Enjoying the holiday week ...

Just a few holiday pics from last week to share with you .... the white chocolate cranberry creme brulee was our favorite dessert of the season and the pumpkin cheesecake cheese ball from Dierbergs was our favorite appetizer - both scrumptious!

All seems to still be well with my foot and it continues to get a little stronger each day. There is more swelling than I'd like over the transplanted area, but that is not a big deal. I think my operative foot is going to end up being smaller than my left foot, so I'll need to find a new home for all those shoes that I bought in bigger sizes. Still using the compression stocking, am wearing a shoe and am only taking pain medication as my activity increases and if I feel like I really need it. I have been able to do all the holiday activities that I wanted to do this year and it has been marvelous just doing the simple things at home. Today my big accomplishment was parking in a regular parking spot at Wal-Mart and then walking around Wal-Mart with a cart .... I can't even tell you the last time that happened.

Tomorrow I see Dr. K in St. Louis in the morning and get instructions regarding starting physical therapy on Monday. On Friday morning, I will meet will with Dr. P in Chicago .... can't wait for her to see how great it is doing! I couldn't keep it a surprise so she does know about it already, but she deserves to see it in person. She is also the best one out there for rehab suggestions, so she will provide advice on that as well. The first pt session will start on January 5th after work. I will go to central IL & stay with family on Thursday (this week). My mom leaves for Orlando tomorrow morning to visit her parents and it has been several years since she has been able to go with all my surgery travels - pray that she has a meaningful time celebrating her dad's 85th birthday.

As you can see, today I learned how to import a new blog background from another Internet site. It is probably a good thing that I didn't know about it before now because there are thousands of backgrounds to choose ... if it changes more frequently now you'll know it is because of a new creative outlet.

Stepping forward into 2009,
Jenny

Great Christmas!

We had a great Christmas! It was a very relaxing day filled with yummy food and a grateful heart for the progress we've made in the past year. It was a year ago today that we were visiting the plastic surgeon in Chicago and realized that we had a serious wound probelm that needed help. January & February last year were really rough as we sought lots of medical opinions, but made little progress .... very thankful that is behind us now.

I'm still taking a little pain medication, but it is mainly due to "fatigue pain" that comes from using it and it needing to be stronger.

One of the gifts that I gave my mom was a picture that contained lots of pictures of me wearing a shoe (in the past two weeks) and several favorite pics from our medical journey. It was similar to a photo collage and was in a silver frame. Mom loved it!

We've been busy the past few days entertaining friends from out of town .... hope your Christmas Day was a special one!

Love,
je

Merry Christmas!

I'm sure that my last few days have been the same as yours .... doing last
minute gift and food preparations. Yesterday I left work early and went to visit with a friend from church that has prayed tirelessly for my foot. It was fun to visit with her and she was excited to see me arrive wearing matching shoes.

I went to Sams yesterday for several food items and also left with a great bunch of holiday greens and 16 red tulips. Brought the flowers home and had fun arranging them for a table centerpiece .... Martha Stewart would be proud. We are having Christmas Eve dinner at my house and then will go to 9pm church. Spending the night at mom & dad's house, so I'll already be there for Christmas morning. We always do a brunch and stockings on Christmas morning. I had something special made for my mom to reflect the year that we've had, but I can't tell you about it until she opens the gift. I was crying just wrapping it, so I think she will like it.

It has been wonderful to be at my house this week and be able to do simple holiday things. I had to hunt for my mixer in my kitchen yesterday because it had been so long since I had used it, I'd forgotten where it was stored!

Need to go deliver some gifts to my neighbors ..... wishing you and your family a meaningful Christmas filled with happy times, smiles & a grateful spirit.

Merry Christmas!
Love,
Jenny

Busy Holiday Weekend ....

Busy holiday weekend .... I've been trying to make up for a late start with shopping, baking, cards, etc. I went to holiday events at various local churches on Friday, Saturday and tonight. It was awesome to be able to walk in places without crutches or a cast, which hasn't been the case this time the last 3-4 years. I did manage to sneek in buying a new pair of shoes on Saturday afternoon ... anxious to see how those work out. It was my normal size - yippee!

Still walking as much as I'm able. My foot gets tired and then an aching feeling happens, but that will go away with time. This week will only be post-op week #7 ... still lots of swelling in the ankle area, but it does go down each night when I sleep. I was on it a lot on Saturday, so I tried to stay indoors today and wasn't on it quite as much. My next follow-up appt. is on the morning of 12/31 in St. Louis. Pt will start the first week in January - probably 2x/week. I can tell that it does need some strengthening, but hopefully it won't be more than a month. My therapist is in the process of reviewing post-op reports, gait test notes, etc.

We went to a holiday caroling concert tonight and then the family came back to my house for white chocolate cranberry creme brulee, coffee and other snacks. It is a tradition in our family to have Christmas Eve dinner at my house, so I have to get working on that menu. In all the chaos of everything that was happening, I got mixed up .... I do have to work Mon. & Tues. of this week and then I am off.

Better get to bed .... hope you are staying warm!
je

Happy Shoe Day!

The "Happy Dance" happened today, as I made it wearing a shoe the entire day! Actually, I was late to work this morning because I couldn't find the right shoe in my closet .... don't you love it. My boss was cool with it. I found the shoe eventually, put it on, drove to work and then walked around all the cubicles in our office and pointed down toward my feet. Needless to say, everyone was happy, happy - no one has seen me in a shoe since I started working at JA 4 1/2 years ago. Lots of hugs, smiles, tears and amazement. I sent a fax to my mom at work and it read "Happy Shoe Day - hope you are celebrating, too!"

Once again I was reminded to never give up ..... would love to send pictures to all those that said I'd need to amputate, but I'll be gracious & will pass on that. Glory to God for his faithfulness, provision, grace, and BIG JOY today!

December 17, 2008 .... first day of wearing a shoe

je

Thanks, Isaac!

Last night I had the cutest and most heartfelt phone call from my little buddy Isaac (age 4, I think) .... read comment #3 on the previous post for all the details. He was so sincere when he called to tell me that he had received my Christmas card and he liked it. He really wanted to know the date when my cast came off .... who knows why, but it was on his little mind & important to him. We've met before, but it was a long time ago .... he was really excited to finally see the person with "the foot." It was like a Norman Rockwell classic moment, except on the telephone. If he was thirty years older, I'd have found my man!

There seems to be more swelling this week around my ankle area, but it is probably because I've been on it more. I'm using a compression sock and it should improve with time. It is fun to be back at my house and I've been doing holiday stuff each evening at home. On Thursday, I'm delivering Christmas gifts to the family of the student that JA provided clothing for last month ..... can't wait.

Off to make peanut clusters .... I'm going to try a tennis shoe for a few hours tomorrow at work and will see how that goes - hoping well!
je

Still walking well ....

All is still well with the foot. Each day I walk a little more on it with the boot and it continues to stay flat to the ground. I find myself "checking on it" several times a day just to make sure that nothing has changed .... it is the skeptical side of me after all we've been through. No pain has occurred yet - this is really unusual, but I'll take it. I used the scooter at work most of the week .... can't overdo it or I will be feeling it.

Several have asked me this week if the tendon problem was what needed to be fixed all along and the answer is "no." This was a new problem that started toward the end of last June and everyone was hopeful that it would just work itself out over the summer months. It was not until October that we learned from the gait test that the contraction was so severe that this was causing the foot to remain in a fixed and upward positon. We'll never know what really caused it to happen .... I haven't asked, but I am assuming that it is something that can't reappear again.

Knock on wood my artificial hip has been doing well. I was told three years ago that it was close to time to have the revision surgery done and couldn't do it because of the foot situation. I'm hoping to buy much more time with it ... the improved walking should also help my hip.

I did send my Chicago surgeon a picture of my foot this week (you'll see the
picture on my Christmas card) and she wrote back within eight minutes of receiving the e-mail and was ecstatic! She thought my foot looked grand and was very happy. I'm sure it made her week to know that she was a big part of something that finally looks to be ending successfully. I've been on my feet more this week so the transplant area (from May) on my forefoot has been really swollen. I have a compression sock that helps .... it is partially a reaction to the cast coming off this week.

I have students at work next week Tuesday through Friday and then am off for two weeks ... looking forward to the break. I'm going to try moving back to my house this weekend and will see how it goes. Mom & dad need a break. I decorated my house for Christmas before my surgery, so I'd like to enjoy it for a few weeks and am ready to return to my own bed.

Still feeling blessed in a big way and grateful for His faithfulness ....
je

Happy Day!

My big cast off day happened as planned .... lots of lotion tonight, soaked off the dead skin and looking forward to a great night sleep and feeling the sheets on my toes. All still looks really good! Foot is totally flat to the ground and my walking is good, considering there is still stiffness from the cast. Haven't tried a tennis shoe yet, as the shoe I need is at my house ... will get it tomorrow night. I have a walking boot for the next 3-4 weeks, but I have been walking tonight without it around the house. The boot lends itself to more "heel walking," so I will try to do a combination of boot and tennis shoe. The boot is supposed to provide more support. Pt will happen at the beginning of January ... glad I don't have to work that into my schedule in the next three weeks in December. There is still some swelling in the foot, but that will disappear with time.

The foot is about an inch or little more shorter and seems to be smaller all around - probably some atrophy. I'm headed to bed happy, happy, happy! Keep praying that all continues to go well .... I'll be even happier when I get out 4-6 weeks and see that nothing is changing, although I'm pretty confident we have success .... yippee! Lots of thanks to God tonight for his grace, blessings and faithfulness.

