Casting Event

So, at my parent/teacher conference with Harlie's preschool teacher and hearing impaired teacher, I asked them for advice regarding Harlie's upcoming spinal fusion recovery.  This time we are going to talk to her before surgery and do our best to explain what's coming.  And one thing that concerned me was how I was going to explain that the cast is only temporary - and it WILL come off in time.  I visualize her "coming to" from surgery and realizing that she can't move and looking down and seeing a scary cast.

So, a few days after the conference, her HI teacher came up with a fabulous idea:  cast her favorite baby doll in class, get a calendar, mark a date for the cast removal and every day in between, make a big deal of marking off the days.  She gets to see the cast, touch the cast, and completely "get" that the cast is only temporary.  Genius!!!

Mrs. S found a nurse to come to class with the casting supplies to cast the baby (named, Sarah).  Mental note: get the name of the nurse and send her a thank you note!

Last week was the big event.  It was a class activity and it was all for Harlie!  So, so sweet.  How great it is to be surrounded by people like that.  I just can't thank them enough!

Here are some clips of the event:

Apparently Harlie loves Sarah, and has been playing with her all the time - taking her potty, feeding her and just loving her.  Which is so weird because she doesn't do that at home with her babies.  I mean some, but not like what they describe she does at school.   I guess it's Sarah that she loves - not all babies.

The cast comes off next week.  I really think that her seeing Sarah in a cast is going to pay off.

And then, get this... the other day I came across a show on Video on Demand - Bubble Guppies.  I pressed play and the episode (called "Call a Clambulance") was about a fish that breaks his tail and has to go to the hospital for a cast!  How awesome is that?!??!  And since he was a fish, his cast looks like a body cast.  Perfect!  She's asked to watch it several times since then.

So, hopefully she won't be too scared when she wakes up and realizes she's in a cast.  Ugh.  The day is quickly approaching - just a week and a half now - March 28th.  At this point, I just want it to get here.  The sooner it goes on, the sooner it comes off.  Sometimes it kills me how much time I wish away.  That's just not right.

Well, that's it for tonight.  More later!

Thanks,
~Christy