That is the only title I can think of for this post.
It has been months since I have made a post, and I was not sure if I would ever make a new post. Everything was clicking along perfectly or as good as I could ever expect it to.
Saturday morning, March 19th started out perfect as well. Nice weather enticed me to de-winterize the lawn mower and knock down the weed tops in our yard for the first mow of the season. After I finished, I enjoyed sitting on the porch and admiring my work with the dog laying beside me. The day was perfect.
The boys came home from their activities so we decided to set up the ping pong table and play some games. The entire family was enjoying a nice Saturday afternoon. Cara was in the driveway painting her nails. The dog was exploring the yard and me and the boys were playing ping pong.
I am still not sure how it happenned, but I went for a shot that I guess I should not have. My left leg popped and I went to the ground in excrutiating pain. As I laid on the ground I tried to decide if I could get up and get in the car, but there was no way. We ended up calling an ambulance to pick me up and take me to the hospital.
The x-rays revealed that I had broken my femur just above the knee. It was a clean break, but it required surgery the next day. This was a devastating blow. We all knew what this meant. Back on crutches for several weeks.
The surgery went fine and I was discharged from the hospital that Monday afternoon. I stayed home for the rest of the week, but I returned to work the following week.
I went back to the doctor on April 1st to get the staples removed and to get x-rays to check the fracture and the newly inserted rod.
The pain has been steadily decreasing and I am getting along fine on the crutches. We went to the lake, I mowed the yard again and things are normalizing. However, there is still a significant annoyance. I frustration that I just can't get past. There is a screw close to the knee that is very large. It protrudes through the bone and close to the skin. Before the swelling went down, it just seemed like a tender spot, but now it is a noticable protrusion that is irritating to touch or brush against.
My frustrations are built up over past experience and knowing the solution. The solution is to simply remove the hardware after the bone has healed. This sounds simple enough, but there are two key factors to consider. The first factor is that it is an elective surgery and it will be costly. The second factor is that it will put me back on crutches yet again for a significant amount of time.
I guess my goal is to try to forget about this screw and go on with lift. My problem is that it causes me to realize that this is likely the result of my previous injuries and a reminder that my life will never be what I want it to be.
No matter how much I smile when I tell people this is just another bump in the road or hurdle to get past, the reality is that I am extremely frustrated with the entire situation.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The last trip to Dr. Norris in Tulsa
Today was the last time that I should see Dr. Norris in Tulsa. It marks the one year anniversary of the major hip surgery. He told me that the hip joint itself appears to have healed. The lack of movement, rotation and the irritation is the result of the scar tissue and heterotopic bone growth interfering with the muscle, but the joint looks good. He was disappointed in the nerve decompression results, but it was not a guarantee in the first place. The trauma portion of my accident is officially over.
Life is all but normal now. I have very few restrictions and have even returned to the Air Force Reserve - even if it is a temporary status.
Work is keeping me busy and my travel schedule has picked up dramatically.
Cara and the boys are doing well.
We really enjoyed hosting the family for Thanksgiving again this year. Winter is setting in as we look forward to Christmas.
Cara and I are excited to be taking a vacation to Belize in January. It will be our first real get away for just the two of us since the accident and it is well overdue.
After we return from Belize, thoughts of going to the lake will begin to dominate.
I saw a sign on a church today that stood out for me. "The only attitude that we need is gratitude" I am thankful everyday for the second chance.
J.
Life is all but normal now. I have very few restrictions and have even returned to the Air Force Reserve - even if it is a temporary status.
Work is keeping me busy and my travel schedule has picked up dramatically.
Cara and the boys are doing well.
We really enjoyed hosting the family for Thanksgiving again this year. Winter is setting in as we look forward to Christmas.
Cara and I are excited to be taking a vacation to Belize in January. It will be our first real get away for just the two of us since the accident and it is well overdue.
After we return from Belize, thoughts of going to the lake will begin to dominate.
I saw a sign on a church today that stood out for me. "The only attitude that we need is gratitude" I am thankful everyday for the second chance.
J.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sky Ski
Anyone who knows me and my family knows that we live for the lake. I have tried to get bak up on ski a couple of times and it just does not look like it is going to work out right now. Some of you know that I was curious about trying an Air Chair or Sky Ski. These are hydrofoils that you sit on. There is basically a board similar to a wakeboard with a raised seat. A hydrofoil extends below the board about 3 feet. Last Saturday, I asked the Pollards at the marina if they knew anyone who had one and they did. We met Mike and Connie and Mike offered to pull me up Sunday morning. It was unusual at first and I certainly need more practice, but it was awesome! Mike let us borrow the Sky Ski for the rest of the day and I got up on it a couple more times. It takes the legs out of the equation and allows me to ski again. You could say that this was just about the last piece of the puzzle for me to say things are completely normal again. We are certainly putting the Sky Ski on the shopping list and want to say a special than you to Mike and Connie.
The last piece of the puzzle would be the Air Force Reserves. I would really like to at least finish my last 5 years...
The last piece of the puzzle would be the Air Force Reserves. I would really like to at least finish my last 5 years...
Thursday, July 29, 2010
It has been 2 years today
All,
Two years ago my life was turned upside down. Hundreds of family members and friends prayed for my survival and recovery. The doctors said it could take between one to two years to recover. I can tell you that it has taken every bit of those two years. A good portion of the time was challenging and I am certain that the prayers and support helped me get through. I have questioned some of my doctors' decisions. I felt impatient many times. I tried as hard as I could to keep a positive outlook, but I admit there were times where I sank into self-pity.
Currently, I occaisionaly take Nuerontin, but other than that I am prescription free. I am walking without crutches or a cane and I sense I am getting faster and more sure footed every day. I was released to full work status a couple of months ago - meaning I could travel to plants which is a major part of my job. I am continuing to go out more and do more things that I used to, but had stopped due to discomfort.
I can say that overall I have made an incredible recovery. I never want to say that I am lucky. I prefer to say my life was in other hands and they lifted me up. With that I want to continue to thank everyone who was there for me.
Life is not perfect. There are three major issues that prevent a 100% recovery.
1. Drop Foot - the drop foot persists and it is difficult to walk without the aid of the AFO. I recently purchased my first pair of odd sized shoes as I realize this is the way it is going to be.
2. No knee cap - The removal of the patella greatly weakens the knee joint particularly in leg extension. What this does to my walking is prevent me from putting full weight on my leg as the knee bends. I should resume going to the gym to strenghten the muscles in the knee, but the doctor told us from the beginning that it would never be as strong.
3. Arthritis in the left hip - The trauma to my left hip was beyond severe. It is nothing less than amazing that I did not lose it. At this point, the bone has mostly healed, but arthritis will remain and continue to get worse. My instructions are to endure the discomfort as long as I can to postpone the inevitable hip replacement.
Basically, I think I have fully healed in these past two years. I doubt I will ever say that I am fully recovered.
