Matt and I showed up bright and early on July 1st ready to get my big toe fused and hopefully fix the pain once and for all. I was not looking forward to the surgery but ready to get it over with and thankful to have time to heal up in Houston before we had to fly back.
Methodist was a great place. Even though there was a communication problem and my surgery wasn't until 1pm, I was pretty happy in my surgical gown connected to a warm air blower. It was like a cozy blanket and I even got a little nap before the procedure.
Everyone came in and signed where they'd be working. We all agreed to do the left foot!
All done! I ended up being the last one in the outpatient recovery area and we didn't leave until almost 7pm. Matt was really a trooper that day hanging with me. After a quick lesson in crutches, I was sent on my way home. No weight bearing on that foot for the next 3 weeks.
With 7 new pins in my toe, I was pretty thankful to be sent home with a nerve block that really kept the pain at bay for the first 4 days. It also meant I couldn't shower, probably the longest I've ever been without showering, but between the couch and the bed, I wasn't too active. Matt had to fly back the day after surgery so the boys were in charge and took excellent care of me and the house.
We got plenty of visitors and welcomed meal deliveries as well! I was so thankful for all the love and help.
The following week we were excited to see Aunt Stacey and the boys again! They came to celebrate Alex's birthday and keep us compnay.
It was a pretty low-key birthday this year but we got the major points covered - love from everyone and a big ole cookie cake!
We had a very quiet visit...plenty of jackbox time and lots of TV while I rested on my recliner.
I did get to visit the doctor and get the big bandages off to get my first look at the new and improved foot. The bruising was pretty ugly the first few weeks.
After Stacey and the kids left, Grandpa Kirkham helped me drop the kids off at engineering camp at Texas A&M. It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. They needed to get out of the house and have some fun and I was feeling more independent but happy to have plenty of time to rest up in a quiet house.
Eww. The swelling and stitches did not make for a comfortable combination!
The kids had a fun week and learned to love Aggieland (whoop!) and I was driving enough to pick them up on my own. I even scooted around campus a little to enjoy a few things before we headed home.
It was fun getting to catch up with Jakarta friends past and present in the Woodlands! Andrea and Pam came for a few days and rented a house nearby. Even better - I was cleared to start walking in a boot!
These sweet boys kicked off my birthday celebration at the end of the month. On my actual birthday, I got the awesome gift of walking again! I was cleared to walk without the boot but it was slow going for sure and took a while to get more than a few steps at a time.
We made a super quick visit to Dallas for a little more cousin time and to meet their new kittens, Gizmo and Skittles.
Such sweet little girls!
We squeezed in a quick lunch with the Armstrongs and suddenly July was over.
I had planned our summer pretty carefully to get all the important stuff out of the way up front and have plenty of time to recuperate afterward, but it still seemed like it went by too quickly and there so were many people we would have liked to see but just couldn't make it happen. I was so thankful that the surgery and recovery went well. Amazon and HEB curbside were lifesavers, as was my newly licensed driver Ben, who was more than happy to take me anywhere. But I'm also really happy that month is behind me!
