more snapped info.......

Well, here you go. The first EVER voluntary photo of my feet. Sam's mom found the green polish and Kaitlynn happily painted away. (Looking at it makes me think of toe fungus, but it will hurt Kaitlynn's feelings if I tell her or remove it). The new cast is purple, so it looks even funnier now! The toes are still a little swollen, but they look a lot better than they did last week.

I also wanted to post the next photo, a picture of the x ray done after surgery. You can't see it all, but there are 14 screws, 2 plates and a few rods. After breaking all the bones possible, they basically had to reattach my foot. The picture is upside down, but I couldn't change it.

I still find it hard to believe that I injured myself this badly tripping over a baby gate!!!

We are on day 18. Almost three weeks. I am still on the couch day and night. I miss sleeping in my bed! I am able to use my knee scooter so I don't have to use the crutches. I will ;post a picture of that contraption soon.....I don't think I had ever seen one before. No weight on the foot for a minimum of 6 weeks. But with the rolling knee scooter and I roll all over the house and get to the bathroom quicker. I am SO thankful there is no carpet downstairs!

I have been in a lot of pain, it has gotten worse. Pain so bad I can't sleep. I went for my regular visit to the surgeon yesterday. They took out the rest of the stitches, did more xrays, tried again to get my foot to a 90 degree angle, and put on a new purple cast. I told her how I was feeling and she started asking weird questions. When she asked me when was the last time I had eaten, I knew something was wrong.

I was diagnosed with CRNS, complex regional nerve syndrome. Apparently, because I broke every bone possible, all 4 major nerves in the foot were damaged. They are now going haywire. They can't (or won't) control the temperature of my foot. It either feels like it is in boiling acid or in the freezer. The pins and needles feeling all over and stabbing pain, all constantly. I won't lie, it is probably the worst pain I have ever been in. I can't sleep.

They immediately sent to over to another hospital and doctor, where they put me to sleep, then injected my spine through the side of my back with a medication to shock the nerves in the left leg. Apparently, they need to stun them to stop them from doing what they are doing. I am on a super strong drug as well. I will need 3-4 of these spinal injections in the next month to stop this syndrome. The good news, is that is was caught early and has a 90% cure rate when they do catch it early. The bad news it that it makes it worse before it gets better. Lets just say last night was a LONG night. But my back muscles hurt so bad I was able to not concentrate on my foot for awhile. The good news is my back is fine today, and I THINK the nerve attack is better. Usually by this time in the evening I am pretty miserable, but the pins and needles are gone right now. It is still boiling and stabbing, but I am glad one of the symptoms is gone!!!

I was able to do some housework today. Well, I was able to roll around and give instructions and watch the kids actually do all the laundry and cleaning. :)

Our church has been unbelievable. The prayers and visits and cards and calls have just helped me so much. 18 days out, and food has been brought EVERY single day. What a blessing that has been. They hired a cleaning service for a month and did it without asking so I couldn't tell then no. They pick up the kids for things since I can't drive. What a blessing it has been to me to see the serving and loving actions of these people that we have so fallen in love with.

Trying to find other positive things, it has been a good life lesson for Collin and Kaitlynn. They have had to do a LOT. Not just for me, but for the little ones to. I can't go upstairs, so Kaitlynntucks Kaebrie in for her nap and also handles putting away all the clothes upstairs. They are learning to take initiative and do something when they see it needs doing and not wait to be asked. Learning to serve with love. All great Biblical things.

Sam made some decisions and came home to tell me. On Monday, Kaebrie will start a home pre-school program nearby and Tiff will go to Kindergarten at the private Christian school down the street. They will both be gone from 8-11:30 all week. I was a bit shocked, but it will be for the best. That gives me the morning to fully concentrate on 6th grade and 4th grade with the older 2. Kaebrie will LOVE it, as she begs Io DO school all day long. She is already reading and wants to do more! Tiff THRIVED the few weeks we had him in Kindergarten in Idaho while we got ready to move. Both his teacher and the principal are close friend in our church, so I know they will keep an eye on him and love on him.

