Christmas Pictures

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Finally the blue cast is off!

I was so excited to get the cast off and scrub my leg! 


It was unbelievable how much dead skin came off that foot! Two months of not washing is pretty disgusting!

They removed the steri-strips, put me in a boot and sent me home to soak and debris my incision. It looks good and the incision is clean, closed and a smooth scar.


I went to work on Monday to do my half of day and decide to walk (in my boot without crutches) about 300 yards (from one side of the building to the other) thinking this is good for my foot but suddenly my foot started to hurt. I called from our kitchen area to the other side of the office and begged them to bring me my chariot (leg caddy). By that evening my foot was screaming purple, swollen, sore and throbbing at the bottom of my heal where they place  a screw!  After sticking my foot into the cold swimming pool, icing it as it was elevated, the next morning my foot was still purple and throbbed as I put my foot on the ground. I could not go to work and went back to bed and slept till 1pm......I have no idea why I am exhausted......... I haven't done that much in 2 months.


I went to work today and decided not to use my chariot, but to walk with the crutches applying light weight to the foot instead of 200# as I did the day before ............Yes I was not thinking and now that I do think about it, the  Dr told me that recovery would take longer than the usual Achilles rupture................and that recovery takes a year. So how long is this one gonna take..............I need to be patient and do a little at a time.......I should have tipped myself off from last Saturday as I helped Ashley paint....what could go wrong scooting around on the floor cutting in the woodwork and the windows...........swelling, lots of it!   I am a hard learner!


Until next time!

PS my girls 

Waiting

I have never been good at waiting. I don't like it, but then again I could get use to laying around doing nothing.......that's a scary thought.

I thought during this 6 week period (so far ) that I would write, send notes, or spend time in God's word and grow a little in my spiritual journey, but I have not. I have not been motivated to do much of anything but rest.

Is it true the Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in a persons body?  In my life it unexpectedly  snapped in two.  I had some warnings that my heal and leg was not healthy. I ignored those warnings like I have ignored my spiritual life. For years my foot bothered me. I saw a Podiatrist once and tried wearing a big blue plastic boot at night which it did help, but it was too uncomfortable to sleep so I gave that up. My heal had a spur on the back of it large enough to cause me to limp in the mornings, but I would work thru it. For years my heal would rubbed the fabric off the inside of my tennis shoe. I went to a larger size in hopes that I would be more comfortable. It helped but did not solve the problem. I bought inserts for my shoes but that only helped some. The real issue was that I needed surgery, but I had justified it by believing I could not take time off work or spend the money to have this looked at and fixed.

My spiritual life is just like this. I look for temporary fixes.  When I really need surgery!!! I have relied on my spiritual Achilles tendon. I 'm a strong christian.  I won't do........or ................ I am grounded in the Word of God. I have study it and have taught it...........but unexpectedly could MY FAITH snap? Could I snap that quickly and compromise my standards?

Complacency, I am complacent. I have been living in the grey area that God hates. He says He would rather me be hot or cold but not lukewarm.  I am a lukewarm christian and could snap in a second if I am not careful.  God has given me warnings along my spiritual walk about this very issue.

It's like looking down this blue cast of mine. I have lost 1&1/2 inches from around my calf, compared to the healthy calf. When they first put the cast on it was tight, it was snug.  Within 6 weeks I can almost put both hands down in it.....It's like being spiritual mature, tight with God and over time my spiritual muscle has turned to flab like my calf muscle.  I have slowly moved away from what I know is good for me.  I have stopped exercising my spiritual muscle.  I pray, I have devotions sometimes, I don't have a desire to go to church like I use to........it's subtle changes...and I know that fingerprint..... Satan! He is subtle (like in the garden of Eden), suggesting, tempting, allowing complacency, being comfortable. I  see the red flags but do not act on them........ so I too could compromise God's truths.

