. This means she will need leg lengthening to add growth to her smaller leg. Without this she will have significant back, hip and leg pain.  She currently wears a lift on her right shoe to add height and help balance her out and she has done really well with it.  Annabelle is an amazing kid. A firecracker full of personality and a whole lot of love. She is an amazing sister to big brother Cameron and little sister Fiona. She is so good  at independent play - cons...