You may remember a post back from the fall with Judah singing this song to Kevin. Well, 6 months after Kev’s operation, Judah still wants to be like him :)
Wrestling
We are visiting our family in northern KY this weekend, and for some reason, Kevin and Steve started wrestling. I walked in after it started, and this is what happened.
Kevin chases Judah McQueen
Although Kevin continues to use his cane for everyday activities, he has been trying to practice going without it. Last night, Judah was pretending to be Lightning McQueen with his balance bike, and Kevin started chasing him.
He said it was pretty difficult to run, partly because his skin gets sore after wearing the leg for awhile and the extra jarring doesn’t help. We think it will just be some more time before his leg is more desensitized. He also needs to practice running! He has to learn how to place the foot down in a way that will make the leg move quickly. And on top of that, this foot is really for walking. There are other feet out there that will give him a “springier” return with every step, but for now, we are more concerned with stability for walking.
In any case, here is the video :)
Also – just realized it has been exactly 5 months since Kevin’s surgery! We have come a long way, haven’t we?
Kevin’s new gun
Kevin went to Nashville all day today and returned with a new toy – the Mityvac!! Don’t know why they spell it like that…
It is like a reverse pump. A vacuum pump. So he sticks it into a tiny hole in his new socket and pumps, and it sucks the air out. Pretty neat, huh? We will find out tomorrow how he likes his new socket.
The vacuum goes on the little black thing sticking out of the metal part. As you can see, his leg is already wearing his pants for tomorrow. It wears them to bed in order to expedite the morning dressing process :)
Long overdue!
Well, friends, again it has been a long while since we have updated. Christmas season really got away from us in a good way, and we have been very busy since, getting everything back in order around here.
The great news we have to report is that Kevin had his follow-up appointment with Dr. Schwartz last Friday, and there is no evidence of any more tumors anywhere. Praise God! We are so thankful that, at least for now, it seems that our “drastic but hopefully permanent” solution to these is working. Dr. Schwartz was very happy with how Kevin’s stump looks as well. He has one fluid-filled spot where his femur stops, which could need to be drained if it gets bad, but that is really not a big deal at all.
As far as Kevin’s mobility and rehab are going now, things are generally pretty great. We have had some fit issues with his socket, which is to be expected as the size and shape of his residual limb has changed dramatically. This Friday, he is actually going back down to Nashville again (I think that is 4 weeks in a row?) to get a new socket, which will utilize a vacuum and suction. Hopefully that will solve a lot of the issues.
Kev is still using a cane, largely due to the discomfort caused by the fit of the socket. We would love for him to be rid of it with this new socket but aren’t really in a hurry either.
The kids are great, I am great, and this January has been a really fun month so far for all of us. I am finding that I have a lot of energy, more than I have had in several years, actually, which is very exciting for me. I keep making plans and filling our calendars, and Kevin has to remind me that he is still recovering! So I am restraining myself but am really relieved, especially after these latest test results, that a new season of normal life seems to be on the horizon. It may be a slower pace of normal than we are used to, but that’s okay :)
God has dealt with us so gently, hasn’t he? From Psalm 103…
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
Hi everyone! It has been forever, and that it because we have been super busy with moving back into our house and doing Thanksgiving/Christmas things. Kevin wrote an email to Donna from Superior Orthotics and Prosthetics this morning, and we thought we would just copy it for you to read how he is doing. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the adjustments Kevin describes below, know that they are pretty minor things, more about fine tuning than gross adjustments. We continue to be very pleased with how much he is able to do and how quickly our life has returned to a state of normalcy. Thank you so much to Rob, Donna and everyone over at Superior for your excellent work and care for us!
Donna,
Good morning! Here is an update on how I’m doing:
Wearing the leg on average 12 hours a day – up to 14 hours at most I think at this point. Pain is continuing to go down well, but pelvic area definitely still tired/hurting at end of day. Finished my first full week back at work last week and 10 days total now – going great! I’m walking here as much as I use to before amputation. Longest walk at this point with family is probably ¾ mile much of which was up down a significant hill in our neighborhood (could walk further, but needed to get kids home). Driving is going well.
Struggling to still figure out high density rubber soled dress shoes that I wear 4 days a week. It’s also strange going back and forth between dress (M-Th) and tennis shoes (F-S).
Moved to switching between 6 ply and 8 ply with long pin. Could not get pin to lock into socket at beginning of day in 8, but started bottoming out in 6 ply as soon as I put it on (6 clicks). Even in 8 ply I was rotating some. Switched to short pin. Now wearing 6 ply and short pin with 1 click (rarely 2 or 3 clicks).
When donning, strap pulled as tight as possible (plastic pushed together) and still feels loose. I’ve trimmed down the liner, but it is still coming too high into me. Also feeling loose at the bottom of the liner. I also adjusted the ankle, as it seemed the leg started to rotate outwards. Still not sure if the leg isn’t set slightly too high.
Leg feels like it doesn’t have great support, i.e. likely too loose in socket. As an example, when I’m sitting my femur will, every now and then, jerk/roll in a painful way as leg moves in socket.
Also – I am trying to figure out how to handle clearing snow in my driveway this winter that is a very steep hill. Also curious in general about recommendations for navigating ice/snow.
Thanks to you and Rob!
Kevin
Back Home and Birthdays
We have sort of taken a hiatus from blogging because things have been absolutely crazy around here. At the end of last week, we moved back into our house, and Kev went back to work. We also had our kids’ birthdays!
After we took Kevin to his first day back to work, we spent the morning of Audrey’s birthday, Friday, at the doctor’s office. They already were scheduled for their yearly checkups, but then Audrey woke up with hives. In our 49 degree house. (We had to turn off the heat until the ducts could be cleaned because of all the dust from the bathroom work.) Turns out she has a penicillin allergy. The hives lasted a couple days, but they didn’t seem to bother her.
We had fun on Judah’s birthday too.