I will always remember July 29th and consider it like a birthday. Most people do not get to the hospital in time to survive an aortic tear. God looked over me two years ago and gave me a second chance. For that I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you all for being with me,
J.
Two years ago my life was turned upside down. Hundreds of family members and friends prayed for my survival and recovery. The doctors said it could take between one to two years to recover. I can tell you that it has taken every bit of those two years. A good portion of the time was challenging and I am certain that the prayers and support helped me get through. I have questioned some of my doctors' decisions. I felt impatient many times. I tried as hard as I could to keep a positive outlook, but I admit there were times where I sank into self-pity.
Currently, I occaisionaly take Nuerontin, but other than that I am prescription free. I am walking without crutches or a cane and I sense I am getting faster and more sure footed every day. I was released to full work status a couple of months ago - meaning I could travel to plants which is a major part of my job. I am continuing to go out more and do more things that I used to, but had stopped due to discomfort.
I can say that overall I have made an incredible recovery. I never want to say that I am lucky. I prefer to say my life was in other hands and they lifted me up. With that I want to continue to thank everyone who was there for me.
Life is not perfect. There are three major issues that prevent a 100% recovery.
1. Drop Foot - the drop foot persists and it is difficult to walk without the aid of the AFO. I recently purchased my first pair of odd sized shoes as I realize this is the way it is going to be.
2. No knee cap - The removal of the patella greatly weakens the knee joint particularly in leg extension. What this does to my walking is prevent me from putting full weight on my leg as the knee bends. I should resume going to the gym to strenghten the muscles in the knee, but the doctor told us from the beginning that it would never be as strong.
3. Arthritis in the left hip - The trauma to my left hip was beyond severe. It is nothing less than amazing that I did not lose it. At this point, the bone has mostly healed, but arthritis will remain and continue to get worse. My instructions are to endure the discomfort as long as I can to postpone the inevitable hip replacement.
Basically, I think I have fully healed in these past two years. I doubt I will ever say that I am fully recovered.
I will always remember July 29th and consider it like a birthday. Most people do not get to the hospital in time to survive an aortic tear. God looked over me two years ago and gave me a second chance. For that I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you all for being with me,
J.
Monday, June 28, 2010
I tried to ski last Saturday!
As usual, I am late with updated posts.
I should start this one with my graduation party on June 12th. I woke up and decided not to use the cane ever again. We had a great time at the party and I have not looked back. The cane is in my bathroom untouched. My most recent trip to Tulsa last Tuesday to see Dr. Norris resulted in mostly positive news. The only questionable news was that there is still a section of the hip that has not completely healed. He says it is in one of the locations where they cut the bone. All other areas have healed and he attributes most of the healing to the bone growth stimulator. While there has not been any significant changes in the drop foot, he said he thought he could feel a flicker where the tendon tries to activate the muscle when I try to pull up my foot. This is certainly a sign that the nerves are healing and I may get some control back. While I was there, I asked him if I could try to ski. He replied "I do not see why not." While I have been accused of not following doctors' orders all the time, I took this order and put it in action last Saturday. I did not get up, but I got close. My left knee tried to bend further than tolerable so I had to let go of the handle. The next plan of action is to use the lock out knee brace for the next attempt. This knee brace can be set where the knee is not allowed to bend past a certain pre-determined degrees. I will set it at 90 and try again soon.
We are closing in on the two year anniversary of the wreck. They said it could take 1 to 2 years before I felt mostly recovered. I would say that they were right. I will never be 100%, but I am pretty close. All normal activities have been resumed. My stamina is considerably higher than it has been since before the wreck. The left hip and knee will always be an issue, but I am not slowing down.
Work has been very busy and with my full release to visit plants, I have been on the road again.
I should start this one with my graduation party on June 12th. I woke up and decided not to use the cane ever again. We had a great time at the party and I have not looked back. The cane is in my bathroom untouched. My most recent trip to Tulsa last Tuesday to see Dr. Norris resulted in mostly positive news. The only questionable news was that there is still a section of the hip that has not completely healed. He says it is in one of the locations where they cut the bone. All other areas have healed and he attributes most of the healing to the bone growth stimulator. While there has not been any significant changes in the drop foot, he said he thought he could feel a flicker where the tendon tries to activate the muscle when I try to pull up my foot. This is certainly a sign that the nerves are healing and I may get some control back. While I was there, I asked him if I could try to ski. He replied "I do not see why not." While I have been accused of not following doctors' orders all the time, I took this order and put it in action last Saturday. I did not get up, but I got close. My left knee tried to bend further than tolerable so I had to let go of the handle. The next plan of action is to use the lock out knee brace for the next attempt. This knee brace can be set where the knee is not allowed to bend past a certain pre-determined degrees. I will set it at 90 and try again soon.
We are closing in on the two year anniversary of the wreck. They said it could take 1 to 2 years before I felt mostly recovered. I would say that they were right. I will never be 100%, but I am pretty close. All normal activities have been resumed. My stamina is considerably higher than it has been since before the wreck. The left hip and knee will always be an issue, but I am not slowing down.
Work has been very busy and with my full release to visit plants, I have been on the road again.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Life is good
All,
It has been over a month since my last post. A lot has hapenned in this past month so I do not really know where to start.
My previous post announced an up-coming surgery. The nerve de-compression surgery was performed last Friday and as expected, it went very well. Dr. Norris called it a success. We will not know the real results right away because it still takes a long time for nerves to heal, but it is still positive to think that the paraneal nerve may not be permanently damaged. Now, the test of time will tell the progress.
Speaking of progress, I feel better than I have since the wreck. Work has released me to full status and I have gone on three site visits since the release. It feels great to be back in the game and doing what I am supposed to do.
Last Saturday was graduation at the University of Arkansas. I completed my Master of Science in Operations Management through the college of Industrial Engineering. This is a milestone that I have wanted to complete for a long time. I am nothing less that proud and happy to reach this accomplishment and look forward to wearing an alumni shirt with pride.
Allen has entered the workforce. A few weeks ago he started working at Hardees and is doing a great job. We were lucky to pick up a car from a co-worker and he is back on the road. Riding the bus to school for a month and a half was a real eye opener for him and he has a new appreciation of work and transportation. We are extremely proud of him!
Of course we are getting lake fever. Allen's new job is going to present new challenges and tough decisions regarding lake weekends. We will see how this transition goes.
Sam is doing well in school, but seems to be looking for attention that does not please the teachers - particularly substitute teachers. I hope that Cara's recent talk with him will sink in the importance of respect to his teachers as well as fellow students.
Cara is still working very hard. It is hard to call her practice new anymore. We are optimistic that the bugs keeping her from getting paid by Medicare will be worked out soon.
I enjoyed going to Fort Smith yesterday to see my mom and dad. It was the first time for me to see my mom since her surgery on her broken femur. She looked very good and seems to be healing well. I learned that my dad has scheduled his retirement. This is a huge milestone for him that he swears he is looking forward to, but I still do not see him retiring.
