Talipes Information and Parental Support Group
Phoebe's Story
Phoebe Clark
Phoebe at 8 months |
When we went for an ultrasound at 14 weeks, I asked the sonographer if she thought our
Phoebe’s feet looked normal. I probably wouldn’t have thought to ask, but
Phoebe’s dad, Tom, had talipes also. The sonographer looked again, and agreed that
they could be crooked, but wasn’t prepared to make a diagnosis. A second ultrasound
at 20 weeks confirmed it, so we started seeing surgeons, doing research and talking a lot
with Tom’s mother about what she went through (she had no car, no pram, and lugged
three children to a public hospital in Sydney several times a week for years.) A midwife
told us about TIPS at one of the ante-natal classes. At first I thought ‘Support
Group? Not my scene’. With Tom’s encouragement, however, we both went along a
few weeks before the birth, and found lots of normal-looking children and parents only too
ready to tear off shoes and socks to show us splints, scars and newly-straightened feet.
Over the months since then, we’ve received lots of emotional support and practical
advice - things surgeons wouldn’t think to tell you or even know. Our surgeon, John
Griffiths, was good enough to come to our maternity hospital at Ferntree Gully to plaster
Phoebe on Day 2. His directions for soaking the plaster off were less helpful, however. He
said after twenty minutes or so it would become soft, and we could loosen the knobs and
unravel the bandages. Phoebe was in the bath for two hours, while we waited for the
plaster to melt away. Unfortunately, we had waited until too late in the evening to ring
anybody from TIPS (I probably would ring them anyway these days, but I didn’t know
them very well then). Mr Griffiths and I have agreed to disagree on the definition of
soft. Phoebe’s feet responded well to plastering and splinting, and at first it was
thought she may not need surgery, but this turned out to be too optimistic, and she had
tendons released in both feet in March and April this year. She had three stays at Monash
overall. It was a painful, scary time for Phoebe, but she’s through it now, and her
feet look fantastic. She has new splints and we’re hoping no more drastic treatment
will be required. Meanwhile, Phoebe’s expecting a sibling next February, and shortly
we’ll know whether she’ll have a brother or a sister, and what kind of feet he
or she has. Many thanks to the TIPS parents for seeing us through this far.
Dated: November 1996
by Phoebe's father, Tom Clark
Updated: August 1997
Phoebe's sister, Ella, was born in February and she is perfect and her feet are especially perfect! It is quite nice to be able to hold and cuddle Ella without plasters or splints digging into your chest and of course we don't miss all the trips to the doctor and all the time in hospital. It was also in February that Phoebe started to walk, at 18 months of age. Once she was walking she only needed to wear her splints at night. We were quite concerned about one foot, her left, which was turned a little more than the other and has caused her to have many tumbles. We were alarmed when we were informed by an orthopaedic surgeon that her left foot would need another operation. We had only just prepared ourselves for this when we were informed by another orthopaedic doctor, more qualified, that there would be no operation. The doctor believes that her foot would straighten as she grows and if it is not much better when she is 4 or 5, then a further operation would be considered. We were overjoyed at this news, and by the fact she does not need to wear splints at all and we don't go back to the orthopaedic clinic for 6 months. Meanwhile, Phoebe is blissfully unaware that there is any problem with her feet and even though she still stumbles occasionally over her left foot she is as active and as mobile as any other 2 year old.
Updated 15 November 1998
Phoebe has good news. "No more splints!" is what Phoebe is telling everyone. We saw the orthopaedic doctor last week and
he is satisfied that no further treatment is needed for her. Surgery will definitely not
be needed again. Now that is the great news! Her left foot is not perfectly straight but
the doctor believes that it will be better as her legs get stronger. Her splints (Denis
Browne boots) are probably not doing anything for her now so that is the great news for
Phoebe.
After 3 years and 3 months of plasters, AFO's and Denis Browne boots every night, Phoebe
can at last sleep comfortably at night! So there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Have we reached the end of the tunnel? We think so and we hope so. We will be seeing the
orthopaedic each 12 twelves for a couple more years 'just as a check'.
Updated June 1999
A new photo added to show the whole family: Beata, Tom, Phoebe (bottom
right) at 3 years and 10 months and Ella at 2 years of age.
If you would like more information you can email Beata or Tom: tips@vicnet.net.au