One -- Two -- Three -- Four --

One -- Two -- Three -- Four --

Hopefully not many more!

This morning Jackson bid farewell to Mehta cast #4 like the little champ he always is on "cast off" days.  We started getting him excited yesterday by telling him about his upcoming tub baths and getting to see his belly button (a real treat around our house!).  So, this morning he was running and jumping as we entered the orthopedic office for his cast removal.

The older Jackson gets, the more difficult it is to chronicle his casting journey for Progressive Infantile Scoliosis.  Although he's not exactly smiling for my camera -- I have to take what I can get these days!

Right away, the nurse came into our exam room with "Mr. Saw" ... and, like usual, Jackson was nervous but there were no tears.  He is so brave!

In about 2 minutes, Jackson's cast was off his torso and on the table.

*bye bye cast #4*

You were cute but way too tight from the beginning -- and we are glad to be rid of you!

Surprisingly, Mommy's ghetto rigging of Jackson's pressure points (bilateral hips and spine base) with Tegaderm bandages and jelly pads worked wonders.  Although this already too small cast was on an extra two weeks (thanks to an *ahem* untimely three week vacation by our surgeon), Jax managed to escape without any open wounds.  Only a few reddened areas.  We'll take it!

"Take THAT, Mr. Cast!  I'm tough!"

And Justin and I are cautiously thrilled with the way Jackson's little spine looks to the naked eye.  We think Jax just might be getting close to moving into a plastic brace!  He looks so beautifully straight to us. This time, the main change we can see is that his scapulae (shoulder blades) look parallel for this first time.

Take a look for yourself:

as an infant (about 4 months old)

prior to Mehta cast #1 (September 2011)

prior to Mehta cast #2 (November 2011)

prior to Mehta cast #3 (January 2012)

prior to Mehta cast #4 (March 2012)

prior to Mehta cast #5 (today)

Now, isn't that a sight to behold?

We think so!

Please keep us in your prayers over the next week ... for good health, safe travel, and safe and effective casting on June 1st!