Braces and Beliefs

Teddy has worn braces since he was little, initially SMOs, which went up to his ankles, and then last year he was upgraded or downgraded depending on how you look at it to AFOs. AFOs go nearly up to his knees. It was a bit tough emotionally when he got AFOs because they more obviously show Teddy's differences ... as if ankle braces, his gait and overall persona aren't quite clear enough. I knew it was silly at the time, but I needed time to process before I was OK with it. Now, he needed replacement AFOs early because he broke them 4 months before his usual appointment. So his sitter took him to get cast (and AJ to pick up his inserts for his feet challenges).

This is Teddy's stylish new brace design. 

I asked Dave to call ahead to make sure no payment was needed, after baiting the trap by asking if he thought we should ask the person doing the fitting to wear a mask for Teddy's sake because Teddy can't keep a mask on. (He simply does not have the understanding or impulse control.) He had said yes to that question, so then I asked him to make the request when he called. They said they would put a note in his file and accommodate that request. I expected that to be the end of the conversation and was quite pleased they were willing to do that without it being a big deal. (I knew from our previous appointment that no masks were worn by the staff, which made me cringe inside my mask the entire time. Plus cases in our area are quite high right now.)

So our sitter took the boys to their appointment. She shared that she got quizzed up on whether Teddy had a compromised immune system, and she replied that he has a seizure disorder that is triggered by fevers. Ugh. She should not have to provide that explanation, although perhaps it was sheer curiosity, not judgement of whether a mask was necessary or not. The person then proceeded to share his beliefs that coronavirus was no different than the flu in terms of impact or severity and that such measures weren't needed. Ugh. I'm sorry our sitter had to have that conversation, but it's probably better it was her than me. Beliefs aside, this person has worked with Teddy for 6 years, knows him extremely well and does fantastic work. So, we'll wear our masks, request a mask be worn for Teddy's sake and go back the last time for hopefully the next year to pick up his braces ... and hopefully things are much different for the better by the next time he needs braces.

The cool part about Teddy's appointment was how much our sitter and AJ enjoyed picking out Teddy's braces. They both thought baby shark would be perfect for Teddy, but they were a bit swayed by the tractor design. So our sitter pulled up both images on her phone to give Teddy the choice, and he emphatically chose the shark design. AJ picked rainbow colors for the inside pads because we're not sure what Teddy's favorite color is - his words, not mine. It was neat to see how much they enjoyed that, particularly because it's one of those things I view as just another thing I need to do as Teddy's mom. Instead, they involved him in the decision and had fun picking out something they're certain Teddy is going to love ... and I love that!