Grace (NOT EMMA) is Super Brace Free

7/9/13

So I've been told I need to clarify something!!! Emma is still in her Super Brace. Grace (her BFF or twin sister as Em called her this morning) had her Super Brace removed yesterday and is doing great!!! Grace has been Em's pioneer through all this and is a month and a half ahead of Em in her journey. One reason I update on her process is that I love her like my own and the other is so we can look ahead to what the future holds.

Grace is in a full leg cast and is weight bearing! I just received a little video of her walking with her walker!!! Go Gracie Go! She's expected to be in the cast for a month and then begin PT.  Picture below of Grace and her newly decorated (all by herself) Super Cast! So Cute!!!

Grace Gets Her Super Brace Off

Monday 7/8/13

I know its been awhile and apologize for that but wanted to let everyone know that Grace is getting her Super Brace removed as I type this.  We are so excited for the Burke's!!!

Em's doing great.  We've had her first X-ray and all was good.  Second X-ray will be on July 17 and Em's removal will be scheduled around the week of Aug. 17th if all goes as planned.  

We are currently just enjoying a little PT!!!

Day 81- On The Road

Sunday 5/19/13

It was a slow morning at Grammie's. The girls played in the pool and on Grampa's tractors while we did some last minute organizing.  We finally said our goodbye's to Grammie and Grampa around 2pm and headed North to Jacksonville to see the Burke's! 

We arrived at Gracie's place at 4:30 and were received with open arms!  The girls headed right for Grace's room to play!  

Mandy made taco's and we enjoyed catching up.  After dinner, we gave Em a bath before we packed up to head for NH.  As we were loading up, Kevin arrived from spending the weekend with Sydney who took 5th place in her gymnastic meet- congrats Syd!!!  

It was nice to catch up with Kevin for a few but we were anxious to get on the road so it was short and sweet.  We headed out of Jacksonville and pulled into Auntie Trina's in Mamaroneck, NY, Monday afternoon.  We were welcomed by Arthur and Murphy with open arms and paws! Trina made us dinner and I took Teagan and crashed for the night!

Day 80- Girls=Seaworld and Dad=Packing

Saturday 5/20/13

Mima and Boppa came over for breakfast and helped with getting Mom and the girls out of the house so I could start packing and cleaning.  They all departed for Seaworld somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00.  

I ran around town doing the fun stuff like returning cable boxes (2 hour ordeal), closing out accts, gathering supplies and back to the hoise around 2pm to get to work.  I packed the house up and out, loaded it into the trailer, cleaned and put it back together the way it was when we arrived by 1am and was able to stop by Kim's and give her everything and anything we had laying around. Bless your heart!  Hooked up the trailer to Grampa Sid's truck and away I drove.  

The wife did call at 6:30 pm with an update on the day at the whale park (it wasn't too crowded, it was hot, Mima and Boppa are as wiped out as the kiddo's and everyone had a blast).  She proceeded to call every hour or two asking me for an update or to tell me how much she loved me up until 3am when I pulled into Grammie's. I was out like a light just after the cuckoo clock struck 4am.

Day 79- Yahoo!!!!!! DETAILS!!!!

Friday 5/17/13

Grampa Sid came down this morning to help pack up if we got good news. Mima and Boppa came over to help out with Maddie and Teagan while Mom and I went to PT and our anticipated final doctors appt.  I dropped Mom and Em off and they got Em's pictures taken and then went to PT, as I dropped off a key to our house with realtor and then back to catch up with them at PT.

Em was excited but sad to say goodbye to Don, Laura and Carolina.  She gave Don a card with some pictures and a little gift. Em received a t-shirt that says "I survived ...Paley Rehab!"  Hugs, kisses and c-ya soons and off to our appt!  

We caught up with Caroline and Jennifer (both great woman and just two of the many who run Dr. Paley's show).  Caroline gave us the inside scoop on her planning of the big Paley Foundation event that will be held in December at Mar-A-Lago (Trump's place) and then a party at Dr. Paley's house. With Em being the poster child for the event, we got the invite!  Dr. Paley walked in as we were discussing this and Caroline told him she thought she should reach out to MJ, as he has ties within the community and Paley said, give him a call... They were talking about Micheal Jordan (Air Jordan, His Airness, #23...), this place never seems to stop amazing me!  I gotta give Mr. Trump a call and see if he can pull some strings at Trump National (he should know someone!) and set up a tee time for himself, MJ, ME (Eric OBrien) and Phil Mickelson (or anyone else those 2 would like to play with would be fine by me).  OK- my pipe dream is over but I'm just saying- I could humor these boys for 4 hours!  Anyway, back to the appt... Dr. Paley chats it up and Em gives him a collage of her journey.

