Here is a look at the "New Normal" around the Fisher household...at least for the next 4-5 months. Guy was diagnosed with Plagiocephaly AKA "flat head syndrome". Sounds way more scary than it is...in fact, it's not scary at all! The little man's dome is just SO DANG BIG and he refused to sleep on his side or his stomach resulting in a flat spot on the back of his head reminiscent of the majestic "El Capitan" Rock in Yosemite. So what does that mean for the little Fish?... he has a special helmet that he has to wear 23 hrs a day, doctors orders. We actually LOVE Guy's beautiful, El Capitan, XL dome... to me he is perfect in every way. With that being said, it has been an interesting journey to "helmet life". It's funny how many emotions are tied up in caring for your child and I am constantly amazed at what a "Sensitive SALLY" I've become (Please tell me I'm not the only one). In this case I'm not just talking about sensitivity...
IM TALKING ABOUT FULL BLOWN DENIAL.
We are actually late to the helmet game...it's something we should have done when he was about 5 or 6 months old. We noticed that the back of his head was "on the flatter side" around 4 months old. I kid you not, strangers and Target have commented on Guys head! As a Mom, I tried every tactic to get him to sleep on his side and even bought him a special pillow with a hole in the center for him while he slept on his back with little results. It took me until a month ago to face the fact that he NEEDS a helmet. I reluctantly made an appointment with a specialist. After all, is a helmet really that bad??? I'm embarrassed to admit that I cried for about a week after the specialist confirmed that he needed it. I was secretly hoping that he would take one look at Guys amazingly large head and assure me that it will round out in its own time...NOPE! I've had the last couple of weeks (while Guys helmet was being made) to get to the bottom of all of these feeling swirling around in my heart and mind.
First off: This is not a "boo-hoo" story. We have a healthy kid with a flat head. It's almost laughable that I would cry about it at all! Being a Mom has changed me and softened parts of me that I never knew existed... So I decided to allow myself the grace to feel these feelings, get them out, and move on!
Second: We can do this! Yes, it's annoying and inconvenient to have my child in a helmet 23 hours of the day, not being able to see his sweet blonde hair, dealing with the questions, and defending the choice to put him in a helmet in the first place. I hope you understand that this is not for vanities sake...that's probably the thing I'm the most insecure about defending. I'm weak, what can I say? As much as I fight needing the approval of others it remains a constant battle...and adding the whole "motherhood" aspect to it creates a whole new juicy layer. But, this is my kid (possibly the only one I will ever have) and Seth and I are going to do everything in our power to help him in any way we can...Even if it means paying a fortune for a dorky helmet!
Lastly: Thank you for letting me share these feeling. I know I'm not alone out there and there are plenty of other parents that can relate. Whether It's a helmet, leg braces, eye patches, eye glasses...the list goes on and on. We are just trying to do what is best for these little life suckers.
OK! OK! OK! ENOUGH... ON TO THE INCREDIBLE...ADORABLE...HELMET HEAD!
