Update 6/2/11

Sorry, it's been awhile since and actual update with what's going on.  But things are progressing well.  I just came home yesterday from another surgery and a brief hospital stay. 

I had a skin graft done on my heel, where all of the skin/tissue had died off.  This is great news, that it was only a skin graft.  It was 2 weeks after the last surgery (4th surgery total), when the plastic surgeon cleaned up all the dead tissue and put a wound vac on it.  The wound vac is a special pump that puts negative pressure on my heel and sucks away all the "gunk".  It promotes healing and prepared the tissue for the skin graft.  In the 2 weeks between surgeries, I had a home health nurse change the dressing 3 times a week. 

He had planned on doing a 4-5 hour surgery, called a "reverse flow flap" (WARNING: link is for a medical study and contains photos of actual procedures).  He would have taken a small area from the back of my calf (including a little muscle) and created a new pad for the back of my heel, while moving the vein so blood can flow through my heel (which it hasn't been able to do).  But, because the wound vac did such a good job, he didn't need to do this!  If he had to do the flap, it would have meant a longer hospital stay, bedrest for over a week, and a longer recovery.  But with just a skin graft I was home within 24 hours after surgery, and can resume "normal" (at least my new normal, still no weight on the left foot) activities, as tolerated.

I have a follow up appointment on Monday to see how the graft is doing.  At that time he will remove the wound vac, hopefully for good.  He may or may not continue the wound vac therapy, depending on how well it's healing.  He will also show me how to change the dressing for my graft sight (the outer side of my upper left thigh).  If all is doing well, he said I should be able to start physical therapy in 2-3 weeks to start moving my left ankle, and eventually start putting weight on it. 

As far as the orthopedic part (my left fibula, left ankle, and right pelvic bone), I am doing well.  The orthopedic surgeon is waiting for the plastic surgeon to clear me to start PT.  I am unsure of if/when the 2 screws in my left ankle will come out, but he said the torn ligament is healing well, as is the fibula.  I will get new xrays of my pevlic bone on the 14th, but he also said I am doing well as far as that goes.  It takes about 12 full weeks for a minor pelvic fracture to heal.  As of today, it's been 6 weeks and 5 days.

My mom is still staying with us, helping out with the boys and around the house.  She had a break over the holiday weekend, when Ryan was off of work, so she could go home and pack.  They are moving in just a few weeks to Jacksboro. 

The boys are doing fine, though there are still some behavioral problems we are dealing with, especially with Riley.  3 is a hard age anyway, but I know this accident has greatly effected him.  It has been a life changing event, and those are always hard to deal with.  Lately, it's been bedtime.  Bedtime has been a fight every night recently, with both boys.  Eli just wants to cuddle with me until he falls asleep (which he hasn't done in a very long time).  Riley just doesn't want to go to bed, no matter how tired he is.  Last night was slightly better.  We are having to find new ways of dealing with them, to see what will work best.  It is hard to balance the comofort they crave with the discipline they need.  Please continue to pray that we do the best we can to find that balance.  Also pray for the boys, especially Riley.

Ryan is still doing well.  Tired, but good.  He goes on call tomorrow, which means 2 weeks of working non-stop (unless he doesn't get called out Sat. and Sun., which is rare). 

I will not include pictures of my foot, at least not until I see how it looks Monday when the wound vac comes off.  It has not been nice to look at.  There is still a possibility of more surgery (if the graft doesn't heal well, or the physical therapy is too much pressure for it) down the road, but hopefully this was it.  The heel is a difficult place for a graft.  It is still unknown how much sensation I have lost for good in my heel. 

I still don't know if I now have 4 tattoos, or if I'm down to 3.  My very first tattoo was a tiny butterfly on my left ankle, hard to see unless you're looking.  I forgot to ask if he was able to work around it or not.  Guess I'll find out on Monday....  I've been itching to get a new one anyway.