Clothing Challenges

Clothing for Melissa was a real challenge.

Clothes needed to be specially made.  It felt like a miracle to buy a garment that would fit.

Melissa also needed extra quantity of clothing due to vomiting and as a lot of her clothes were wool and unable to be dried in the dryer that also meant extra were needed due to longer drying time.

Summer singlets were made as Melissa had a very small neck and long body.  Again due to her length and constant handling her clothes could come apart in the middle so we had an all in one body suit made on the principle there would be no gaps in her clothing. There was a lot of hands on handling getting her in and out of various pieces of equipment and remembering she was unable to verbally tell us when she felt uncomfortable, clothes twisted  etc.

Sweatshirts needed to be made as they were too wide, the necks too large ,  also the extra length was needed.

Wool tights were used in the winter and we would need to re sew the feet of these to fit.

Long pants / trousers seldom bought as the waists would be too big.

Her boots were made especially at Orthotics occurring a part charge.

Sox were difficult to find. We used hand knitted ones which in winter were worn o9ver her tights.

Nightwear was specially made due to her small neck.

All her bibs were hand made for the same reason. Most days eight bibs would be used and continually required mending.

Over nap pants were also hard to source and were worn day and night all year round.

I think her dressing gown was the only garment able to be bought and worn without alteration. 

The same one lasted several years just getting a bit shorter each year as Melissa became taller.