Love & hugs,
je

P.S. It turns out that the gal that I helped with the foot dr. referrals last week
goes to my church .... she saw my name on the prayer list. Small world!

Cast Free soon ....

It has been a good weekend, although a bit chilly for open toes. Someone did tell me that I should have painted my toes red-green-red-green .... not sure where you buy green nail polish, but it would have been fun - although soon my toes won't be showing. Toes are done making their "winter debut."

I shopped some yesterday at West Co. mall, but I quickly discovered that it was overly crowded for a large, bulky scooter. I almost took down an entire table of lotion in Bath & Body Works ... decided I'll continue w/holiday shopping after I can walk with no cast. The person that sets up store displays or clothing racks must have never had anyone in a wheel chair or scooter before - there is no room to manuover around. I passed up the shoes at Nordstroms ....someone needs to tell me what is so cute about those Ugh boots. They are the "in" boot, but for the price I don't think they are all that special.

Tonight is the last night for sleeping with the cast .... FOREVER! Needless to say, I'm pumped and excited for 11:40am tomorrow. Let's hope the dr. is on time and not real behind. I am anxious to try walking on it and seeing what it feels like after so long of walking with an abnormal gait pattern.

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday, so if you see her tell her Happy Birthday! Will try to update the blog tomorrow night after my appt., but it may be late with a birthday dinner & all.

Love & hugs,
Jenny

Four days until "Cast off Day" .....

There are not a lot of new developments this week …. I am counting down the days until “Cast Off Day” on Monday – 11:40am … I’ve got it memorized. Out of all the casts that I have had this one has been the easiest, but it is still chilly outside and holiday time. Just think …. it is the LAST AND FINAL cast – yippee!!

On Monday I had a huge parent volunteer training session at JA with over 150 parents. One mom came up to me afterward and inquired about what happened to my foot/leg. I gave her the brief version of my saga and doctors I’d seen in St. Louis, etc. It turned out that she had a foot problem as well and was extremely frustrated w/not getting to the right dr. for medical help … been there before. We ended up talking for almost thirty minutes and I felt like I helped her with several referral names with my STL and Chicago doctors. This gal had a previous negative experience w/Wash U that was fairly similar to my experience … glad I wasn’t the only one that thought they are overrated. She was a mom that just wanted to be able to wear a shoe, too ..... my problem was much more complex than hers, but we could have talked a long time.

I have another colleague at JA that just had surgery and is having a major wound issue. We e-mailed back and forth today, but she has a long road ahead. It reminded me that a year ago this time I was the one w/a major wound problem in December and we were still dealing with it last June. I heard of someone else yesterday that has cancer and their insurance company has denied medication coverage to the tune of almost 20K. I’ve done the appeal process with insurance companies and it is a long, lonely road & in most cases the patient never wins.

There are lots of hurting people with medical issues. I find myself having the utmost sympathy toward anyone else that has foot problems or wound issues …. hopefully what I’ve learned along the way can help someone else. Part of me still wonders if one of the reasons I’ve gone through all of this is to possibly change professions to something medically related …. I’ve thought about it for a long time. We’ll see what God has for the new year ahead.

If you are headed to bed tonight healthy, be extra thankful.

je

Hope ...

We had one of the best Thanksgivings ever .... given the news from Wednesday that we might be pretty close to the end of a long journey. It has been an emotional several days, as we've tried to reflect on all the blessings of the past year. It has been a really long time since we've heard truly good news, so that was refreshing in itself. We've operated five times in the past year and it has been such a long year. Last Thanksgiving I had hardware removal surgery two days before Thanksgiving and that is what started eight months of wound issues. You know that I've asked myself a million times why we ever took it out, but pain was the issue. The hardware rubbed on the skin and we didn't have a choice. It was like a 20 minute surgery and no one ever dreamed what was ahead. Texas wasn't even on our radar screen and we've been there five times ... the right doctors mean everything.

I've known pretty much immediately after every surgery that there was more to come ..... and to know now that the likelihood of us being finished with operating rooms could be a reality - it is the best feeling ever. I'm sure that there will be road blocks, long exercise sessions, long days, and mini-pitfalls still to come, but that is all much more bearable if you know the end is around the corner. I'm feeling like God just rolled out the red carpet of hope for me to walk on .... you can endure a lot more than you ever thought possible if hope exists.

Before all of this foot saga started, mom & I had a girly tradition of shopping together the day after Thanksgiving. It hasn't happened much over the past four years. Today wasn't as great as it will be next year with no cast, but we did fairly well & had fun. We wore matching red shirts that said, "Ho Ho Ho" in rhinestones .... one sales clerk thought we were twins. Mom loved the compliment .... I said the lady had been up since 3am and was tired. It was our laugh for the day. Anyway, we started early and had breakfast at St. Louis bread. Thanks mom for pushing me in the wheelchair .... next year I'll be walking well with two matching tennis shoes.

Looking forward to helping with Christmas decorating tomorrow .... off for leftover apple pie.

je

Good news ... great JOY & wiggling toes!

GOOD NEWS! It is with a joyful and grateful heart that I can happily share
that it looks like the tendon lengthening surgery worked - yippee, high five,
applause, hip-hip-hooray, yahoo, bravo, jump up and down, whew!

Today we learned the following at my post-op follow up appointment:
- the foot is completely flat to the ground
- could put weight on the entire foot (like normal) … this is big time good
- incision healed beautifully and is the best looking incision I’ve ever had
- no open wound or wound issue … such a relief
- the wiggling in my toes or toe movement returned
- the incision from the flap surgery (last May) has really faded a lot now
- not much swelling in the foot area

Honestly, the foot looked WAY better than I had ever dreamed could happen. I can’t even remember the last time that it looked as good as it did today – probably before I started all of this surgery mess. There is still stiffness & some swelling, but that is normal and will improve. Assuming the foot continues to remain down & nothing weird happens, we are going to be “good to go” with this! Time will tell on the shoe wear situation, but I’m guessing that should be much better as well with time ….. I could slip into a shoe before, but then the issue was that the foot was 1 ½ inches off the ground so if the foot remains down, we should be able to wear two matching shoes. As expected, it will take quite some time to have it feel somewhat normal.

I am very thankful that we didn’t have to cut again on the foot itself. If that had needed to occur, the outcome could have been much different. The latest incision is about 3 ½-4” and is just above the ankle on the shin. Snazzy red cast made its debut today and will be in place until December 8th. The beautiful black boot will follow after the cast comes off and some light exercise will begin.

I’m thankful for the Dallas surgeon & his willingness to operate. There were four other doctors that we saw that were not sure if his plan would work (they all wanted me to try the Botox as a temporary fix), so we spent days and days anguishing over whether or not to move forward. My Chicago dr. was the only one that thought it was worth trying … so glad she was bold & shared her feelings honestly … this is rare in the medical field.

We definitely made the right decision to go for the tendon lengthening surgery and we are all clear for no wound issues, which was the biggest risk. There was also a large risk of "over correcting," which would have meant that the foot would drop and I'd have to essentially drag the foot around - this did not happen either. I wondered if this was the case the other day because I was tripping at work, but we didn't over correct; it is just right ... God is so good.

I sent an e-mail to the Chicago surgeon tonight and told her that I’d come show her after the holidays – she has worked incredibly hard on my case & deserves the opportunity to see the final outcome. Don’t give up on continuing to pray for total healing ….. we are on the right path and it just needs to continue to go smoothly.

Praising God for his faithfulness and hope in the time of need …. there is a lot to be thankful for – much too long to write it all out tonight, but I will at some point. Going to bed tonight with great hope for a brighter new year ahead …. wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving and hoping that you can find lots to be thankful for, too.

Wiggling toes with a thankful heart,
Jenny

Cast, crutches, & Cane ....

New cane .... the usher at church this morning joked with me that he had told and told me to stop playing football ..... I told him that I made the touchdown, so that was all that was important.





Boring white cast for now, but we've moving up to "Holiday Red" on Wednesday .... the sides were slit for swelling on the flight home and so the cast has a little "give" when I walk. Don't you love the snazzy toes?



Leopard print crutches .... all the hospital staff knew that they belonged to me! People ask me everyday where I got them .... mom needs to go into business.

Doing well ....

On Friday after work I got a new cane to help with walking ... it has a padded handle and is not bent at the top like the original wooden style. It is the best $11.50 that I have ever spent! It doesn't do a lot for the self esteem factor, but hopefully it will only be a two week deal. We had fried chicken for dinner on Friday night and I went to bed early, after seeing over 500 kids last week at work.

Yesterday and today have been good days. I am walking better, although it is rather stiff with the hard cast that goes to the knee. Mom & I ran errands Saturday and had lunch out. We stopped by my house to pick up some items that I had forgotten there. I made apple and cranberry crisp and Blake came over for stir fry for dinner last night. Yesterday I was able to squirt some lotion onto the skin area at the top of the cast, since the sides have been split .... felt so good on the skin.

We will be home for Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to a short work week. All votes are in for a red cast, so red is definitely the winner! I did receive an e-mail last week from my Chicago dr. and her thinking was that my foot was going to be better than ever after the final cast comes off on December 10th .... let's hope she is right. She thought that I'd get all the necessary range of motion back with exercise and time.

Better go eat lunch .... will post crutch pictures later today.
Hope you are staying warm!

Love,
je

Blessings

Tonight I walked a little more around the house with a cane …. it was a tad bit easier than last night, so baby steps are happening. Not a big plus on the self-esteem factor with the cane, but it will be short lived. I did get clarification today on from the Dallas surgeon’s office as to the “plan” or what to expect for the next few weeks.

