a long, long, long day...

We left this morning for what is normally a routine 3 hour round trip when we took Laura back to school. Seven hours later we finally made it back. Those blizzard conditions and that 5 mph traffic didn't stop Brian as he braved the icy roads. Several times we were at a dead stop for 15-30 minutes for no apparent reason, but still we made it home. Honestly, we were quite surprised that I-25 wasn't closed. A word to the wise...pay attention to traffic conditions in Colorado! A winter storm advisory is nothing to laugh about around here!!!

the good and the bad

Today was a dressing change day, and we found both good and bad results. The wound itself looks better, thankfully. But I just couldn't bear to put the wound vac back on once I got a look at the skin around her wound. The drape used to protect her skin while the vac was doing its job caused major irritation and it was practically raw. We're not due to go back to the wound healing center till Monday, so we made an executive decision to apply the type of dressing she used previously until then. For two whole days she gets to be untethered...no wound vac to haul around. (Have I ever mentioned that she named her wound vac "Bennie", short for Ben Dover?!!) She's pretty happy about being unencumbered. You'd think she'd want to go dancing or something. Instead she and her sister are curled up on the sofa watching an old Esther Williams movie! Laura leaves tomorrow to head back and face finals at the CO School of Mines, so a mindless evening is just what she needs right now.

Happy Turkey Day!

God has been amazing and generous with our family this year. We have so many reasons to be thankful, beginning with the remarkable progress we're seeing daily in Amy's wound healing. It's been a long, long haul for Amy, but when we stop to consider the trials others are facing, we know things could be so much worse. From the beginning Amy has kept things in the proper perspective as she reminds me that Christ suffered with wounds so much more horrible--just so He could save us from our sins and cleanse us white as snow. We can never fully comprehend what He went thru for us, and the amazing part is that not only did we not deserve it, but He would have done it if we'd been the only one on earth. So very humbling. So yes, Amy has had to deal with a lot but in comparison, it's just a "mere flesh wound!"
We're thankful for Dr's and nurses and other medical personnel who have been so tender-hearted and loving. We're thankful to have food on the table and a warm home where we can gather this holiday. We're thankful for the many, many prayer warriors who have kept us close in heart--many whom we don't even know! And we're thankful for friends and family, both near and far, who make our lives complete. May God richly bless you this day.

bliss...

The family is all under one roof again, and it's pure sweet bliss.

chicks in the nest

In just a few minutes Laura will be home for Thanksgiving, and I can hardly wait. Callen and Holly are staying the night and then continuing on to Oklahoma, so they still have a long drive ahead of them. But all of my chicks will be in the nest tonight. These are the only times I turn off my cell phone at night. It's a good feeling to not keep one ear tuned at all times to that thing. Brian and Amy just took off to pick up a pizza for the crew. It's 10:30 at night! Oh, to be young again. If I ate spicy food at this hour I'd be up all night, but at their age I guess I could eat anything, anytime and still sleep like a baby. I don't feel old, but I guess I am!

Progress...

Another mist treatment down. and again I'm amazed at how much better the wound looks just since we changed the dressing on Saturday. It was a bit trickier to put the drape around the edges today since they're uneven as they close in. I hate to put it over the tender new skin, but if I don't and the sponge dressing touches it that's not good, either. The original area (bottom right) is almost completely covered over, which just amazes me. We prayed for miracles, and we're seeing them daily. We won't see the Dr this week since he's normally only in the wound healing center on Thursdays and that's "turkey day" this week. I'll be eager to hear what he thinks next week for sure.
Amy is fairly certain she's going to go to CSU next year and defer her enrollment at Johnson & Wales for a year. I'll let her sleep on that decision before we start the ball rolling. The admissions office at J & W has been wonderful at trying to accommodate the uncertainties we're dealing with. This has been a hard decision for Amy as culinary arts has been her dream and passion for awhile now. But God is making a different path clear to her for now. Perhaps it's just a detour, perhaps not. Only time will tell. She seems to be at peace with her decision.
On a good note, we now have an appointment with the specialist in Denver on 23 December. I was thankful to get things scheduled when she'd be out of school so she wouldn't have to miss anymore classes. By then she'll be done with this semester and beginning in January she'll only take one class a day. We're praying that as she allows more healing time, things will happen even quicker and soon this will all be just a fading memory. It can happen!

Light at the end of the tunnel

We just changed the wound vac dressing, and even though this one has only been on for 48 hours, it's amazing what a difference there is. Yes, there's still an open wound. But it's so much smaller and the granulated tissue looks so much better. Amy said she won't feel like progress is made till the wound is closed, but her dad and I are hopeful that the end is finally in sight. For a long time it seemed like we were getting nowhere, and now there's visible progress with each dressing change. It'll happen, Amy! Her admissions packet came from Johnson & Wales today and we found out she was accepted into the honors program. Bittersweet.

A warped sense of humor...

