SuperMom Cape -- broke

I have discovered that my SuperMom cape has lead in it.

Yesterday, in the afternoon I had to run to the eye doctor because my youngest broke his glasses. Thankfully, the frames were still under warranty. We had to order new ones as they didn't have them in stock and they just arrived yesterday. So I made the trip to get the frames and have the lenses installed in the new frames.

When I get back home, Tom tells me that his foot has been bleeding alot - he is worried about it. It is throbbing alot. Really hurts. He called and talked to the nurse who told him that what he had done was extensive. It was a really big tumor and it is expected that he will be in pain. Bleeding is normal at this stage, also. That is why he still can't shower yet- they expect it not to be closed enough.

He did decide that he couldn't completely go off the demerol and needed that to be refilled. He is using tylenol 3 during the day and going to take demerol to help him through the night. He finds he is in more pain during the night.

Anyway, I just got home to find I had to go to pick up his prescription (because they can't call in narcotics - it has to be picked up). I asked our youngest to read his phonics to Dad while I went to pick up the prescription and turn it into Walgreens to be filled. Tom, then, asked if he had to. Couldn't I do it when I get back? I told him that my SuperMom cape was broke and he had to help out - all he had to do was let JJ read his phonics to him. Tom grimaced and said yes.

The Looking Glass by Richard Paul Evans

This is a good book but it is definitely a tragic, love story. So if you aren't in the mood for that - you might not want to pick this one up.

It is very good but so sad. Hard story to put down. It takes place in a mining town in the west during the 1850's. The story revolves around two people - Quaye - who escapes the potato famine in Ireland but doesn't end up in a better situation here in America. Hunter - was a preacher until tragedy struck. He is very angry at God. And it isn't until he meets up with Quaye that he eventually finds God again (although he also realizes that God never really left him). Hunter was a prospector in the mining town. His claim was doing very well.

I won't spoil the ending but it is a very tragic love story. I do love the way Richard Evans writes though. He is a master story teller. It is hard to put his books down.

New book by David Platt - Radical

If you would like to check out David Platt's new book, Radical, you can read the first chapter by clicking here:

First chapter

Additionally, WaterBrook Multnomah is giving away free copies of the book while supplies last. I am so excited because I have had lots of time to read while waiting in doctor's offices - so I can't wait for my copy to arrive.

Free book

It looks like it is going to be a great book.

Toastmasters

We have started a new co-op / class. A local chapter of Toastmasters is hosting a youth leadership class to teach our students how to be better speakers and how to host a meeting / how to run it. They are learning some of Robert's Rules of Order. Plus they hopefully will gain some confidence in speaking in front of a group. The class is being held weekly for 9 weeks.

estimated timeline - the road to recovery

A couple people have been asking about the estimated timeline for recovery:

We are estimating 6 weeks until he can go back to work but it depends on how much pain he has when he sits with his foot down. Right now he has to keep his foot elevated or it just throbs.

It is probably about 3 months until he can put enough pressure on his foot to be able to drive.

So I will have to drive him to and from work for awhile. We are hoping he finds a friend that lives close by that he could drive with -- at least for 2 or 3 days of the week. Otherwise it will be on my agenda to drive him downtown and pick him up. Not the end of the world but not crazy about it.

It is estimated that it will take about 6 months until he can walk.

All of these estimates are dependent upon how quickly the bone and bone marrow regrow. It is kind of neat - they take an x-ray - and the huge whitish area that shows up is the packing that they stuffed into the bone area. The packing eventually gets reabsorbed by the body as his own body starts to repair and remake the bone. That will then show up as normal bone on the x-ray. So the white area on the x-ray will get smaller and smaller as he heals. That is how they will know when it is time for him to start putting more pressure on it or when he can start trying to walk, etc.

We knew all along that it was going to be a long recovery but I think the 3 months until he can drive really got me. I am now one person driving and taking care of all the needs of 4 others. (Breathe, breathe!) But this too shall pass and we are very grateful that this is all fixable. Other diagnosis would not have been that positive.

A friend of mine said it very nicely - instead of looking at only 6 months, Tom is looking at 6 months of recovery and then the rest of his life to enjoy. We are truly blessed.

Tom - update

Everyday, I can tell Tom gets a little better. Yesterday, took alot out of him though. Going to the doctor and having x-rays --- it is alot of work to move around on crutches - plus his foot is down to travel - all the blood flows there and it starts to throb. So by the end of the day he was in alot of pain and just exhausted.

Most of this morning he was still in alot of pain. This afternoon and evening have been better.

His biggest complaint is that there is no comfortable way to put his foot that doesn't hurt.

Still, we are blessed. Absolutely blessed. God has been wonderful. I know my husband doesn't always SEE it but we have been so blessed. It is not cancer! Thank God! What a blessing! This happened at a time when our family is doing less - yes, we still have alot going on but during hockey season this would have been really hard to handle. God's timing is always perfect! What a blessing! Tom hasn't always taken time to just rest, reflect, study His word - and what an amazing blessing God has given him - time to get to know Him, time to read His word! What an amazing blessing!

Thank you all for praying. We so appreciate the prayers. Please continue to pray for healing and for the pain to diminish.

So how fast is 3 MONTHS!!

The latest ----

We went to Tom's doctor and it is healing up well. He still can't get it wet - therefore no showers until next week's apt. He wants to see it then and will let us know if he is released to bath. Until then it is sponge baths.

Also, I did ask how long until he thinks Tom will be able to drive. 3 MONTHS. 3 MONTHS! Seriously! 3 long MONTHS

Ohhh wellllll. What else can we do! Still, that was rather discouraging news for us to hear. He will most likely go back to work after a month or 6 weeks --- and I will have to drive him and pick him up every day.

We also found out that this was impressive enough of a procedure that as long as Tom heals up okay - the doctor is planning to write it all up for an article in one of the medical magazines - he even has pictures --- of the foot all opened up. My husband loved the pictures and thought it was soooooo cool - because it's not often do you get to see inside your own body. I, of course, thought but seriously - who wants to! Doctors I suppose.

The doctor also had to share that he was thrilled as it is the first time he actually got to see a bone weakened prior to it actually becoming a full stress fracture. It was the start of one and no one ever gets to see them in the stage of developing - the doctors only see them once they have broken and need fixing. So he thought it was awesomely cool!

I am not always sure it is good to be the patient that the doctors all go 'cool - can we see!'

We had that even when we ended up at Urgent Care! Apparently one of the doctors had never seen thrush before and our doctor (we had the more experienced one) had the other doctor come in and was pointing out the classic signs of thrush!