I look at our country, the world, the blatant attack on American values. Our faith, propaganda that is brainwashing and seducing our children and our grandchildren away from our christian values. I see it in the television programs they watch, books, culture it's self.....Satan is seducing all of us into liberal theology that teaches that we need to be tolerant of all men and be loving towards all faiths. Some believe that all faiths lead to the same God.  My Bible does not say that though. Jesus said, "No man comes to the Father but by Me"

God is love.  He is a Holy God, a just God and a God of wrath. He is not to be mocked! The last I read in God's word was that we are to love God with all our heart mind and soul, but He is also a jealousy God and desires our devotion and love to Him and Him alone!

I am thankful that God got my physical attention by allowing this accident to happen so that I could take care of this foot issue.  I pray that I am not so stubborn that He would allow a spiritual Achilles to rupture to get my spiritual attention! It is clear........turn from my wicked ways!

Will I choose to be hot or cold?  To stay lukewarm would require Him to spew me out of His mouth like a bitter cup of vinegar!

My recent Outings!

I finally got out and even had my own cart!

Kim and Matt in their cart and I had my own!

Last week I went on my first outing. I got to drive my own cart and did some sight seeing as they played.  Funny to watch them both.....they both getting excited when making the great plays and disgusted when the ball does its own thing! Matt can kill the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY SECOND OUTING

My sisters! Diva, Princess, Baby & Brat! They're the best!

These ladies planned, planned and planned for a full day together.  Our times together was full of laughter!

They arrived at my houses around 7:30 am with balloons on the SUV and all kinds of stuff written on every window!  We drove all over Charlotte this way. They started by giving me clues on ever destination they had planned. They had a wheel chair which was thoughtful but they had no foot rest on this chair so either I was going to drag my feet or hold them up..............but the crutches and the leg caddy were my legs!

Our first stop was at Lake Norman where we took a boat ride and had lunch........it was fun! the picture will speak for themselves.

Laura & Kim

Lisa  & Laura

From here we drove to the Billy Graham Library! I was encourage and blessed learning about the life of Billy Graham!

Swag Sisters

It's been a long day! Diva had to sit between Baby and Princess discussing on how to tell the truth. Diva only wants a birthday card!

Our next stop was the Flying Biscuit for Dinner, they signed my cast and then they took me to Walmart to make fun of me in the little motor cart!  What a great day!

See Diva and Brat are trying to take my picture driving this cart so that Brat can post it on facebook:)

Before and After photos: Designers, Mady, Emma & Ellie

Last night we had a sleep over.........it's the last night before school starts. My Granddaughters are pretty good helpers.  We had fun, they swam and swam and swam until their skin curled up! By the end of the night my foot and knee was achy. I think riding around on the scooter carrying weight of 500 lbs......would do it.  Good to have extra pain pills around!


I have enclosed pictures of  Ellie, Emma and Mady. Mady is the greatest floater in the family. Emma is our dare devil (like her dad) and Ellie is unsure who to trust in the pool!


My next appointment to remove this blue cast is not until 9/17...............seems like a year from now!


PS  Ashley's closing has been moved to next Monday :)

Before

The process

Ellie draws the 3 of them

Sponge Bob in progress

The finished  art

Madyson Rae

The floating champ

Ellie playing it safe in the shallow end...she can swim

Emma has talent

Pam and Cathy this is my new addition to my 1/2 bath

See ya next time!

Thinking of my loved one.....Cathy

Today is a beautiful day here in Charlotte, NC

 I sat outside and watched Kim work, cutting the grass, trimming and I got to do my favorite thing.......water the flowers.  I was speaking to my sister Pam and she share her concerns for our other sister, Cathy! Cathy has the exact same problem I had with my heel and the spur on the back......I think I grossed her out with the pictures of my heel so I don't think she will ever go thru with surgery.  Cathy you should do it soon because your are getting older you know! I have included some pictures to encourage you for your future event! I have gone before you and its not that bad.................people waiting on you is pretty cool............

This is how you carry your laundry



You will still be able to do the dishes



Bathing with a cup

The extension is a must!

Today is the day....my 1st PO

Today I go to the DR for the first time since surgery! Progress! It's hard to lay around and let people serve you..............but then again I am the Queen Swag!


I celebrated my 56th birthday and my nephews, Jax's first birthday yesterday. Because of Facebook I had a ton of birthday wishes..how sweet! I am still trying to upload some pic of Ellie's decoration and my yard decorations. I am determined to make it happen.


