I’M RETIRING!!

This is Ronnie.  Yesterday was “doctor day”.  Four appointments, three of which went great.   No problem with the stitches coming out from the “pre-cancerous” spots that had been removed from head.  Follow up at the shoulder surgeon was the most encouraging.  The surgeon said, “I couldn’t be more pleased!”  He let her discontinue her sling, told her she could drive and now is on “phase 2” of recovery.  The first phase had been basically healing with some assisted movement.  Now she will get more into total movement of her arm.  This will be the focus for the next 6 weeks.  She still isn’t suppose to hold anything heavier than a coffee cup and has to be careful about what she does with her arm.  The next phase, in about 6 weeks, will be strength training and trying to build the muscles back up.  So, we are getting there.  We’ve seen and heard about people that just started back doing things after rotator cuff surgery and at times it was discouraging to hear that from people.   After talking with the physical therapist about it, he explained to us that rotator cuff surgery has many levels.  He said it’s like saying you just ate a meal which could have been a cracker or it could have been a five course meal including steak.  He said the type rotator cuff surgery Sue had would have ended most professional athlete’s career.  It was the worst there is in rotator cuff surgery.  So, that helped, because Sue would think, “am I just a wimp?”  Both the surgeon and the physical therapist made it very clear that what she had done was major.  But, they are both very excited about how Sue has been doing her “motion home work” and taking it seriously.  They say that is what will make the differnce in not just making it better now, but fixing it for life.  Physical therapy has now been dropped to once a week during this phase.  Later in the day, we went to the oral surgeon to discuss the options about Sue’s tooth (which began hurting again a couple of weeks ago).  This surgeon suggested she look into a root canal first to make sure it is a cracked root, before spending the money on the implant.  So, I think that is what we are going to do. Who knew this tooth would be such a confusing process.  We were in Greensboro on Sunday at Sue’s mom’s house with her family for an early Christmas dinner. It was a great time and fun to see everyone again.  Katie and Steve spent the day and night with Steve’s parents over in Garner and will be back about mid day to particapate in “Cookie Day at the Lowe’s.”  Katie and Steve, Jeff and Lyndsey, and Steve’s brother Pete and his girl friend Lindsey will come over.  We will have pizza and decorate some Christmas cookies.  Should be a good time.   We really enjoy when everyone is around.  We are not making a lot of plans, just kind of playing the days “by ear” and enjoying the time we have with our kids and their very special spouses.   So now the retiring part.  Well, after much thought, I’ve decided it’s time for me to retire from updating Sue’s blog.   She has come a long way in the last 6 weeks and it’s time for her to take this back.  Thanks for checking her 0ut and once again, God Is Good All the Time.

Cookies, Kids, Friends and God’s Perfect Plan

Ronnie here.  Sue has had a pretty good week.  Physical therapy went good both times this week.  She had her six week assesment this afternoon and she is right on schedule for recovery.  We really enjoy her physical therapist.  He really knows what he is doing and takes very special care of Sue.  Monday is DOCTOR day for Sue, so we will be pretty busy with that.   She has four appointments on Monday; physical therapy, follow up with shoulder surgeon, dermatolgist to get stiches out from some pre-cancerous spots that were removed a couple of weeks ago and a preliminary oral surgeon appointment.  Her tooth, the one that wouldn’t come out, is starting to bother her again, so our plans are to go ahead with the implant.  At least the last month bought us a little time.  So it’s all good.  There are several things we are really excited about.  Katie and Steve are coming tomorrow and we are having early Christmas as Sue’s mom’s  house on Sunday with all of us being there.  Sue and I made some cookies last night and Sue is getting them all cooked for our “cookie making day” on Tuesday.  Katie and Steve, Jeff and Lyndsey and Steve’s brother and his girl friend are going to come over and we are all going to decorate cookies for family and friends.  Sue has some activities planned for us which include the wearing of reindeer antlers.  Should be fun. Billie Jo our life long good friend came over today and took Sue out for lunch and then they went and had their “nails done” together.  We really cherish her friendship.  She always knows just when to call and what to do.  Yesterday Sue’s good friend, Elaine, came by and they went to lunch and hung out.  She too is such a good friend.  I am off work until Jan. 2nd, so I am really looking forward to just chillin’, hanging out with Sue and the kids and just whatever. This has been a very interesting year.  The Lord has taught me so much, especially about myself.   We have been so blessed in so many areas of our lives.  His plan just continues to  prove so perfect and we look forward to this coming year and watching how so many things in our lives just continue to unfold and fit into place.  I am so glad that He is in control.   His plan is perfect and He IS Good All the Time!!!!

