We had a wonderful day today. I'm tired. Very tired. But it was a wonderful day. So many things to be grateful for this year.
Grateful for:
* Watching the kids enjoy the heck out of each other today.
* Watching Thomas play with two good arms again for the first time. (His surgery on Thursday was super smooth and successful.)
* Church on Christmas Eve (old tradition).
* Sitting around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve night in pj's, reading the Christmas story, and deciding what we're going to give Jesus for His birthday. (New tradition and we're giving Him a goat purchased through World Vision).
* A new baby growing on the inside, but loved like he/she is already on the outside.
* Feeling hopeful this Christmas. (Read something this morning that triggered the tears, remembering how hopeless I felt last year).
* Feeling so thankful that my kids are so loved by family that they're showered with gifts; truly as an expression of that love....but also hurting on the inside for the "way too many kiddos" in the world that have nothing, let alone a stack of gifts at Christmas.
* Love. Love that truly was born on Christmas.
Hawkins Family
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Not As Planned
So this afternoon's trip to the surgeon did not go as planned. We arrived right on time to find out the doctor was running at least an hour behind. I immediately assumed it was due to him having an emergency surgery. Maybe I'm wrong; I didn't ask. But as someone who's child has benefited from this doctor and his emergency surgeries in the past, I was content to wait.
After a while, not sure how long, they called us back. The doctor's assistant told Thomas he'd be taking off the cast. Then T would get an x-ray, followed by the pin removal.
Cast off....check.
X-ray....check.
Pin 1, 2, 3....check. Assistant declares, "You're done!"
"Wait," I say, "He had four pins in there."
We both look up at the x-rays. Yep, four pins. (Moms don't forget details like that!)
From what I remember from the post-surgery discussion with the doctor, three pins is standard, but he didn't feel T's elbow was stable with the three, so he had to insert a fourth, pretty much opposite the original three.
The assistant wasn't prepared for a second wound area, so he cleaned everything up, and left for a minute to gather more supplies to retrieve that last one. When he came back in, he offered that that last pin had migrated so Thomas needed to have another x-ray to verify it's exact location.
Second x-ray....check.
Then, we waited, for quite a while. At this point, I'm thinking....OK, so this thing's really in there and he needs the doc to get it out.
Well, yes. He needs the doc to get it out. When the doctor came in, he examined T's arm and then informed us that the pin migrated so much that it's now fully enclosed in his arm. Not even a wound where it entered. The skin completely healed over it. So....only option, go back into surgery to remove it. That's where we'll be Thursday afternoon.
The doctor was very apologetic. Said it happens, but is rare. Wild. He even bends the end of the pins at a 90 degree angle after they're inserted to avoid this happening. Wild.
At the end of the appointment, I can honestly say I wasn't (and am still not) upset at all. (Well, upset for T that he has to go through surgery again, though this one won't be anything like the first. Just a tiny incision to remove the pin. They may not even fully knock him out.) Knowing what the outcome could have been had we not had such a skilled surgeon, this to me is a small complication. Aside from the pin that decided to go for a swim as we've described to Thomas, the bone looks beautiful. It's reset perfectly. The new bone has grown in perfectly. I just can't be caught up with the pin thing.
Thomas was a trooper again today. As soon as the cast was about to come off, he got scared. Think he realized his "safety net" was about to be taken away (and it was.) He does have some pain and the pin removal was more dicey than I was lead to believe, but he did amazing. He's all wrapped up again in a half-cast splint deal to keep everything protected until (the second) big day.
And we did go get frozen yogurt tonight as promised, even though he still had to eat it with his left hand. :)
After a while, not sure how long, they called us back. The doctor's assistant told Thomas he'd be taking off the cast. Then T would get an x-ray, followed by the pin removal.
Cast off....check.
X-ray....check.
Pin 1, 2, 3....check. Assistant declares, "You're done!"
"Wait," I say, "He had four pins in there."
We both look up at the x-rays. Yep, four pins. (Moms don't forget details like that!)
From what I remember from the post-surgery discussion with the doctor, three pins is standard, but he didn't feel T's elbow was stable with the three, so he had to insert a fourth, pretty much opposite the original three.
The assistant wasn't prepared for a second wound area, so he cleaned everything up, and left for a minute to gather more supplies to retrieve that last one. When he came back in, he offered that that last pin had migrated so Thomas needed to have another x-ray to verify it's exact location.
Second x-ray....check.
Then, we waited, for quite a while. At this point, I'm thinking....OK, so this thing's really in there and he needs the doc to get it out.
Well, yes. He needs the doc to get it out. When the doctor came in, he examined T's arm and then informed us that the pin migrated so much that it's now fully enclosed in his arm. Not even a wound where it entered. The skin completely healed over it. So....only option, go back into surgery to remove it. That's where we'll be Thursday afternoon.