Yesterday I had my first outing since surgery July 30th. Yes, I left the house. First things first! My grey hair got covered with color! Now that is medicine in itself because I was feeling pretty good after that!
 Next Kim took  me to a 5pm movie to see "SALT". We thought we would beat the crowd and we did. Of course the theater in the theater was to my left down a longgggggggg hall. Then it was another left to the end of another longgggggggg hall and into the theater. Of course my crutches moved me along slowly and my heart was racing by the time I got there. Next, Kim decided that he wanted to go up to the mid section to view the movie. Good grief, this is suppose to be my day so I should be able to view the movie from the seat I want!  But NOOOOOOOO I hobbled and took one jump at a time on the good leg until we reached the half way point. With a slight breather I  then crutched myself to the center of the row. I'm sure glad I stopped at the bathroom first............how many people do you think offered to hold a door.....................zippo!


We had dinner at ANZI'S pizza  following the movie...............it was a good birthday!


TO BE CONTINUED:
Hi,

 I just got back from seeing Dr Anderson. I did not have a normal Achilles rupture.  The Achilles detached from the bone on the back of my heal. He said this is very unusual especially at my age. A surgeon may see this once in his career. He did 12 of these last year. The surgery was 2 hours. He went in an made a large incision, cleaned up the scar tissue along the heal, cut off the big heel spur, drilled a hole through the bone in my heal, sutured the tendon together and then pushed the suture through the hole so the tendon would lay against my heel bone again  and then he anchored the other end of the suture in a screw that is placed in the bottom of my heel/foot. Full recovery will take about 1 year.

These are the pictures you see. 

He repositioned my foot and place a hard cast on it.  I will need to wear it for 2-3 more week without weight bearing. When I go back he will remove the cast and I will wear a boot which then I can bear weight. 

- Show quoted text -

Today I decided I would clean a little........ I had ants in my cabinets so Matthew took everything out sprayed and left the can products out on the counters. The next day he came by and put things away for me...sweet huh! Well he left 2 bottom cabinets opened with other stuff sitting in the floor while those cabinets dried with ant spray. This morning I wanted the cabinets wiped out and the stuff put back into them.  


I can do this you know!


I threw a pillow in the floor  to kneel on and sat tossing the stuff that had been expired across the kitchen floor towards the trash can.  I wiped out the cabinets and started to refill them when I realized this was a pain in the butt, literally and the old knees.......so I called for help and my friend was out of town, Matt was watching his 3 girls, Ashley, Nana & Ellie had been to the mortgage company (did I tell you Ashley has bought a townhouse!) and was school shopping.  I guess it was up to me if I did not want to wait. So I scooted around in the floor and managed to clean up and put things back, but as I tossed an old bag of cereal across the floor it open and flew across the entire floor...huh...... how am I going to sweep that up?


I hobbled out to the garage for trash bags and paper towels with my crutches and crawled back in to the hall, because the step there is weird, pulling my crutches behind me.  I got myself up and kicked the roll of paper towels down the hall with the end of my crutches.


I empty the dishwasher which took forever, a cup at a time .......and loaded it as I sat on my scooter. Now I needed to vacuum the cereal up so down the hall I rode getting my vacuum and dragging it down the hall behind me........the vacuum is heavy with one leg, but I managed........I did get a good work out. After I finished sweeping the kitchen and my bedroom my heart was racing and my back achy so I tossed myself onto my bed sweating and resting my back........all that would normally take me 30 minutes, ended taking 2 hours......but I am much happier now!  All I need now is my leaves blown off around the pool and the pool toys picked up and that would be perfect. It is probably a good thing that the leaf blower is at Matts, because I am positive that I could manage that as the blower is a back pack.....one hand to guide the scooter and one to blow......until Thursday the 19th I will give you the Dr's update......Wednesday will be a good day as I get my gray colored:)

Wheelies in the living room!

Its hard to keep an old dog down......this crazy grandmother has a problem sitting still. So need less to say I am not helpless even if i have one leg.

this all began years ago with a heel spur and planter facitis.  I would limp around and hobble in the morning. Have worn the fabric off the back of my tennis shoes in the past because of this ugly knot on the back of my heal.

