We have been consulting doctors, thinking and praying about what to do about her short leg and little foot for months, and we have come to several conclusions. 1. Limb Lengthening is not a route we want to pursue. 2. Most doctors assume that an amputation of her foot is the only other option, since it maximizes her ability to wear a prosthetic leg and foot. 3. There is a third option - another foot underneath her little foot, bringing her leg lengths to even.
This third option may or may not be a long term solution, but for now it allows Zoe to walk without damaging her back and to gain trust and emotional stability in her new family without the trauma of an amputation.
So without further ado, we introduce you to what the kids have decided to call Commodore Mimi:
As you can see, it is a foot below a foot. The prosthetist took a cast of her little foot and made an AFO to fit her exactly, and then added a foot below it.
It's a little heavy, and needs some getting used to, but Zoe was very willing to get up and walk on it right away. Today she walked all over the place. As long as she is distracted, she doesn't mind it at all. The odd look on her face is her "cheezy face" - it's what she does when she know she is having her picture taken.
We go in to Shriner's to have it checked out on Friday. She doesn't seem to want to bend her leg much, so I'm going to have them check the fit. But generally, it is a huge success.
