Hatchback Shoes

I cannot fit shoes on my child for the life of me! Not that he needs shoes because he doesnt walk, but its nice to feel normal you know? Plus recently Kale has taken a liking for standing(of course with our assistance holding him up), so our Physio Lynn has given us some AFO's (Ankle Foot Orthosis).

Finding a shoe for Kale before these contraptions proved to be very challenging not only because of his fat littlle feet, but because he curled his toes when you try to put them in anything! Then I discovered Hatchbacks!!

Not only do the look so cute they bend in the center to help you put them on, the tongue on them comes all the way down to help ensure there toes go to the tip of the shoe with ease! So these shoes are not only stylish they are easy to use and specialy designed for AFO's!!

Kales Diagnosis

Kale our beautiful son, was born at 29 weeks gestation with no complications through vaginal delivery, drug free.

Kale had/has:

• Interventricular Hemorage Grade 2
• Periventricular leukomalacia (which he has severe)
• Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia
• Infantile Spasms also known as West Syndrome (video)
• Visual Cortical Impairment
• Acid reflux.

The Beggining

People who know me best would use words like "pushy" to describe my personality among other words which I should not write. It is because of my pushy nature I at 21 weeks into my pregnancy was getting my second ultrasound. I told my midwife I wanted another ultrasound to get a more clear picture of my baby boys heart. I knew he was a boy because I had a ultrasound at 17 weeks gestation. I lied to my midwife, I really just wanted to see my baby again.

I showed up to my ultrasound so excited, full of water and wanting to pee like no one could believe. We got called into the room and started the procedure. It was about part way through where my life, my husbands life, and my baby's life had took a turn for the worst. The technician had noticed my cervix was thinning out. For those who dont know what that means, typically when your cervix thins out your on you way to delivering. The delivery could take weeks though but at 21 weeks of pregnancy out of 40 I needed more than a couple week. So I was sent to the hospital to get checked out. After hours of waiting, I was told I was 3 cm dialated. I was told immediatly I was on bed rest and would be having my cervix surgically sewed closed. It was a very quick and painless procedure.

 My next 8 weeks on bed rest was horrible. I wasnt allowed to sit up, it was reccomended I use the bathroom in a bed pan, and I couldnt even take baths. I felt perfectly fine. I stayed laying in my bed for 8 weeks straight.

By week 28 I started to get my mucus plug constantly coming out and replacing its self it was gross. I called the hospital and they said this was okay as long as I saw no "new" blood (bright red not dark red/brown). I was getting alot of "old" blood as the days progressed, I called again they said it was no big deal. On the last day I had no appetite, my braxton hicks contractions were happening like 10 times or so a day very randomly. I felt concerned enough to have my friend take me to maternity to meet my OBGYN. At this point I had no pelvic exams, we had nothing done to me that could stimulate labor. My doctor however felt that he wold check me out with a pelvic exam where he found out I had torn just a little ( my stitch tore ). The doctor sent me home. As soon as I got home I had a horrible back pain. I told my husband to count the time between the pains, I had 5 more pains then my water broke. All the pains were about 5min apart..

I was 29 weeks pregnant and being flown by emergeny plane to Vancouver, British Columbia, with my husband by my side,  from my town. From the time my water broke until the plane people came and got me and took me to Vancouver it had been 5hrs of contractions with no medications since I was flying. When I arrived at the hospital about 1230am they decided to cut my stitch out for sanitary reasons. When they cut my stitch out they realized I was 9cm dialated and told me I was to deliver in 30min. I did. Our son was born at 2:18am by vaginal delivery with no complications weighing 3lbs 1oz (1410g) at 29 weeks gestation and was taken straight to a wing next door which was a Level 3 NICU. There were no concerns.

This is how our journey began, this was our introduction into parenthood. This seemed normal, no one seemed scared, so we wern't.