First thing he said was, "What was I thinking with that facial hair? My wife made me do it".  That made me laugh... needless to say he complimented it and asked Caroline to hang it in the hall for all to see. Then he sat down, looked at the X-rays, did his measurements and turned around and smiled saying we've exceeded our goal of 5cm!  The only issue he had was that Em's right knee MAY be what's considered a little "knocked knee" or turned in.  He explained that it may just be the x-ray but regardless it's nothing to be concerned about.  He will take a look at it when we have the fixator (Super Brace) removed and if the knee is turned in, he will insert an "8 plate" at that time which is inserted into the knee for about a year and then removed which will correct it.  I remember Kevin mentioning Grace having this done so I relied on him to educate me once again. He explained the process and that Grace actually has two- 1 in her ankle and 1 in her knee and there is nothing to be concerned about so therefore I'm not (see Gracie's x-ray of her 8 plate in her knee). 

Thank you Burke's once again for setting our minds at ease and being our full back.  We'll take the lead in the next one!

So I asked Dr. Paley the timeline from here which goes something like this:

Tape up all the Struts as turning is complete

Go home with the Super Brace on and do PT until removed

June 17th have X-ray done and email to Dr. Paley

July 17th have X-ray done and email to Dr. Paley

Prior to Aug 1st return to have fixator removed and 8 plate insertrd (if necessary) which will be done at the same time and have a cast put on 

Prior to Sept 1st return to have cast removed (possibly have removed in NH and email X-ray's

Sept (after cast removal) until necessary continue PT

First week of December return for follow up (Foundation Event and Party as well)

July 2014 return for follow up and have 8 plate removed 

Yearly follow up until next lengthening which is estimated to be 7 years from now.

Once again, hugs, kisses and c-ya soons to all and off to tell everyone the good news- of course, the Burke's were the first to know with virtual (text) high fives, hugs and kisses going on!  Back at the home front, we decided to relieve Grammie of her 77 day stay of being a full time maid, butler, chauffeur, nanny, mom or just "Gammy" as Teagan would say- to name a few.  Thank you Mom, Mom-In-Law and Gammy for everything you have done for us as we couldn't have done it without you!!!  Oh yeah and Nurse Katie asked Em today (who is either a blog reader or listens to Em's Grammie stories) to ask Grammie if she could have Grammie as hers too... Em said NO.

Finally to wrap up day, the girls, Mima and Boppa went for a swim and hung out with Kim, Kinley and ...you guessed it- Hannah, Hannah, Hannah!  They all came back for dinner and the girls were destined to get their sleep over. All went perfectly!!!

(Sorry for the horrible picture but best I could get in the dark!)

Day 77- Frank's House

Wednesday 5/15/13

Frank and Jake hosted a neighborhood party tonight! I walked into a livingroom full of girls and Jake and a kitchen full of women and Frank... I think I ruined both of their nights! Then George and Scott showed up so I didn't feel so bad. Frank made great steaks and chicken on the grill and everyone else complimented with some side dishes. Great grub guys- Thank you!!!

Story time: After dinner the kids were ready to play in the street. This is a quiet neighborhood where everyone drives slow as most people have kids or are old, so usually nothing to worry about. Unless a cat jumps off the roof and onto your windshield and you freak out and run into your own garage... or ... Your sitting in your livingroom on a quiet Sunday afternoon watching a little tv and taking a nap only to be shaken to the floor from someone driving through the middle of a traffic circle and into the front of your house! Yes, both have happened in this time that we have been here and I won't sell anyone out but we obviously need an enforcer. Naturally, Frank has taken on the role as the Street Nazi as he lives on the corner to our street. He puts the turtle holding the flag out in the street along with the tripod that says "I'll kick your arse if you speed" or maybe "slow down". Either way, he's our protector and he's not a petite man so most wouldn't get out of their car to mess with him. Anyway, returning to the story, the kids are playing as they always do and I come out of my place to find a car parked in the middle of the road and some guy in Frank's face. I thought I was back in Swanzey so I run over to cold conch this guy and all I hear is Frank saying, "Hit me, go ahead hit me". So I decide to save this guys teeth and kindly escort him back to his car and ask him to go back to wherever he came from. We got all the kids inside the house, the guy leaves and then we see him walking back toward us from down the street.  All ended well and it made the night that much more memorable!

Special Gift: Emma complimented Lauren  on her beautiful sea glass necklace and Lauren proceeded to take it off and put it on Emma and told her that it was her's to keep as something to always remember her adventure in FL.  So sweet and Thank you!!!

Day 76- Is it really time to pack?

Tuesday- 5/14/13

Today was a rather typical day of the kids going to the pool with Mom, Grammie cleaning and doing laundry and Dad working. Mima and Boppa left for the West Coast to see Uncle Joe. Nothing new on the home front besides preparing to leave. We got some boxes and bins and rented a trailer...now its time to fill them and hopefully not have to unpack them until we reach NH. I think we are all a little hesitant as we don't want to jinx anything but also that we've been welcomed into a community of great people who are now friends! As excited as everyone is to get home it's going to hard to say "c-ya later", especially for the girls and all their new little buddies.

Funny story- Maddie asked what road we were taking to get home, which I thought was a little strange but figured she was leading me down some path. I told her 95 babe and she said and that goes by Gracie's yellow house right as we have to have a sleep over. The kid doesn't forget a thing!!!