Insurance finally gave the precertification for treatment and we set up a casting appointment. On February 2, 2005 Dominick was casted for his first Doc Band. I went in prepared thanks to the Yahoo Support Group, with a bottle, pacifier, washable toys and his favorite bath towel. I really thought this would be a non-stop screaming fit, but boy was I wrong. The process started with a stockingette covering his head and face. They cut holes for nose and mouth and marked out his eyes and ears. We had a bottle ready for him to drink when hey started the plaster on the front. He laid there drinking his bottle happily while they put the gooey plaster strips on his head. Now it was time for the back and that meant no bottle and sitting up, so we changed to his pacifier. Daddy held hid arms and shoulders down out of the way and I helped support his head from time to time, leaving me a chance now and then to snap a picture of our little statue. After it dried just a few minutes it was slowly lifted off and the final touches put on. The whole process took about 15 minutes. After the casting we gave him a bath, we actually dreaded this more than the casting because of his issue with the water. They had a seat that rotated and keep him feeling very secure, we had our first bath without a huge fuss, Hooray. We of course ran right out and bought the closest thing we could find to the seat they had. He has enjoyed his bath a little more each time and now loves them. The cast was shipped to Arizona to be made into a head mold and his band made to fit that. It takes about ten days to two weeks usually. We were lucky. Ct called and said his band was in early and we could come get it fitted.
On February 10th, 2005 Dominick went to be fitted for his Doc Band. Dominick also turned 5 months old that day. We drove the two hours to get to the clinic getting more nervous all the way. We were prepared for him to throw a big fit about having this thing put on his head. When they brought his band in a feeling of sadness came over me, he seemed so little to have to be put through all this. My eyes filled with tears as they placed it on his head. Once they had it on and let go of his head, to my surprise he didn't even care about it being on. He looked at me and I could do nothing but smile, he looked so cute in it. We stayed around for a while to be sure the fit was perfect, a couple of adjustments and it was. We were given our wear and care instructions and off we went. Our first afternoon with the band as spent doing three hour skin checks to make sure they were no problems. He never minded the band at all and only gave me fits when I was being clumsy about taking it off or putting it on. Because the afternoon went so well he was allowed to sleep in it that night. We thought this would be the real test, how will he ever sleep with this thing on his head. Again I was wrong; he went right out and for the first time in a long time actually looked comfortable laying there in his crib. Aside from one red mark from me tightening the strap (a big no no) he had no problems and we were in the band 23 hours a day. It did take some getting used to, it was hard to snuggle his little head and I gave myself a few fat lips, but all in all the routine was very easy. We had our first appointment one week after fitting I couldn't believe it, progress already. He had to have adjustments and we set up for the following week. Week two and again more progress. Dominick consistently filled in the growth area he was given every week and the correction was so amazing. This went on for 5 weeks and then the band was beginning to get thin from adjustments. We got things started for a second band.
Most babies need only one band, but because Dominick was a severe inutero case and young we had already known he would take more than one. At 7 1/2 weeks into treatment Dominick outgrew his first Doc Band, but the correction he received was absolutely amazing. He still had more rounding needed and his ears didn't move yet, but his face was so much better and his head was amazing. Insurance was so slow to respond that he ended up being out of a band for two weeks.
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