December 2, 2005

  • News from the Front! Okay, my mom.


    Hello everyone,
     
    I promised to send at least one more update on Christina and since
    we just saw the surgeon today, I thought this would be a great time.
    Altho, technically, for me, this would be a great time to sleep :)
     
    It has been 6 weeks since surgery and Christina is progressing
    very well. The first  two weeks were a real adjustment - basically
    turning the living room into a hospital room and caring for Christina
    on a rather intense level. Then she started to use her walker and with
    that mobility, came greater independence. On November 7th, her cast was
    cut down to below the knee as she was showing new bone growth on the
    femur (where the major surgery was done). Although she couldn't bend
    her knee completely until just a couple of days ago(due to the length
    of time in the cast),it made a huge difference in her ability to sit
    and sleep more comfortably.
     
    Today, she had the cast removed completely for just half an hour -
    they took x-rays, and then removed the pin that stuck out of the skin
    from its position in the heel bone. It was supposed to just be a quick
    pull and not painful. The surgeon watched while the casting technician
    pulled and then the tech said, "this is really in there solid - she
    must have some good bone" - then he pulled harder and at this point
    Christina was crying in pain. It finally came out and gradually the
    pain left completely. Not fun. Like Christina said, "I trusted the
    doctor when he said that it wouldn't hurt". I really think that they
    were surprised that it was so tight in there. She was then fitted for a
    leg splint that she will wear after the cast is off. A new cast was
    then applied - hot pink this time !
     
    We return on December 15 for the removal of the cast and a great
    celebration will follow! She can now bear weight on her foot (Carla- we
    have an order for full weight bearing), but as you would imagine, it is
    very tentative for her to put any weight on her heel after having the
    pin just pulled out.

     
    On the positive side, we have met some of the nicest staff people
    at the orthopedic clinic and they ALL love Christina. Since Victoria is
    usually also at the appointments, she too is recognized and rewarded
    with stickers and little gifts by the staff. Victoria has been an
    incredible help to Christina and I  - she has been like a little nurse
    - she is the one who usually carries the walker up or down the stairs
    for Christina, brings school books to her, carries her dishes, etc.
    etc. I am very pleased with her tenderness.
     
    We thank all of you for your continued prayers for Christina. She
    has been through a lot and God has taught her, and all of us, a great
    deal. Both Victoria and Christina have a desire to work in missions and
    have an interest in the medical profession, due to their exposure to
    Christina's experience. God knows all of this and it fits perfectly
    into His plan.
     
    Keep praying for complete healing of her leg and foot and ankle.
    We want to avoid any injury during this critical time and with the snow
    and ice on the ground (and we visited Grandma's house and Chris'
    apartment today) we have to be really careful.
     
    That's all for now. Thank you all again. God is good - all the
    time - even when we don't see the whole picture - we must TRUST Him.
    Jeanne

Comments (11)

  • Hey, i just read this in a local news report and thought of you. [you get to figure out why]

    "It was pretty windy," Smith said. "Every once in a while, it had a big gust of wind. The rain came and went, but it didn't hang around for a long time."

    The biggest problem, however, seemed to be a giant ball of grease beneath the streets of Chinatown that blocked drains and sent water into several store basements.

  • OK, I just read the update. Your sister, your whole family, actually, sound really sweet.

    RYQ: No I do not pour my grease down, but I don't compost it either. If it is animal fat (like from hamburger), I let it solidify and then put it in a can or something and put it in the trash. Since we had our discussion, I have not deep fried anything, so I have not had to dispose of any oil. Not sure what I'll do with that. (That is the stuff I generally put in the yard although not necessarily always on the compost pile.) They have had a massive campaign out here to get people not to pour grease down the drain, actually. Billboards on the freeway type stuff. For awhile, they were giving away special cans at the library to put grease in, but I didn't get one. so anyway I'm conflicted about what you say, versus the public ad campaign.

  • ryc: yeah, props for guts, I guess.. but geez man, finess it a little.

  • milk and hunnies...that is SO cleva...did you just come up with that right then? Milk and...that is SO funny...clever, that's what you are....clever with a capital K, klever. Ahhhh...fun.
    Will I b Cing you at the debate on Tuesday?

  • glad to hear things are going well

  • thanks for keeping us all updated.

  • so happy

  • ...praying for your sis! O:)

  • I love when person talk of visiting grandma's house, it sounds so fairy tale-lish. But did you bump into the big bad wolf along the way, lol. Peace!

  • I'm wondering if I am the victim of xanga spoofing yet again.  Hmmm....

    BTW, glad to hear that Christina is doing well!  I winced when I read that they had to pull to get the pin out and she was in such pain.  I am glad, though, that she is doing well and bringing joy to everyone!

  • aaaaaand, how's she doing, here a year-and-two-days later??

    esther's worried about you. i get a gmail chat this morning, ostensibly cuz she wants to say hi, but really cuz she wants to make sure you're ok after all that plowing. actually, i worry too, i've just learned not to tell you.

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