Update

Well as you know it has been a few weeks since my last post. My ankle is healing well. I returned to the doctor on Christmas Eve and had my surgery splint removed and my staples removed. I had 7 staples in my knee and 13 in my ankle. I was placed into a new short leg cast for 2 more weeks. So I go back on January 7th to have my short leg cast removed and be placed into my boot. At that point the hope is that I can start doing some partial weight bearing. With the plan being to be full weight bearing in a boot by January 26th at the latest. With the earliest I will be out of a boot and able to walk normally being the middle of February. Meaning no driving for several more weeks...ahhhhhhhhhhhh!Here is a picture of my ankle when I got a brief look at it on 12/23.



This surgery has been stressful in many ways. I am not a person who likes to sit and do nothing...and unfortunately I have had to do a lot of that! I am very independent and I have lost a lot of my independence, that's for sure. And well the financial aspect of it all....you should check out my husband Eric's blog he did a great job posting a testimonial about that aspect of it all. There will be new stresses arise when school starts. I will have to depend on people 4 days a week to get me to and from class and clinicals. I am not worried about class because Vanessa said she would take me and she like me is always early! It's clinicals I am a little nervous about because if we are late it is a really big deal, and well being on someone else's time that puts being late a little out of my control and unfortunately Vanessa and I are in different clinicals so I can't depend on her!!

Well enough about my pity party...let's talk about the holidays! Eric and I had a good but busy Christmas holiday. We spent Christmas Eve in Anderson with my step mom's family after Eric got home form work and then headed to my parents house in Parker to have Christmas with my parents, my brother and my nephew. That was a lot of fun. My nephew is 2 and was really into ripping open presents, but he didn't so much care about what was in the presents! Here are a few pictures from mom and dads on Christmas eve.






Eric and I stayed at his parents house on Christmas Eve. We then had Christmas with his parents, siblings and his Grandmother on Christmas morning. After opening gifts and eating breakfast we headed to Lynn to pick up my cousin then went to Centerville for Christmas with my mom's side of the family. We enjoyed hanging out and having lunch with them. We then headed back to Eric's mom and dad's house to have dinner with his parents, siblings, grandmother, grandparents and his uncle. We ended up staying at his mom and dad's house until Friday. We really enjoyed spending time with family over the holidays.

We went to a wedding on Saturday where Eric was excited to hang out with some buddies from high school. We had a good time and it was good to see old friends.

Well it appears as if we are now back into the normal routine. Eric is back to work and I am back to sitting in the recliner or on the couch not doing a whole lot! I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Trying to relax

Well it's been a few days since my last blog. We went to Wabash this Saturday and came home Sunday for Christmas with Eric's mom's family. We had a really good time. I was still in a lot of pain over the weekend but his family was wonderful. I spent most of the weekend in the recliner as usual! We really enjoyed getting to spend time with Eric's grandparents, his parents, his siblings and his cousins from Ohio. It was nice for Eric to get a little bit of a break from taking care of me, as there were several people who took care of me over the weekend. We had several great meals over the weekend while we were there! Eric's family is blessed with wonderful cooks, so I of course was blessed with wonderful food! After dinner Saturday evening we enjoyed opening gifts from his grandparents and his uncle. We too enjoyed watching them all open our gifts! It was a great time had by all. It was then time to head to bed. Eric's grandparents had gotten us a hotel for the night due to limited space in their home. They offered for me to stay in their recliner (since they knew it had been my bed for the last several days) and let Evan go to the hotel with Eric Saturday night. Eric and I talked about it and I really wanted to spend some time with Eric so I attempted to sleep in a bed. Well that didn't work out to well, neither one of us slept to well! LOL!! So long story short...I think I will be sleeping in the recliner for a while to come! Sorry honey!

We got home Sunday and relaxed. The boys helped me clean up the house before going to bed Sunday night.

