March 23, 2011

Mom is home AGAIN!!! After a slightly longer than anticipated stay in the burn unit following the infections they found through surgery, she is comfortably at home on the couch with me. She is currently taking an antibiotic along with several other vitamins and pills but is finally on the road to healing. With faith and determination we hope to avoid long stays at the hospital for a VERY long time...forever would be nice.

Their alterations to her neck have made a massive improvement to the skin's pigment, appearance, and overall mobility. She will be off of Susie Q for a few weeks while her stump is healing, but she is still very mobile with her walker. Overall, her wounds are healing well and her daily bandage changes will continue for at least another month.

Thank you all so very much for your continued support. We cannot say enough to convey how much we appreciate the love and strength that so many people have given our family.

March 14, 2011 Surgery Update

The surgery went as well as it generally does in Mom's experience. They ended up doing z-plasty (a "z" shaped cut into the skin to relieve tighter areas) in four areas around her neck and under her right arm to improve her mobility. They then took skin from her right thigh to graft over the neck and underarm areas.

They also grafted the small over the small area on the front of her right thigh. Apparently for consistency's sake, Mom's body threw us another curve ball. A small wound that we have been watching and medicating on her stump was found to have led directly to her bone. The infection required them to open the area to revise and clean to prevent any further issues.

She will be recovering in the hospital for a least a week and be off of her prosthesis (affectionately referred to as Susie Q) for at least two weeks to allow the stump to heal. We will be doing a happy dance the day she no longer has to have any bandage changes and forth coming surgeries. We are all praying for a quick recovery so that she can get back home and have the worst of EVERYTHING behind her.

March 13, 2011

First off, we would like to thank everyone who attended or supported the Coyote's hockey game on Thursday. The foundation did very well and with your continued support they will be able to help so many other families that have been just as or even more impacted by burn trauma. The majority of our family was able to attend including MOM. She marched up and down the stairs with more verve than any of us could have expected. She continues to amazing us everyday with her quirky humor and dedication to life, family, and most of all her love that absolutely consumes anyone and everyone that is blessed enough to be a part of her life. Just this past Friday, she stood up along side her walker and started to charge off across the living room without it. She has become more comfortable walking around inside the house everyday. Her St. Bernard Mia isn't quite used to being gentle as she slumps up against anyone willing to rub her belly. We are convinced that walking constraints will only be momentary. Mom will be back to her daily jaunts around the ranch with Mia in no time with her determination.

She will be headed into surgery early tomorrow morning to finish off, what we hope will be, the last surgery for a very long time. The surgeons will be grafting skin from her inner thigh over the area that had been grafted with Integra previously. They will also be revising a few areas in the neck area to improve her neck range just a bit more. She should be in the hospital for five days recuperating and ensuring that the grafting takes well. We pray that all will go remarkably well and she will be home even sooner.

Dad will be returning to work this week while Savannah and I stay up in Phoenix following the surgery to keep mom company. He would like to reiterated how much we ALL have appreciated the support and prayers that everyone has offered so generously. We truly blessed to have friends and family that are so incredibly compassionate. We are beyond grateful and could never have imagined how powerful friendship and prayer can be when combined to save lives.

Cuddling Ice-Side

MARCH!

Mom and Dad's Kids ;)
(adopted and biological)

Aunt Jo, Mom, and Grandpa

A Whole Bunch of US!

March 2, 2011

For all of you who rely solely on this blog for updates, I am incredibly sorry. This week has been a whirlwind of changes and wonderful advancements. Mom is HOME! The surgery entailed a bit more than we had expected due to previous complications with skin graft attachment but has also given Mom a much broader range of motion. The most important change to note is her beautiful smile that it is now completely unrestricted by tight skin.

The last procedure opened a two inch gap across her chest and under her right arm to give more elasticity for mobility. They grafted the area with Integra and plan to give it a few weeks to develop and inspire tissue in the area before grafting her own skin (from her thigh) over the area. Mom will be taking weekly trips up to Maricopa to assess her wounds and make sure that infection is no where to be found in any significant mass.

She had her first check-up Wednesday and everything seems to be doing well. There were a few small spots that needed deeper cleaning (possibly due to location/irritation) but she is on home again. They also adjusted her leg and it has made a massive improvement to her walking. She was able to walk all the way across the prothetic office holding her walker in the air!

She is scheduled for another check-up on Monday and again on Thursday to determine what will be done in the next surgery. Yesterday evening I drove Mom home while Dad drove the brand new party wagon. We are currently making plans to paint over the elderly home signs and possible add a bass and a disco ball for added effect.

First night home since September!!!!!