That is about all for now. I need to schedule a two week follow up appointment to get the staples removed and to learn more about my prognosis. It should be all good news from here on out.
Still no word from the Air Force. My hopes for returning to service continue to dim.
J.
It has been over a month since my last post. A lot has hapenned in this past month so I do not really know where to start.
My previous post announced an up-coming surgery. The nerve de-compression surgery was performed last Friday and as expected, it went very well. Dr. Norris called it a success. We will not know the real results right away because it still takes a long time for nerves to heal, but it is still positive to think that the paraneal nerve may not be permanently damaged. Now, the test of time will tell the progress.
Speaking of progress, I feel better than I have since the wreck. Work has released me to full status and I have gone on three site visits since the release. It feels great to be back in the game and doing what I am supposed to do.
Last Saturday was graduation at the University of Arkansas. I completed my Master of Science in Operations Management through the college of Industrial Engineering. This is a milestone that I have wanted to complete for a long time. I am nothing less that proud and happy to reach this accomplishment and look forward to wearing an alumni shirt with pride.
Allen has entered the workforce. A few weeks ago he started working at Hardees and is doing a great job. We were lucky to pick up a car from a co-worker and he is back on the road. Riding the bus to school for a month and a half was a real eye opener for him and he has a new appreciation of work and transportation. We are extremely proud of him!
Of course we are getting lake fever. Allen's new job is going to present new challenges and tough decisions regarding lake weekends. We will see how this transition goes.
Sam is doing well in school, but seems to be looking for attention that does not please the teachers - particularly substitute teachers. I hope that Cara's recent talk with him will sink in the importance of respect to his teachers as well as fellow students.
Cara is still working very hard. It is hard to call her practice new anymore. We are optimistic that the bugs keeping her from getting paid by Medicare will be worked out soon.
I enjoyed going to Fort Smith yesterday to see my mom and dad. It was the first time for me to see my mom since her surgery on her broken femur. She looked very good and seems to be healing well. I learned that my dad has scheduled his retirement. This is a huge milestone for him that he swears he is looking forward to, but I still do not see him retiring.
That is about all for now. I need to schedule a two week follow up appointment to get the staples removed and to learn more about my prognosis. It should be all good news from here on out.
Still no word from the Air Force. My hopes for returning to service continue to dim.
J.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Good News! More Surgery
When does more surgery mean good news? I will do my best to explain it.
Last Tuesday, Cara and I made the trek back to Tulsa to see Dr. Norris. I was particularly nervous about this visit. After hearing the EMG on the peroneal nerve resulted in un-recoverable damage and physically feeling tenderness in my hip, I could not anticipate any positive news.
With respect to the hip. Dr. Norris could see new bone growth in the new x-rays. My tenderness is worst in the morning when I wake up and gradually gets better throughout the day. This is typical for hip joint arthritis and I should expect this until I can't bear it any longer and get a hip replacement. If the tenderness increased throughout the day, it would indicate that the bone still was not healing. Therefore, the Exogen bone stimulator is actually working and I am to continue to use it.
With respect to my nerve damage. Dr. Norris had a plan this entire time. He wanted to schedule the EMG close to my follow up visit so he would know where the damage was. During the visit, he physically showed it to me under my left knee. He said the nerve has excessive pressure on it due to pulling through the scar tissue and this pressure prevents it from sending the correct signals to my ankle and foot. He recommends a nerve de-compression surgery to try to relieve this pressure. I stopped him when he mentioned surgery, but he explained that the nerve is very close to the surface and the procedure would be very easy and most likely out-patient. I will not have any load bearing restrictions and I will be able to return to work immediately. The surgery cannot do any more harm and it will likely relieve the nerve pains and possible improve motor function in my foot. It is scheduled for May 7th.
Overall, we were very pleased with the trip and the news. I am cautiously optimistic. It will still take time for the nerve to come back, but at least there is a chance.
J.
Last Tuesday, Cara and I made the trek back to Tulsa to see Dr. Norris. I was particularly nervous about this visit. After hearing the EMG on the peroneal nerve resulted in un-recoverable damage and physically feeling tenderness in my hip, I could not anticipate any positive news.
With respect to the hip. Dr. Norris could see new bone growth in the new x-rays. My tenderness is worst in the morning when I wake up and gradually gets better throughout the day. This is typical for hip joint arthritis and I should expect this until I can't bear it any longer and get a hip replacement. If the tenderness increased throughout the day, it would indicate that the bone still was not healing. Therefore, the Exogen bone stimulator is actually working and I am to continue to use it.
With respect to my nerve damage. Dr. Norris had a plan this entire time. He wanted to schedule the EMG close to my follow up visit so he would know where the damage was. During the visit, he physically showed it to me under my left knee. He said the nerve has excessive pressure on it due to pulling through the scar tissue and this pressure prevents it from sending the correct signals to my ankle and foot. He recommends a nerve de-compression surgery to try to relieve this pressure. I stopped him when he mentioned surgery, but he explained that the nerve is very close to the surface and the procedure would be very easy and most likely out-patient. I will not have any load bearing restrictions and I will be able to return to work immediately. The surgery cannot do any more harm and it will likely relieve the nerve pains and possible improve motor function in my foot. It is scheduled for May 7th.
Overall, we were very pleased with the trip and the news. I am cautiously optimistic. It will still take time for the nerve to come back, but at least there is a chance.
J.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
It has been a while since the last post
Overall I would say things are going pretty good.
Cara's practice is really doing well.
The boys are doing well - Allen was in a wreck on March 13th that totalled his car. Nobody was hurt, but he is dealing with riding the bus and looking for a job.
I actually got to put some closure on an un-answered question yesterday.
I had a nerve conductance study to determine the location and the severity of the nerve damage in my left leg. Unfortunatley, the nerve damage and the drop foot is permanent. There was some conductance, but it did not engage my muscles.
On April 6th, Cara and I are making the drive to Tulsa to see Dr. Norris - hopefully for the last time. This visit will let us know if the bone stimulator has been effective at healing my left hip. I honestly can't tell right now because there is still tenderness, but I can tell that I am feeling better overall and I am moving more and more without the cane.
This week has been Spring Break for the boys, but we have not really done anything. Sam is going to the lake this weekend to stay with a buddy from Springfield. Allen is going to stay with my parents in Fort Smith. Cara and I are hosting a dinner party Saturday night to celebrate her upcoming 40th birthday on the 30th.
J
Cara's practice is really doing well.
The boys are doing well - Allen was in a wreck on March 13th that totalled his car. Nobody was hurt, but he is dealing with riding the bus and looking for a job.
I actually got to put some closure on an un-answered question yesterday.
I had a nerve conductance study to determine the location and the severity of the nerve damage in my left leg. Unfortunatley, the nerve damage and the drop foot is permanent. There was some conductance, but it did not engage my muscles.
On April 6th, Cara and I are making the drive to Tulsa to see Dr. Norris - hopefully for the last time. This visit will let us know if the bone stimulator has been effective at healing my left hip. I honestly can't tell right now because there is still tenderness, but I can tell that I am feeling better overall and I am moving more and more without the cane.