Next Wednesday - cast change & take out stitches – Should I do a red or green cast?
2 more weeks in the walking cast …. takes us to December 10th
3-4 weeks in the walking boot …. Who knows what round we’ll be on w/the fashionable “boot!”
Start pt …. likely at the start of 2009

Today I was blessed to receive a sizeable financial gift that will help with on-going medical expenses. I have a special fund set up for this, but this gift was very unexpected and gratefully appreciated …. Thanks HC!

Neat story that happened this week …………. On Tuesday afternoon I received a phone call from a parent of a student that was going to visit JA today. The parent explained that her daughters’ teacher had told the kids that they had to dress up or look nice for the learning trip (occurred today). This mother was upset because her daughter didn’t have the appropriate clothing and she was afraid that she would not be allowed to join her classmates. I suggested that she wear anything, except jeans and that would be fine. The mother went on to explain that because of their family economic situation her daughter didn’t have anything else other than jeans and she was going to be lucky to feed her kids for the remainder of this week.

I told the mother to give me 24 hrs. and let me see what I could do. I shared the story with several others at JA and the following afternoon we couriered two huge boxes of clothing, new scarf/gloves, new folders for school, and new PJs to her house about 40 miles away from Chesterfield. Today this girl visited JA BizTown dressed in a new outfit and beamed all day in delight. It was so much fun to see her blessed by the quick help with clothing. I spoke w/her briefly today and asked her to mail me her Christmas list in a postage paid envelope. We’ll see if she follows through, but I can make that happen as well if she takes the time to send me her list. Think how fun it would be to deliver all the gifts on her list.

I see almost 10,000 kids in one school year and I’m sure there are hundreds in the same situation. This child had the same name as mine, so perhaps that is why she stood out. How often do we just put on clothing and not even think about not having clothes? Pretty often.

I also had the privilege of sending 250 build-a-bears to a homeless shelter in downtown STL today. They are going to be given to homeless children at a Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday …. Kids have been making the bears at JA for the past month. Hopefully they will be warm, snuggly and a bright spot in the lives of many kiddos. I wish I was there to see them all distributed, but that will have to wait until I can walk better.

Grateful for all the little things in life & big blessings in the past month ….
Love,
je

Almost to the one-week post-op point ....

Tomorrow marks post-op week #1 ... yeah! It doesn't seem like it has been a week, but I'll take it. I learned from the surgeon that it doesn't really matter whether or not I put weight on the foot now. If it isn't going to heal, no one seems to think that it will because I did or did not walk on it. The surgeon said to walk on it and see how it goes .... I tried walking a little around the house tonight. Pretty sore and no walking records are in the picture for anytime soon. I've never walked with a cast before .... it is more of a challenge than it appears. Haven't been needing much pain medication, but if I start to walk on it that will change. I'm tough though .... I can do it!

I did read the op notes yesterday and there was some discrepancy in numbers as for how far the foot was actually brought down. (We were told one thing and something else was typed in the report.) It is no big deal, as long as the surgery works. The bottom line is that numbers don't mean a lot until we see how it will function. The report did say that the contracted tendon was severe, so it is good that we didn't wait around hold out for the botox. Forty degrees is what a normal person has for the "gas pedal" range-of-motion .... I've heard anywhere from 20-30 is what I will have. Pray that it sways closer to the 30 degrees range-of-motion.

Glad there are only two work days left this week. Next week will be a much lighter week with students only on Monday. My first post-op appt. w/the St. Louis surgeon is at 2pm next Wednesday (two week mark).

My mom deserves a spa weekend somewhere or something .... my dad has a hamstring injury and was at an urgent care place over the weekend. He is in a lot of pain until it improves. He has crutches, too & is struggling to walk. He did see my ortho dr. today about it, but it is going to be some time before it works itself out.

There has been lots of illness related to kids this week at work, so I am using the Purell lots. Even though the surgery is done, I still need to remain well.

Love,
je

Survived day #1 of work ....

I survived the first day back at work, but I'm exhausted! Just a lot of activity with kids today, parents, teachers, etc. and everyone asking continually how I was doing. We have kids for 5 visit days this week, so it is a really big kiddo weak. It seems that everyone at my office is sick with colds, so I'm praying they bypass me .... I'm using lots of antibacterial gel.

Probably the hardest part is that the Dallas surgeon said that I could walk on it, but I am choosing not to for the first week ..... a) hoping that this provides the extra healing boost that it needs .... b) there won't be anything pulling on the incision where it could possibly come apart and c) there won't be any reason that it shouldn't heal. Well, it is like anything else .... when someone tells you that you can walk on it, you want to walk on it. It would have been better for me to have learned in a week that walking on it as tolerated was okay. I haven't cheated yet though and it has been 4 days - yahoo! I am very thankful that he did split the two sides of the cast (to allow for swelling), so there are some tiny air holes through the cotton that I can get a finger into to itch.

I'm taking zinc, vit E and vit C, which all are supposed to promote healing and am pushing the protein (Thanks, Vicki!). My toes were pretty chilly on the car ride to work this morning, so I need to locate my "toe cover" and get using it.

Tired feet headed to bed early tonight ....
je

Made it home ....

We arrived home safely last night about 6pm. Yesterday was a really long day! Getting through the security stuff at the airport with a wheelchair, crutches, carry on stuff, ID, boarding passes and everything else is quite the ordeal. I really couldn't carry much of anything, so the burden definitely fell on mom. We made it and were hoping all the way that that is the last time. The flight attendant on the trip home felt sorry for our situation, so he kept bringing us more and more peanuts, pretzels, Coke .... he must have come by 3-4 times with all of that.

We came home & had pizza for dinner and everyone headed to bed early. It was so great to be able to sleep without the pain pump machine, as it sat near my head and continually made a noise of the medicine pumping. I was glad that mom was able to get it removed from my leg successfully, as I couldn't see it being at the back side of my leg. I was really stressed on Friday as to whether or not I'd be able able to fly home on Saturday, due to the fact that I couldn't keep my eyes open for anything. The medicine was different this time and the reaction wasn't anywhere close to "normal" for me. Amazing what 24 hrs. and a lot of prayer does!

The Dallas surgeon did say that I could put weight on the foot and walk on it as tolerated, but I haven't yet. I need to find out if I need to be doing that for some specific reason. If not, I know from past history that it would help it to heal if I could go 1-2 weeks w/no weight on the foot. I've only used the crutches so far & haven't put any weight on it. There is a hard cast with a walking type shoe that comes off. We won't know for a little while as to the success of the surgery. I need to walk on it and see if the foot stays down. Dr. C was able to lengthen the tendon to about 30 degrees (40 is normal), so hopefully this will be enough. We all knew that we'd never get 40 degrees which is fine. There is a chance that I can get it to stretch a little more with exercise eventually. I am anxious to read the operative report that is being sent to me when it is ready.

Got my hair washed this morning and am just laying low otherwise. Can't believe tomorrow is back to work already - it has been a fast past four days. The rest of my family has been raking leaves this afternoon, so I got out of that task. Hope you are staying warm this chilly weekend!

Love,
jenny

Doing better ....

I am finally doing better this morning and feel like I can at least have a conversation without falling asleep. I slept like 22 hours yesterday, which is not like me at all. I was getting a little worried about it last night. I talked to the anesthetic guy on the phone and he said that all was normal. I seem to be more alert this morning. We took out the pain pump (it was almost empty anyway), so now it is easier to get around. I'm down to taking 1 Darvacet and 1 Aleve for pain medication every 6 hrs. This is the same as I have taken everyday, so not much difference there.

Everyone at the surgery center said that we had a great doctor, so that was reassuring to hear. He said that I could put weight on it now, but I'm going to give it at least a week with no weight, as that will help it to heal better. I have a tingle feeling in my right little finger, but that is from the anesthetic - it happens almost every time and lasts several days and then the feeling comes back. It is a weird deal and makes no sense, but I've had it before.

We had a huge breakfast at the house where we are staying with great yeast rolls with frosting - love that! It is only 38 degrees here today and very windy, which is really cold for Dallas. We're leaving for the airport about 1:15ish ... 4:00pm flight home. This blog post is my 250th post ..... amazing!

Thanks for praying the past few days .... it has helped and has meant a lot to us.

Love & hugs,
je

Good day today

All went well today ... I am exhausted, so this is going to be reall short. I will writemore tomorrow. We made it to TX safely and Dr. C thinks that he was able to bring the foot down ... or at least it willl be better. No nausea yet - yeah! I have a pain pump and cathter thta will stay in until Saturday. My eyes are closing .... more info. tomorrow.

je

Ready for TX tomorrow ....

I'm ready to go and am going into tomorrow thinking that it will all go successfully. I think the surgery will be more like noon, instead of 12:30. No matter what happens, we definitely made the right decision to move forward with the surgical option. The pain has continued to increase and hopefully that part will all be over soon! The new battery for my scooter at work was delivered today, so it is back in working order and is charging for my use on Monday at work.

My prayer for tomorrow is that He will be glorified, it will be obvious to the surgeon that the surgery was successful, no nausea, good anesthetic person, safe traveling, and for continued patience with the cast situation. I'm very glad we are staying with a close friend and not a hotel - will be much easier.

Off to eat a big snack, since it will be late afternoon before I can eat anything tomorrow. Go Dr. C tomorrow - use that surgical skill!

Laura - no new PJ's this time .... still have sets from plenty of previous surgeries!

"Let us run the race that is before us and never give up" - Hebrews 12:1
Check back Thursday evening for a blog update ....

