I am out of the hospital bed and back into my own bed!

Sorry for not updating you all sooner--I should realize by now that I am less than functional after surgery! So, here is the break down:

The Not So Good Things
1) The surgery took 5 hours--was only suppose to take 2-3.
2) I missed lunch and dinner again.
3) I gained 5 more wires through my foot.
4) My stitches are icky looking!
5) I have two sets of stitches.
6) I was in agony after the surgery that first morning and it took all day for the doctors to figure out what to do--think of having a charlie horse and a major foot cramp for over 8 hours--NOT PRETTY (hence the lack of writing on the blog)! The pain was so bad all I could do was cry. :(
7) My energy levels are sapped again!
8) I have to wait until Tuesday 8/21/07 to find out what the next step is.
9) I am back to using the #$@*&^ walker because I am unable to put full weight on my right foot.
10) I am being sent to a pain specialist.

The Good Things
1) I had three wires that go through my leg taken out--so I only gained 2 more wires.
2) I got to have milk shakes at lunch and dinner.
3) Mom brought me a hamburger right after surgery so I didn't feel like I was starving.
4) Fun people sat with me while I waited for surgery
5) I didn't have to wait long to be checked in and taken up for surgery.
6) Fun people came to visit and check in on me in the hospital.
7) I received lovely gifts from wonderful people to make my stay more bearable!
8) The fracture site has healed even more since the last X-ray so less bone material was needed.
9) I didn't have to have bone harvested from my hip the docs could harvest the amount needed from my knee--a lot less painful and a lot less invasive!
10) The family and I have figured out what to do the next time I have surgery and I am not able to be my own advocate.
11) Saintly people have come to see me at home while I am in bed!
12) Saintly people have brought me yummy things to eat while I am confined in bed.
13) I have these foam octagons (Dad calls them my marshmallows) that help relieve pain by keeping the right amount of pressure on my pins and wires so the skin stays in place.
14) I am being sent to a pain specialist. :)

Latest Surgery Update

Checked in w/the doc on Friday. Looks like the surgery will be longer than expected b/c the pins and wires around my ankle are all loose which is the cause of my pain. In addition I had a minor pin site infection. The doctor was not concerned about a reoccurance of the staph infections--Thank God!!! He said my skin graft looked great and that is where there would be indication of the infection bubbling up--what a lovely thought that I wish I never heard! Another thing I did not want to hear was that all my leg surgeries are considered "Leg Salvage Surgeries," again not a pleasnt thought! The good news is that after one dose of the anti-biotic my ankle looked a million times better! Dr. Taranow also gave me some new pain medication that is helping a lot--but when it wears of it is instantanious pain. I don't even need to look at the clock to b/c it is always 8 hours on the dot that the pain comes back--on the up side (I think) it is a good alarm clock. Another plus is that my surgery is not scheduled for really early in the morning. I don't have to be at the hospital until 11:30am and the actual surgery is 1:20pm. Dr. Taranow laughed when I said I would be up before the sun was up for surgery--"You can be at the hospital that early but we won't be doing surgery until 1:20pm anyway!" Good thing I complained about the time! So I will be at St. Joes if you want to check in on me and find out what room I am in. I also learned you can send me emails or you can send me a "Cheer Card" who would have thought! So, if you are interested please do so! I would love to get a note to make me giggle since I will be in the hospital for 2-5 days. Oh, and if you send me flowers please note I am highly allergic to roses--besideds they are over rated anyway! I have to admit I am more excited than aprehensive about this surgery! I will update the blog no later than Tuesday--so check in again!
TTFN,
Lara

I am homeless

For those who did not know it my house in Auburn has been up for sale. I recieved an offer on it and accepted it--so now the ball is back in the buyers hands to do an inspection and get the financing (they were pre-approved for over the cost of the house) etc.... So keep your fingers crossed that by Wednesday I will be homeless or rather houseless.
xoxo Lara

Surgery Time Update

Great news I am having surgery at 7:30am on Monday. The good news is that it looks like I am first on the docket. Bad news is that I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning. Guess I will be up before the sun. :) Anybody who is up that early can join us!
xoxo
Lara

