Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Strangers

It was bound to happen sometime. Actually, it's happened several times since Charlotte got her first cast almost 2 weeks ago: a stranger asking "what happened".  I know they mean well and that they're just curious, but there's always a part of me that gets defensive thinking that they are insinuating that somehow my newborn got hurt.

Sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly witty, I feel like saying, "Oh, she was just playing too hard at the playground" or "She forgot to wear her non-slip shoes at work". But I don't. Instead, I try to inform them about what clubfoot is and explain how treatable it is. I often feel like a broken record, repeating myself to new people all the time. Maybe I should carry a business card full of information about clubfoot...

The truth is, I like it when people ask about her cast. It gives me the opportunity to talk to them about her and about clubfoot. Often times, people have heard of it before but don't really understand what it is. I enjoy explaining it to them and teaching them something new. I hope to help raise awareness of it, not just here in the U.S., but also around the world. It breaks my heart knowing that there are children in other countries who are left immobile because treatment for clubfoot doesn't exist where they live. So, until children everywhere can receive proper (and fairly inexpensive) treatment for this defect, I welcome any and all questions from curious strangers. 

P.S. Check out this website if you're interested in helping fund a project that will focus on clubfoot treatment in other countries. 

4 comments:

  1. Completely understand! I got that soo much with Audric (I know its a different situation, but still similar, you know?) I completely agree with everything you said. What hurt the most was when people just pointed and laughed. The kids didn't bother me that much, it was the adults that did it that I wanted to just punch right in the throat for laughing at my baby. I pray that you don't have to deal with ignorant people like that, and that she progresses well.

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  2. You know I would get in trouble with that... I would end up trying to get sarcastic and say something like "She got out of line" and the next thing you know CPS would be knocking on my door....

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  3. (found your blog bc of the post on the Footnote Film fb page!)

    Great perspective! And I totally understand the feeling! I always wanted to tell people that our daughter jumped too high on the trampoline and fell right off. :)

    I actually never had anyone ask about the cast, but got plenty of "looks"... more so especially when she had the brace on 23/7. Like you say, I always wanted people to ask, so I could explain and show them I wasn't embarrassed or ashamed or anything of the sort. But I found many people didn't ask. I have gotten lots of questions recently about the sores on her feet (since she only wears the brace at night now) - I feel like they are totally judging me because what kid has bad sores like that unless it's the parents' fault? Oh well!
    And you're totally right - I feel like I repeat myself constantly explaining it all!

    Glad to find your blog and look forward to reading your older posts!

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  4. Hi Tiffany,

    My name is Jessica Dyer and I'm the Program Officer for Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, an organization that helps to treat congenital clubfoot in developing countries! We do a lot of capacity building by training local orthopedic surgeons and getting the Ponseti method integrated into ministries of health in order to make sure children in the future receive this same treatment. We work in Vietnam and I helped to create a website for Vietnamese clinicians and parents explaining what clubfoot and the Ponseti method is. I'd love to share your blog on that website to show that congenital clubfoot and the Ponseti method is used all around the world, and doesn't just happen in Vietnam. Would you mind if I shared a few photos and a link to your blog on www.vnclubfoot.org?

    Thanks!
    Jessica

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