Much love,
je

Texas ahead ....

Whew ... what a whirlwind day it has been! I met with the ENT dr. on Monday morning. It was a HUGE blessing that we go to the same church as Dr. Chole as Monday was his research day and I was the only patient that he saw. He said that I was on the tail end of the ear infection and the drops that I had been using caused a white "film" to cover the ear canal, which was preventing hearing. It looked very similar to an ear fungus, so that explained all the confusion w/other doctors. He gave me the okay for surgery, cleaned out some of the drop residue and said that the rest should clear up in another week or so. Spots on my leg are still looking a little better each day .... who knows how much Saran wrap I've used.

Monday night I had a huge parent volunteer training session until 8pm .... did errands last night and tonight made holiday wreaths at church with mom before coming home. We've had kids each day at work this week, but I am hoping to be able to work at my desk a little more tomorrow. Thankfully it was a really easy group of kids today.

I'm talking with the anesthetic guy tomorrow night between 6-9pm and then we leave for Dallas at 7am on Thursday. Going to try to leave work a little early tomorrow as I still have a lot of things to wrap up and finalize at home. My refrig needs to be emptied and I need to make a few more trips to mom & dad's house w/items for the next month. I got the AT&T details organized tonight to be able to connect to the web via my cell phone, so we are "good to go" for taking the laptop with us to TX. I wanted to buy holiday cards this week, but couldn't find anything that I liked rather quickly, so I'm waiting for now on that .... maybe I can do a photo card wearing a shoe!

Will try to do one more blog entry tomorrow evening .... I felt the best today (other than the foot) that I've felt in the past month, so that was good. I was cleaning out computer files on Sunday night and came across a bunch of foot pics from last March/April and was again reminded at how far we've come .... all are too graphic to post, but I was shocked at how awful the open incision looked. God is good and we've made a ton of progress in the past year .... hopefully our final step in a long journey is near completion. Keep the faith that all will end positively! I'm confident that God will continue to orchestrate all the details for the remainder of this week and in the weeks ahead.

Thanks for checking in and for praying for us over the next several days.

Love and hugs,
Jenny

Finally .... this is the week!

I'm okay! Sorry for no updates the past few days .... I have been out of town this weekend at a baby shower in IL. I managed to get into see a dermatologist on Thursday of last week and got some new super strong cream for the spots on my leg. (It is the non-surgical leg) I put in on once before bedtime and then have to wrap the area in saran wrap and sleep with it that way ... sounds crazy, but it is slowly working! It will be passable and better by Thursday of this week.

As for the ear, it is not a lot better so tomorrow I'm going to see an ENT dr. at Wash U .... he happens to go to our church, otherwise there would have been no getting in to this specialist on such short notice. Not really much ear pain left, but clearly hearing is still a challenge so it is not quite right yet.

Despite all of this, we're still okay to do the surgery. I'm supposed to talk to Dallas tomorrow and then the anesthetic dr. on Wednesday evening between 6-9pm. Mom finished my crutch covers tonight and they are so fun .... I'll take a picture and will have to post it. Will be glad when I make some progress on the ear situation tomorrow and then I think we're ready to get on with it .... feeling relaxed and have most things organized. Planning on taking the laptop to TX & will have an Internet connection via my cell phone.

I've heard of a lot of friends with colds, flu, and upper respiratory junk in the past two weeks, and am very thankful that I have managed to stay clear of all of that. Emotionally I'm doing well and still feel good about our decision to hopefully have this all be over soon. This surgery won't be nearly as involved or difficult as last May - that was a really big deal. Keep praying for wisdom for Dr. C and his assistant Diana, that skin cells will heal well, and for all the flight details to happen like clockwork. Pray also that the surgery on Thursday is successful and there won't be any need to consider a more involved option.

Thursday, November 13th .... will be a BIG DAY!
7:00am - Leave for Dallas
9:00am - Arrive in Dallas
10:30am - Check into hospital
12:30pm - Tendon lengthening surgery

Saturday, November 15th - 6pm - Arrive Home
Monday, November 17th - 8am - Back to work!

How many people can say they flew and had surgery on the same day? Thanks for checking in and for continuing to pray .... need to call it a day, as extra sleep the next few days would be a good thing.

Love & hugs,
je

Ugh ... one thing after the next!

Keep praying that this ear infection clears up and now there are several infection spots on my leg. I started a steroid cream, but I can't do an oral steroid for pre-op reasons. If this doesn't improve shortly, we are going to have to cancel the surgery, flight reservations, and all the details would need to be changed. It would be A LOT of work, so pray that the medication starts to work! I had to get out of a big conference in Rhode Island that I was supposed to be at the week before Thanksgiving, so we really need to keep our surgery date of 11/13.

I'm tired of paying co-pays for rechecks w/no progress. Today was a really rough day with pain & there were big issues with kids in BizTown today, but I'm definitely frustrated w/these other issues ... there is no time for this! Will keep you posted ....

je

Ear issues ....

My ear troubles are continuing .... the ear infection that I had several weeks ago is still there! I went round & round with my family doctor and a doc-in-the box at an urgent care place this week and got nowhere. This morning I saw another dr. in the practice of my family dr. and expressed my concern that my hearing was lacking, pain was still present and that I was having surgery soon and didn't want to be dealing with this. Sure enough - full blown ear infection. He prescribed a stronger ear drop and took a culture of it ... he wondered if it is some ear fungus - gross! At any rate, just pray that it clears up. I've never had ear problems before, so this is a new one. A big part of my job is speaking and it is hard if you can't hear yourself. This is my last weekend to get stuff done at my house and I'm feeling so-so.

We have a baby shower for my cousins wife in IL next weekend & then off to Dallas. I was limping around work all week and had a lot of foot pain, so I'm ready to get on with it.

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall weekend!
je

God is in control ....

I have an incredible sense of peace about our tendon surgery decision in two weeks. Everything always has some risk and it is a risk if we chose to do nothing as well (really wasn't a realistic option). God doesn't promise to always change our circumstances, but He does promise to walk with us, remain in control and provide comfort through it all. This is where we get the strength to keep moving forward in the midst of tough times.

I've struggled a lot lately with how do I know if this surgery will be the last? I said back on surgery #4, #5, #6, #7, etc. that those were all "IT" as well! Only God can answer this question and no one else truly knows. I am hoping and praying for some finality to the situation. My standard has decreased dramatically from where I started and now I'd be happy with wearing nearly any shoe (ok - not so much in favor of the senior citizen tie up ones). I am thankful that there is another option out there for improving the situation and at the same time know that sooner or later you do run out of solutions. I read in physician notes from a recent office visit that my situation was "unprecedented." Great - is there a a bonus fee for that honor? No, it will just be the topic of the next monthly meeting of local orthopedic surgeons. Rest in the fact that if God wants it to be the last one, it will be the last one. Keep thinking that Christmas shoes might be possible ...

Details are continuing to fall into place. I ordered a new battery for my scooter, so it will work again soon. I had a work conference in Rhode Island that I was supposed to attend mid-November for a week, but I was able to get all my money back for the plane ticket & conference fees. I've coordinated follow-up care w/my STL surgeon; Chicago is a bit far to drive for a cast change. Mom & I made a trade recently .... she is making new crutch covers and I made dinner for everyone one night last weekend. Wait till you see the fun fall fabric pattern that I picked!

Pray that I continue to remain healthy in the next two weeks, sleep continues and that my attitude and actions will continue to glorify Him. Please begin to pray for wisdom & skill for Dr. C .... may everything happen as planned and most of all that Dr. C will know during surgery if the tendon was able to be lengthened enough to be successful. If the tendon can be lengthened enough and the skin heals well, we will be good for New Years dancing!

Love & hugs,
je

Next step on Nov. 13th ....

We’ve looked at various options, opinions, risks, benefits, test results, etc. for the past week and have decided to move forward with the tendon lengthening surgery on Thursday, Nov. 13th in Dallas. As procedures go, this is relatively minor and only 30-45 min. of surgery time. Assuming all goes well, the surgery will allow the contracted tendon to be longer causing the foot to relax and lay down. It also has the possibility of sitting better in a shoe, if the tendon is not continually contracted. The doctors that I have the most faith in are in agreement that this is the next best step, so we’re going to boldly step forward and go for it. My current pain level and the negative affect on my artificial hip are the reasons for us feeling like we have to do something to improve the situation. All the work done last spring is totally healed.

The 3-4” incision will be on the shin area and is NOT on the foot or anywhere near where we have worked in the past. The Dallas dr. knows that I’ve had healing issues in the past and we have a plan, if wound healing becomes an issue (amputation is not the only option)…. although he was fairly certain that it should heal okay because of the new blood supply and new area. Big time trust and faith is ahead. Two weeks in a non-weight bearing cast and then two more weeks in a walking cast.
There is no risk of jeopardizing any previous work related to fusions, bone, hardware, positioning, etc. Healing is the biggest risk, so start praying now that those skin cells will grow well!

If you know any “healing tricks,” send them my way …. I know about zinc and lots of protein, but am willing to try anything else that might give it an added boost – some of you out there are experts in this!

Mom & I will fly to Dallas early on the morning of 11/13 & the surgery is outpatient at a surgery center at 12:30pm …. flying home the afternoon of 11/15 (Sat.) & I’m planning on returning to work on Monday, Nov. 17th. We will stay with friends in Dallas, which will be easier than a hotel.

