MAY...How time flies!

Is May really over?! I can't believe it has been a month since my last post. I guess I've been busy! Getting rid of my crutches has given me so much freedom, so it's hard to keep me down for long. Yes...I got rid of my crutches on May 19 after almost 4 months. Walking in the big ugly black boot has been such a relief! It's been a huge adjustment, but a good one. My leg gets really sore and swollen by about 3:00 every afternoon, but if it means having my arms back, I'll take it! I actually look forward to going out and getting the mail, carrying a normal purse (not a backpack), pushing a shopping cart, and doing normal day to day stuff again. I go back to the Dr. on June 9, and I'll find out about starting PT. I still can't fit a tennis shoe on, so we can't start PT until that happens. As of right now, I swear I'll be wearing pants every day for the rest of my life, but hopefully my scars will start fading soon. I know I'm probably the only one who cares, but it bothers me nonetheless.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Ryan's parents came out to visit. We cooked steaks and chicken on the grill, and Bill helped Ryan finish the storage shed he built. I swear, it took him NO time to build it, and he had no plans to follow. It's not painted yet (because you KNOW I have to paint and decorate it), but I'm still pretty impressed with how it turned out. Now all of the lawn stuff can be out of our garage to make room for workout equipment. Woo Hoo!

I also decided that our front entry needed a little sprucing up, so I did a little bargain shopping and came up with this. I thought it turned out pretty cute...all for under $100...shelf and rug included. (I sound like an HGTV commercial or something.)

Last weekend we threw a baby shower at my house for Kendall and my soon-to-be niece, Hadley. It was so much fun! I took way too many pictures, but here are just a few...

Jack and Harley had to make sure they gave their Cousin Hadley a present.

Mini Milestones

For the past two weeks, I feel like I've actually been making progress! I got word from the Dr. that my x-rays looked PERFECT. If it weren't for the torn ligament, I would be up walking right now. I've gradually started putting more and more weight on my leg while still using crutches. He told me that I could quit sleeping in the boot, and that I didn't have to wear it unless I'm going to be out and about, at work, climbing stairs...basically anywhere I could hurt myself or get kicked. What I also decided he must have meant (although he didn't actually say it) was that I could drive. The good news is that I will get to put the crutches away on May 19th. Woo hoo! The bad news is that I'll be walking in a walking boot for awhile after that, but hey...at least my hands will be free. I can't even imagine the freedom! After a few weeks of walking with the boot on, I will start rehab and transition into a tennis shoe. (No high heels yet, but I'm still holding out hope.) Speaking of shoes, I decided that I wanted to see if I could fit a shoe on my foot yet, and the answer was basically NO...with the exception of one pair of flip flops that worked! So, for the past 4 days I have lived in my black Teva flip flops that Harley chewed the back off of. I have probably worn them when I should've been wearing the ugly black boot, but the flip flops are so much more comfortable...and fashionable. Regardless, I feel like things are finally looking up.

In other news, Harleys' ACL surgery went well. She has bounced back so fast that I can't keep up with her. The vet said that a lot of dogs re-inujure their ACLs within the first month after surgery (which is where we are right now) because they feel no pain and think they are back to their old selves. Not the case. Trying to keep a rat terrier from jumping on the furniture is not the easiest thing I've ever done, so she has to spend more time in her crate than she'd like. Oh well...tough love. Isn't this the most pitiful picture of my baby? Her bandage is off now, her stitches are out, and her hair is finally starting to grow back. Bless her heart!


Also, since my last post, I had fun visitors one day a couple of weeks ago. Brittney & Quinn made the drive from McKinney to come see me. It had been WAY too long! Quinn was so sweet and brought Harley and me each a Thomas band-aid for our boo-boos. I think it really helped. :) Jack and Harley were not happy when their new friend had to leave. They pouted for the rest of the day. Even though the visit was too short, it was great to see them both!

Three Left Feet

Between Harley and me, we have 3 good left feet and not much else. Would you believe that my dog tore her ACL and is having surgery today?! I really can't imagine what else could go wrong this year, but I'm nervous to even think of the possibilities...so I won't. Last May, Jack had abdominal surgery, I've had 2 surgeries since January, and now Harley is having leg surgery. If I were Ryan I would seriously RUN (carefully though, don't fall!) as far from here as possible! Evidently Harley has had a "luxating patella" (a kneecap that moves in and out of place) her whole life, and over time it has torn her ACL. So, it wasn't like she had a major accident that caused it. She was literally sitting in my brother's lap one minute, hopped down, and then couldn't put weight on her back right leg. Since I can't drive or carry my dog for that matter, and Ryan is at work because we can't afford for him to take any more time off, Molly (Thank You!!!) came out and took us to the vet this morning. Jack was really happy that Molly came because she offered to bring him along for the ride, which he wouldn't have gotten if it had been me driving. :-) I'm waiting to hear from the vet, but I'm sure everything will be fine. She's my baby though, so I think it'll be harder on me than it is on her. I hate that she's going to have to be in a crate all week, and I can't do anything to help her. I guess we'll go through physical therapy together...she can be my workout buddy. Look at that precious face!!

On a totally different note, I was complaining about not having anything to do while stuck at home, so Brad and Kendall gave me a project to keep me busy this weekend. They wanted me to do something for my neice's room. She'll be here before we know it! They didn't give me really any guidelines...just that they wanted her name or intials somewhere in the room. I decided to do her name and initials, and I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. Some of the patterns match her paisley/striped/polka dotted bedding, so I think it will look really cute all together. Anyway...here's what I came up with. The "L" is my favorite.

I Got the Boot.

I don't have much to update, but I did get my stitches out and my cast off at my appointment last Thursday. I got a boot (one of the "very cool" Darth Vader looking robot boots), but I still can't put any weight on my leg. My doctor said that maybe at my appointment in 2 1/2 weeks I will be able to start putting very little weight on my leg while still using crutches. I can't wait to see what it feels like to walk again!! The boot is nice because I can take it off during the day and let my leg feel the air, which it hasn't in over 2 months. It's a very strange feeling, but it's getting more comfortable every day. The bad thing about the boot is that I can't drive with it on, so I'm back to being homebound during most of the day. Also, most of my pants don't fit over it and it's such a pain (and exhausting!) to go shopping, so my wardrobe is very limited! It's all a sign of progress though, so I'm happy about that. Other than sitting here and watching my leg heal, I've been working some from home, watching TV, working crossword puzzles, reading magazines, messing around on the computer, and then starting the cycle all over again. There's not much to do in a recliner. Any suggestions???

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!!