Monday morning Vanessa picked me up for my last day of class! We had our med/surg final at 9 am. That went very well. I got an 84 out of 100. So I ended my first semester of nursing school with 4 A's and 2 B's. So not too bad at all! I am very glad that it is over for four weeks, however I am not sure what to do with myself now! After our final she helped me get my tuition paid and get my books for next semester. We then headed to IHOP with Alaina and Deidre for one last girls lunch of the semester. That was a lot of fun. We then headed to Central Indiana Orthopedics to see the doctor. We noticed on Saturday night that my ankle incision had bled through my plaster cast and through 3 layers of ace wrap. I had also rubbed the back of my knee raw and it was chaffed and bleeding, and I had developed a rash all over my leg. I was a bit concerned so we went to get it checked out. The doctor said that the bleeding was normal so not to worry. He then told me take benadryl and put hydrocortisone cream on my rash. And they cut the back of my cast down 2 to 3 inches to help decrease the rubbing! Vanessa thanks for running me around on Monday I really appreciated it! So that was my day on Monday. Oh, and then Monday night Debi Howell from church brought Puerta Vallarta for dinner. It was oh so good and we are very thankful for the thoughtfulness of our church to provide meals for us. Thanks Debi!!

Today I was a little bummed that I would be home by myself all day because Eric had to work and Evan had finals all day. But don't worry, Nikki came and picked me up at 11 today. We went to Target and then grabbed some KFC for lunch before heading back to her house for a few hours. It was so nice to get out of my house and hang out with my best friend for the day. I have really been lacking in that time lately! She took me home a little after 4. On our way home we made a few stops at the bank, Kohls (she ran in and got a gift for my mom! Yay!), Sears, Walgreens and then the gas station before heading to my house! Did I mention we had 6 kids with us on the way home?!? LOL! Don't worry Nikki ran in all the places on the way home and I held down the van with 6 kiddos :) Then tonight Joe and Debbie Frazier brought us dinner from their growth group. Thanks for the meal guys we really appreciated it and it was very good :)

I really just want to thank everyone that has been helping out this last week I really appreciate it a lot! My family, my friends, people from church for bringing us meals and for the prayers! I really truly am blessed to have you all in my life! I would be lost without you all! God Bless and I love you guys!

Police Officer Injured

A gentleman that Eric works with, Neil Dowd, is on the Daleville Police Department. He was badly injured tonight during the pursuit of a drunken driver. If you could please pray for Neil and his family and add him to your prayer lists we would greatly appreciate it. Also if you could pray for the driver of the pickup truck, who just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time (he was not the drunk driver), and pray that he too recovers quickly. A brief article is on the starpress.com website.

Also, our buddy Josh works on the Daleville Police Department with Neil. Josh was coming in on shift just as the accident occurred. They are volunteers who give their time to serve and protect the community. I just want everyone to take a moment and thank the volunteers in your community for serving and protecting you! And pray for their safety.

The best husband in the world!

Yep you read it right, I am lucky to be married to the best husband in the world! Eric has been so selfless since my surgery in helping take care of me and making sure that I have the things I need. And well that in and of itself is no small task, when there isn't much I can do on my own.

Eric gets up early to make sure that I am dressed, have breakfast and have everything else I need before he heads off to work for the day. He then comes home for lunch. When he's home for lunch he again checks to see if I need anything, and if I too am ready for lunch he makes it for me. If I am not quite ready my brother in law Evan makes it for me later. Eric then comes home from an exhausting day at work, to not worry about himself but to worry about me. He takes care of me the rest of the night getting me dinner, helping me take a bath and get ready for bed before he heads to bed, only to start all over the next day.

I don't think either of us realized how unable to do things I was going to be. I have had 2 foot surgeries in the past and was fairly mobile, however this one involved my knee and was a lot more extensive therefore decreasing my mobility. We didn't realize until we got home Tuesday night, how much help I would need. But no worries my wonderful husband was ready and willing to step up to the plate.

I wanted to post this because I think it is very important that Eric realizes how much he is appreciated, and that I think he is the best husband in the world. I can't help but think about other people who may be or may have been in a similar situation where things didn't turn out so well. I can see how it would be very easy to get agitated at one another and cause your relationship to spiral. However, what most people don't realize and hold true to is their wedding vows. I am just grateful that when Eric and I said "for better or for worse" we meant it. Those were not just words and I am thankful for that!

Eric I love you with all my heart and I am so thankful to call you my husband and my best friend.

Quick Update

Well the last two days have been very long to say the least. You don't realize how independent you are until you lose that independence. I feel so helpless right now. My wonderful husband has been great though. He gets me up in the morning and helps me get dressed before he goes off to work. He makes sure I have breakfast, my ice packs and anything else that I need before he leaves for the day. He has also had to help me in and out of the bathtub and let me tell ya that's no fun. My brother in law has been very helpful as well. He has been staying with us only leaving me alone when he has to go to class.

My pain yesterday was pretty intense to say the least. I was very uncomfortable all day long. And to top it off my catheter pain medication ran out at 2:30 this morning. I had a hard time sleeping after that so I was up from 2:30 to 5:30 studying for my pharmacology final that I had today.

