I’m starting to think that we are settling in to some routine, some new normal. I know Sarah’s life will never be the same as it was prior to November 1, 2013. Quite frankly, it won’t be the same for anyone in our family. But things have at least gotten more ordinary, more regular. Sarah is staying busy with her classes and her time with the USI cross country teams. Her physical therapy is going very well. Last week she went in to her appointment with flexion of 125 degrees cold, which is outstanding. And her appointment today was even better. She got to 126 degrees! I know one degree doesn’t seem significant, but when you consider that 8 months ago she could only bend her knee to 50 degrees, this is huge. We’re happy for every single extra degree she can get. Ann, her physical therapist, said her quad is getting stronger because she’s walking around and using her muscles. With her increased activity, her flexion continues to improve. Her extension is still holding its own around 0 degrees. She’s walking well. She has to wear a walking boot because of the foot drop on the left side. She can walk with a regular shoe on that foot but the nerve pain is so bad that it hurts to not have it supported by a walking boot. We will know in a couple of weeks whether she’ll have to have a tendon transfer to her foot. I hope not; I hate to see her put through another surgery. But she can’t wear a walking boot forever. Sarah got a really good report at occupational therapy yesterday. She saw Dr. Perry, and he was very pleased with what he saw. Her tendon transfer was a huge success. She doesn’t have to see Dr. Perry again for three months. She also gets to cut back on her occupational therapy visits. She has been going every week since her surgery on June 18; she doesn’t have to go back for a month. She will continue to work on her own between visits. She has a little bit of a problem with her hand. Her fingers are working very well, and she can hold her wrist and hand in a neutral position. However, one of the transfers is stuck under one of her ligaments. It is making it so she can’t extend her thumb completely and she can’t bend her hand forward at the wrist if she has her hand in a fist. The tendon needs to be stretched out but it has to be lengthened slowly. It is overwhelming to see her hold her hand straight up/out. Just a short three and a half months ago her hand would be dropped at the wrist and would have just hung there. It’s amazing that an outpatient surgery gave her nearly full function of her hand and, most importantly, eliminated the nerve pain she was having. Reed’s cross country team had a very good showing at a large meet at Bedford North Lawrence last Saturday. They finished third out of 25 teams. It’s hard to believe that it’s already the post-season. The PAC meet is this Saturday morning here in Tell City at the Hoosier Heights Country Club. I encourage you to come out to the meet to support the boys and girls on the junior high and high school teams. These kids have worked so hard and they have logged so many miles. And a cross country meet is just so much fun to watch. Lauren is doing well and looking forward to her fall break. She and Brittany went with us to Reed’s meet last Saturday, and they’ll be home again this weekend for the Conference meet. Sarah is coming home, too, for the race on Saturday. Reed will be so happy to have his girls there cheering him and his team on. Sarah plans to drive home on Friday by herself. This is the first time since the wreck. Am I freaking out? Yes, more than a little bit. I’m not sure I’ll be able to breathe while she’s on the road. I knew this day was coming, I knew she wouldn’t be content much longer having one of us drive her to and from Evansville. But that’s not helping right now. But her anxiety level is much better; she thinks she’ll handle the drive fine. I know it’s time. If she’s ready, I have to be ready. This Friday will mark the 48 week point since Sarah’s wreck. Today is the 11 month anniversary. Is it possible it has been almost a year? Just as Sarah is, I’m working to get to a new normal, too. I know my adjustment is nothing like hers. I don’t have the physical struggles to deal with, the constant pain, the managing of therapy appointments, pain medicine, etc. But she is constantly on my mind. I’ve been able to work more, even though my schedule is quite erratic. I’ve been able to cook more, and I make it to the gym 6 days a week. Sleep is still an issue. But as Sarah gets better, I’ll get better. I went to Evansville yesterday morning to meet Sarah at her appointment with Dr. Perry. When I got back to town, I just felt the need to drive around our beautiful county. When I’m home I’m in a constant state of get this done, get that done, mark this off the list, be sure to remember to do that. I needed some time to enjoy the amazing weather, to get reconnected with this beautiful area we live in. I needed to take a little time to slow down. I’ve been so stressed about trying to get caught up at work, trying to keep my head above water at home, everything, that I just needed to breathe. I drove up to Rocky Point then out Gerald Road, out to where my grandparents lived, and went by our family cemetery. I thought about my sister and how I wish she was buried here. I want to visit her grave but there is no way I can find it in that huge cemetery. I completely understand why Bill wanted her in Louisville. I just miss her terribly. It was so pretty out in the country. The trees are starting to turn, the corn fields are being harvested, the sky was the most beautiful blue, the grass is still green and lush. It was so nice to spend a little time just taking it all in. As the weather makes a drastic change on Friday, I hope each of you can take a few minutes to reflect on where you’ve been, where you’re going, and, most importantly, where you are. Count your blessings. Appreciate your friends. Hug your kids and tell them and the other important people in your life how much you love them. Take nothing for granted. In the words of Henri Frederic Amiel, “Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.” Thank you for being a part of this dark journey with us. Our world seems, on most days, to be getting a little brighter. With love from the Goffinets – Darla, Chris, Lauren, Sarah and Reed
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 00:59:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015