02 March 2012

Let's break this orthopedic curse, shall we?

Thursday was already going to be a stressful day. We were finally going to the scoliosis specialist to discuss surgery to straighten out the curve in DJ's spine. We've known for a while that this was a possibility, but ABM has been trying from the beginning to find an alternative.

So what did I do to make this difficult day even more emotionally charged? Why, I fell and hurt my left foot as I was heading downstairs for my morning coffee! As you may recall, I fell down the stairs and sprained my right foot on Valentine's Day. Because that foot and ankle still feel weak, I was being careful as I walked down the stairs but I guess I wasn't careful enough. The gremlins that live on my staircase still found a way to trip me up.

The results from this week's orthopedic odyssey:

1.  DJ's curve has increased from 59 degrees to 79 degrees, so he will most likely be having surgery in June. This will give him plenty of time to recover before our vacation in September. He enjoys getting in the water so much and I would hate for him to miss that.

2.  I have a Lisfranc fracture, and the orthopedic doctor I saw today opted for the non-surgical approach. The main reason for putting pins in my foot would be to hold the ligaments together while they heal, similar to the way a woodworker clamps wood together until the wood glue sets. Since there isn't a huge tear in my ligaments, they may heal on their own if I don't put any weight on my foot. That means I have to wear a boot 23 hours a day and if I have to walk, I must use crutches or a walker. If I haven't shown any improvement in three weeks, then I may be having surgery.

After losing his mother due to complications from an orthopedic surgery, ABM is even more freaked out about anyone else in the family having surgery. Now he is looking at the possibility of two surgeries this year. As they say, those that know the word of prayer . . . At this point, I will also take good thoughts from my atheist and agnostic pals as well as a good spell or two from my Wiccan friends!


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