Tomorrow

Tomorrow is surgery day. I have to be there at 6:45 am. I'm not really excited. Actually, I'm kind of scared. I haven't slept very well since Friday night when I discovered that "external support" the doctor mentioned wasn't a soft cast it's rods in my bones braced by a rod on the outside of my foot. It's called a mini-rail. Mayhem #2 wants me to ask the doctor if there is a Mickey rail to go with the Minnie rail she envisioned. Too much Disney World.

I guess I've done a little too much looking on the internet. Some of the articles I've found are not very encouraging about this procedure fixing my foot at all. Others say that everything the doctor has done and is going to do is standard operating procedure. I'm just afraid my foot will never work right again.

I don't look forward to two months on crutches. Maybe I'll just stay home for that time. I did get the paper work for a handicap parking permit. Since Mayhem #2 will be stuck at home with me, except when she goes to camp without me, I bought her some jewelry making beading stuff. She's always wanted to make things and try to sell them. This might give her a chance to develop an inventory.

I know I'm being a whiner. I'm not going to have 27 screws in my foot like the race horse, but believe me four rods sticking out is enough for me. Don't give Mr. Mayhem any ideas. He might put me down for all the hassle I've become. Please pray. I'll let you know something when I can.

Growing up

Mayhem #2 looked lovely last night for her band banquet. After searching for the Oriental-style dress she wanted last weekend, and finding out the shop where we saw them was closed, we were in serious trouble. Her piano teacher offered her daughters' formals to Mayhem #2 to try. Several of the dresses were way too small, but she finally fell in love with a lavender satin dress. I happened to have silver shoes and purse that would work. One of the other dresses she liked had a sheer silver wrap with silver confetti stars between the fabric. That was nice and blingy for her.

We got home around three after my pre-op lab work. In two and a half hours, I made her into a princess, complete with painted nails and make up. She's never worn make up except for stage make up. We didn't do alot of make up, but I wanted her to feel special. A little purple eye shadow, pinky blush that you couldn't really see, Mayhem #1's shimmery powder, and a little purple lipstick. She's very light complected (sp?). We used clear mascara, which I had never heard of, and we found some brow powder and wax that was blonde so I could color her eyebrows without just drawing them on with a brown liner.

Since she is so into the Lord of the Rings elf thing, she wanted little braids on the sides of her head that went together in the back and was braided down her back. The rest of her hair we left down. I tried to put a little curl in it, but when it's waist length and extra fine, curl doesn't hold very well. Along the braid we put sparkly hair do-dads. Mayhem #1 loaned her her prom jewelry that was the right shade of purple and very blingy.

Her escort was dad. He was looking quite dapper in his suit. When I was putting some perfume on Mayhem #2, he got out his cologne. He told her, "I only break out the good stuff for special people."

After the banquet, Mr. Mayhem took her to church for the end of school youth lock-in. Everyone oohed and aahed over her, and she ate it up. She took close to change into because I had warned her repeatedly, "No light saber fighting in that dress!"

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

I thought I’d better let yall know that we survived the trip to Orlando. I almost didn’t make the plane because they had to check my boot for drugs since I couldn’t take my shoes off at the airport. We went straight to Universal Studios, and since Florida is having a drought, it started raining buckets. You know how your feet get sore and chapped after you’ve worn wet socks and shoes for awhile. Well, I found out that it works the same way for your bum when you ride around in a wheelchair for awhile in wet shorts. Luckily, that was the only day it rained.

Seeing things from the perspective of a wheelchair is a bit strange. Granted we did get on the rides quicker, but I got tired of looking at everyone’s waist. It was also a bit unnerving to not be in control of where I was going. Mayhem #1 was a pretty sedate pusher. She would listen to my suggestions, and humor me when my direction skills failed me. At least she would politely tell me I was wrong. Mayhem #2, on the other hand, was on a mission, and it was to see if I could go completely gray before we left for home. More than once I saw my life flash before my eyes. She would get very upset with me when I would suddenly stop the wheelchair because I just knew she was going to run over someone. I finally had to explain to her that what she saw and what I saw were two different perspectives. I also finally quit trying to tell her how to get to wherever we wanted to go because all she had to do was glance at the map and she was on the right track. From where I was sitting, I couldn’t even see the signs that pointed us in the right direction.

The trip was a success for the band’s competition too. They brought home seven trophies, one of which was the Sweepstakes trophy. The flight attendants hated us when we got on the plane with them because all of them were at least three feet tall and they had to go in the overhead bins. For Mother’s Day, Mr. Mayhem picked us up from the airport. I thought that was a great present because we were all so tired and very glad to be home. We did five parks in four days, and they weren’t even whole days. We took lots of pictures, especially with characters. I’ll see if I can figure out how to get them on here after we get them developed.

Surgery

Thanks for the shoe info Jordana, but I'm stuck with the boot until surgery. Yesterday's x-ray showed that one of the bone chips had moved between the other bones a little. He also said that they may have to fuse the joint if there is alot of arthritis in it. I am so depressed. I tried so hard to avoid this. I came home and cried. If I think about it too much, I still want to cry. The doctor gave me a shot of cortisone to help me get through the trip. I'm sure when it stops hurting from the shot it will feel better. I go back in three weeks.

I need to go wake up Mayhem #2 a see how she is doing before I leave to help Mayhem #1 pack and come home. Mayhem #2 took a fall when she was hugging a friend at church last night. (It must have been some hug.) They fell in a tangled heap and the friend hurt her back as she twisted to avoid landing on Mayhem #2 with her full weight. She also has a very swollen index finger and thumb. We hope she's ok. She's in the flag corps and is going on the trip next week. The friend came down with her knee on Mayhem #2's shin bone. It hurt alot last night, but after some ice and Advil it was doing better. It didn't really swell so I don't think anything is broken.

I'll keep you posted. You might want to keep your distance. This clumsy disorder may be catching.

Doctors, and more doctors

Later this morning I'm off to the doctor with my mom. She wants to talk to him about finding some cheaper medicine. Apparently, she's hit the Medicare coverage gap and has to pay full price for her 12 or so medications for a while before the insurance kicks in again. She's already tried playing around with not taking some and making them last longer, and I reminded her that that's what landed her in the hospital before.

She's very concerned about her money. What she gets every month covers rent and meds. Her bank account has dwindled down and now she's panicking. I'm looking to see if I can find her a cheaper apartment, but no luck so far. Here's a novel concept...use some from the IRA in the bank. She is retired. That is what the R stands for. I know she doesn't have alot of money, but I think she's going off the deep end.

I have my own doctor's appointment tomorrow. I need to talk to the podiatrist about this foot. I need to know what I need to do to take care of it on the Orlando trip, which is next week. I've never had a broken bone so I don't know how it's suppose to feel when I try using it. Right now the boot is my friend. When I've tried to wear a shoe, and then go back to the boot, my foot feels so much better. Maybe I'm just a wimp.