I’m at peace with our decision & am thankful that the Dallas surgeon is willing to help us correct the problem. I can continue to consult and see the Chicago surgeon as needed or desired. We are so close to having this all done. I have about 2 ½ weeks to get things organized at work, which is a blessing. Perhaps I’ll be able to wear a shoe by Christmas …. there would be no better gift. Dream big!

“I am the Lord, the God of every person on the earth. Nothing is impossible for me.” – Jeremiah 32:27

Thanks for praying last week .... it helped lots!
je

Stepping back ....

I'm taking the next several days to simply evaluate what we've heard, weigh options, and pray about the situation. Sometimes the more opinions you get, the more confusing things become. I've been really stressed about it all the past two nights and have not slept well, which usually means that something is not right or comfortable. I am one that would really like everyone to agree and have all the doctors that we saw be "on the same page," but that is not going to happen. Sometimes as a patient, you have to be bold and just make a decision on what you want to happen .... this isn't really my personality, but that will likely happen. I have never liked wavering around, not having a plan and feeling like nothing is progressing ... it is usually easier when you decide and move forward.

Yesterday I seriously thought we weren't going to do anything and that I was just going to have to live with it, but today has been a little better and I know that is not realistic or practical.

I have 115 kiddos at work tomorrow .... pray for stamina! The battery on my scooter is not working & is getting fixed. Keep praying for wisdom in making the best treatment decision.

Hugs,
je

Difficult Decision

Keep praying for direction, wisdom and peace! If we are not supposed to move ahead with the tendon lengthening surgery, then we need to know this soon. I have three doctors that are recommending the surgery and one doctor that feels the risk of it not healing is substantially high. The possibility and consequences if it wouldn’t heal could mean losing everything we have now. It is a very tough choice.

What do you do when you hear that you can’t live without the surgery, but there could be big negative problems if you have it?

I do know that Dr. P will not perform the surgery in Chicago, so I am hoping to talk to the Dallas coordinator tomorrow. Her reasoning for not agreeing to operate again was good. She has had two previous surgeries that did not meet her expectations and the risk of a possible third is not worth taking. She did comfortably recommend the tendon lengthening surgery, though & she does know the Dallas surgeon. I can still continue to consult w/her and see her as needed/desired.

I am also now hearing mixed opinions on whether or not insurance will pay for the electric stimulation device that we hoped with aid in walking after the surgery. I was initially told they’d cover it and today I heard “no way.” It is a $5,000 deal, if insurance doesn't pay – another stressor.

Pray for peace in the next few days as we try to make a decision. I was fairly calm about it all, until I heard that the risk of having a healing issue again seems to be quite high. Not sure where we are headed now …

je

Closer to a treatment decision ....

We are narrowing in on making a treatment decision with the information we learned in Dallas. My meeting with the St. Louis surgeon on Wednesday was good and he recommended the surgical procedure that I was leaning toward. I felt like I really needed to meet w/the Chicago orthopod in person, so we (mom & I) went to see her on Friday.

The report from the Baylor gait test and CD (showing my walking pattern) was mailed earlier in the week to all my dr.’s, but nothing arrived by the end of the week thanks to no mail for Columbus Day. I called Baylor on Thursday and had them fax me a copy of the report, so I took that to Chicago. Very thankful that I got someone on the phone that took pity on me …. she ignored the “HIPPA rule” of no faxing medical reports.

Dr. P read the report and watched me walk and then told us her diagnosis, before I shared with her what the three TX docs suggested. She came up w/the same diagnosis and solution. Thank heavens for consistency and agreement – this is huge! She said that the gait test is very definitive so if the problem is revealed on the gait test, then that is what needs to be fixed. She was glad we made the effort to go to Dallas.

The problem is with my anterior tib tendon (lg. tendon that runs down your leg & into the foot) remains continually contracted and doesn’t relax. When it does relax (which is rare), it happens at the wrong time in the stepping motion. My foot stays up because of the tendon being in “contraction mode” constantly.

The proposed non-surgical option isn’t really an option, because it would only be a temporary fix. Everyone has agreed that the tendon needs to be lengthened and this will cause the foot to stay down. The surgeon makes a “z” shaped cut in the tendon, stretches it out and then repairs it in the center. Four weeks in a cast/no weight – probably 1-2 nights in the hospital. Then back to pt eventually for major gait training. We can also order this electrical stimulation device that is worn on my calf and it gives the foot a tiny shock when it is supposed to pull up or push down during the stepping process …. it is like a “kick in gear” deal for the foot.

The incision would be a new incision more on the ankle area. We have never cut in that area previously, but there is still a concern related to healing. It should heal better w/the new blood supply now, but everyone is somewhat fearful about getting it to heal.

I asked Dr. P is she would do the surgery or if I need to return to TX for the operation. She is going to talk to my STL dr. this weekend and will call me w/her answer on Tuesday. It would be much easier if she would do it, but there is some hesitancy since past surgeries have not gone as we had planned. I will be elated if she agrees to do it, but will understand if she refers me to Dallas. It would be a lot easier w/no travel & having a doctor that we already know. Pray for direction and wisdom for Dr. P!

We spent last night with IL family and returned to St. Louis today. No one knows why the tendon contraction has happened, but at least there are three doctors that agree on the treatment. Not looking forward to more surgery and the cast scene again, but I’m content and happy that there is a possible solution. I will try to schedule the surgery ASAP with either surgeon, as being on crutches in December is not fun.

Thankful for God’s direction this week ….. good visit with Dr. P ….. and for the blessing of agreement among physicians. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall weekend!

Love & hugs,
jenny

Exploring options ....

There is not a lot new happening this week. I met with my St. Louis doctor today and we talked about the Dallas opinions. I'm talking with the Chicago dr. on Friday morning. I've done a lot of research this week on the Internet, and think that I have decided on what I think is best .... hoping that the Chicago orthopod agrees.

I've had kids at JA on Tuesday and Wednesday this week and have had a very difficult time walking and being on my feet nearly all day. Look for another blog update on Saturday.

Keep praying for direction, wisdom, peace and that the Chicago surgeon will be candid about what has the best possibility of working.

je

Strong visit, decisions ahead .....

We made it home and it is good to be back in St. Louis. The trip was worth all the coordination, expense, time, etc. and overall everything went as planned. It was very nice to stay with a good friend and experience Southern hospitality as opposed to a hotel. We enjoyed awesome food, had fun shopping at a jewelry place (had been there previously) and the weather was sunny and 70s.

More on the gait test …. the director of the center greeted us and he explained that he had talked w/my Chicago dr. earlier that morning (Thurs.). I was glad that he had the medical case background. He explained what would happen and that it would take 25-30 min. for them to hook up all these electrodes at certain spots on my legs, feet and hips. I then walked over this platform area and 10 cameras simultaneously took pictures and recorded my walking movement as the floor measured what muscles were working and the strength of each. Mom and our “chauffer” friend watched the entire thing from the side. I was the only patient there our entire time. It was a smaller office in Baylor hospital, which made it nice. Later this week I will receive a CD from them with pictures from the test on it.

We got to see several computer generated graphs and a computer simulation of a person walking the way I walk. The graphs & readings showed that the tendon that allows your foot to drop down and step through when walking is overworking …. The tendon is like a rubber band that is supposed to contract-relax-contract-relax, etc. ….. mine stays contracted nearly the entire time and when it does relax it is not happening at the right time. This explains why when doctors often ask me to relax the foot, I can’t! We’ll never know why it has happened, but the next hurdle is making the best choice in how to correct it.

The other doctors that we consulted with also came to the same conclusion, but the test confirmed what they thought. I made my usual “pro vs. con” list for the two possible treatment options on the plane ride home. I need to learn more about each, before I can explain them.

Doctors would like patients to be able to push down w/the foot (gas pedal motion) at a minimum of 40 degrees. My normal foot is 72 degrees and the surgical foot is 24, which also prohibits me from pushing into a shoe. So, I am not “off” by miles, but it needs help. Much to close to give up was what I heard ……. THANKFUL FOR THAT NEWS!

There was definitely one of the three doctors that I thought that if I needed to begin working with him, I would be comfortable. His office was very impressive with 17 orthopedic surgeons and they have a long history of strong medical credibility. We have a friend in Dallas that is diabetic & was told that he needed to have his leg amputated by multiple doctors. The dr. that I saw and liked ended up saving his leg and now 18 mo. later he still has his leg and is doing better than ever …. somewhat encouraging to hear a success story.

I plan to talk with my St. Louis & Chicago doctors this week and get their opinions on what we learned. There is no big rush to make a decision on anything immediately, but hopefully we can come to some consensus by the end of this week. The longer I wait to decide the slower it is to move toward treating the tendon issue.

• Pray that the Chicago & St. Louis orthopods will be open to new ideas, agreement will happen, they’ll be candid about what they think is best and that it will be very clear w/which treatment option to choose (two options).

I sincerely thank you for praying for us over the past four days. I had stamina to make it through our long day on Thursday, & all our organization efforts paid off. One dr. told us that he’d never seen post-op records spiral bound before ….. not everyday that he sees someone w/as much surgical history either!

Keep praying for clear direction this week and wisdom in decision making on my part.

Love & hugs,
Jenny

Appointments over ....

We are done with our appointments and the gait test. All three doctors agree that it is a problem with a tendon near my ankle area. They don't all agree on how it should be fixed. The tendon is "over firing" or working more than it should and is contantly "on," so it will not allow my foot to relax and stay to the ground.

There is one solution that is non-surgical and one solution that is surgical. The non-surgical solution may or may not work .... you don't know unless you try (very expensive shot w/medication). The non-surgical option is not as easy as it sounds. We need to learn more about the non-surgical option, as this may not work. I have been told by other people that this wouldn't work. I now need to consult with STL and Chicago.