The day all this happened I talked Kim into jumping off the board with me to see who could make the biggest splash. I did a can opener off a 6 inch board but needed to put my butt into it a little more.... so I challenge Kim for another jump.  Climbing up the ladder I said to him " you know we are too old for this.." yep i was right i took my little leap up in to the hair and i felt like I had been kicked in the calve muscle falling to the right landing in the water......I knew something terrible was wrong because I could not place any weight on that foot due to the pain in my calf.

Went to the ER and they confirmed I had a blown Achilles tendon and then left with my foot wrapped and crutches...........the pain was not bad at all. Didn't need any pain meds. Went home hobbled around saw the Panthers surgeon went to the hospital for the surgery and had some preop-testing done........I knew I was in trouble when one of the nurses asked me when was my last menstrual period? HUH who keeps track of that after 50?  I know I had one last month...........well......."we need to do a pregnancy test!"................laughing out loud i said if I'm pregnant you need to put me so far under (anesthesia) that when I wake up I want to see Jesus!

Well I did wake up and I am not pregnant, but my leg had been blocked from the knee down and my leg was heavy but feeling okay.  We filled the narcotics and it wasn't until the 3-4th day I was miserable with pain, nausea and in love with the pain pills........after coming out of that state of pain is when I did my first post!

Now, today I am still filling good but mad at myself for popping a wheelie in the living room, falling backwards with my little leg catty........

The real problem was that I was mad that I can't ask certain people to do things for me with out knowing that I am annoying them. I think If I ask to have something done after 2 days I'm allowed to be annoyed.......but me annoying, hard to believe. But my friend Doris once said if you want somethin done right you've gotta do it yourself.......you betcha!

So I roll my 200 lb leg into the kitchen fix me some lunch and realized that I had left my drink in the living room. I jumped on scooter and off I went to the living room, grabin my drink went to lift the scooter front up to turn it slightly.....it would have been slightly but that jester had and attitude with it and I flipped myself backwards falling on my back with the edge of the scooter seat up my crotch.  I was even madder then. I had already washed a load of clothes and wanted the floors swept which was like pulling others teeth.......so I had an ungodly attitude and see where it gets you, on your back with a peg leg stuck up in the air!

So I am trying to be patient....but after I cried about it and looked at the floors that were swept.... that Doris was right I should have done it myself....and that is what I did with Mr Swifter dry and wet!  I'm happier now even though i shouldn't have.

I will send you a picture someday!  Miss you all and trying to age gracefully!

crazy things happen when you are in your 50"s......it's called life!

I begin this post after having surgery on my Achilles tendon:I ruptured it jumping off the diving board....Kim says it was from showing off! I do a mean can opener!


 4 days out.......I AM A moment without pain. froget fixin the typo's.  last night i thought i was in hell.The block on my leg was wearing off..................oh yea it hurts......... pillows piled a mile high, with sheets and blamkets pulling off both ends of the bed just waiting to trip me up and grab the good leg. i go to roll off the bed because i have got to P, yes badly....with sheets and blankets cuaght around my legs that i am sure it is satan himself.....i am trying to wheel a 200 pound dead leg to the bathroom on a scooter that doesn't care where you will lay it  as long as your hands have something to crab on to, when you transition you weight which they don't...... the wait of the 200 lb cast starts pulling you down towards the commaode and you are hoping your  butt hits it beofre the other leg gives way.....as my hands are sliding down the wall i am sliding down towards the floor i hear my sweetheart snoring away in his dremas ......as i try not to slide down the wall i start sliding faster, i go faster and faster until my but hits the top of the new potty extension, while my hands crasp at the extension hoping it does not pop out of the commode...  then after you are down you think oh i hope i can pull myelf up.....i am sure toilet paper holder is not going to do it, but my sweat heart is snoring............................i finally get my leg up on the scooter and then start fighting with the panites that are half off one cheek the other end caught on the toes of a 200 pund cast tht wants to spring me over the handle bars and back into bed..............next time i'll just wet the bed.........
Blessings,
Gina