I will start physical therapy in a few weeks, and with them gone in the morning, if I can schedule morning appointments I won't need to find childcare every time. Apparently, I am going to have to work EXTRA hard in order to be healed enough to be able to walk our planned June Disney vacation. That news kind of stunned me yesterday. I figured I would be walking no problem WAY sooner. I mean June is MONTHS away.

One more question to answer, if you see the black straps around the green cast. I am cast-a-phobic and never knew it. The night before the first cast was put on, I panicked thinking about it. I mean, what if you HAD to get it of!? How could you? What if you felt something and looked down and saw a spider disappearing into it? I would pass out. SO I told the doc, who did her best not to laugh, said it was weird, but she had heard it before. SO the cast is cut into two pieces and held tight with the heavy Velcro. I am not supposed to take it apart. I have NOT taken it apart. But knowing I can in the case of a spider emergency, takes the phobia away.

So that is the foot news from Yazoo. I so appreciate all your prayers!!! Friends and family are a true blessing in life!

Updates soon and pictures of the chicken coop and 5 chickens soon!

Snapped

I consider myself to be somewhat more adventurous than the average girl. I grew up water skiing, snow skiing & white water rafting, I have repelled down mountains & hiked up volcanoes. I can not remember the number of times I have fallen off of or been thrown off a horse. I have bungee jumped.

But it was a simple baby gate that got the best of me. Right about noon, on Friday, February 13, with one arm full of school books and a mug of ginger ale in the other hand, I stepped over the baby gate that kept the new puppy in the kitchen, caught my toe, and fell, unable to catch myself. I remember one loud scream, than not being able to breathe because the pain was so indescribable.

I knew. I knew instantly I was hurt, and hurt bad. Kaebrie was with me, and when I could catch my breath, I screamed for Collin, told him to call Daddy and tell him I had fallen and he needed to come home RIGHT NOW. I told Kaitlynn to get a lot of ice, and I asked for the phone to call a neighbor. I never cried. I think I knew i needed to stay calm because the kids were scared. Kaitlynn was already crying and Collin was shaken up, could not remember Daddy's phone number at first. But don't worry, I have made up for not crying that day.

Sam and Susan arrived at the same time. I had not moved, I was still sitting on the kitchen floor. I did have Kaitlyn go get a clean sock as one was wet with spilled ginger ale. Sam and Susan pulled me up and it was so hard to make it out to the van.

We made it the the ER here, the 15 minute wait feeling like hours, the foot swelling and swelling and turning colors. maybe it was just bad sprain? After the very painful x-rays, the doc came back and said both the tibia and fibia were broken, and we had to go to Jackson.

More phone calls, we ended up having 3 shifts to cover the childcare, I convinced them I would rather be in my van than in an ambulance, and off we went. That 45 minute drive also felt like hours. But I was very grateful for the 2 shots of Demerol.

We get to the next hospital, and they were very quick. Quick check in, more xrays, another confirmation of broken bones, then setting it, then a cat scan to see where all the small pieces were. A referral to an orthopaedic surgeon for the following Tuesday, allowing time for he swelling to go down, pain med prescriptions, crutches, and then home.

We got home after 9pm, I made it to the couch, and except for 3 doctor visits and one 2 hour surgery, I have been on this couch since then. The pain has been worse than anything I ever experienced. A few trips a day to the bathroom, and the rest of the days and nights trying to find a comfortable position.

My mom came for 6 days, then Sam's parents came for 4 days, and when they left they took Christopher and Kaebrie home with them. My dad is bringing them home today, nine days later. I have never been separated from them for that long before, but it was for the best. I can't do anything for them and I felt so bad that I needed the quiet.

I now have a lime green cast on with black velcro straps. Tomorrow I go back and might change it to purple. Kaitlynn painted my toes green to match. I do have a picture!

One friend pointed out that the name of my blog, SNAPPED, was very appropriate now. Maybe I need to think about changing it now. Any ideas??