So that brings us to today. I got out today for the first time and boy was that a trip. Vanessa picked me up at 9 and we went to the DMV and got my handicap parking permit. We then got a drink and breakfast sandwich at McDonalds before heading to school. We then went to school and studied a little bit more for our final. We took our final and left school at 12:30. We then went to lunch with some girls from school at Fazoli's. That was a good time. I think it would have been even better if I wasn't in pain. I think I sat in one position at school to long causing my leg to be really sore. We got home around 2 today.

When we got home Vanessa took my catheter out of my leg for me and helped me get situated for the rest of the afternoon since I would be home alone for about 3 hours.

I am just so thankful for the great friends and family that we have. We are so blessed! Thanks guys I really appreciate it.

Home from Surgery

Well we got home from surgery about 5:30 tonight. The doctor said things went well, but I would be in a lot of pain. So much pain that they sent me home with a catheter in the back of my knee that is infusing pain medicine continuously for the next 3 days. I am also taking oral pain medication. I have a feeling that day 4 will be no fun!

Just wanted to do a quick update and thank everyone for your prayers, thoughts and concerns! Eric and I feel so blessed to be part of a church where people truly do care. That means the world to us! We have been so blessed by the outpouring of support from everyone. Thank you and we love you all!

Surgery tomorrow!

What a day today has been! I called my insurance company to find out if my surgery had been precertified! Well, you guessed it and it had not been as of this morning. They were requesting additional information since I had a similar operation done 2 1/2 years ago. My surgery got precertified at 12:45 today thank God! If it had not been precertified by 2:30 today my surgery would have been canceled. Well to say the least my nerves are shot today!

I then called my prescriptions in at the pharmacy and I went to pick them up only to find out that the person I talked to did not put them in the system. Grr! So I had to sit and wait...as patiently as I could.

I have been so shaky and my stomach has been a mess all day! I am sure my blood pressure is through the roof!

Well tomorrow is the day. The day for my surgery. It will be at 1:30. And let me tell you I have tried so hard to be prepared but I am still not done with my list! I am hoping to get most of it done tonight! But my nerves are shot and my stress level is high!

If you could all pray for my stress level and also pray that my surgery goes well tomorrow I would greatly appreciate it.

Tuesday is the day!

Well I went to the doctor today only to find out the news I had been dreading. I will be having ankle surgery on Tuesday December 9th. We looked at my MRI today and there is a chunk missing out of my ankle joint. It kind of looks like someone took a bite out of my ankle! So to fix it they will be taking a cartilage plug out of my right knee via a catheter and placing it in my ankle! I will have a 3 to 4 inch incision on the outer aspect of my ankle. I also found out today that I will have to have my ligaments reconstructed for a second time. I had them reconstructed 2 1/2 years ago. My doctor told us today that this would only be the 2nd time in 7 years of doing this type of surgery that he has ever had to repeat the procedure! I will be unable to drive for 6-8 weeks which will be a big bummer, so you will all have to come and visit me in Muncie, I am sure I will appreciate the company!

Eric and I have concluded that I unfortunately seem to fall into the (there is a 10% chance that this might happen) category. The problem is that I seem to fall into that category more times than not! So it's kind of frustrating. But oh well! Eric and I are thankful that we live in a country where the healthcare that we need is available, however we are unsure of how we are going to fund this operation!! But I know that God is in control and we are faithful so things will work out!

The news of having surgery so soon has stressed me out to say the least. I was ok with the fact that I was having surgery on Tuesday, until I started thinking about everything. After I started thinking I realized a few things: I don't have my Christmas shopping done(and Eric is not a shopper), I am going to need to clean my house top to bottom(and well Eric will do it,but we do things differently), I will have no means of my own transportation for 2 months(and I am very independent), I am not so sure how well cooking is going to work out when I can't be weight bearing for several weeks (and Eric can only cook a few things, he may have to learn!), I am not sure how if I get this new job I am going to start it in January with a cast on my foot! All of these things among several others are running through my mind right now. I know everything will work out, but you must remember I am a planner, and this was far from in my plans! However, I do realize that God has a plan and everything will work out!

On a positive note I got a call from BMH about the SNT position I applied for and I have an interview on 6 North on Friday morning. So please keep your fingers crossed, this will help out on the income side of things!

Well sorry for rambling but I had a lot on my mind tonight!