So, God has a sense of humor and He thinks we do, too. In the past 48 hours our sweet little beagle, Annie, has been making her presence known all over the carpet--even right after she's been outside. We thought she was being defiant, and I have to say that we were NOT amused! Turns out she's been sensing our concerns over Amy's medical issues and the result was a bladder infection. The vet said it was her way of coping with our issues. Wow, do I feel bad for being irritated with her last night. Sorry, Annie pup. I really do love you! I'd love you even more if you would clean the carpet for us.

celebrate!!!

Praise God, it's been an awesome afternoon! Amy and I just returned from the Dr visit where he cleaned out her wound. If you'll recall, we had to dope her up beforehand because it was expected to be excruciatingly painful. And if you ask Amy, she'll tell you that was no lie. It was rough for sure, but she made it! No surgery #7 for now! The Dr was thrilled with how things look and admitted that at one time he'd been rather frustrated because it wasn't healing as it should. But today he was very optimistic and doesn't think she'll even need a skin graft. The wound is smaller and almost flush with the edges. The wound vac is definitely doing what it's supposed to. Finally we can see light at the end of the tunnel. Now we just need for things to happen with her RSD so she can begin to live without pain and swelling. To top it off, Amy received her acceptance today to Johnson & Wales along with a hefty scholarship offer. While culinary school is probably no longer an option, unfortunately, it was still nice to receive the acceptance. Our girl is smiling tonight. Granted, the Vicodin plays a part in that. But at least she's smiling. A special thank you to Andrew for going with us to the Dr appt. He and God made a great team today when Amy was in pain.
Thanks for your prayers and love. More updates to follow.

Momma's helper...

So much attention has been focused on Amy and her medical issues for the past 18 months. I thought it was time to thank Bethany publicly for her support along the way. She's taken over much of the responsibility for Annie and is great about helping me out when things are overwhelming. She runs errands, stays on top of things that need to be done, and gives awesome hugs. She had to grow up faster than her peers as she picks up some of the slack around here. Thanks Bethany!

A Long Anticipated Day Arrives!

It's been a long 3 1/2 years for Amy, but well worth it. Today she finally got her braces off! She said she was one of the last seniors still wearing them, so I know she's quite relieved this day finally arrived. On the way home she chewed gum and then ate tootsie rolls at the Seniors house. Tonight she's anticipating lots of popcorn! It's so nice to see her have something fun to smile about after all she's been thru. Keep smiling, Sunny! You look awesome!

Happy Birthday, my sweet Laura!

I wish you didn't have to take a Statics test this evening. Today is a day for celebration! I'm loving you across the miles and wishing you lots of laughter.

prayers please!

Amy and I just returned from the wound healing center where she had another mist treatment. The original wound area is looking so much better and skin is forming rapidly there. The part of the wound that was opened up and cleaned out during her last surgery has a lot of protein build up and it's keeping the healthy granulated tissue from rising up where we need it to be. This Thursday we have to give Amy a hefty dose of Vicodin a couple of hours before she sees the Dr. His plan is to scrape and clean as much of the wound as he can in the office. If the pain gets to be too much for Amy, however, we'll have to go back to the hospital for another outpatient surgery. This would be her 7th surgery since June of 2007. Our prayer is that Amy will be able to tolerate the procedure in the office. If only her determination were enough! The Dr said it will be a quick procedure. Amy's response was "all I have to do is keep breathing!" She's one tough girl. We know that God never gives us more than we can handle, but sometimes I wish He didn't think so highly of her!
I called the Dr in Denver today about having her seen for the RSD. There are a few dominoes that have to fall before we can make that happen, but we're hopeful things will fall in place soon. It would be great if she could be seen over the Christmas break so she won't miss more school. But at this point we'll do whatever it takes to get the help she needs. Keep checking back for updates as we find out more. Thanks again for your love and prayers.

one tough cookie

Amy is now getting by with no meds at all...not even Tylenol.  She's just so tired of taking things and is rebelling.  I can tell by watching her walk that she hurts, but she doesn't complain.  We have a lead on a pain managment Dr in Denver, so I'll give them a call tomorrow and see how quickly we can get her in.  Amy realizes her dreams of culinary school need to be put on hold for now.  She just can't be on her feet as much as that would have required.  She's working on "Plan B."  She said to me the other day, "I can glorify God no matter where I decide to go to college." She said even if her foot is miraculously healed, she's not going to second guess God's plan for her life and switch back to culinary arts.  She knows His plan is unfolding as it should.  I'm not sure I was ever so mature in my walk with Christ at such a young age (or at any age, for that matter.)  She's wise beyond her years. Thanks to everyone who is lifting her up in prayer.  We're so thankful for you!

bittersweet

It's a much quieter house this morning after all of the commotion last night.  Laura is packing up to head back to school and is already "in the zone."  It was wonderful to have her home.  There's just something about seeing with my own eyes that things are ok when they've been away.  Last year she was constantly stressed, and her healthy was often affected.  Yet she's learned to deal with that stress more effectively this year and it's amazing to see how well she's handling it (or she's just really good at faking it!)  She turns 20 on Tuesday.  No more will I be able to say I have 3 teenage daughters.  Something tells me in the blink of an eye they'll all be gone.  I need to remember to cherish these days.