This week has been Spring Break for the boys, but we have not really done anything. Sam is going to the lake this weekend to stay with a buddy from Springfield. Allen is going to stay with my parents in Fort Smith. Cara and I are hosting a dinner party Saturday night to celebrate her upcoming 40th birthday on the 30th.
J
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Healing Continues
All, here is a quick update on my status as the healing continues.
I went back to Tulsa on February 2nd for a follow up visit from the hip surgery in November. If you remember, I had hoped to walk in to his office, but those hopes did not happen due to the fall on the ice injuring my knee. The up side to the visit was that my knee appears to be healing well and as I type this, I am back to using one crutch. Dr. Norris prescribed a new AFO (foot and ankle support). This was needed for a few reasons. My leg has changed a bit since the last one was molded and it really creates discomfort by the end of the day. I need toe support since I am unable to straighten my toes due to the nerve damage they get curled under as I put my shoe on. Finally, since the last operation, I need more arch support to help me walk. Other good news from the visit was the positive prognosis for the nerve regeneration. I am scheduled for a nerve conduction test to see where the activity is and how far it has to go. They estimate about 1"/month.
The bad news from the visit was that the bone graft performed in October did not take and the hip still has not completely healed to the femur. Nearly devastating nes, but I am now using a bone stimulation device with about a 75% chance for healing.
Somewhat good news regarding the reserves. It looks like I am closer to returning to duty. I need to get a letter completed by Dr. Arnold and take it with me when I go to visit in March. Hopefully with this letter, I will get a waiver signed allowing me to serve in a desk environment. I was starting to lose all hope so I try not to get my hopes up too high.
Family is doing well. Cara's practice seems to be thriving. My dad came up a couple weekends ago to help me and Allen repair his exhaust - he had the loudest car in town for a couple weeks and now it purrs. Sam told us last night that his art teacher wants to display one of his pieces in the school library and possibly in an art show.
Cara and I have started looking at the summer lake schedule. We are getting spring fever.
J
I went back to Tulsa on February 2nd for a follow up visit from the hip surgery in November. If you remember, I had hoped to walk in to his office, but those hopes did not happen due to the fall on the ice injuring my knee. The up side to the visit was that my knee appears to be healing well and as I type this, I am back to using one crutch. Dr. Norris prescribed a new AFO (foot and ankle support). This was needed for a few reasons. My leg has changed a bit since the last one was molded and it really creates discomfort by the end of the day. I need toe support since I am unable to straighten my toes due to the nerve damage they get curled under as I put my shoe on. Finally, since the last operation, I need more arch support to help me walk. Other good news from the visit was the positive prognosis for the nerve regeneration. I am scheduled for a nerve conduction test to see where the activity is and how far it has to go. They estimate about 1"/month.
The bad news from the visit was that the bone graft performed in October did not take and the hip still has not completely healed to the femur. Nearly devastating nes, but I am now using a bone stimulation device with about a 75% chance for healing.
Somewhat good news regarding the reserves. It looks like I am closer to returning to duty. I need to get a letter completed by Dr. Arnold and take it with me when I go to visit in March. Hopefully with this letter, I will get a waiver signed allowing me to serve in a desk environment. I was starting to lose all hope so I try not to get my hopes up too high.
Family is doing well. Cara's practice seems to be thriving. My dad came up a couple weekends ago to help me and Allen repair his exhaust - he had the loudest car in town for a couple weeks and now it purrs. Sam told us last night that his art teacher wants to display one of his pieces in the school library and possibly in an art show.
Cara and I have started looking at the summer lake schedule. We are getting spring fever.
J
Friday, January 29, 2010
Insufficiency Fractures
Hello,
It seems like it has been a while since I have posted an update. I think during my last post I commented on being able to put full weight on my left leg and I was looking forward. Well, I have had to deal with a minor setback.
Three weeks ago on January 7th, I slipped and fell down on some ice. It hurt, but I did not really think anything was really wrong. Throughout the weekend, my left knee continued to feel worse so I made an appointment with Dr,. Arnold. I got in to see him exactly a week after the fall and even during the appointment, I was wandering if I was making to much of nothing. The x-rays did not show anything, but Dr. Arnold wanted me to get an MRI to make sure. The MRI was done exactly two weeks after the fall and by this time I was really feeling ridiculous. The pain was going away rapidly and I could not help but think this was a waste of time and money. Friday after the MRI I started walking with a single crutch again with little to no pain in my knee. However, when I called Cara to let her know I would be home late from work, she told me the doctor's office had left a message that they discovered insufficiency fractures and I needed to keep all my weight of my left leg to let them heal and to not allow them to become worse resulting in a full fracture. How can this be? No pain in my leg, too small to detect in x-rays. I did not want to post anything because I thought it may just be a bruise and I was over reacting. My follow up appointment from the MRI was yesterday and the doctor instructed me to stay on two crutches for at least three more weeks. He said the bone bruise and fractures would not have a chance to heal with continued impact from walking. If you look up insufficiency fractures, you will find the dominate diagnosis is from elderly women with no known trauma. I am not an old woman, but Dr. Arnold did mention Osteoporosis due to multiple trauma. Wow. He did not mention any need for calcium supplements or other preventative medicine.
Like I said before, there is basically no pain in my knee at this point. It is very hard to stay on two crutches when I know it feels OK to use just one.
Many people come to me daily and ask me when I will be walking again. Will I be walking again. I brush it off saying I am continually healing. Unless you have experienced this degree of trauma, you will never know how long it takes. Cara and I went on a very nice weekend trip to Little Rock last weekend. During the trip, she mentioned that she has noticed an incredible positive difference since this time last year. I agree that my state of mind and my willingness and desire to do more has increased dramatically. If you have not seen or talked to me in the past year, I assure you I am back to my former pre-wreck self even if it is mentally.
J
It seems like it has been a while since I have posted an update. I think during my last post I commented on being able to put full weight on my left leg and I was looking forward. Well, I have had to deal with a minor setback.
Three weeks ago on January 7th, I slipped and fell down on some ice. It hurt, but I did not really think anything was really wrong. Throughout the weekend, my left knee continued to feel worse so I made an appointment with Dr,. Arnold. I got in to see him exactly a week after the fall and even during the appointment, I was wandering if I was making to much of nothing. The x-rays did not show anything, but Dr. Arnold wanted me to get an MRI to make sure. The MRI was done exactly two weeks after the fall and by this time I was really feeling ridiculous. The pain was going away rapidly and I could not help but think this was a waste of time and money. Friday after the MRI I started walking with a single crutch again with little to no pain in my knee. However, when I called Cara to let her know I would be home late from work, she told me the doctor's office had left a message that they discovered insufficiency fractures and I needed to keep all my weight of my left leg to let them heal and to not allow them to become worse resulting in a full fracture. How can this be? No pain in my leg, too small to detect in x-rays. I did not want to post anything because I thought it may just be a bruise and I was over reacting. My follow up appointment from the MRI was yesterday and the doctor instructed me to stay on two crutches for at least three more weeks. He said the bone bruise and fractures would not have a chance to heal with continued impact from walking. If you look up insufficiency fractures, you will find the dominate diagnosis is from elderly women with no known trauma. I am not an old woman, but Dr. Arnold did mention Osteoporosis due to multiple trauma. Wow. He did not mention any need for calcium supplements or other preventative medicine.
