A Crazy Few Weeks

It all started on January 18th when our son had surgery on his left foot. They did a tendon lengthening on the one that comes down the front of your shin to the top of the foot. They also split it and anchored a half to each side of his foot. They also lengthened his Achilles as well as performed a fusion in his big toe for the fourth time. Being a complicated surgery it was the last of the day. By the time we got home it was midnight. He's non-weight bearing for another month or so. We got up a few times a night to dispense medication so sleep has been tough to come by. Plus, we are both working at home some, on location some. Throw in doctor visits (neurologist for meds to keep his leg calm) and the surgeon. Got his post-surgical cast removed last Tuesday, and will get sutures removed this week with a recasting as well. We finally have his meds right (muscle relaxants) and are moving forward.

Last Sunday morning my daughter calls and tells us her brother-in-law (26) died the night before. Drug related. Tragic. He came from a family with resources (often a curse) who had paid for rehab three times, who had offered employment, college, but he wanted no part of it. So throw in a funeral on Wednesday.

When we return home from the service (son stayed home as it was two hours away and he's using a walker right now) we breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe some sleep tonight? No way.

The phone rings and it's my wife's sister in Florida. Their mom, who lives a mile from us but still has deep roots in FL, was spending January down there and was due to return home today. That was before an F150 ran a redlight, made a wide turn in the process, and nailed my mom-in-law. The impact pushed her car into a head on collision with someone who did stop for the light. My wife's aunt was in the passenger seat and suffered two broken legs (one a compact fracture) and three broken ribs. That got her a four hour surgery and some ICU time in Lakeland. My mom-in-law was transported to Tampa with a broken sternum, bruised heart, and broken foot that required surgery and hardware. Both women are fit but 72 and 74 respectively. Both are headed to rehab facilities.

Mom-in-law has great auto insurance as well as BCBS and Medicare. I'm hoping we can get them to transport her home ($2600) but in all likelihood that will fall on us to rent a van, drive down Friday after work arriving around 2am, pick her up in the morning and head back. She says she'll never drive again. We'll see.

So now it looks like we will have two non-weight bearing patients in the house. Oh well, that's life. And work doesn't look too bad right now.

I hope things really do happen in threes. If so, I think we are in the clear for a while.

One thing I did do during this that is a positive is accept an invitation to go to Red Rocks in July for Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon, and Keller and the Keels. We'll need it.