In Honor of Spring Training...

In honor of the beginning of Spring Training, Ethan and I changed the blog background so it's a baseball theme. We should have tried to find a Giants blog background, but we didn't.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope you have a great Valentine's Day!!

This is Courtney's card for her classmates (you have to imagine a lollypop in her hand). They turned out well!

This is Ethan's card for his classmates (you have to imagine a pencil attached). He designed this himself with me on the computer. I had them printed as photos at Costco. Fun!

My Powerpoint

Hi, Ethan here. I'm making a Powerpoint on the computer. It's about American Bombers (planes). So far I have made a slide about the B-29 Superfortress and the B-52 Stratofortress. I get to pick how long I have my slides. At my school I am making a Powerpoint called "All About Me." I know how to do this so I can pull pictures off the internet and put them on my Powerpoint. I really like it. I got some good pictures about the Bombers. See ya!

Foot Update Again...

I went to the doctor yesterday (my mom drove me up and the roads weren't too bad, just icy in three spots). I was scheduled to see the PA but the doctor wanted to check my foot so I saw him. The nurse pulled my stitches (which Ethan had asked me to bring home to show him, so I did). The doctor then came in and told me that he was surprised by what he found when he went in with the scope to look at my foot/joint. He used the photos they took during the scope to explain what was going on.

Initially, he was going in to clean out a cyst, bone spur, and arthritis (which he found a lot of in the joint). He was also going to look at the cuboid and calcaneus (the calcaneocuboid joint) to see why I have been having pain in that joint for so long. When he put the scope into the joint (which is a rare joint to have scoped and, he believes, the first time it's been scoped in the state of Utah) what he saw was "alarming." Between the joint, where there should be cartilage, there wasn't any on one of the bones. And it was a considerable size of cartilage missing considering the size of the joint

The joints are like a piston in a car. When it's oiled (with cartilage) it slides back and forth really easily without friction. But when there isn't any oil on one part of the piston (the bone I had without cartilage) then it has friction and causes pain. That is what was happening with my joint.

So, in order to promote re-growth of cartilage, the doctor drilled small holes in the bone. But because it was such a large loss of cartilage, what he did was grind down the part of the bone missing cartilage to a point where it won't rub on the corresponding joint on the other side (the one that does have cartilage). Will this fix the problem? In cases where there is such a loss of cartilage, the hope is to grow back 75% of the missing cartilage. But the doctor believes that a joint fusion is in my future (ugh!). He gives is between 1 and 5 years before the pain is back and I will need something done. I firmly believe I can live with a lot of pain, so we're going to see how long I can go. Bone fusion isn't fun and has a really long recovery (6 months on crutches, etc.).

I have to stay off my foot (stay on crutches) until the full 4 weeks after surgery have passed (next Friday). I have to rotate the foot to try and get back my range of motion and I have to massage my scar every night (which is so gross to me for some reason and I think they missed pulling a stitch, ugh). Next Friday, I get to start putting a little pressure on my foot and use one crutch to help me. I will gradually start putting more and more pressure on it and use a cane to help me walk until it gets better. I have another appointment in a month to see the doctor again and he will see if I need physical therapy at that point. I'm hoping I won't need therapy, but we'll see.

It looks like my running days are over. The doctor said I could start running again after 3 months but that it won't help the joint any. So, in order to be able to keep hiking and to prolong the fusion option, I think I'm not going to run, which actually makes me sad. I am really surprised at that because I never got that "runner's high" I just felt exhausted when I ran, but I don't like being told I can't do something even if I only did it to be Bryan's "running buddy." That's probably why I'm sad about it because I did enjoy running with him. But Bryan suggested that I get back swimming (I really need to learn how to swim first) and he wants to buy me a road bike so we can bike together. I'm great with that as long as I can figure out how to swim without drowning and I learn to use the clip-on pedals so I don't fall off the thing.

All in all, I'm glad I had the surgery done so we could see what was wrong with my foot and why I have had pain for so long. But I have also learned a lot in the last few weeks. I didn't realize how many people I interact with in my life. I went to the library on Monday by myself to test out if I could function (in case I had to be on crutches longer, good thing I tested it) and the main librarian-guy who I haven't ever said anything more than "Hi" to, came out from his back office when he saw me to find out what was wrong and wish me well. I have had so many people call to see if there was anything they could do to help. A friend brought a meal in to us, even when we told her we were fine. A man in the ward made me a special crutch (I'm not putting a photo of it on here because I think he should patent it!) that has a ledge to rest my knee on so I only have to use one crutch and have one hand free. He also gave me a cane to use when I get to walk. His wife has brought us loaves of bread, just because. And, when hobbling around Church on Sunday, I had so many people come up and give me hugs and wish me well. But, most of all, I have realized how blessed I am to have Bryan because he has done so much for me and I appreciate him so much. The kids have been great too (fighting over who gets to help me, etc.). I truly am blessed.

Ethan's Guardian Angels

We have decided that Ethan has a a fleet guardian angels watching out for him. On Saturday Bryan and Ethan biked downtown to get Bryan's car from his work (he left it there when I had surgery and has been using the van). It's a 7 mile bike ride. They were doing great and cruising along at about 15 mph (Bryan's estimate). There were three cars parked on the side of the road, two of them were next to the curb but one was about 4 feet out in the road from the curb. Bryan was in front of Ethan, so he didn't see the entire thing, but Ethan somehow didn't clear the third car. He ran right into it, stayed with his bike and ended up with his foot caught under the bike, face first on the ground with his bike behind him and on top of him with his foot caught. And all he got was a little rash on the inside of an elbow!! It was amazing that he wasn't badly hurt. Ethan's only concern was that he had hurt the car, so he felt better when he saw that there wasn't any damage. A bit of his helmet's visor chipped off and his pedal broke, but he was okay.

They continued on to Bryan's work, got the car and went to eat at a restaurant for lunch (Ethan's reward for saving tokens). Ethan ordered a hotdog and took a HUGE bit of it and choked. He panicked and Bryan could tell that he couldn't breathe. Ethan stood up and it releaved it so by the time Bryan gave him a little stomach thrust, the hotdog came right out.

By the time they got back home after their adventure downtown Ethan was pretty upset. He said it was a terrible day but I explained to him how much worse it could have been and that it was a good day. He agreed. I'm just grateful for his guardian angels.

Bragging Rights

Ethan asked me this morning where he can "buy" Bragging Rights and "just what are they anyway?" He wants to wallpaper his room with as many "paper Bragging Rights" he can get.

I thought it was cute!

Foot update

Not much going on. Thanks to everyone who has sent well wishes, called or just thought of me.

My foot is doing well. I still can't walk on it but I get the stitches out (YEAH!) on February 8th and they will tell me then if I can walk on it. I certainly hope so because crutches are driving me nuts! The only sore part of my foot is the part that is still numb, which doesn't include the incision. It's puffy at that part too, which is weird, but they told me that "unless your toe turns black or purple, don't worry about it." Okay.

I would include a photo of the incision but it's not that impressive anymore...and it looks just like the picture I already posted. ;)