Like I said before, there is basically no pain in my knee at this point. It is very hard to stay on two crutches when I know it feels OK to use just one.
Many people come to me daily and ask me when I will be walking again. Will I be walking again. I brush it off saying I am continually healing. Unless you have experienced this degree of trauma, you will never know how long it takes. Cara and I went on a very nice weekend trip to Little Rock last weekend. During the trip, she mentioned that she has noticed an incredible positive difference since this time last year. I agree that my state of mind and my willingness and desire to do more has increased dramatically. If you have not seen or talked to me in the past year, I assure you I am back to my former pre-wreck self even if it is mentally.
J
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Time for Prayer again
All,
I know very few details, but this is what I do know. One of my brothers currently in Iraq, just learned that his young son had a tumor detected in his brain. He is currently packing to come home on emergency leave to be with his family. Please help me to pray for his safe return and pray for his son's recovery. Bobby is a young minister and a dear friend of mine.
I do not even know how to reach out to his family right now. I am sure things are scary, busy and crazy.
Pray for peace and healing.
Thank you,
J
I know very few details, but this is what I do know. One of my brothers currently in Iraq, just learned that his young son had a tumor detected in his brain. He is currently packing to come home on emergency leave to be with his family. Please help me to pray for his safe return and pray for his son's recovery. Bobby is a young minister and a dear friend of mine.
I do not even know how to reach out to his family right now. I am sure things are scary, busy and crazy.
Pray for peace and healing.
Thank you,
J
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I made it to 40!
Yes, I turned 40 today. The reality has not sunk in yet. I honestly still feel like a kid inside. We all know that this journey to 40 years old was not a sure thing.
Regarding the doctor appointment in Tulsa on the 22nd, he did not release me back to Fayetteville or to therapy yet. However, he did tell me that I could start putting weight on my left leg again. I basically walked out on one crutch and have not looked back since. I will see him again on February 2nd (hopefully for the last time) and would like to walk into his office. Not so fast, when I walk without the AFO, my foot comes down at a funny angle. I hope that some of this will change as the nerves heal, but it has me worried.
What a perfect Christmas holiday! As usual, we went to Fort Smith. As we left the Christmas Eve church service, the sleet was coming down and by the time we made it to Carl and Cissy's house it was turning to snow. Cissy's party was great as always and this year we did not need to leave early to go to my parent's house. I can't remember our last white Christmas. Across town at my parent's house we were able to visit with my Uncle Sam and Daddy Ed, my grandfather, S.E. Lee Jr. Mom's dinner was delicious. We missed 2 of my nephews, Benjy and Alex. Due to the weather, they stayed an extra night with their dad in Texas.
Cara and I escaped to the lake cabin to enjoy a couple peaceful nights to ourselves. I took an extra vacation day to do what I am doing right now - relaxing at home.
J
Regarding the doctor appointment in Tulsa on the 22nd, he did not release me back to Fayetteville or to therapy yet. However, he did tell me that I could start putting weight on my left leg again. I basically walked out on one crutch and have not looked back since. I will see him again on February 2nd (hopefully for the last time) and would like to walk into his office. Not so fast, when I walk without the AFO, my foot comes down at a funny angle. I hope that some of this will change as the nerves heal, but it has me worried.
What a perfect Christmas holiday! As usual, we went to Fort Smith. As we left the Christmas Eve church service, the sleet was coming down and by the time we made it to Carl and Cissy's house it was turning to snow. Cissy's party was great as always and this year we did not need to leave early to go to my parent's house. I can't remember our last white Christmas. Across town at my parent's house we were able to visit with my Uncle Sam and Daddy Ed, my grandfather, S.E. Lee Jr. Mom's dinner was delicious. We missed 2 of my nephews, Benjy and Alex. Due to the weather, they stayed an extra night with their dad in Texas.
Cara and I escaped to the lake cabin to enjoy a couple peaceful nights to ourselves. I took an extra vacation day to do what I am doing right now - relaxing at home.
J
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Darrell Slaughter
All,
It has been a while since I have published a post. Life is moving fast. Work is busy. I just finished another class, only 2 to go for my masters degree!
I want to take a moment to reflect on lunch last Thursday.
What many people do not know, my son, Allen, was involved in a minor car accident on his way to school last Tuesday. I was happy to be able to be there and make sure he was OK. As the police officer was writing Allen's citation for "following too close" I took the opportunity to see if he knew Cpl Slaughter. He did and I offered him my phone number. Later that morning, Darrell Slaughter called me and we scheduled a lunch meeting on Thursday.
Darrell Slaughter was the policeman who responded to my motorcycle wreck. He is also a motorcycle operator. Not only did he handle the scene at the accident, but even after the dust settled, he went to the hospital multiple times to check my condition. When he heard I was being flown to Tulsa, he called my father to make sure things were OK. In my opinion, Darrell went well beyond the call of duty. He could have written the police report, sent me off in the ambulance and never looked back. My deepest respect and gratitude for Darrell's actions during, but mostly following the accident will never be properly expressed. It upsets me a little that he recently retired from the force. He would say that he does not need it, but if he was still on the force, I would like to reach out to his supervisor and let him know all of the actions that he did on his own to check on my recovery.
We had a great lunch. It meant so much for me to meet him in person. I hope he understood my gratitude and appreciation. Darrell was also in a motorcycle accident on the job which ultimately lead to his retirement. He is a genuine sincere man, husband and father with great integrity. One of the first things he told me was that there was nothing I could have done to avoid being hit. I had heard this many times, but it was more assuring to hear it from a motorcycle policeman who has been intensely trained in motorcycle safety. He described the accident in more detail than I had ever heard it and let me know more about the condition I was in at the scene. We have exchanged e-mail addresses. I told him about this blog and how it helped us so much through the recovery. The Fayetteville Police Department has lost a very valuable member of their team. I hope we stay in touch for years to come. Darrell is another person that I thank for saving my life that day and he even admits he did not think I would make it.
The actual events during the accident:
The driver was driving her friend's car because he was visiting from out of town and was not familiar with Fayetteville. She noticed after it was too late that she was going to hit the car in front of her. She swerved to the right to avoid hitting the car. As she did, the car struck the curb on the right side of the road and veered back left. Intending to hit the brakes, she hit the accelerator pedal instead. This sent her accelerating directly at me. Darrell said initially I would not have seen her because she was shielded from the car she avoided. Then as she swerved to the left after hitting the curb, if I saw anything I would have thought she was getting in the left turn lane. There was simply nothing I could have done.
