The Journey Continues.....

Well...the wheels are in motion! So much has happened in the last two weeks.....I can't even fathom it all. I was laid off and I went into full tilt baking. I started Cheesecakes for David and the out pouring of support and generosity has been amazing. I have been knee deep in cream cheese ever since....and I love it!

We are just six weeks and three days from the big surgery day and it seems as if time is racing at break neck speed. There is still so much that I have to do to prepare, but it all does appear to be falling into place. People have been very kind giving me pointers and tips for making David's recovery an easier one.

It appears also that I had my surgery names confused. After talking to Shriners the other day and asking them more specifics (now that I know more of what to ask) they told me that David will be having the following: Bilateral Verus Rotational Osteotomie, Left Bega Procedure, Bilateral Adductor Tentotomy, and 8 plates put around his knees. It sounds painful just looking at the words. However....the words mean only one thing to me.....David having a chance at independence.

As I was saying...people are giving me great advice about what to expect after surgery and also tips that will make surgery and post surgery easier on David. One tip which I thought was really a great idea was to buzz Davids hair as short as possible. When he is in his cast and in pain...the last thing he will want is his head washed and the logistics of being able to do it even on a good day could cause water to drip into his casts....making it a bad experience all the way around. Having a buzz cut though....all I will have to do is take a wash cloth and go over his hair. How easy will that be? I have also been told that distractions are a MUST! Anything that I can do to keep his mind focused on something other than his pain, his casts and his inability to move around I need to do. I am going for Spongebob! Spongebob gives David great joy and I plan on taking his SB movies up when he has surgery and then I am going to deck out his recovery room at home in Spongebob. By the time this is over.....maybe even David will be Spongebobed out!

I have also been doing a lot of communicating with Shriners. Again I have to say....I have never had such an experience with a health care provider...and trust me....I have been involved with many health care providers. They have called me several times just checking in and making sure we are prepared and I have had to call them several times to ask questions. Always I am given complete and personable attention and they don't get off the phone until all my questions are answered. It is amazing. No....Shriners is amazing!!!!

After getting home from Shriners and thinking about Davids surgery a bit....I got to worrying about Davids trip home after surgery. Eight hours is a very long time to be in the car when you are in pain. I was really afraid that it would be too much for him. Then a friend told me that Shriners could fly patients in and out of St. Louis if there was a need. I immediately got on the phone and started finding out if this were possible and blessedly....it is! It looks like they will be flying us to St. Louis the day before his surgery and flying us home afterwords. When they fly us back....he will have a nurse flying with us. My prayers were answered. Thank you again Shriners.

Another issue I was facing was getting a hospital bed for his recovery. I had been told by someone who had been through this that a hospital bed was another MUST! I have always said I have the worlds best facebook friends and I stand by that. One of my friends asked me to call him. He himself has had health issues and he had a contact with Hil Rom who makes hospital beds. He called his contact who gave him the name of another contact. He called her and told her Davids story and she said she could help and to have me call her. I did and she said that David would have a hospital bed. Again...complete relief and Roy, I hope you know how much that meant to us.

I am working with Rainbows in hopes that we can get some kind of home healthcare after David comes home. I have been told that anything I do with David from changing him to moving him so that he doesn't get bed sores, will be a two person job. This means I will need help. Rainbows and Shriners has both told me that home health care will be limited to just a few hours (maybe 4-6) per week. That is all the insurance will cover. I am thinking this is going to mean I am going to have to bulk up a bit in the next 6 weeks in order to be able to do some of this on my own. This right here is a bit daunting....but I am sure we will find a way.

I have talked to a physical therapist who I think might be willing to work with David along with a message therapist who will work with him after his casts come off. Apparently charlie horses are the norm after the casts come off and they can come and go for several weeks.

So as you can see....there is much to do and much to get accomplished in the next few weeks. The bottom line is....if I was still working....I never would be able to get all of this done so I guess losing my job was a blessing. And as they say....when God closes a door...He opens a window! Well He appears to have opened a huge window for us and I am more grateful than I have ever been.

The journey continues and I hope to be able to be a little more faithful with my posts. We just ask for continued good thoughts and prayers. Thank you all!