I really liked the first doctor ... he was the one that recommended a surgical procedure to fix it. The surgery could be done in STL or Chicago, but I'm not sure if either doctor would do it. The gait test revealved that one muscle is overworking and one muscle is not working .... it is unclear as to whether or not we could retrain the foot or not.

I have people waiitng on me, so sorry for the short note. We made it to TX fine and have had a friend take us to all the appointments, so that has been nice. We haven't made a final decision yet on what to do next. The first doctor did say that it was too soon to amputate. Gotta run ....

je

Texas tomorrow .....

I need to finalize packing and make sure I have everything in order for our big day tomorrow. All is still happening as planned and I confirmed each appointment time today, so no surprises should happen there.

On Monday my foot was really swollen and hurting, so the past two days I decided to go back to wearing a normal shoe on the left foot and a Croc on the bad foot. It has been a lot better. I decided there was no point in forcing it into a shoe when it doesn't have movement to bend or function like it should in the shoe.

Emotionally I'm okay and am trying to go into the next two days with an open mind. If none of the options sound reasonable or promising, we don't have to do any of them. Hopefully we will hear some fresh thoughts and perspective on the situation. I was thinking last night back to my very first visit with the doctors that I currently have now. Typically they spend more time with you at that appt. than any other and I think it would be rare for any dr. to tell you they don't have any ideas. Most orthopedic doctors don't want some case to "beat them."

I came home tonight to a nice surprise .... my neighbor had raked all my leaves in my front yard. There were not a lot, but it was for sure something that I wasn't going to get to or worry about tonight. I called him and asked if he was the "leaf fairy" today and he said I had the right neighbor.

My big teacher luncheon went well today and I think 300 kids are going to come to JA.

Better close as I need to head to bed early tonight. Planning to take the laptop, so I'll update the blog. If I don't update on Thursday night it will be because I can't find a wifi connection .... will for sure do it Friday.

Looking forward to seeing God work in a mighty way in the next few days ....

Love & hugs,
je
P.S. Thanks for the blog comments and e-mails .... reading them all!

Week plans in Texas ....

The ear infection is getting better …. the medicine is working – whew! Well, I don’t have my “surgery summary” down to a 3-4 min. speech, but I did type up a sheet with all the surgery dates, times, dr. name, etc. It will save me having to write this four times on medical forms. You would laugh if you saw the notebook and files on each dr. that I am taking. They don’t know who is coming on Thurs/Friday!

I read more about the Baylor gait lab over the weekend and am so thankful that I was able to get in there. They place these sensors on all your joints and then 12 cameras take pictures at the same time as I walk. The cameras can detect movement up to 1/100th of a second. If there are muscles or joints that either are not working or I’m not able to make work, the analysis will show this. It is pretty amazing technology. Olympic athletes learn a lot from this place on how to improve their sport. It also helps doctors to know what treatment/surgery is best for patients. Hope it lives up to what it sounds like in research reports.

Prayer requests for this week:
- Travel safety
- God will be honored & glorified in the midst of our circumstance.
- Surgeon consult wisdom
- Time; they will spend the necessary time w/us & will answer questions
candidly, even if the choices or news is tough to hear.
- Expectations; whatever happens is what was supposed to occur.
- Attitude; that I won’t be upset if no one has any answers.
- Stamina; a lot is happening on Thursday!
- Fun; we’ll be able to do something fun in TX, after medical stuff.

If the conversation would progress to the point that we’d feel the need to start working w/one of the new doctors, this needs to be incredibly obvious to us. It will happen if we are to make a change. Pray that we’d ask the right questions during each appointment.

Appointment times:
10:20am – Thurs. – Dr. C
1:00pm – Thurs. – Dr. E
3:00pm – Thurs. – Gait test

9:30am – Friday – Dr. R

Good verses for this week …..
Do not begin to be anxious – Phil 4:6
Fret not – Psalm 37:1
Let us run with patience – Hebrews 12:1

Love,
jenny

Ear Infection ... ugh!

I woke up this morning with an ear infection of all things! No one has been sick in our family, so who knows (it was the first week with kiddos at work). I thought it was possibly starting earlier in the week, but I hoped that it would go away - no luck w/that happening. I managed to see a doctor this morning and got medicine ... let's hope that it kicks in soon. This is NOT the week for me to be sick. There is pain and a stuffy feeling in the ear now. The doctor said it could take the better part of a week to subside, but I'm praying that he is aiming on the high side.

The foot MRI went fine on Friday morning. Really long, but I got the films all on disk which makes transporting them easier. I confirmed all the appointments this week and made sure we are taking the necessary medical records. We are staying with a friend in Richardson, TX the first night and then a friend in Arlington, TX the last two nights. I need to finalize questions that I want/need to ask the TX doctors and try and consolidate my "foot story" into a 3-4 min. version.

I have a big school meeting (600 potential new students) & am delivering lunch to 30 teachers on Wednesday and then need to be rested going into the Dallas trip. Pray that the ear thing subsides, that sleep will come easily this week and for wisdom/guidance for the new docs (Dr. C, Dr. E, & Dr. R) ... all new initials!

Trying to relax this weekend ... got a pedicure today in honor of "all eyes on the foot" this week.

Love & hugs,
je

Final preparations for TX ....

We're finalizing details and getting directions, medical records ready to take to Dallas next week. I managed to get an MRI appt. for 8am on Friday, so we can take the films with us. It was a big struggle with insurance today, but I think I finally got it worked out by the end of the day. Barnes first wanted me to do it on Thursday night during the debate time and I said "no way!"

I did hear of someone today that was significantly helped by the first surgeon that I am scheduled to see. His foot situation was totally different from mine, but at least it was good to hear that he had helped someone else.

It is really challenging to manage expectations with something like this. It is hard to not expect new doctors to have all the magical answers. I will be thrilled if two agree on and recommend the same treatment plan. I'm a firm believer that you learn something from every appointment, but sometimes it isn't as much as you'd like. I think it would be rare for a surgeon to tell me at the first appointment that they are out of ideas, but I guess it could happen. I really need to prepare myself to hear anything. This applies well .... "In nothing be anxious" - Philippians 4:6 Maybe we'll learn the greatest new treatment idea ever or perhaps we'll hear that we've tried everything .... time & faith shall tell.

My STL surgeon has done a lot of work in preparation for me to go to TX. He typed a summary sheet of the surgeries and has gathered all the x-rays onto several disks. We've e-mailed more than usual in the past two weeks & I'm still grateful that he does e-mail!

Tomorrow is our first day of students at work, so I'll be tired Wednesday night. Hope you are enjoying cooler temps and St. Louis fall days.

je

TX here we come ....

Texas scheduling finished - whew! The fact that I was able to get appointments with four doctors and the gait test scheduled in the past 48 hours was definitely done with a lot of prayer. My St. Louis dr. faxed the necessary paperwork to Baylor this morning. Within 30 minutes of them receiving it, I received a phone call from the President (doctor) of the lab. I happened to remember his name, because I had read article after article about him on the Internet. He was calling to make sure that they had allotted enough time and to confirm what needed to take place. We talked for several minutes & I told him that I'd have Dr. P call him .... they worked together at one point in their medical careers. She can explain to him exactly what she desires in the testing session. I was very excited that he took the time to call and wanted to make sure that they were being complete at Baylor. He was very complimentary of her and told me that I'd picked all the right foot experts in Dallas to consult with.

I was very impressed with the scheduling lady at Baylor as she was very accommodating. She asked me when I wanted to be seen .... what a first! We are seeing two doctors & doing the gait test on Thursday, Oct. 9th and are seeing a third doctor on Friday, October 10th.

My St. Louis surgeon has been really good this week about typing up a summary sheet, getting operative reports copied and x-rays on disks. We are doing an MRI of the foot toward the end of next week.

I do not have students at JA on Oct. 9 & 10, so that is another big blessing that I was able to do this without having to coordinate someone else to substitute for me. I also didn't have any meetings scheduled, appointments or nothing to rearrange .... I can't think of two consecutive days in the past year that I have not had something happening, so this is a small miracle in itself.

Ending the week here with a grateful heart that at least there is hope of fresh eyes, opinions, thoughts, suggestions, and perhaps a new way to help the current situation. My motto for this week has been .... things do happen when God is in the middle of it. Keep praying for open minds, wisdom for physicians that we'll meet and a clear treatment plan. Praising Him for working out trip details so quickly and thoroughly. It has been one "God thing" after the next this week. Looking forward to seeing God open more doors and work mightily in upcoming weeks!

Much love & hugs,
Jenny

Appointments scheduled ....

We made a little more progress today .... I called the Baylor gait center early this morning and found out the process for scheduling an appointment. They faxed me the paperwork and I faxed it onto my two orthopods & told them they both had to race to get it returned first! The scheduling lady told me that I could likely get in for an appt. w/in the next two weeks. (I was impressed with her helpfulness on the phone)

I was then able to schedule appointments with three foot surgeons for Oct. 9 & 10 and am hoping to fit the gait test in there as well. The fourth doctor that we discussed seeing is out of the country until the end of October, but I can see someone else that works with him. A little more about the Baylor place ....

Baylor Motion and Sports Performance Center
The Baylor Motion and Sports Performance Center uses innovative and highly technical ways to study human movement and determine better ways to perform surgery, recovery and therapy techniques as well as help athletes perfect their sport.

Precise measurements and evaluation of human motion are captured by accurately measuring segment positions, joint rotations, joint forces and subsequent muscular activity with highly specialized equipment.

