He's fine!

So I have been taking alittle heat from some friends who are mad cause I haven't blogged in awhile. Apparently they are all worried about how Andy is doing and don't want to see the picture of him and the staples everytime they check the blog, so to appease Ellen, I mean the friends, here is a new shining picture of Andy with the staples removed 20 days post op. He is alert and oriented and continues to feel better each and everyday. He is doing some shoulder exercises and still using the bone stimulator every night. That is going to be hard to get rid of when Dr. Marc takes it back, it is like his binky now.You will also notice from this picture that he got a new red striped hat. He lost his last one at an appointment and was quite upset, he loves this hat and says people just seem happier to see him when he wears it. (I told him they were laughing at him cause it is so bright and out of context for him) My sister found this one and a black and white striped one at the same shop in Lake Placid where he purchased the last one, it apparently is a classic Adirondack gift that never goes out of style. So I hope you all are as happy as we are that he has it back.

So, I am in a stretching pattern now. All the saline is in the expanders and they are doing their job to stretch my skin and chest muscle. To my surprise and delight, it isn't that bad. I am able to sleep on my back or side comfortably, and I have even been lying on my belly 1 hour a week to get massage! I just did yoga and have been exercising again and it is all doable. I have twangs of stretching/discomfort at my inframammory fold (under my boobs and side) once in awhile, but not often. So I have just been busy being a mom and getting kids here and there, helping at school, getting house back in order, and helping Andy with the businesses. It keeps a girl busy. That and I am back cooking meals for ourselves and the break where you all filled in was good, not only cause it freed me up to rest and heal, but it has made cooking fun again, so thanks for that added bonus. So, I think I already mentioned it, but my next surgery is Feb. 19th. It is a one day surgery where they will take the expanders out and put in the implants. They say it is easier than the last surgery, so I should be up and about in an hour or two once they are done.

So that's it, not too exciting and we'll take it.

Pictures: Ruby & I at the Me and my gal brownie activity. I won, but I waited until the last frame to crush them all! I think it was the bowling shirt that helped. Rex & I at one of his many fun class parties, he has alot of them. Frosty & I at the North Pole, it's winter and we all need to see the friendly side of frosty!

Blog resolution: I promise to try and blog once a week and not spend so much time on Facebook.

Sherie

1 Day Post Op

Here Vanna, I mean Andy, displays his battle wound. He has 20 staples, I know, I zoomed the picture in and counted! I have a closer picture that I think is much better, but Andy said it was too gross, so here is the sen sored one for all of you. So let's get this straight, 1 plate, 6 screws, and 20 staples! It's all about the numbers and hardware for the men!

So, we, I mean, I drove through lake effect snow and ice, again, to get to our 8:15am follow up appointment in Syracuse. We were only 5 minutes late and it wasn't my fault, it was all those silly people going so slow! Geez, ya'd think they'd never seen snow before. The Doctor said everything went well and looks good. Andy can start some light exercises for his arms, but needs to rest through the weekend. He'll get the staples out on the 19th! I get to change the dressing once a day. Years of nursing school finally pay off! Andy said he slept well and his shoulder feels 100% better already. The doctor said if Andy would have fallen or hit his shoulder before, the broken bone could have popped through his skin, so under the advise of Kim, hairstylist/therapist, I recant saying in a previous post that Andy was dramatic when he said he felt like it was going to pop out. Whatever!

He's doing great. A lot less whiny and more self sufficient than after the original injury.

Yeah, now, in 3 months when he can lift more than 5 pounds, we;ll be in good shape. After my last fill up at my doctors office I am sure each breast is probably more than 5 lbs., so I guess he on't be fondling them anytime soon! poor neglected me! Sherie

Surgery Update

Before Surgery

You can all rest, Andy made it in and out of surgery with no problems. His weeks of relaxation training really paid off and he said, "it wasn't that bad" His pain level is currently at the level it was when he arrived at the surgery center, but as the nurse said, "it is unrealistic to think he'll have no pain for awhile"

The Details are this. He was in surgery for about an hour. There was no healing at all at the site and the surgeon noted the two ends of the broken bone where just flapping away, which is what Andy said it felt like! It would have never healed on it's own without surgery, so it's good to know he made the right decision about that. He went under and came out of anesthestia fabulously. He said when he woke up he didn't realize he was done, he thought he was still waiting to go in. So they put in 1 plate and 6 screws, yup, he got screwed out of the 7th one he was hoping for. The incision is about 2-3 inches long and they already took the drain out, so he just has a nice bandage over it now. We go back tomorrow morning for a bandage change and check up @ 8:15am! What is with these early hours these surgeons keep, a girl can't catch a sleeping in day!

So he is resting quietly in the recliner. We realized we had premature recliner return last night and had to go borrow the Everdings recliner again, thanks guys! He is taking his meds and icing his shoulder, Rex is watching him now while I get the word out to everyone. I am working on his medication chart and hope to get a nap in myself before taking Ruby to riding, that'll be nice and warm!

Peace out

Sherie

Andy's last meal

Here's what I made Andy tonight for dinner before he's "nothing by mouth after midnight"

Since I can only exercise my lower body right now, my legs are getting in real good shape as you can see here!

After yesterday's "fill up", the upper torso is pretty accurate too, I never thought of using ketchup for that anatomically missing part of me, interesting. I guess this is what they mean when they say display on a bed of lettuce!

Thanks to my Mom and sister for finding this one! Cute!

Sherie

A plate & seven screws

So tomorrow @ 7:30am is Andy's surgery and that is what he is getting, A plate and seven screws! He hasn't had that many screws since his college days, at least not in one day. Come to think of it, that is probably more than he has got in the past few months combine. So when you think of him tomorrow, don't fret, he is having the most action he has had in months!

Seriously, He has been preparing himself for surgery and listening to his relaxation and mindfulness tapes for 2 weeks. I even downloaded them to his new Iphone so he'll have them on there whenever he needs them! His shoulder was hurting quite a bit with the cold, rainy weather, so he is excited to be going under the knife in hopes that will all get better!

It is a one day surgery, so we should be home by the evening and I will certainly get a quick blog to let everyone know how he is doing.

I had my last "pump up" yesterday. I am full to the brim now. It wasn't too bad at the office as I had taken my 800 mortin, but I woke up in the middle of the night in some discomfort. That heavy feeling pushing on my chest has arrived, but I was able to find comfort on my side, which is better than most can do. I was a bit whiny at the hair salon today, but Kim got me back on track and atleast made my hair look pretty. My "change out" surgery is scheduled for Feb. 19th. just 6 short weeks! It is in and out and suppose to be easier than the last surgery. Should be a breeze in that case.

The year finished uneventfully, which is a good thing in our house these days. We had a nice time at a NYE party and were home in bed by 1am. Quite a change from the 6am we usually get to bed on NYE. Here we are doing nothing but having fun at the party.

So, Happy New Years to all and here's looking to a healthy 2009 !

Sherie