It is Official…2018 is in the books and my Spartan is ready to roar into 2019!

After having stitches in his left foot since November 8 (3 different surgeries), the last set were taken out this morning.  These had been in since November 28, and as you can probably guess, were not that easily removed.  For the record, he did really good…”oochie wa wa” was only uttered twice and the hat only went over his eyes once.  Finally, after having to keep his leg elevated for the last 5 weeks, he is now able to put it down normally.  What that means…He can now sit in the front seat of the car and we can begin eating at the dining table again.  Little things….but normalcy.

The Plan going forward:

Kelly’s first visit with the physical therapist will be Monday.  Per Dr. A’s orders, my spartan can put weight on his foot twice a day for 30 minute periods during therapy.  The rest of the time, he will remain on crutches or the scooter.  After two weeks, he can be on it as much as is tolerable.

There will be a visit with a regular oncologist to determine if radiation is needed.  Dr. Abbaschian does not believe it will be necessary but wants a second opinion with another oncologist to determine that.

For the BIG NEWS-

We met with Francois Van Der Watt this afternoon about a plan for the prosthetic.  He was extremely encouraging and we are confident in his abilities to give Kelly what he needs to have the quality of life he desires.  Molds / casts were taken to begin the process of designing the prosthetic.  What he has in mind looks fairly simple but is engineered in such a way that Kelly should have full mobility to run, exercise, drive the tractor, work his cattle and do anything else his little heart desires.  There will be a few trips involved but luckily we have a great place to stay when we come (thanks Rick and Mona!).  We will return in 2-3 weeks for the first fitting.  Too bad it’s not football season so we could catch some games!

These past few weeks have not been without their challenges.  I had a bit of a meltdown at the airport in Dallas while heading to Illinois for Christmas.  Kelly has struggled watching other people do “his” work.  Boredom has set in at times, and there has been frustration from not being able to do the simplest of chores.  These are the times you realize just how much you take for granted.  Simple things like opening the gate, being able to take out the trash or carrying your own coffee.  It’s hard to carry a full coffee cup on a scooter!  But through it all…most importantly…Kelly has maintained perspective.

As difficult as this has been / is /will be…this world is full of hurting people.  People who are struggling through challenges of all types.  People who are struggling alone.  While this event has certainly been a challenge, we have never been alone.  We serve a powerful God who holds us in the palm of His hand and who has surrounded us with His children.  We have been blessed abundantly and will be forever grateful.

My spartan is doing great, his spirits are high….it’s been a very good day.

Listen to His Voice,

Lee Ann

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