Life is Good.

Everything went great with the surgery. I don't remember a thing except waking up in recovery with a sore throat. Then I fell asleep in a recliner, then I fell asleep in the car on the way home, then I fell asleep in my bed for the rest of the afternoon, then I slept like a baby all last night in between taking my pain pills. I'm back in a hard cast, which I wasn't expecting, but is actually a good thing. My ankle can't move at all, so it's bound to heal correctly this time! I go back to the Dr. next Thursday to get stitches out and find out the next step. I'm still non-weight bearing for a few more weeks. I would write more, but my medicine is REALLY good this time around...higher dosage and I get to take it more frequently. I'm feeling NO pain right now, and there's no telling what I'll type next. :-) Thanks for all the prayers and encouraging words!!

Take Two

Just wanted to ask for prayer Wednesday morning at 10:30 for surgery #2. I'm hoping it won't be as extensive as the first time around (only one incision and no broken bones anymore), but I'm prepared to be uncomfortable for at least a few days afterwards. They'll be taking out one temporary screw, moving my ankle about 1/2 inch, and putting in two permanent screws to hold it in place. I'm really just hoping and praying that this will make a big difference in how quickly I'm able to start walking again. The plan right now is that I'll go home sometime that afternoon, so I won't be staying in the hospital. YAY! Anyway, I just wanted to fill you in on the latest. I'll post an update as soon as I'm not high on drugs. :)

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. -Ernest Hemingway

I really hope that quote is true after this whole ordeal is finished. I didn't get very good news at the doctor today, so I'm trying to stay upbeat and see the silver lining...that maybe this is all going to make me stronger in the long run. Today marks exactly 6 weeks from my surgery, so I went to the doctor hoping to get my cast off, set a date to get my screw out, and hopefully start putting some weight on my leg. I got my x-rays first, and the 2 bones have healed well. You could hardly see where they had been broken, so that was a good sign. The problem was that the ligament I tore, which is a major ligament, is not letting my ankle go back into the right place. There's about a 4mm gap, which sounds tiny, but it's actually the difference between walking comfortably or uncomfortably for the rest of my life. After months, or maybe even a few years, the cartilage in that gap will wear down, causing joint pain and arthritis.

All of that to say, I have to have a second surgery to move my ankle about a 1/2 inch. They are going to take my temporary screw out and replace it with two permanent screws that will put my ankle in the exact right place for it to heal. I already have 2 screws on the inside of my ankle and a plate on the outside bone. These new screws will go from my fibula to my tibia, for you medically-brained people out there. My doctor wants to do the surgery within the next 2-3 weeks, so hopefully I'll get the date soon and at least be prepared for it. He wants to have another orthopedist in the surgery to "hold things in place" during the procedure, so he's waiting to consult with his partner on it. The best news of all is that it will most likely be outpatient, which would be AMAZING considering how horribly I handle staying in the hospital...See previous posts! :-)

Anyway, that catches you up on the status of my stupid leg. What a mess! I still can't believe I've done this to myself!! I think today marked the maddest I've been about it. It's just such an inconvenience and such a long healing process, so I'm really trying to practice patience through it all. I have never valued WALKING so much in my life, and I will definitely never take it for granted again. Thanks for all the prayers and for everyone who has called or emailed to check on me these past few weeks. I love & appreciate you all so much!!

Weekend Getaway

I think leaving the boredom in Burleson was good medicine for me this weekend! It was great to get out of the "comfort" of the recliner I've grown so accustomed to and head west to Abilene for a few days. Ryan had a long weekend, so we left on Thursday afternoon and came home Sunday. Part of the reason (well, most of the reason) we went was for Sigma Alpha alumni weekend. Pledge Class 11 was celebrating their 10 year reunion, and even though I'm technically Pledge Class 12 (because I pledged my sophomore year) , they were sweet enough to include some "friends" into their weekend plans. Unfortunately, because of my leg, I couldn't spend all night with them, but it was definitely fun to catch up over dinner and for the first portion of the pledging night. There was such a huge group of alumni that came back this year, so it was really fun!

Pledge Class 11 and Friends!

Michelle (fellow Pled Class 12-er), me, and Jenn

It's really fun that Kendall, her sister Kylie, and I have Sigma Alpha in common. While we were doing our Sigma Alpha stuff, Brad and Ryan were off with their Theta brothers...it's all in the family!!

Sisters-in-law: Lacy & Shea, Kendall & me

Thanks, Julie, for being my "cheauffeur" for the night!

Other than alumni weekend stuff, we just relaxed at my parents' house and spent some time with my grandparents too. One of the highlights of the weekend was that I got some "retail therapy" when my mom pushed me around Hobby Lobby in a wheelchair. It was wonderful!

We had to get back in time for my doctor's appointment on Monday, which wound up being a big waste of time. I was supposed to get x-rays done, but my Dr. changed his mind. I'm only at the 4 1/2 week point, which usually won't show much healing, so I'm going back on the 12th. Everyone was really impressed with my cool cast though, so I guess it was worth it to show off my mom's handiwork. I was so frustrated leaving the Dr. because I had my hopes up for possibly getting my cast off. I decided that to make myself feel better I would attempt to drive. That has been the most frustrating part of all this, so I was determined to make it work!! Since my pain isn't too bad and I'm able to move my toes more, I was able to push the accelerator with my hurt leg, and brake with my left. I think if I stick to back roads and avoid the highway I'll be fine. Ah, the freedom!!