This photo pretty much sums up the day....it was good and bad...

Today Anna got her new set of casts, and everything I thought would suck didn't, and everything I thought she'd like was not so great...

We started the day off by waking up late (6:00AM!) and leisurely making our way to Granny's house to drop off Meredith and Wallace. Then I decided to get some shots of Anna in her old casts before we left to get them replaced.

The last week with this set really started to suck.  They smelled horrible, and on Friday around 5:00 I noticed that one of them was hurting Anna and causing her to limp.  Great...can't really do much at that point. — The last week with this set really started to suck. They smelled horrible, and on Friday around 5:00 I noticed that one of them was hurting Anna and causing her to limp. Great...can't really do much at that point.

But, with that said, she's really been a trooper.  She made a pretty good couch potato most of the weekend, and that seemed to help some. — But, with that said, she's really been a trooper. She made a pretty good couch potato most of the weekend, and that seemed to help some.

Our first stop was the orthotics measurement appointment. The sign out front said orthotics and prosthesis, and as we walked up I had a moment of panic that they might have prostheses just sort of out in the open, used as educational tools or decorations...I figured that would completely freak Anna out. Thankfully, I'm an idiot...this was not the case at all.

This is the selection of orthotics that she got to choose from.  With some help she decided on light pink with stars. — This is the selection of orthotics that she got to choose from. With some help she decided on light pink with stars.

So, I didn't have time to google it, and I'm still not entirely sure how there wasn't blood flying everywhere when they cut these things off!

I'd assumed Anna would be totally cool with the whole cast removal process since she'd handled it fine the first time they cut one off at the ortho, but she was hysterical for the first minute of it. She was pretty much a ball of tears for this entire appointment. :( I'd figured she would really enjoy it (casts coming off....picking out the color and pattern she wanted for the orthotics), but good grief...I was wrong wrong wrong....

I didn't anticipate this!  And neither did she apparently.  Seeing the sores really bothered her.  And her skin was pretty sensitive too. — I didn't anticipate this! And neither did she apparently. Seeing the sores really bothered her. And her skin was pretty sensitive too.

We had a little time to wash her feet, which was traumatic because of the sores and the skin sensitivity, and then we got started on the molds for the orthotics.

Once again...not what I was expecting.  When they said molds, I was thinking it'd be some sort of foamy stuff like what they use to make molds of your teeth.  I'm all thinking...soft foamy stuff...she'll think this is awesome!  I real… — Once again...not what I was expecting. When they said molds, I was thinking it'd be some sort of foamy stuff like what they use to make molds of your teeth. I'm all thinking...soft foamy stuff...she'll think this is awesome! I really should have researched this more before we went. It was ANOTHER cast!

At least the removal process was a little different.  She still cried because it hurt where her sores were when he got close to the top of her foot.  I'm sure this guy felt like a heel (no pun intended).  :( — At least the removal process was a little different. She still cried because it hurt where her sores were when he got close to the top of her foot. I'm sure this guy felt like a heel (no pun intended). :(

He taped her casts back on so we could keep her feet at 90 until her casting appointment in the afternoon.  She almost seemed relieved to have the casts back on.  We rewarded her with some Freebirds! — He taped her casts back on so we could keep her feet at 90 until her casting appointment in the afternoon. She almost seemed relieved to have the casts back on. We rewarded her with some Freebirds!

For the next couple of hours Anna and I licked our wounds and tried to get over the horribleness that was the orthotics appointment.  We had a little retail therapy at Sam Moons! — For the next couple of hours Anna and I licked our wounds and tried to get over the horribleness that was the orthotics appointment. We had a little retail therapy at Sam Moons!

When they took the casts off again, she was back to being fixated on the sores....

But Josh was quick to sidetrack her and spun her around in the doctor's chair a few times.  Really seemed to be effective.  No tears for the entire appointment! — But Josh was quick to sidetrack her and spun her around in the doctor's chair a few times. Really seemed to be effective. No tears for the entire appointment!

We got a new cast technician.  This guy was awesome! — We got a new cast technician. This guy was awesome!

He was super careful to get her extra cushioning so the sores can heal and she won't develop any more.  This was like an art form.  He was so careful about everything.  Took forever, but I think it was worth it. — He was super careful to get her extra cushioning so the sores can heal and she won't develop any more. This was like an art form. He was so careful about everything. Took forever, but I think it was worth it.

They're a bit bulkier this time.  The new casts are 5 degrees past neutral, so theoretically they should force her to strike heel first and lengthen her heel cord even more. — They're a bit bulkier this time. The new casts are 5 degrees past neutral, so theoretically they should force her to strike heel first and lengthen her heel cord even more.

And homegirl got another special treat on the way home.  :) — And homegirl got another special treat on the way home. :)

So, like I said...everything I thought she'd like she hated, but then she wasn't upset at all to get the new casts! We ended up having a pretty nice day together. :)