The Cast is Off!

Monday morning found us at the surgeon’s office to get our first look at the broken ankle, post-surgery.  Here he is on the table, equal parts anticipation and worry, trying to hide both, and irritated with his mom for remembering the camera.  Someday I think he’ll be glad we have pictures of his life, but right now he’s mostly disgusted by my efforts at record keeping.


Seriously, it was the biggest cast I’ve ever seen on the lower leg.  EVERYONE commented on how enormous it was.  At school he had people stop him to ask about it, and I heard a lady at church exclaim, “THAT for just an ankle?”








All that padding!

And the ankle emerges at last…




And there is the incision.  It’s longer than they said it would be.  The pre-operative markings are still there.  The x-rays look good, but he’ll be in a boot and on crutches a while longer.  They removed the stitches but one of them broke and will just have to work it’s way out.   The ankle is still quite swollen, which they said is common.  He has no feeling around the area, which should return with time.   So this phase is finished and we’ll press forward.  Four more weeks until more x-rays and then we’ll find out when he can start walking again.

I had NO idea when this first happened how long the process would be.   Poor guy.  He is sick, sick, sick of crutches, but grateful he can take normal showers again, fit his leg through normal clothes, and so forth.  There is always something good to find, right?

These little people were fabulous while we waited.  There were no chairs in the cast room so we just stood there against the cabinets and watched.




And life goes on.  I hope I make it to June.

HH

I love having daughters

I was in the hallway at church on Sunday as my children came to meet me after their classes.  One after one they said to me, “Mom!  It’s Janice’s birthday!  We need to have a party!”  By the time we got home their enthusiasm for the idea had taken on a life of it’s own.  A phone call was made and a time chosen.

I went to work in the kitchen and sent my girls outside to create the party scene.


A little while later I peeked out the window to see what they had come up with and smiled with delight.  It wasn’t just the supplies they’d chose to use that made me happy, but the feeling of love and teamwork they displayed.  I felt like I was watching a scene from Little Women or something.  They were a group of sisters totally consumed with making something pretty as a gesture of love for someone they care about.






I think that most mothers feel like they have more than enough bickering among their children and I would certainly fall in that category.  When afternoons like this one come along I thrill at the way they treat one another.  The “payoff” moments are fleeting, but they do come and it’s an added blessing when you’re there to witness them.






My two year old is an absolute riot.  I wish I had a running audio recording of her from morning till night.  The things that come out of her mouth are beyond hilarious.   During this little decorating event she was walking around saying “Someday when I am a mom I will make pupcakes for Sister Ingalls’ birthday!  I will.  I will make pupcakes when I am a big mom someday.”  The picture below was taken in the middle of such a recital.


The birthday party was a success.  I’ll share pictures of it this week.  I also need to remember what happened before the party.  I am so grateful for these daughters, for the way they nurture one another, for their creative vision and talents, for their desire to help make special memories for others.  I am such a fortunate mom!


Hopeful Homemaker

Ankle Update

He’s home from the hospital in a cast that reminds me of moon boots because it’s so thick.


The surgery went well.   We have a picture of his foot cut open to the joint as proof that this really happened.   The discharge orders are much more restrictive than I anticipated…. he can only get up to use the bathroom for several days and can’t even sit up for meals until the end of the week.  He’s confined to the house for 7-9 days.

At the moment he’s sleeping peacefully, thanks to pain medication and the lingering traces of anesthetic.  I hope this week goes well.  Keeping him off the ankle proved to be increasingly difficult leading up to the surgery and the stakes are even higher now.  If he puts any weight on it the screw will snap and the surgery will be a failure.  I wonder how we’ll keep him from going crazy so he doesn’t make all of us crazy….


I confess I’d convinced myself that the screw would be pretty small.  This x-ray kind of makes me cringe.

I feel so bad for him.  It’s definitely not fun.
At least it will heal (if he’s responsible).  That’s the good news.  And I’m a fan of good news.

Jennifer

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