Surgery Update

I have found out that I will have surgery Monday, August 13th. It could be any time between 12n to 2:30--it has to do with the doctor who is flying in from Portland Oregon. Both my local orthopedic doctor, Dr. Taranow and the big wig doctor from Portland have rearranged their schedules to make this work now instead of waiting for September when their schedules would be a little bit clearer. Thank you to all who prayed to make this happen sooner! I have a pre-op appointment w/Dr. Taranow on Friday so I will be updating the blog then. Does anyone have any ideas of how to thank these docs for rearranging their schedules? As for those further interested in seeing what I get to look forward to please check out this website http://www.limblengthening.com/beforeafter.html. The foot stuff is what is going to be added to my current frame. The photos also show that I am not that bad off too!

Knitting the Pain Away

I wanted to give a big standing ovation to all my sister knitters (I hear we have a brother knitter out there but he remains to grace us with his presences since I started attending). I joined the knitting group at the First Congregational Church of Bellingham initially because it was a great way to get out of the house and it kept my hands busy without having to think too much. These reasons are so minute as to why I continue to attend! So here is my list of reasons why these Ladies of Knitting Needles Rock!

1. The endless peels of laughter that ensues!
2. The calming sense of keeping one's hands busy w/the same act over and over again.
3. Good stories of life from all realms!
4. Hugs.
5. Finding new ways to do the same old thing.
6. Sharing one's great news.
7. Splitting the sorrow up--dividing and conquering it!
8. Knowing I am not the only one struggling w/life!
9. Taking my pain morphing it into a tangible gift of warmth and love to be wrapped around someone in an unending hug of comfort.
10. Most importantly--the Knitters themselves--Kay P., Kay M., Phyllis, Sharry, Thirza, Sharon, Shirley, Cheryl, Miss Hannah, Nancy, Judy, Janet, Bobbi, Scott (the honorary knitter b/c of his comic relief) and all who have graced my presence on Wednesday nights whose names have slipped my mind (I blame the drugs--my story and I am sticking to it)!

One Step Forward Two Steps Backwards

Well to say I am a bit discouraged is an understatement! The good news is that three of the four fractures are healed and doing extremely well! The bad news is that the fracture that is directly on top of my tibia--closest to the skin--thus lacking in blood flow--is not viable. In other words it is dead. :( This is part of the bone that actually broke through the skin and where the infections took hold. We knew this was a possibility but were hoping we would not have to go down this road! I had been exceeding all the medical people's expectations so I was not prepared to hear this news! So, how to fix this--more surgery. I will have bone removed from my hip bone (the thought of this alone makes my stomach churn) it will be ground up and have what mom refers to as "Elmer Glue" for the bones added to my own bone and then grafted into the fracture site. On the upside are a couple of things:

1. My doctor is going to deal with my overly tight Achilles Tendon in the same surgery.
2. A big wig doctor who is part of the company who makes and distributes the Taylor-Spacial Frame is coming up to help with the surgery.
3. The big wig doctor's company is paying for his services--so much of the surgeon costs will be paid for.
4. What are a few more scars on your leg when ya got this many anyway! :)
5. I won't have to wear a scarf around my foot attached to the frame to keep my foot in a dorsal flexed position (90 degree angle).
6. More down time to knit
7. A walking cast is in my future in the next two to three months--how lucky I will be that summer's hottest days will be over when I get to wear it! :)
   

Sadly there are down sides to my positives--I will "get" to have the already huge frame on my leg extended to my foot--more pins, rods and do-hickeys that will assist in the lengthening of my dang Achilles. I will also have to have work done to my Achilles and/or the muscles it is attached to make sure it lengthens with out ripping apart. The biggest bummer of it all is that I was hoping to be home in Auburn in August. The earliest time the surgery can be scheduled is mid August and if it can't be done then it will have to wait until September. Scheduling two doctors with busy schedules and the busy hospital operating rooms will be challenging! After the surgery I will be in the dang contraption for 6-8 weeks more--both good and bad. As my dear friend Sacha Coughran stated, "6-8 weeks--you can handle that! It is not as if it will be another 6 months!" I am still bummed about the 6-8 weeks but I don't really have a choice in the matter--so I will muddle through!