My condition at the scene:
I write this because I feel it is important with how I conclude this post.
Darrell told me that my feet were pointing in the wrong direction and it appeared that both of my hips were severely dis-located. I had never heard this. I knew my left hip was shattered, but little has been said about my right hip. I have said before that I had developed heterotopic bone growth in both hips. This is hard to explain especially in my right hip. Maybe this growth was due to the dis-location.
I have not been very patient with my recent surgeries from Dr. Norris in Tulsa. After this past lunch, I feel guilty for being so critical. Dr. Norris and Dr. Stafford will get nothing but praise from me from now on. As far as I am concerned, they performed a miracle to get me to where I am today.
I go back to Tulsa on the 22nd to get x-rays following my most recent surgery. I am optimistic that they will allow me to start putting weight on my left leg. I will post an update after that trip. The battle is far behind me, the wounds continue to heal. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thank everyone for being there for me.
Darrell, Thank You!!!
J
It has been a while since I have published a post. Life is moving fast. Work is busy. I just finished another class, only 2 to go for my masters degree!
I want to take a moment to reflect on lunch last Thursday.
What many people do not know, my son, Allen, was involved in a minor car accident on his way to school last Tuesday. I was happy to be able to be there and make sure he was OK. As the police officer was writing Allen's citation for "following too close" I took the opportunity to see if he knew Cpl Slaughter. He did and I offered him my phone number. Later that morning, Darrell Slaughter called me and we scheduled a lunch meeting on Thursday.
Darrell Slaughter was the policeman who responded to my motorcycle wreck. He is also a motorcycle operator. Not only did he handle the scene at the accident, but even after the dust settled, he went to the hospital multiple times to check my condition. When he heard I was being flown to Tulsa, he called my father to make sure things were OK. In my opinion, Darrell went well beyond the call of duty. He could have written the police report, sent me off in the ambulance and never looked back. My deepest respect and gratitude for Darrell's actions during, but mostly following the accident will never be properly expressed. It upsets me a little that he recently retired from the force. He would say that he does not need it, but if he was still on the force, I would like to reach out to his supervisor and let him know all of the actions that he did on his own to check on my recovery.
We had a great lunch. It meant so much for me to meet him in person. I hope he understood my gratitude and appreciation. Darrell was also in a motorcycle accident on the job which ultimately lead to his retirement. He is a genuine sincere man, husband and father with great integrity. One of the first things he told me was that there was nothing I could have done to avoid being hit. I had heard this many times, but it was more assuring to hear it from a motorcycle policeman who has been intensely trained in motorcycle safety. He described the accident in more detail than I had ever heard it and let me know more about the condition I was in at the scene. We have exchanged e-mail addresses. I told him about this blog and how it helped us so much through the recovery. The Fayetteville Police Department has lost a very valuable member of their team. I hope we stay in touch for years to come. Darrell is another person that I thank for saving my life that day and he even admits he did not think I would make it.
The actual events during the accident:
The driver was driving her friend's car because he was visiting from out of town and was not familiar with Fayetteville. She noticed after it was too late that she was going to hit the car in front of her. She swerved to the right to avoid hitting the car. As she did, the car struck the curb on the right side of the road and veered back left. Intending to hit the brakes, she hit the accelerator pedal instead. This sent her accelerating directly at me. Darrell said initially I would not have seen her because she was shielded from the car she avoided. Then as she swerved to the left after hitting the curb, if I saw anything I would have thought she was getting in the left turn lane. There was simply nothing I could have done.
My condition at the scene:
I write this because I feel it is important with how I conclude this post.
Darrell told me that my feet were pointing in the wrong direction and it appeared that both of my hips were severely dis-located. I had never heard this. I knew my left hip was shattered, but little has been said about my right hip. I have said before that I had developed heterotopic bone growth in both hips. This is hard to explain especially in my right hip. Maybe this growth was due to the dis-location.
I have not been very patient with my recent surgeries from Dr. Norris in Tulsa. After this past lunch, I feel guilty for being so critical. Dr. Norris and Dr. Stafford will get nothing but praise from me from now on. As far as I am concerned, they performed a miracle to get me to where I am today.
I go back to Tulsa on the 22nd to get x-rays following my most recent surgery. I am optimistic that they will allow me to start putting weight on my left leg. I will post an update after that trip. The battle is far behind me, the wounds continue to heal. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thank everyone for being there for me.
Darrell, Thank You!!!
J
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Positive Post
All,
I think I may have mentioned that we were going to take this Thanksgiving off. We had a great time at Cara's parents house with all of our families on Thursday. It really was a relief to be able to sleep in on Thursday, casually drive down the hill, eat a fantastic meal featuring both smoked and fried turkey.
I look forward to hosting Thanksgiving again next year, but it was a relief at this time to let Carl and Cissy host it.
Cara and I worked on the office a little Friday morning and Allen and Michael came and helped me run speaker wires for her sound system. I retreated to the house leaving Cara there to continue setting things up. My Mom and Dad went to the office on the way to the Razorback game and decorated Cara's office with several of my Mom's art work. Cara is still waiting for a couple pieces of furniture to arrive, but the office looks fantastic.
I announced Allen's birthday in a previous post, but completely forgot to announce Sam's birthday. He turned 12 last Monday and got the present that he had been asking for for months. I still can't believe we got him a drum set. We set it up after dinner Monday and he has been banging away since then.
Some of you know that along with the nerve pain that I have been dealing with, my back has been giving me a lot of trouble. I am happy to say that both the nerve pain and the back pain are retreating. Not gone, but I feel better today than I have since October 22nd after the osteotomy. Some of the relief could be due to Gene Anderson, semi-retired physical therapist, suggesting and helping me lengthen my crutches at church last Sunday. Some of the relie may be because I started taking a different muscle relaxer. Who knows, some of it may just be my body healing. I have a strong suspition that it takes the body longer to recover from surgery than you think.
Cara saw patients yesterday as her first official day of being self-employed. I mentioned before that the transition occured faster than we intended, but with the help of friends and family, the office was put together in no time and her schedule is full this week. We are optimistic that this will be a successful adventure. She is good at what she does and everyone that she had seen previously came with her and she is already getting referrals from physicians that she has worked with before. Feel free to visit her website. http://drhartfieldtherapy.com/
There is a "contact me" link where you can send her an e-mail.
It would be cool if she got even more messages of encouragement.
Things are getting better everyday.
Like I mentioned before, I woke up today feeling better than I have for a long time. I could not have gone through all of this without the prayers and helpful comments from friends and family. I will update the blog with continued healing such as my appointment on December 22nd, but I will also keep the blog going with updates about what our family is up to. Feel free to check it to see if there is a new post.
J
I think I may have mentioned that we were going to take this Thanksgiving off. We had a great time at Cara's parents house with all of our families on Thursday. It really was a relief to be able to sleep in on Thursday, casually drive down the hill, eat a fantastic meal featuring both smoked and fried turkey.
