Always look on the bright side of…

What a whirlwind this past week has been.. actually each week seems to go by quickly. It’s such a contradiction as it also feels like a lifetime since the operation and like it will be an eternity before the Ilizarov frame is off..

 X-rays taken this week really gave a clear picture of the extension that has occurred to date with the distance gained between the bone(s) now very evident. 

The femur (top) showing clearly the length gained, the tibia (below) also has reasonable growth somewhere amongst all if that metal!

On Thursday(30 June) I was back in Brisbane for my specialist appointment to discuss these very X-rays. I’m always appreciative of everything that my friends and family continue to do for me and Jellina went above and beyond on Thursday driving Mum and I to Brisbane and back to attend a 20min appointment on the last day of the 2015/2016 Financial Year! As the the Owner/Manager of the BOQ Gympie 30 June it is a VERY busy day – and she juggled the numerous calls, emails and drama throughout the day  without a word of complaint. (Thanks again Jell love you).

Ivan (Dr Astori) is happy with the progress of the extension. The femur looks decidedly longer than the tibia, primarily because the tibia is being ‘straightened’ out a little also, which had resulted in the actual length gained being slightly less, but in total still just over 4cm!

‘That’s great’ everyone chimes when I tell them..and yes it is but I had my heart set on 5cm total growth!! This was for a couple of reasons.. firstly, it would signal I was halfway through the lengthening process and secondly it would allow me to put a timeframe on when I would be done.. a light at the end of the tunnel if you please!

I just really wanted to be halfway! Cause.. pain has increased, sleep is more difficult and I’m generally feeling a bit over it.  I shouldn’t be disappointed as everything is going well, the lengthening is evident, my knee is still strong and the pain and swelling I’ve had is all considered ‘normal’.

Ivan mentioned this was the first time he’d seen me complain… Mmn obviously he’s not spending nearly enough time with me! Lol. 

In my upbeat/cup half full kind of way I suggested to Ivan, ‘oh well by some miracle I may have more growth next week when you see me!’ my eyebrows raised in hope. I was met with a steady eye and a dry ‘No Rosie that won’t happen’ (bummer).

I like Ivan’s honesty and matter of fact approach. It’s really necessary as this process is not straight forward, every single element of the lengthening has the ability to take a turn in the wrong direction, there are so many variables along the way. Ivan is static.

So I decided to give myself a virtual slap.  I have lengthened my leg more than 4cm!. Instead of 12.5cm I now have an 8ish cm difference, that’s pretty amazing in 4weeks! Somehow describing it this way sounds better, positive!

And then… Friday I woke to some really red and painful wire sites! Oh no…my heart dropped. The dreaded infection of the wire sites I have heard of and tried desperately to avoid!!  Friday evening I (thankfully) decided to start taking the antibiotics Ivan had given to me in the event of this happening.

Apparently it can and does ‘just’ happen. The pain I have experienced around the wire sites is pretty intense and I’ve had a few good cries -as a result I had to crack out the virtual slap again!

So as opposed to graphic pictures of yucky pin sites… here I am trying to look the bright side!!

I’m getting this ‘infection’ stuff out of the way, the weathers nice, my kids are on holidays and my hair is getting long.

Accepting all positive healing vibes. 💕