Been a Long Time….Lots of News!!!

So sorry for the lack of updating.  I’ve been reading (lurking) but haven’t commented or posted any entries.

For once I’m not going to start on about my weight.

As of October 17, I had my fourth surgery on my right ankle, the same one I injured in the Car Wreck of 2010.

My car from the wreck of 2010

The beginning of the saga was, I was in an automobile wreck and broke my talus bone in my right ankle.  The surgeon put in 2 pins and I had months upon months or rehab for other injuries sustained.

Then in September of 2012 I was having continual pain in my ankle and came to find out that I had arthritis in my joints that helped rotate the foot counter and clockwise, left and right.  So I got two more pins inserted then fusing the foot in one position so I couldn’t rotate it left and right at all.

All the fusions healed.  But….I was still in pain. So in March of 2013 they removed ALL four pins saying I would be pain free.

(all 4 pins from my foot)

SOOOOOO not the case.  If anything I was in even more pain!  Then I find out in June of 2013, the surgeon that had been with me since 2010 was leaving the practice.  I was more the devastated.  I waited 4 months to see the new surgeon after living with even more pain that I could not longer tolerate.  Surprisingly, we meshed well, and he found through an MRI that I had lots of scar tissue, more arthritis and also…a torn ligament that had been there for a very long time….possibly since the car accident.  So he was going to go in and staple the ligament back to the bone.  He said I could have gotten it falling and landing sideways on my foot, but I don’t remember ever falling like that so I think this is from the car wreck in 2010.  Anyway, I had surgery, the fourth one, on October 17, 2013.  Four surgeries in 3 1/2 years…..whew!!!  Hopefully this will solve the problem.  Although I’m not optimistic because I’ve been promised pain free days every surgery I get and I’m just not trusting.  Plus I’m literally scared of the ankle because it brings up painful memories of the wreck plus it’s very physically painful.  So, right now, I’m in a cast for 12 more days, then I start a round of physical therapy.

 

I will hopefully return to work again on December 2nd.  I work with 15-2 1/2 year old’s.  It’s very challenging, and I had to cut my full time 40 hours a week status to 25 hours a week, being barely full-time.  My hours now are 8-1.  That’s all I can handle with the ankle and my job.  I’m thinking I will continue to work that way too.  BUT….in January 2014 I plan to go back to school for Medical Administrative Specialist at the local technical institute.  I’ll go to school full time and be done in 10 months.  Hopefully I can resign from work and just go to school, but we’ll see.  In the long run, for the sake of the ankle, I believe a career change is in order.   Even the doctor agreed that I should get a job where I am sedentary most of the day.

 

My mother-in-law is helping to care for my husband and I while I heal.  She’s been a huge help, and certainly been there longer to help out then my own mother.  That’s another story for another day.

 

I’m no longer on the Saphris drug for bi-polar disorder.  I ballooned up in weight from it.  I’m 150 lbs right now, some of it has to do with the crappy food choices, and lack of physical activity because of the ankle.  So I had my pills changed out.  I’m back on Abilify and Seroquel.  It’s working and I’m making better food choices.  We plan to get a bike so I can bike around the neighborhood.  That’s less stressful on my ankle, for sure.

 

Todd and I are doing great.  He’s been there for every ache and pain I’ve been in with this surgery, with all the surgeries really.  He laid there and held my hand on Tuesday night of this week while a I cried all night due to a very tight cast which was removed the following day (we were avoiding going to the hospital for them to charge me a $200 co-pay to take the cast off).  I think our relationship is growing stronger.  He prays for me, continually.  I’m attending his Bible Studies at church that he leads and find them VERY insightful.  I love watching him in his line of work. You know where his heart is in it.  And he’s so good at what he does.  I’m very proud of him, obviously.

 

But that is all.  I do a lot of reading and sleeping these days.  Not completely off of the pain pill Percocet yet, but working on it.

 

My purple cast with walking shoe attached.  That’s what I’m in now.  I can use the crutches to “walk” using 50% weight only.