I look forward to hosting Thanksgiving again next year, but it was a relief at this time to let Carl and Cissy host it.
Cara and I worked on the office a little Friday morning and Allen and Michael came and helped me run speaker wires for her sound system. I retreated to the house leaving Cara there to continue setting things up. My Mom and Dad went to the office on the way to the Razorback game and decorated Cara's office with several of my Mom's art work. Cara is still waiting for a couple pieces of furniture to arrive, but the office looks fantastic.
I announced Allen's birthday in a previous post, but completely forgot to announce Sam's birthday. He turned 12 last Monday and got the present that he had been asking for for months. I still can't believe we got him a drum set. We set it up after dinner Monday and he has been banging away since then.
Some of you know that along with the nerve pain that I have been dealing with, my back has been giving me a lot of trouble. I am happy to say that both the nerve pain and the back pain are retreating. Not gone, but I feel better today than I have since October 22nd after the osteotomy. Some of the relief could be due to Gene Anderson, semi-retired physical therapist, suggesting and helping me lengthen my crutches at church last Sunday. Some of the relie may be because I started taking a different muscle relaxer. Who knows, some of it may just be my body healing. I have a strong suspition that it takes the body longer to recover from surgery than you think.
Cara saw patients yesterday as her first official day of being self-employed. I mentioned before that the transition occured faster than we intended, but with the help of friends and family, the office was put together in no time and her schedule is full this week. We are optimistic that this will be a successful adventure. She is good at what she does and everyone that she had seen previously came with her and she is already getting referrals from physicians that she has worked with before. Feel free to visit her website. http://drhartfieldtherapy.com/
There is a "contact me" link where you can send her an e-mail.
It would be cool if she got even more messages of encouragement.
Things are getting better everyday.
Like I mentioned before, I woke up today feeling better than I have for a long time. I could not have gone through all of this without the prayers and helpful comments from friends and family. I will update the blog with continued healing such as my appointment on December 22nd, but I will also keep the blog going with updates about what our family is up to. Feel free to check it to see if there is a new post.
J
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Back to Work!
All,
I have been home in bed long enough. These past two surgeries have really done a number on me. I can honestly say that the nerve pain has decreased (not gone away). Yesterday, I returned to work and lasted the entire day. By late afternoon, I was squirming quite a bit with significant pain. I was exhausted when I got home and layed down with my feet up and went to sleep almost immediately. I am back to work again today and I am happy that this will be a short week. This is a good way to build up my stamina.
Cara went with her parents to Dallas on Sunday and Monday to buy furniture for her new office. Her dad will come up with my nephew to unload the furniture and start assembling the pieces and getting it arranged to Cara's specifications. Things are really coming together and it looks like most of the furniture will be in place in time for her to open the office for business on December 1st.
J.
I have been home in bed long enough. These past two surgeries have really done a number on me. I can honestly say that the nerve pain has decreased (not gone away). Yesterday, I returned to work and lasted the entire day. By late afternoon, I was squirming quite a bit with significant pain. I was exhausted when I got home and layed down with my feet up and went to sleep almost immediately. I am back to work again today and I am happy that this will be a short week. This is a good way to build up my stamina.
Cara went with her parents to Dallas on Sunday and Monday to buy furniture for her new office. Her dad will come up with my nephew to unload the furniture and start assembling the pieces and getting it arranged to Cara's specifications. Things are really coming together and it looks like most of the furniture will be in place in time for her to open the office for business on December 1st.
J.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Signs of healing
All,
I wanted to post a refreshing update.
Last night was the first night that I did not wake up multiple times to take pain medicine. In fact, the only time I woke up is when Cara nudged me so I would stop snoring. The bleeding has either slowed way down or possibly stopped altogether. I am going to continue to heal here at home for the rest of the week, but I am looking forward to returning to work on Monday. I still need to schedule my follow up visits in Tulsa, but surgery is complete. I am going to focus on my recovery from here on out.
Keep thinking about Cara during her transition. The stress of getting everything done is overwhelming. I am confident that this will be a positive change for her and us. We just still need some support for her during the transition phase.
J
I wanted to post a refreshing update.
Last night was the first night that I did not wake up multiple times to take pain medicine. In fact, the only time I woke up is when Cara nudged me so I would stop snoring. The bleeding has either slowed way down or possibly stopped altogether. I am going to continue to heal here at home for the rest of the week, but I am looking forward to returning to work on Monday. I still need to schedule my follow up visits in Tulsa, but surgery is complete. I am going to focus on my recovery from here on out.
Keep thinking about Cara during her transition. The stress of getting everything done is overwhelming. I am confident that this will be a positive change for her and us. We just still need some support for her during the transition phase.
J
Sunday, November 15, 2009
No surgery is minor
It sounds simple enough. Remove a few screws, rotate the bone and re-fix the screws. I had my FINAL surgery last Thursday as scheduled. Dr. Norris said it went very well. The femur was rotated back to the original screw holes. He thinks there may still be some rotation issues in the actual hip joint, but it should not be a major issue. I can remember being in a lot of pain during recovery, but they helped me manage the pain once I got to my room. Just as Dr. Norris and I expected, I was discharged Friday at about noon. After I dressed, I stood up and went to the bathroom. Blood started running down my leg. My nurse applied a new bandage and sent us on our way. The trip from Tulsa to Fayetteville was extremely difficult and I was second guessing the decision to leave the hospital so soon. The pain was excruciating and when we finally got home, the car seat and my shorts were soaked in blood. I could hardly make it to my bed where I was desperate to elevate my leg. Cara immediately applied a new bandage. I took several painkillers and began to relax in bed. The pain decreased quite a bit before my parents got here. Cara's parents were here as well helping with the boys, cooking and helping Cara with her office. I was very happy to have both her parents and my parents with us so Cara could get a break.
I have done very little since coming home other than rest in bed. Things are a lot better now than when I got home on Friday. Cara has been working non-stop on getting her office ready to open. I think the painting will be finished today with the help of several friends. New flooring may be installed this week.
It has been nothing less than wonderful to have all of this support in a time of need.
The surgery was more difficult than I had hoped. I am anxious to get back to work soon, but I am not sure if I will be ready tomorrow.
J
I have done very little since coming home other than rest in bed. Things are a lot better now than when I got home on Friday. Cara has been working non-stop on getting her office ready to open. I think the painting will be finished today with the help of several friends. New flooring may be installed this week.
It has been nothing less than wonderful to have all of this support in a time of need.
The surgery was more difficult than I had hoped. I am anxious to get back to work soon, but I am not sure if I will be ready tomorrow.
J
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Post 2 of 2 - Cara R Hartfield PhD
http://drhartfieldtherapy.com/
All,
You all know that Cara has been my rock throughought our marriage. She has been by my side tirelessly each trip to the hospital. I will never be able to properly thank her for her continued support. Amazingly, she has also been able to continue her career as a clinical psychologist. As we transitioned from Springfield, Missouri to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2006, Dr. Richard Back, a former employer, invited her to join his established practice. For the past three years she has learned from Dr. Back and has received many referrals throughout the Northwest Arkansas region.