Music to my ears...

Today we changed the wound vac dressing and were blown away at the changes we could see in just 2 days.  It's amazing and exciting!  Amy is now getting by on minimal Tylenol and is happy to be off of Vicodin so she can drive again;  she's a happy girl.  Her Uncle Andy is here from San Diego for the weekend and we've been laughing practically nonstop.  Laura came home, too, so I have all of my chicks in the nest for a short time, and it feels really great.  When Laura, Amy, & Bethany get together there's never a dull moment!  

Doctor's Visit

This afternoon we saw Dr Jain for the first time since surgery 2 weeks ago, and thankfully, it was a good visit.  He's extremely pleased with how her wound looks compared to what it was not long ago.  She's beginning to get some closure in areas that have a lot of granulated tissue.  The wound itself is larger than a month ago due to the surgery, but the original area is considerably smaller and that's where the skin is beginning to form.  The wound vac has been a blessing for sure.  We talked with Dr Jain about the idea of taking Amy to Children's Hospital in Denver to see someone about her RSD.  It's a totally separate issue from the wound and isn't something he specializes in.  He was very supportive and said if we want her to also be seen for her wound there in order to get comprehensive care, he'd wholeheartedly support that decision as well.  At this time we feel really good about how the wound is progressing and plan to stay the course here.  But it's nice to know he wants what's best for Amy and will back us up in whatever we decide.  Honestly, we've had awesome doctors all around.  While her body's reaction to things hasn't been normal in many ways, it's not a reflection of the care she's received.  Each and every doctor has been wonderful, and they have all adored her and loved  her way above anything we could have ever imagined.  As you continue to pray for Amy's healing, please pray for her doctors as well.  Believe it or not, they ache to think of all she's going thru, too.  All three have become friends to us along the way and we're blessed to know them. Emotionally, this has been a roller coaster week for our family.  We hit low points a couple of times, but now we're ready to pick ourselves up and get moving in the right 
direction.  Amy only has 6 more weeks in the semester.  She plans to take only 2 AP English courses next semester so she can concentrate on resting and healing.  She'll also take an online math course to "keep her finger on the pulse."  Our prayer is that God's will be abundantly clear regarding Amy's future.  I know she's tired, but she has a great 
attitude considering all she's had to deal with in the past 18 months.  Please keep lifting her up!
Our thanks to each of you.

~Patty

What's Gone On Before...

Rather than send out e-mail updates every time we have news of Amy’s progress, Laura set up this blog so you can just check it whenever you have a moment.  For those who don’t what’s going on, here’s a summary of what’s been consuming our world for almost 18 months.  In June of 2007, Amy had surgery on both feet to correct some development issues that were causing her pain.  She spent 10 weeks in casts and started her junior year in a wheelchair.  It was an exciting day when the casts came off and we thought the worst was behind her.  Unfortunately, several weeks later she still had pain and swelling in both feet.  We were sent to a pain management Dr who began nerve block injections.  While these helped short term, it soon became obvious that she needed something more.  A different drug was injected that the Dr hoped would last much longer.  Her left foot responded well, but her right foot reacted adversely to the medication and she was left with a gaping wound.  We were sent to a new Dr, this time at a wound healing center.  The thick scab that had formed was cut off in hopes healthy new tissue would begin to form.  Just a week later she had a bulging vein that required surgery before it burst and sent her to the ER.  The Dr cut it out and tied off the ends.  Unfortunately, we ended up in the ER anyway when she hemorrhaged while on a quick errand with her Dad.  It wasn’t pretty!  With that taken care of, we soon began twice weekly mist therapy treatments with occasional debridement.  All of this has been extremely painful for Amy.  She certainly never expected to have foot trouble well into her senior year, yet she was again on crutches and occasionally in a wheelchair.  Currently she’s wearing a device called a “wound vac” which creates negative pressure and pulls the unhealthy “junk” out of the wound and into a portable canister which she carries 24/7.  We’re still going to appointments at least three times a week and she’s missed a lot of class time.  Two weeks ago she had her 6th surgery, this time to open up a tunnel which had formed under her skin.  It needed to be cleaned out before infection set in.  The original wound is now much larger...about 5 cm.  But we had to take two steps back in order to move forward.  With the wound vac back on, things are finally looking much better and we’re hopeful she’s well on her way to total recovery in that area.  Unfortunately, we’re still searching for relief from the RSD (reflexive sympathetic dystrophy a.k.a complex regional pain syndrome) which developed after the initial surgery.  In other words, she still has pain and swelling issues and walking with pain has become her new “normal.”  Whew!  Now that you know what’s been going on in her world, you can check back periodically for updates if you’re interested.  Amy’s optimism in dealing with adversity has been truly inspirational.  We lift her up daily to Christ and are so thankful for each and every prayer spoken on her behalf.  Thanks for loving on her; she’s my hero!