She’s fallen and can’t get up

Ronnie again.  I know this is a sooner than normal update, but I had to share something that happened last night, while it was still fresh on my mind.  Since Sue’s shoulder surgery, Nov 4th, she has been sleeping in the recliner in our family room.  A couple of times she has tried to sleep in the bed, but it just doesn’t seem to work.  From what we hear, it’s pretty normal because of the way the shoulder tries to rest on the bed.  I’ve been sleeping on an air mattress near her in the family room.  I can sleep on a window seal, so this is no big deal to me.  Although, just last night I was considering sleeping upstairs in our bed, but I didn’t.  About 4am, Sue got up to go to the bathroom and when she came back, she accidentally tripped over the leg of the recliner and fell face down on the floor between the couch and our coffee table.  She was stuck.  Luckily she didn’t get hurt and luckily she had her sling on.  Besides the fact that she can’t really move her arm much, one of the other reasons they require you to wear a sling for a long time is to prevent you from making normal quick reactions like trying to brace a fall.  I rolled over and started slinging stuff away from her so she could get up.  Like I said, she didn’t get hurt, other than a little sore. It’s one of those things that, with time, will be really funny.  It showed today at physical therapy and she wasn’t able to have the movement in her arm she had last week.  But from what the physical therapist was telling us today, it is perfectly normal at this stage to have visits like this one.  Four more days and I’m off until after the 1st, so I am excited.  Then I can get Sue around and not worry about her staying here by herself.  Terry Witt, our good friend, came and got her today and they went for a walk around Apex lake and then went for lunch.  That was great and she had fun.  Katie and Steve are coming in this weekend and we are excited about spending time with them and with Jeff and Lyndsey over the holidays.  God is good all the time.

Life is Good

This is Ronnie.  Sue is doing good.  Today we had a pretty full day.  We spent the morning out and about.  Went to BJ’s and did some shopping.  There we saw some good friends and spent some time catching up.  This evening we attended Jeff Liberto’s wedding.  It was loads of fun.  A beautiful wedding and a great reception.  Sue wasn’t sure what she was going to wear and remembered she had a dress her sister had sent her.  It fit great and she looked “hot”.  We had a great time and it was fun seeing several of our old friends, including John and Sandra Liberto.  It is so good to see those boys, Jeff, Billy, Jeff and Matt all grown up and all married and leading such good and God focused lives.  We have been so blessed.  We had fun seeing Jeff and Lyndsey there with all their friends.  Sue had a good week at physical therapy this week.  They were pleased with her progress and were very encouraging.  Today when we were at BJ’s, Sue walked over to the bakery area.  She was just standing there looking at the cakes and stuff, then she turned to me with tears in her eyes.  I asked her what was wrong and she said, “for the first time in my life, I am able to look at cakes and candy and not feel like people are looking at me thinking what that fat lady is doing looking at food like that.”  Her weight loss has been more than just losing weight, it’s been more than just getting rid of medical problems, it’s also the self esteem that it has produced and the confidence she now has in herself.  I am so thankful for all that has happened, the good and the bad, during this past year.  It has been a year of thanksgiving for us and a year that I know we will never forget.  I want to thank each of  you for your prayers and your encouragement this year.

                                   

                                                    Before surgery  and today.  WOW, can you believe it!

Sloooooowly but Surely

This is Ronnie.  I guess when we heard about the recovery period of Sue’s shoulder surgery, you think, well they say six months, but I’m sure it’s not that long.   Well, this time I believe they are going to be right.   This is so much more involved than I could ever have imagined.  Sue is doing good,  just ready to get back to normal.  It’s been one year and two months since she has had a “normal” time.  Between the weight loss surgery, the hernia surgery and now this shoulder surgery, well, it’s been a year, that’s for sure.  I say all this not whinning because we have been blessed in more ways than I can say.   This week was a little bit of a roller coaster in that Sue hasn’t felt very well.  On Monday her physcial therapy session didn’t go very well.   She struggeled to get where she was last week in her therapy.   Her physical therapist has been really good and encouraging, but not being able to improve was a little discouraging and then she started having issues with her right knee and her stomach.  Amazingly, she has been able to maintain her spirits.   On Thursday, the phsical thereapy session was much better and her knee and stomach are better.   I “peeked” throuh the window to watch what they did to her.  It was amazing to me how she has no use of the right arm on her own.  The therapist would take her arm and move it for her.  They really don’t want her doing anything, which right now is tough on her.  It’s kind of like when you’ve had the flu or something and you start getting well and you think you feel like doing something, but you just can’t.  That’s where she is right now.  Not being able to drive is really tough because it kind of keeps her here at home.  Our good friend Elaine came and got her one day and they went to Peneras and shopping and just had a great time.  We do appreciate her friendship.  We went and visited Katie and Steve last week over Thanksgiving and had a great time.  We started the process of fixing up their nursery so it will be ready when little St. Pete gets here.  We had supper with Jeff and Lyndsey this week and they are doing great.  We appreciate all your prayers.   As always, God is good all the time.