Cara, with the help of other collegues in private practice, is very excited to announce that she will be openning her own practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas serving Northwest Arkansas.
Her practice will be located just off the Fayetteville downtown square at 112 West Center Suite 215.
She has developed a website (copied above) and invites everyone to visit it regularly.
Cara informed Dr. Back of her decision to leave his practice and to open her own private practice yesterday. Her hopes were to stay in practice through the end of this year and open her doors on January 4, 2010. Unfortunately, Dr. Back does not think it is in his best interest to have her stay there through the end of the year. He informed her that she needed to be out of his building one week from today.
We are excited about the transition, but we are not sure if we were prepared for the move this quickly.
Please be thinking about Cara through this transition. She will need all of the support that she can get. While I am layed up from surgery, she will need to pack her belongings, prepare the new office, contact all exisiting clients and inform them of the transistion and when she can continue their therapy sessions.
I will be fine. I ask everyone who reads this post to focus their attention on Cara and her new practice.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our entire family.
Jerry
All,
You all know that Cara has been my rock throughought our marriage. She has been by my side tirelessly each trip to the hospital. I will never be able to properly thank her for her continued support. Amazingly, she has also been able to continue her career as a clinical psychologist. As we transitioned from Springfield, Missouri to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2006, Dr. Richard Back, a former employer, invited her to join his established practice. For the past three years she has learned from Dr. Back and has received many referrals throughout the Northwest Arkansas region.
Cara, with the help of other collegues in private practice, is very excited to announce that she will be openning her own practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas serving Northwest Arkansas.
Her practice will be located just off the Fayetteville downtown square at 112 West Center Suite 215.
She has developed a website (copied above) and invites everyone to visit it regularly.
Cara informed Dr. Back of her decision to leave his practice and to open her own private practice yesterday. Her hopes were to stay in practice through the end of this year and open her doors on January 4, 2010. Unfortunately, Dr. Back does not think it is in his best interest to have her stay there through the end of the year. He informed her that she needed to be out of his building one week from today.
We are excited about the transition, but we are not sure if we were prepared for the move this quickly.
Please be thinking about Cara through this transition. She will need all of the support that she can get. While I am layed up from surgery, she will need to pack her belongings, prepare the new office, contact all exisiting clients and inform them of the transistion and when she can continue their therapy sessions.
I will be fine. I ask everyone who reads this post to focus their attention on Cara and her new practice.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our entire family.
Jerry
Post 1 of 2 today
All,
I want to make (2) posts today.
This first post is not nearly as important as the one that follows.
This post is just to thank you for your continued support.
I will receive my third nerve block injection today at 1:45.
I must admit that last night was my roughest night to this point. I am going to tell Dr. Ennis that this afternoon and see if he can pump up today's injection.
From there, Cara and I will be going to Tulsa again for another surgery that I mentioned before.
Dr. Norris is going back in to de-rotate my leg about 20 degrees.
The procedure should be fairly minor since the bones have not fully healed.
A small incision, removing a few screws, rotating my leg and re-securing the leg to the hardware. He is expecting me to stay overnight for observation, and we intend to return home on Friday.
With some luck, I hope to return to work as early as Monday.
Thank you for all of your support.
I hope to update my status after tomorrow's surgery sometime this Friday.
Please read the second post for today (maybe you read it first)
Thank you,
J
I want to make (2) posts today.
This first post is not nearly as important as the one that follows.
This post is just to thank you for your continued support.
I will receive my third nerve block injection today at 1:45.
I must admit that last night was my roughest night to this point. I am going to tell Dr. Ennis that this afternoon and see if he can pump up today's injection.
From there, Cara and I will be going to Tulsa again for another surgery that I mentioned before.
Dr. Norris is going back in to de-rotate my leg about 20 degrees.
The procedure should be fairly minor since the bones have not fully healed.
A small incision, removing a few screws, rotating my leg and re-securing the leg to the hardware. He is expecting me to stay overnight for observation, and we intend to return home on Friday.
With some luck, I hope to return to work as early as Monday.
Thank you for all of your support.
I hope to update my status after tomorrow's surgery sometime this Friday.
Please read the second post for today (maybe you read it first)
Thank you,
J
Monday, November 9, 2009
Support
All,
I am certain that I would not be doing as well without the support that I am getting from family, friends and co-workers (which fall into the friend or family category).
The news of needing another surgery last Wednesday was upsetting. I am really getting tired of it. We all hope that it will be the final one and it could happen as soon as this Thursday.
Friday morning I received my first nerve block to relieve the RSD. I want to think some of the pain was relieved, but I still have difficulty standing for extended periods and the nerves are still extremly sensitive along the outside of my left shin and on top of my left foot just behind the big toe.
This morning I received my second nerve block and I still do not notice much of a difference other than the sedative making me feel a little loopy. Thank you Stephen for picking me up and bringing me home.
I am supposed to call Dr. Norris today and let them know how the second shot affected the pain. If it is working, I will likely move forward with surgery on Thursday.
I have another nerve block shot scheduled for 1:45 this Wednesday.
Overall, I had a pretty good weekend. Sitting on the porch watching the Hogs win.
Visiting with Carl and Cissy after the game and it was nice that my sister came by and visited after the game. Her son, Alex, stayed the night and played with Sam and Allen.
Cara and I have several little projects that we are working on. I just wish I could work harder and contribute more. She is really doing an incredible job keeping the house in order, but I can tell she needs some rest.
I will keep you all posted on future appointments and progress.
J
I am certain that I would not be doing as well without the support that I am getting from family, friends and co-workers (which fall into the friend or family category).
The news of needing another surgery last Wednesday was upsetting. I am really getting tired of it. We all hope that it will be the final one and it could happen as soon as this Thursday.
Friday morning I received my first nerve block to relieve the RSD. I want to think some of the pain was relieved, but I still have difficulty standing for extended periods and the nerves are still extremly sensitive along the outside of my left shin and on top of my left foot just behind the big toe.
This morning I received my second nerve block and I still do not notice much of a difference other than the sedative making me feel a little loopy. Thank you Stephen for picking me up and bringing me home.
I am supposed to call Dr. Norris today and let them know how the second shot affected the pain. If it is working, I will likely move forward with surgery on Thursday.
I have another nerve block shot scheduled for 1:45 this Wednesday.
Overall, I had a pretty good weekend. Sitting on the porch watching the Hogs win.
Visiting with Carl and Cissy after the game and it was nice that my sister came by and visited after the game. Her son, Alex, stayed the night and played with Sam and Allen.
Cara and I have several little projects that we are working on. I just wish I could work harder and contribute more. She is really doing an incredible job keeping the house in order, but I can tell she needs some rest.
I will keep you all posted on future appointments and progress.
J
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