Ex-Fixes Fixed to Exit!
Dad had another follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Thursday. The doctor was very happy with how today’s x-rays looked, especially the right. He said the bones are healing beautifully. Mom commented later that calling Dad’s feet beautiful is Biblical! “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15).
The best part of this appointment was that the doctor set a date for removing the fixators! They’re coming off next Friday!! This morning while Gwen and I were visiting with Dad he said, “I would pay a lot of money just to be able to cross my legs right now!” He can’t wait to get those things removed!
The only reason he’s waiting until next week to remove the fixators is because the right ankle is more weak, which we think is due to the plate and screws in his right shin that were placed during surgery only three weeks ago.
We won’t know how long it will be before he can put weight on his feet until after the fixators are removed. Typically they say it takes three months from the date of the injury to bear weight, but the surgeon will be able to give us a better estimate on Friday after he sees how his feet seem without the fixators. While Dad is under anesthesia for the removal, the doctor will also manipulate both of his ankles to break up the scar tissue that has accumulated.
Dad has continued to thrive in physical therapy throughout this week. His right leg makes more and more progress every day. He is now able to rotate his right leg from the hip back and forth and can move his whole leg from side to side if someone holds his foot up off of the floor for him. The change in his right leg’s function from just one week ago, much less from six weeks ago, is nothing short of miraculous! Dad shows everyone who comes in his room what he’s able to do with his right leg now, and he can’t help but grin as he does so. Neither can we!
Yesterday I went to physical therapy with him so that more of us in the family can help him do more exercises with him back in his room than just the half-an-hour of allotted PT time he gets each day. Today, since he doesn’t usually get therapy on Saturdays, Gwen and I helped him do his exercises. We’re hoping if one of us can do those things with him each day then the PT/OT team will be able to work on other new things with him instead of repeating the basics every day. They have to be able to document progress in order for him to be allowed to stay at the facility. So far, he’s making more progress than any of us expected, including him!
The best part of this appointment was that the doctor set a date for removing the fixators! They’re coming off next Friday!! This morning while Gwen and I were visiting with Dad he said, “I would pay a lot of money just to be able to cross my legs right now!” He can’t wait to get those things removed!
The only reason he’s waiting until next week to remove the fixators is because the right ankle is more weak, which we think is due to the plate and screws in his right shin that were placed during surgery only three weeks ago.
We won’t know how long it will be before he can put weight on his feet until after the fixators are removed. Typically they say it takes three months from the date of the injury to bear weight, but the surgeon will be able to give us a better estimate on Friday after he sees how his feet seem without the fixators. While Dad is under anesthesia for the removal, the doctor will also manipulate both of his ankles to break up the scar tissue that has accumulated.
Dad has continued to thrive in physical therapy throughout this week. His right leg makes more and more progress every day. He is now able to rotate his right leg from the hip back and forth and can move his whole leg from side to side if someone holds his foot up off of the floor for him. The change in his right leg’s function from just one week ago, much less from six weeks ago, is nothing short of miraculous! Dad shows everyone who comes in his room what he’s able to do with his right leg now, and he can’t help but grin as he does so. Neither can we!
Yesterday I went to physical therapy with him so that more of us in the family can help him do more exercises with him back in his room than just the half-an-hour of allotted PT time he gets each day. Today, since he doesn’t usually get therapy on Saturdays, Gwen and I helped him do his exercises. We’re hoping if one of us can do those things with him each day then the PT/OT team will be able to work on other new things with him instead of repeating the basics every day. They have to be able to document progress in order for him to be allowed to stay at the facility. So far, he’s making more progress than any of us expected, including him!
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