Chad's Surgery

Chad has been having shoulder pain for the last 6 or so months.  It was sore at first and gradually got worse.  It got to the point that he couldn't lift up the kids.  We made an appointment for him to get an MRI.   But the soonest they could schedule Chad to see the Orthopedic surgeon here in Ogden was late November.  Not until after seeing him would we even be able to schedule a surgery. 

That was a bit too long of a wait.  I was able to get him in to see Dr. Bitner, an Orthopedic surgeon in Tremonton.  He looked at the MRI and said that Chad had a lateral tear in his labrum.  We were able to schedule the surgery for the next week on the 16th. 

They went in and found that Chad had ripped his labram in half.  They had to re-attach it and add some tissue from somewhere else. I did learn that Chad does not handle anaesthesia well. It took him 3 hours to be awake enough to leave. He was totally out of it. They brought him in to the room and he looked at me and said "Hey Babe!" and then tried really really hard to wink at me.  Oh Chad on drugs is just too much fun!

He gets to be in a sling until Mid-December and isn't allowed to really use his shoulder for another few weeks after that.  I just hope it doesn't snow a lot. Guess who'll be out shoveling the driveway? Oh and did I mention he cannot help me with Toby at all.  No diapers, no laying him down in his bed, NOTHING!  He's literally one handed right now.  I get to help him do a lot of things.  It's like having another kid as I cut up everyones' meat at dinner.

His recovery is going well.  He's doing Physical Therapy and slowly getting some strength back. Call me selfish, but I can't wait until he can change a diaper again!

Random pictures

Guess who got into the carmel dip?

Somebody loves spaghetti

Cowboy had crazy hair day for Red Ribbon week.  Mooch wanted to get in on the action.

Literally the best picture of Mooch I had.  He was a little excited to go Trick or Treating.

Bump in the road

I took Little T down to Primary Children's Medical Center on November 8th.  We went to their gastroenterology department where I was hoping they'd find out what is causing all the problems for  Little T .  They drew his blood and ran 8 or so tests to make sure everything is going okay.  One of the tests was an allergy test another was for Celiac disease. 

I finally got a call back from them and the Nurse said the tests all came back negative.  Which is great but it's also VERY frustrating.  He's not allergic to wheat and yet if he eats it he's up half the night screaming.  In the end is doesn't really matter that they came back negative, it just would have been nice to have an answer. 

He's on a Gluten Free diet and it's helping a ton.  He went from eating only 4-5 oz bottles to 7-8 oz bottles.  He's eating a lot more solid foods now too.  We're slowly figuring out what to feed this kid.  I've tried a few GF bread recipes and he gobbles them up. 

But I'm grateful that we've figured out that the Gluten was causing the pain.  I'm grateful that it's a "simple" fix.  Yes, it's been a tough year figuring all of this out.  But other than this little Gluten thing he's a very healthy and active boy. 

I've had a few things give me a little perspective over the last few weeks.  I was at Primary's to get some tests done and see a doctor, that's it. 

We have friends from college who are currently watching they're beautiful 5 year old girl fight cancer.  Reading their family blog is heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.  I just can't imagine having to watch your child grow through the things she's had to.  They are one tough little family. 
Walking through Primary's was also a smack upside the head.  I watched a little boy just older than Little T be wheeled down the hall in a hospital bed crying.  If that wasn't a slap in the face I don't know what is.  It seriously broke my heart to see so many sick children.  I just had a little prayer in my heart for them.
All of this is just a reminder to me that in the grand scheme of things, this gluten thing with  Little T  is a small bump in the road.