The doctor was very apologetic. Said it happens, but is rare. Wild. He even bends the end of the pins at a 90 degree angle after they're inserted to avoid this happening. Wild.
At the end of the appointment, I can honestly say I wasn't (and am still not) upset at all. (Well, upset for T that he has to go through surgery again, though this one won't be anything like the first. Just a tiny incision to remove the pin. They may not even fully knock him out.) Knowing what the outcome could have been had we not had such a skilled surgeon, this to me is a small complication. Aside from the pin that decided to go for a swim as we've described to Thomas, the bone looks beautiful. It's reset perfectly. The new bone has grown in perfectly. I just can't be caught up with the pin thing.
Thomas was a trooper again today. As soon as the cast was about to come off, he got scared. Think he realized his "safety net" was about to be taken away (and it was.) He does have some pain and the pin removal was more dicey than I was lead to believe, but he did amazing. He's all wrapped up again in a half-cast splint deal to keep everything protected until (the second) big day.
And we did go get frozen yogurt tonight as promised, even though he still had to eat it with his left hand. :)
Cast Off....Coming Soon!
Superman's cast and pins come off and out this afternoon. He can't wait to "play with two hands!"
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Words of Promise
God has given a son to us....His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God....Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Every Christmas I read this reminder that came in the mail several years ago:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, god would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, "God Sent Us a Savior", by Roy Lessin.
Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. Phrases filled with the reason we do it all anyway.
He became like us, so we could become like Him.
Angels still sing and the star still beckons.
He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love.
From Grace For the Moment by Max Lucado.
Just can't stop thinking about that last line. He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love. Wow. Amazing. Wow.
Every Christmas I read this reminder that came in the mail several years ago:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, god would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, "God Sent Us a Savior", by Roy Lessin.
Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. Phrases filled with the reason we do it all anyway.
He became like us, so we could become like Him.
Angels still sing and the star still beckons.
He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love.
From Grace For the Moment by Max Lucado.
Just can't stop thinking about that last line. He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love. Wow. Amazing. Wow.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Christmas Preparations
Our first Saturday of December was a busy one. Clayton's last football game of the season was first. (I'll get some photos uploaded soon, they're on my phone since I forgot the camera.) Afterward, we headed home for showers and lunch (and a nap for Gaby) before running off to Thomas' preschool Christmas program. All the kids were dressed so sweet and sang their little hearts out. Thomas was such a trooper, singing and doing the actions with only his left arm. It was really cute!
After the program, we headed out to find the perfect Christmas tree. It was quite a chore this year, taking three stops at different lots to find the one we wanted. We did find a pretty one and the boys, especially Thomas, were all about decorating it. Here's a couple photos. I have yet to take a photo of the finished product, so you'll have to wait on that. It's lovely and especially endearing to me with lots of ornaments clustered right at four-year old height. Gaby's loving the tree, but doing a really good job with "no touch."
I've been really on top of Christmas shopping early this year and decorating, but the cards have fallen to the wayside. I finally have them finished, though they haven't arrived quite yet. Anyway, I wanted to take a photo of the kids in front of the tree this year, but it didn't work out. This was the final (and truthfully, probably the best!) attempt. They looked half-asleep or bored to death in all the others. We went with a photo from the summer. Hope to have them in your mailboxes soon!
After the program, we headed out to find the perfect Christmas tree. It was quite a chore this year, taking three stops at different lots to find the one we wanted. We did find a pretty one and the boys, especially Thomas, were all about decorating it. Here's a couple photos. I have yet to take a photo of the finished product, so you'll have to wait on that. It's lovely and especially endearing to me with lots of ornaments clustered right at four-year old height. Gaby's loving the tree, but doing a really good job with "no touch."
I've been really on top of Christmas shopping early this year and decorating, but the cards have fallen to the wayside. I finally have them finished, though they haven't arrived quite yet. Anyway, I wanted to take a photo of the kids in front of the tree this year, but it didn't work out. This was the final (and truthfully, probably the best!) attempt. They looked half-asleep or bored to death in all the others. We went with a photo from the summer. Hope to have them in your mailboxes soon!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Update on T
Today, we went back to the surgeon for a check-up. The arm is looking so, so good! They took x-rays again and everything is looking like it's in the right place and healing well and quickly. The doctor mentioned he sees a slight rotation, but he thinks it was the way the x-ray was taken and not actual rotation of the bone. We'll keep praying.
The plan is to take the cast off and remove the pins two weeks from today. Yay! He'll be back to normal just in time for Christmas! (And we've already planned to go get ice cream that day that he can hold and eat with his right hand!)
The plan is to take the cast off and remove the pins two weeks from today. Yay! He'll be back to normal just in time for Christmas! (And we've already planned to go get ice cream that day that he can hold and eat with his right hand!)
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