One of the first laboratories in the world to have the revolutionary new Vicon MX system, The Baylor Motion and Sports Performance Center utilizes 12 MX40 Motion Capture cameras with a high-speed 4.0-million pixel sensor. The cameras record up to 10,000 frames per second using a 10-bit grayscale precision, which allows motion to be captured with superior accuracy, speed and reliability. These cameras record the patient's movement from different angles. The views are then combined and sent to a bank of computers that creates numerical measurements of the movement. These measurements allow doctors to more closely diagnose pain associated with orthopaedic problems. For example, pain felt in the low back during walking may be caused by a problem in the knee or hip. Such close diagnosis can decrease the length of treatment and help to eliminate pain more quickly.

Patients with clinical problems such as sports injuries, cerebral palsy, arthritis, ligament injury, knee and hip replacement, foot and ankle injury, stroke and other disorders are seen in the laboratory so experts can study their movements for motion analysis.

The laboratory is also used for research studies on a variety of musculoskeletal disorders and neurological disorders. Investigators compare the effects of differing surgical techniques, evaluate the long-term effects of specific surgeries and test new bracing techniques, as well as monitor patient progress.

I should have scheduled the gait test first and the dr. appointments around that, but it happened the other way around. Several of these doctors offices were the first places that said they'd fax me something and within minutes it arrived .... just love it when people do what they say!

Hoping that the last piece of the puzzle falls into place tomorrow and we'll be set. Very thankful for having made huge scheduling progress in the past 48 hours and for Dr. P thinking of this state-of-the-art gait lab. We have friends in Dallas, so we are hoping to stay w/someone & avoid the hotel expense.

Love & hugs,
je

Texas and new gait lab found ....

This is going to be quick and I'll write more tomorrow night .... (very long day)

My dr. appt. with the STL surgeon went okay today. He agreed that I should pursue more ortho opinions at the same time we are looking at anything else nerve related. The EMG/NCV test is the test that I've done twice in the past; can do it again, but probably won't show any change. Normally a nerve disorder is not something that suddenly appears after surgery; he really thinks we'd had seen it surface before now if there was a nerve issue.

He is calling two doctors in Dallas and I'm calling two doctors (checking on appointments). I called my two as soon as I made it back to the car in the parking lot and got two appt.'s scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9th. Need to see if we can line up at least one more for either Oct. 9th or 10th. The goal is to get "fresh eyes" and see if two agree on something else that should be tried. He did say that we may hear nothing new or something totally fresh just don't know, but we both thought it was worth trying. All parties know we are not left with many options or at least it seems that way at the moment.

E-mailed Chicago and updated her tonight ... she e-mailed back right away and suggested that I visit a placed called Baylor Motion and Sports Performance Center (a state of the art gait analysis lab) in Baylor, Texas. Dr. P couldn't believe that she remembered this tonight, so maybe someone else was praying at that moment! This place is exactly what we need ....

The center conducts research into the link between orthopaedics and the movement of the body to improve treatment, therapies and sports performance by analyzing three-dimensional computer assisted motion analysis. The laboratory uses a 12-camera motion capture system, force platform, electromyographical system, six-degree-of-freedom electrogoniometer and foot pressure measurement system.

The lab also can produce electromyographic recordings, which provide information on muscular activity. The reports indicate which muscles are being fired and how strongly they're being fired. The lab synchronizes all the data gathered along with a digital video into a 3-D skeletal reconstruction and model of movement in real time. The results are presented on a simple interactive CD. A clinician can then manipulate the skeletal image in 3-D space, while simultaneously viewing the digital video or the graphs detailing the joint angle, velocity or athlete's acceleration. It can show any movement, including how and when the toe strikes the ground, how the pelvis rotates or the shoulders sway.

It is pretty high tech! We are going to check in the next few days on what it takes to be seen there & if this could be done on the same trip to consult w/the other doctors. Pray that if I'm supposed to get an appointment, that it will happen in a timely manner. The gait test must really be worth doing, because the Chicago surgeon is really trying to find somewhere to have it done.

I was pleased that I was able to schedule w/two Dallas docs so quickly this afternoon. We are going to do an MRI of the foot in St. Louis soon, so I can take these films with me.

Our big, first day at JA today was a bust due to a good ole' water main break in Chesterfield ... no potties and no kiddos! We rescheduled for next Wednesday, but there were 58 really upset kids today.

Hoping to finalize more details tomorrow or at least learn soon whether or not it is an option to be seen at the Baylor gait lab. Thanks for praying today ... a few new doors opened and you've gotta be thankful for the good positive things.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me." John 14:1

je

Gait test not happening ....

On Monday I learned that there is no one at Barnes/Wash U that does the gait analysis test. Supposedly they are building a new gait study lab and it will be ready sometime next year. There is also no one else in St. Louis that seems to do the test. Medical staff in Chicago came up with the same names that I had already tried. I also received a phone call on Monday stating that the Oct. 6th appt. w/the neurologist and physical therapist had to be moved to November 12th. I took the November appt., but do not feel like I can wait over another month for some action with the pain and function (or lack of) problem.

There was some mis-information last week, and I don't think the gait test can be performed in Chicago as originally thought. They do the test for children only. We may be able to do part of the test (as we've done twice in the past) in STL, but it would be a repeat of two previous EMG tests. It is my understanding that these tests usually don't change unless there is a brain injury ... not me! Still checking into the specifics on this.

Will meet with the STL ortho surgeon tomorrow afternoon and will see if he recommends going to Dallas for more opinions. Any way you look at it, it seems to me that we need more opinons. Will update the blog tomorrow evening ....

je

Illinois weekend ....

We (mom & I) ended up going to central Illinois this weekend to visit my grandma who was in the hospital with several blood clots. We surprised her on Saturday afternoon and it was good to see her. She is doing better and is receiving good care, so hopefully she'll get to home in a few days. It felt strange to be visiting someone instead of me being there!

The foot is about the same. It was really swollen at the ankle, which is unusual, on Saturday night - probably because I sat most of the day. I have an appt. late afternoon on Wednesday with my STL orthopod. I have questions about seeking more advice in TX, would like to have an MRI done and want to see if he has any additional insight on where to go for the gait test. Wednesday will also be our first day this year with students at JA, so that will be a busy day.

I did find out that the neurologist that I'm supposed to see on 10/6 is really young & hasn't practiced medicine very long, which makes me leery. Everyone needs a start somehow, but I'm not sure if it is my case! Trying to stay "open minded" about it all and keep a positive attitude, but I really think I'd be wise to continue to pursue the ortho route at the same time we explore neuro possibilities. I definitely don't want a repeat of last Tuesday.

Need to unpack a few things and get ready for a busy week. Keep praying for the following:
- Blood clots for Grandma E to dissolve quickly.
- We find a place in STL to schedule the gait analysis test.
- Wisdom for Dr. P & Dr. K & JE ... that Wed. appt. (3:00) goes well.
- Decision making in whether or not we should go to TX soon.
- Pain management; especially as I'm on my feet more w/students.

Love & hugs,
je

Hmmm .... What to do next?

This has been a challenging week with really no progress. After lots of phone calls, I haven't found a place to have the gait test done. It isn't done at Wash U/Barnes and they aren't really sure where I could have it done. My Chicago dr. advised that I meet with a neurologist (specializes in movement disorders) and physical therapist (at the same time) together. I have this appt. scheduled for October 6th, but I have reservations about it. It is long & complicated but their initial thinking has already been ruled out by two previous neurologists, so I am somewhat thinking it isn't going to be anything I haven't heard already. My confidence in that medical system is really lacking & I haven't been impressed w/what I have seen.

I can have the gait test done in Chicago, but it is in two parts and would involve two days (mid-week) there. I'd need to miss about 2 1/2 days of work to accomplish it all, hotel expense, etc.

I'm meeting with my STL surgeon next Wednesday and am going to explore the possibility of going to Dallas for more ortho opinions. I am not comfortable relying only on the neurologist appt., because this may not be a nerve problem at all. I have had multiple nerve tests that have always come back with no problems. After the fiasco with the appt. this week, I am not looking forward to going down there again and being disappointed, etc. Time is ticking away here, so I'm trying to be somewhat proactive and not put all of our faith in one person/appt. Overall I'm feeling pretty frustrated that I'm supposed to be having a test that is so specialized, we can't find anyone here to do it. The test may/may not reveal what we need to know. I think I need to be exploring the nerve issue possibility and the ortho route at the same time, but this is much easier said than done. Coordinating 3 appointments in Dallas on the same day will be a major task in itself.

Last night I went to a shoe store that specializes in quality shoes for people with foot issues. They had about 40 shoe styles; I was there over an hour and tried on over half of them. I could not wear ANY of them. It was very disheartening to say the least.

Update: After I typed the above note, I got an e-mail stating that there are actually two tests that need to happen:
1. Gait test - walking which is videotaped and evaluated
2. EMG/NCV - nerve test

I am fairly sure that we've already done the second test two times and it came back totally fine (i.e. all nerves working). I guess anything can change, but I was told at one point that usually those tests don't change with time.

Better get to the gym .... need to relieve some stress on the bicycle.
je

Frustrating Afternoon .....

Let me start by thanking you for praying this afternoon for the gait test. I was calm, ready to go, had typed out a bunch of notes in bullet format to make it easier for the person to "come up to speed," etc., but the test was a total bust today!!! My experience w/medical care at Wash U has always left a lot to be desired and unfortunately today was no different.

