Updated on Sep 16th 2010 at 10:12 PM using the JustGiving iPhone app

Physio very happy with Isaac's feet at today's check-up and wear reduced to 12 hours a day(bedtime) :-) Growing lad is now on Mitchell boots pair three!

Updated on Sep 11th 2010 at 11:49 AM using the JustGiving iPhone app

As part of training I completed the Great Scottish Run 10k in Glasgow on Sunday - very happy with 47:10 and positive all is on track to complete the final two runs!

Updated on Jul 27th 2010 at 9:33 PM using the JustGiving iPhone app

Wee Man is doing great since his operation on 28th June  - taken Mummy an Daddy longer to recover!

Updated on Jul 3rd 2010 at 6:56 AM using the JustGiving iPhone app

Thanks to everyone who has donated so far! Isaac is still recovering but doing very well after surgery to his fingers an toes on Monday. My brave little soldier :-) Mummy's back isn't doing so well with all the carrying an walking but luckily doesn't seem serious!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page!  

What am I doing?

2nd May   - Great Edinburgh Run 10km - Very happy to have finished in 52:18

23rd May - Scottish Half Marathon - Pleasantly surprised to finish in 1:56:03!

19th Sep  - Great North Run (Half Marathon) - After a 6:51 first mile hung on for a very pleasing 1:48:34 :o)

3rd Oct     - Scottish Kilomathon (26.2km)

Although I've completed two marathons in the past, completing these events will be a major achievement for me - 2nd only to giving birth to my son which was the start of this journey.  I would like to support the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids in Edinburgh due to the personal experience I have with them since August 2009. 

Why Sick Kids?  

My son Isaac was born just before Christmas 2009 (I created this page just as he turned 4 months old).  David and I had known since a scan at 18 weeks that our son would be born with bilateral congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) also more commonly known simply as talipes or clubfeet.  Immediately we were put in touch with the Sick Kids and Sarah met with us soon after to explain the 'Ponseti' treatment - up to 8 weeks of plaster casts, potential simple tenotomy operation and 3 more weeks of casts, 3 months of full time boots an bar then bedtime wearing boots an bar until he is 4 years old (at which point the chance of relapse no longer improves).   We were also invited to a support gathering while I was still pregnant.  This all gave David and I time to come to terms with having 'lost our perfect baby', accept the situation and prepare ourselves for the treatment our baby would face.

At 8 days old Isaac visited Sarah and Dr Murray to confirm the diagnosis, take pictures and we began our journey to ensure our son can walk when the time comes and, although he may never be an Olympian or even a marathon runner like mummy, who knows - they have given him the best chance currently available to lead a 'normal' life and do all the things a 'normal' toddler, child, teenager, adult will do.

The video which most helped me deal with the expected treatment is available here - 

http://talipestogether.com/video?sort=highestRated

As well as talipes, Isaac was also born with constriction bands on his hands and feet - unusual / missing / joined toes and fingers. When he around 6 months old he will have surgery to release the toes and fingers, improve the circulation and allow them to look as normal as possible.  

Although Isaac's treatment is as non-invasive as possible and his condition is not life threatening - at 4 months it has already led to over 15 visits and many hours with Doctors, Consultants, Physiotherapists and other staff at the Sick Kids.  This is to give him the best chance of growing up like all other children.  I would like to do my best to ensure the Sick Kids can continue this kind of support and treatment.

Why an achievement when I've already completed two marathons?

The difficulty with completing these events for me is that Isaac rarely sleeps well and is exclusively breastfed.  Finding energy and time to 'escape' for a run is difficult!  He will only be 18 weeks old when I complete the Great Edinburgh Run 10km, 21 weeks for the Scottish Half Marathon and 9 months old when I finish the Great North Run and finally the Kilomathon.  

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