NEVER a dull moment

First, let me say THANK YOU for all of the great questions that you have submitted! Richard and I have really enjoyed reading through and discussing them and we are looking forward to sharing our thoughts with you. I had planned to begin on Monday evening once Evan and I arrived in Philadelphia for surgery, but after a long day of driving and a long week ahead of us, sleep found me before my fingers could find the keyboard.

In addition to the bilateral femoral stapling (to correct the flexion contractures in his knees), Evan was also scheduled to have hardware (plates/screws) removed from a previous surgery. Shortly before surgery his doctor also decided to perform bilateral tenotomies on his feet because they were, once again, beginning to turn back in.

Evan was taken to the operating room at 11:30 am. At 4:30 pm I received a call from the doctor. All of the procedures had gone well, but there was a problem. A few minutes later he met me in the waiting room. When they had gone in to remove the hardware from the upper left femur they discovered that the bone had grown over parts of it. They worked carefully to remove it, but had to remove small portions of the bone with it as well. At this point in our conversation I already knew exactly where this was going. . .I know my son and I know his bones and I knew what was coming. Later, as they were stretching the left foot after performing the tenotomy, they heard a pop. His left femur, already weakened from the hardware removal, had snapped.

Unfortunately for Evan, that means that he is back in a hip spica cast (he spent 6 weeks in a spica earlier this year when he fell off the couch and broke his right femur). His doctor feels terrible, but I am relieved that it happened in the operating room, under anesthesia and in the skilled and capable hands of his doctor. You see, knowing my son and knowing his bones, I have a good feeling that a fracture may have been inevitable. With his left femur already weakened by hardware and bone removal, all it would take is one wrong move for his bone to snap. What if that had happened once we arrived home, 10 hours away from his doctor? So, while my heart is aching for my sweet boy, I am grateful for what is very likely a blessing in disguise.

Evan is doing well. He was under anesthesia for six hours so he has spent most of the last 18+ hours sleeping. They are managing his pain beautifully. He has yet to complain of pain and/or discomfort which is wonderful. He is scheduled for discharge on Saturday, but Evan and I are both hopeful that he may be able to get out early for "good behavior" (I never cease to be amazed by how quickly he bounces back). His doctor is hopeful that he will be able to remove the spica in four weeks.

In addition to the unexpected fracture and subsequent hip spica (which Evan lovingly refers to as the "stinky cast"), Richard's grandfather passed away yesterday morning. His funeral is scheduled for this Saturday. . .in Arizona. It is not likely that I will be home until Saturday/Sunday. Initially Richard and I felt that it would not be in Alayna and Lily's best interest for BOTH of us to be gone, but after a lot of thought, prayer and a generous offer from my mom to take care of the kids at home during the interim, we have decided that he needs to be with his family.

I think it might go without saying that there is truly never a dull moment in our lives and, while it is often exhausting (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually), I find myself deeply grateful that the refiners fire is always burning bright, molding, shaping and strengthening us into the precious gems that our Heavenly Father intends for us to be.

As always, we appreciate your prayers and want you to know that each and every one of them are felt.

Thank you all for your patience as you wait for the answers to your questions! I promise that they are coming and soon!