Superhero Boy!

Last night Reuben went to bed smiling - really smiling - beaming! Like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders - and to him it had :o)

An hour before, he was jumping, bending and laughing, a total contrast to the same time the previous day but I don't need to talk about that, all that matters is...

 Reuben's spinal cast is off!

After 2 years he's done it, he's been amazing and he's our little hero, it came off a little earlier than expected but it doesn't matter - he's free!

It's been very strange for him over the last day getting used to the feeling of clothes on his skin again which he doesn't particularly like yet! And he had a bath at home! He smells so good now, like baby shampoo and very clean :) He's a bit wobbly and falls over a bit but he'll get used to it now that the weight is different and his balance but he'll manage. He had an x-ray and was officially weighed so we now know his true weight and not with the cast which was 11.3kg (24lb 14oz)

In 4 weeks we are seeing the spinal surgeon and then in 6 months he has another x-ray.

On Monday we have another TAC meeting where all the people involved in Reuben's care meet together to discuss his progress and where to go forward - this will involve us, the nursery team, paediatrician, specialist health visitor, speech and language, educational psychologist, physiotherapist and occupational therapist, and maybe a couple of others.

On Tuesday he also sees the neurosurgeon for his check-up and in a few weeks time he's back to gastroenterology.

Here is Reuben in the bath - from now it'll be baths all the time, swimming, more baths, paddling pool, playing on the beach and with the sand, he's not been able to do those so we'll be making up lots of time!

 

Reuben's collection of casts - he tried to put one back on!

 Reuben's latest x-ray. His ribs are in much better shape than they were when he first started the casting, much straighter, and although his spine isn't better it's not worse which was the primary function of the cast to stop progression of the curve.