I spent an hour driving to get to the appointment .... waited 20 minutes & filled out the usual paperwork. Describing surgeries for over 4 yrs. is enough to give you a headache alone. There was construction happening in the building where the office was located and it was so much that I had to escorted to the area (never would have found it by myself).

I was told that this office did the gait test through their physical therapy dept., but they were clueless as to what test had been ordered from my doctor's office in Chicago. Supposedly there are several different "gait tests." Some they do and some they don't. I firmly said, "Do them all!" They didn't go for that.

I attempted to explain that we were trying to see what was happening with the nerves/muscles, etc. as I was walking & the test was supposed to tell what was firing, wasn’t firing, etc. The pt gal told me three things:

a. She didn’t know which gait test we wanted …

b. They had new equipment that she didn’t know how to operate it
(don’t you love it!)

c. Exercise will not correct my problem (heel and toe issues)

She watched me walk and took a short video to send to a neurologist, but that was all that occurred. Honestly, I’m not sure if this office is the right place or not. Obviously I need to go back if it is the right place, but I need to see what exactly they should be doing & then figure out if they can do it or not.

Needless to say I left the office a 4:30 and was more frustrated than ever. I went and got an iced-tea and chocolate chip cookie at Bread Co. across from the hospital and attempted to calm down before driving home in rush hour traffic. You almost have to laugh about it or you'd be crying about it ..... I've NEVER heard the "new equipment" line before!! Chuck up that $35 co-pay & taking 3 hours off work. All I can say is that if this is the best we have in STL, I need to go back to Chicago. The medical "process" to everything is just so frustrating .... nothing happens fast or is truly imporant to anyone else.

Going week after week with no measureable improvment or progress is what upsets me the most. Weeks turn into months very quickly. I e-mailed my Chicago orthopod and explained the situation and asked for advice on what to do next ... I'm sure the rest of this week will be lost.

Thanks again for praying and thinking about me this afternoon ... keep believing that we'll get it figured out one way or another at some point.

je

P.S. If there is ever equipment that you don't know how to operate, don't tell
anyone.

Send up prayers on Tuesday afternoon ....

The gait test is Tuesday afternoon at 3pm and it is time for the prayer brigade once again .... pray that it reveals something either way. We need to know if there is a nerve problem or if there is still something bony wrong. The next step will then be to decide what we are going to do next. I'm trying to decide if we need to fly to Dallas for more opinions or if we wouldn't hear much new (it is a hard call). The good thing about Dallas is that there are four recommended foot surgeons there, so I could see multiple doctors in one trip.
Emotionally I'm doing okay .... still have lots of thoughts about continuing to work with the Chicago dr., but trying to take it one day at a time.

I'm continuing to exercise pretty hard. I did 5 miles on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday on various cardio machines at the gym. The past two nights have been the first nights in easily two years that I have slept without medication ... I'm hoping it continues.

This is my last week without kiddos at work, so we are busy finalizing changes and making final preparations. My first teacher training session is tomorrow night, so long day on Monday.

Hope you have a joyous week!

je

Gait Test Scheduled

I FINALLY got the test scheduled today .... we are doing it at 3:00pm next Tuesday (Sept. 16th). The test is with Washington Univ. School of Medicine/Barnes. I do know one person that told me this office does a good job with the test, but hardly anyone does it so there wasn't a lot of choice. I am hoping that it reveals something! It isn't done by a doctor, so that had me a wee bit concerned. Not sure if it is one of those things that I'll be able to tell results right away or may need to wait for a fax report.

I still have an appt. scheduled with another orthopedic surgeon in Springfield, MO for 9/19, but I'm thinking I'm going to push that back. I need the results of the gait test first and am still not convinced that it is worth the expense. I could fly to Dallas and consult w/4 doctors for less than the one visit in Springfield will cost - go figure! I still really don't want to do anything else with more doctors, so I'll do the test and see with the Chicago dr. thinks. Wait, I know!

The area at the top of my incision that had not healed is now looking a bit better. It has been really slow to heal and I've had it covered all week, which seems to be working. As long as nothing weird happens with it, we might have turned the corner with that.

Last night I skipped the gym and came home and planted mums outside instead. I needed a break & was trying to get them in before it rains all weekend.

je

Appointment scheduling in process ...

We made it home from Illinois safely on Sunday night. After lots of phone calls yesterday, I think I have found a place with Washington University/Barnes Hospital that will do the gait test. You wouldn't believe how many places I called that didn't have any idea what this test was or involved.

I am waiting for some information to be faxed from my Chicago doctors office to Barnes, before I can schedule the appointment. Pray that this occurs soon ... I want to get this done, so we can get the results.

I have been on my feet a lot more the past two days (preparing for kids in two weeks) and have really noticed an increase in pain. I have also noticed how slow I walk. I was trying to walk with someone through a big warehouse today and what would have been a "normal" pace for the average person was entirely too fast for me.

Hoping to get the gait test scheduled soon ....
je

Chicago Appointment Details

Good Morning! I apologize for the delay in writing and not updating on Friday night. Yesterday was a really long day. I had to find a Panera bread to get wifi access and then I needed a few minutes to sit and type. My mom's sister is in IL from FL, so we had dinner with her last night. We are staying at the Eickhorst family farm and there is no wifi in the corn field.

Here is the scoop .....

Thank you, thank you for praying & thinking of us during a challenging appt. yesterday ... we felt it! Overall the appt. went much better than I expected and I was able to make it through the entire meeting without any tears. We waited over an hour to see her, but it was worth it. I wore a new fall outfit and managed to find a pair of shoes that I could get into at Macy's, so I was feeling good. I had a list of 22 typed questions that I was prepared to ask. I had prayed hard before the appt. for strength to get through whatever would happen.

Dr. P was her usual calm, gracious self and was happy to see us. She started by stating that she felt really awful about my situation and that she knew I was in a hard spot. She explained that her reluctance to recommend further surgery simply came from the fact that most of the operations we have done have not yielded the intended result. She wanted to examine my foot & then wanted to hear me talk about it, so that happened. She told me that she has thought and thought about my situation and how to help.

She thought that the way the foot looked and healed from the transplant (TX) surgery was the best that she'd ever seen. The swelling was totally gone and the overall appearance looked fantastic .... I'd agree. She said again that my TX dr. did an awesome job.

She thoroughly examined the foot, moved it every which way, and watched me walk in her hallway multiple times. She agreed fully that we still have two substantial problems:

1. Heel problem - I walk on the heel only and the toes remain fixed off the ground Even in a shoe, I still bear weight only on the heel. She tried to push it down manually and it pops right back up. She couldn't believe that they didn't go down when the toes got tired, but I said they are always fixed up.

2. Forefoot motion - none exists

The thing she is most concerned about is the first problem. She stated that it is definately not a "liveable" situation, which was good to hear this clearly stated. I will have back, knee, hip issues occur if it is not fixed. She was surprised that I am not in a lot of pain now, w/the odd gait pattern that exists. There is no obvious reason why this has happened & she has not seen it before. She isn't sure how the heel situation can be fixed, but she wants more information.

In the middle of her looking over the foot, the idea came to her to have this test run called "Gait Analysis." It was like a little lightbulb just went off in her head. It is a test related to nerves and walking that clearly shows what is working, firing, and happening when I step and walk. (We've done nerve tests before, but never while I was walking.) She even said herself that the idea just came to her, so I felt like someone was praying for wisdom at that moment. The test is usually run on children, but it is also used for adults.

She does know (at a minimal level) the doctors in Baltimore and Dallas, that my STL surgeon recommended for a second opinion. Her advice was to do the gait test and we'll see what that reveals, before we decide on any next step. She thought it was premature for me to meet with the amputation doctor or spend a lot of money on other opinions right now. They may still be needed, but for today her recommendation was to do the test, wait, and see what happens. She wasn't convinced that I'd hear a lot different or new in Baltimore or Dallas and she totally understands that I don't want to spend a lot of money without good reason.

Although it was hard for me to hear do the test and wait, I was amazingly okay with that advice yesterday. She gave no indication that she was done working with me or wouldn't continue to meet/consult. If the gait test comes back normal, we will then need to figure out the next best step. I was going to ask if she'd continue to consult, but I skipped that since she didn't bring it up. She knows I am doing everything I can from my end to make this better & fully agreed that it is not about me trying any harder.

I didn't ask the majority of the questions that I had prepared because I felt like the conversation just kinda played out differently and most were "ahead" of what she was thinking. I made it very clear that I didn't want to rush or pressure her, which I think helped. She may still not recommend more surgery, know what to do next, and we may still be totally out of options, but none of that happened yesterday. She said to keep exercising on my own and hold off on more pt for now.

Finding someone to do the gait analysis test in STL is going to be somewhat challenging, but she is going to see if the person in her office that does it might know a place where it can be done in St. Louis. As we wrapped up the appointment, she gave me a hug and told me that we needed to get my foot functioning as pretty as I looked (big self esteem boost, that I needed).

I was very thankful for ....
- no indication that she was going to stop working with me.
- amount of time she spent with us was significant
- that she realized a real problem still existed and that it needs attention
- waiting; perhaps this is the wisdom that was revealed - perhaps surgery would be
more appropriate in several months.
- candid advice; we don't have to hurry off to see a new dr. tomorrow

Although we don't have any big "plan" in place, for today I can live with doing the gait test, continuing to exercise and then talking further. I left her office with a great amount of peace and thankfulness for our doctor/patient relationship .... I will never find anyone that cares more & was very happy that for now we can continue to work together.

Many thanks again for praying .... we felt the encouragement and hope to hang in there a bit longer yesterday.

Love & hugs,
jenny