Our New Routine

The girls had off Monday for MLK day.  It was the only bump in our schedule.  No doctor appointments this week.  The weather is warming up, too, so it is nice to wheel Gretchen out to wait for her bus in the driveway.  Last week we had some deep freeze warnings.  It was down in the 20s at night so even by 7:30AM we were freezing outside.

Yesterday the afternoon bus driver remarked how gorgeous the day was.  We are sunny and high in the 80s.  As Gretchen was being wheeled to the lift, I said it must be nice, my daughter isn't wearing her jacket.  See even in our triple digit heat, my daughter has a jacket on.  She is always complaining of being cold.  When she got down out of the bus, I noticed she had a book in her lap.  My daughter is getting so comfortable on the wheelchair bus, she is reading.  Although this morning she told me it started to make her feel woozy.  She had to stop and look out the window.

Last Thursday at her four week post-op, the doctor pulled the pin out of her heel.

Here is the pin.

We had a little bit of a struggle getting Gretchen to remove the boot.  But once we got her boot off, the doctor pulled the pin without a problem.  She was holding tight to both Mom and Dad with her eyes shut tight.  She kept saying, Tell me when you're going to pull it out.  The doctor had it out while she was still asking to be informed when he was going to pull it.  She was one happy little girl; she didn't feel a thing.  The doctor rewrapped her foot in the ace bandage, trying to convince Gretchen it is no longer necessary.  Well Gretchen is still not ready to look at her foot.  I've asked her a few times since then if we can unwrap it, no.

I hope she will be willing before X-rays next week.  The doctor wants the next set to be weight bearing.  Gretchen did have her foot out of the boot last night, flexing her ankle.  She was complaining of growing pains in her leg.  She said moving her foot around usually helps.  So I settled her on the bed and let her move it around a little.  Still couldn't get the ace bandage off.  The doctor mentioned physical therapy at the last visit, but nothing is set up yet.  I'm thinking it will be at the six week appointment on the 31st.

In the meantime, Gretchen is still using the wheelchair to get around.  She told me a boy from her homeroom insisted on helping her get to specials yesterday.  She has gotten very good at wheeling herself around the campus.  When specials were finished, one of the student advisors was in the 6th grade pod.  The boy told him how he helped Gretchen.  Gretchen said the advisor told him he could have a front of the line pass for lunch today.  Now Gretchen thinks everyone in school wants to help her for selfish reasons.  I told her it's just that the wheelchair is a novelty