Healing and Showers

This one is going to be pretty long since a lot has happened in the past week and a half

This has been the wonderful view of my spring break....

Last Monday I went in for surgery. The goal was to do a bone graft on the shin, but when he "got in there" he saw that my bone was in tact and there was no fracture. He saw that instead, the bone was extremely soft but all in one piece. When he cut into my shin, the area did not bleed like it was supposed to, which means that the area is not getting enough blood flow to heal the bone (which is why it is so soft). He "roughed up" the tissues around the bone (not sure exactly what that entails) and hopefully this will help the bone heal again.

It has been an interesting few weeks.....

Jo and Norman sent me some flowers with balloons and Aidan was giving them to me

Turned out to be a new favorite toy of his

Still trying to be a mommy even if I can't chase after him

Look at that precious face!

On Friday and Saturday I went to the Georgia World Congress Center to see my team play in the Big South Qualifier. I was exhausted both days from being on crutches there (not suited for that!) Sunday, Zach had to work so I wasn't able to go because I didn't have a ride (driving on painkillers not legal). But, overall I was happy I could go a few days- I had already told the girls I wouldn't be able to make it, so it was nice to surprise them.

On the way home from GWCC- we were both exhausted from a day of volleyball.

A few days ago, Zach had to go to work so I was left to watch Aidan by myself for a few hours. I was EXHAUSTED by the end of it. Zach got everything ready for us in Aidan's room. We had the door shut so he couldn't escape and we just read books, played, and looked out the sliding glass door. One thing Zach and I did not anticipate is that I would want to change outfits for my sister's baby shower that afternoon.....with a baby....on crutches. So, I put Aidan in the stroller and pushed him around the house while I got ready. It was quite a sight.....

All of my boys ready to run outside and play

Baby Shower time! Please, crowd around me because I am not moving.

Kristin, Ally, Kathy, Betty, Shannon and Aidan.

Now add Mom to the group

Flirting with the ladies

He was a mess! Running around everywhere.

By the way he is STANDING ON HIS OWN!! Ahh!

Walking with Kathy

And now exhausted...

We went to the Dr. on Monday. He is 23 pounds (75th percentile) and 31 inches (97th percentile!). Everything was perfect and boring, which I love! He has 4 top teeth coming in (which now explains his extreme crying in the middle of the night, which is not like him at all). Best part of the day though was when he did not even cry when he got his shot! I couldn't believe it. SOOO tough!

Surgery Info

Details for Monday:

I am having a bone graft done on my shin. They basically go in, file down the bone that is kind of sticking out away from the rest of the bone, fill in any splits in the bone, sew me back up and I'm done. I will have to wear a "bone stimulator" around my leg for six hours a day. Not really sure I know exactly what it is - I stopped listening at "expensive."

At first, I was told I will not be able to bear weight for 2 weeks and then will be on crutches for 8-10 weeks. Now, he is not sure, and he will let me know after he goes in and sees everything.

Monday, I have to go to the out-patient center at 5:45 AM! That might be the worst part about the whole thing. The surgery will begin at 7Am, and I should be home in the afternoon.

I am taking off one week from school (the week before spring break) and then will use spring break as another week to recover. After that, I will be back in the classroom, and depending on what the doctor says, I might be in a chair teaching for a few weeks or the rest of the semester.

That is the update for now, but I will be sure to keep posting all next week to let you all know how I am doing.

Waiting Game

For those that might not be fully in the loop... I had a tibia rod put in my shin in the summer of 2005 right before I went to NC State for a really bad stress fracture. They went through my knee to put the rod in and it took me 3-4 months to really get back to normal.

Insert cute picture of Aidan when I have nothing else to show....

It has been giving me some trouble lately so in the past month I have had an x-ray and an MRI - both of which were unable to be read because the titanium in the rod messes with the picture. I have had a bone scan and galium bone scans (one tests for stress fractures and one tests for bone infections) and I have had blood work done. Hello out-of-pocket maximum, here I come!

Good news and bad news as of today:

Dr. Wilkes (best orthopedist EVER- my sister and I have frequented his office) is going to "look over everything more thoroughly this weekend" but as of right now, he thinks that there is no bone infection- but there is an unhealed stress fracture in the tibia. I was already prepared for him to tell me that the rod has to come out (he has been talking to me about that for a while- which means essentially knee surgery- not fun). He says that the rod cannot come out because my bone is not strong enough right now to go without the rod.

Instead, he tells me that they are going to (most likely) go in and shave down the bone where there is an unhealed fracture and do a bone graft that will replace the missing bone. So no surgery for the rod- but now have a different surgery.

At least this surgery will not go through the knee and I will not have to worry about rehabbing the knee. But, I will have new scars and new problems.

He said that he will call me on Monday and let me know for sure and we can schedule the surgery. Fabulous! Can't wait! Oh well, maybe I will be able to walk/run/jump without pain afterwards... we shall see.