MADE IT!

 Graduate

 I am going to start off with a picture of my graduate.   That is all that is really important; however, the past 2 weeks getting her here was rocky.  The week after prom, Samantha was feeling under the weather for most of the time.  She made it into school on Friday only.  The next Monday and Tuesday were finals, but she woke up on Monday with a 102.5 degree fever.  I took her into the doctor and her strep test was positive. The doctor gave her antibiotics and we thought we were good to go.  


On Wednesday, after she missed all her finals, she still had a high fever and was feeling worse.  We went back to the doctor and this time he took blood.  He determined that she had an infection in her lymph nodes and changed her to 'super' antibiotics.  This time it worked; however, the worry was that she had missed all her finals and graduation was on Monday.  


On Friday the school counselor called and explained that even with the zeroes for missing work - Sam had passed all her classes.  She could graduate!  PHEW...

All my kids!

Now it was time to prepare for her party.   Even though she was a big tired and still recovering from feeling so awful, she had a really nice time.  We had her party with Samantha's best friend and her family.  It was wonderful.  So many of our friends and family showed up to wish her well.  We are blessed to have such a big support system!  


The party was on Mother's Day but so many folks took the time to stop by.  I hope everyone had as much fun and I did. It was nice to finally relax and enjoy everyone's company.

My Girls all pretty for the party

Proud Mom with Samantha

Samantha looked so beautiful - and is super grateful for all her gifts and well wishes.           











Monday came and Samantha was a bit worried about walking down all the steps with her classmates.  But she did it without her crutches.  I think it brought tears to our whole family!

Jeremy captured it on video but it is too big for the blog.  Here is a link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP8yZ_iFBJY  It is on YouTube.  


I also have other pictures of her and I will  post those on Facebook - go take a look!


The ceremony was wonderful as well.  The student speaker talked of how they had fought 'dragons' and won.  I know that each student had their own situation, but I couldn't help but think the speech had been written specifically for Sam.  She beat cancer and fought so hard to keep her foot.   She started High School in a brace and on crutches - went thru 5 more surgeries after the first reconstruction failed.  She did another year on crutches and with a brace.  Finally her Junior year, she was walking with no crutches - no braces.  Even though pain was a constant, it was manageable and she was able to be 'normal' - have  job and hang out with friends.  Even though her Senior year wasn't exactly what she had planned, she came thru it beautifully.  She is looking forward with a positive outlook.   I am bursting with pride!


We have a few weeks left before our trip to Italy (we leave on June 17th for 2 weeks).  The focus will be for Sam to get her strength back.  She lost some weight the past 2 weeks.  She also has a spot that hurts a bit more than usual, so we will be working with Dr. Heare and the prosthetist to address that.   We meet with both at the amputee clinic on Tuesday.  I am hoping they can modify the socket a bit to take some of the pressure off the spot that hurts.


Jeremy put together a YouTube of Isabella's Spanish festival.  Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW-fZ-8gbN4.   Isabella has school until June 1st.  We have a couple weeks of fun activities as that wraps up and then there is Camp Wapiyapi.


All three kids are going this year.   Daniel and Samantha will be companions (this is the first time for Sam) and they are super excited.  Camp Wapiyapi is a cancer camp for patients and their siblings.  It is a week where Samantha can be completely normal - no one stares because everyone there has their own issues and understands. 


Isabella went for the first time last year and just loved it!  Every camper under 15 gets their own companion to hang out with - their own special buddy.  


Jeremy and I are ramping up for a busy summer consisting of bike and run races, trips and the Courage Classic.  I will probably post less since this is our busy season, but I will try and keep everyone up to date with Samantha's progress.


Thank you to everyone for all your support and love - it makes such a difference!  more than you know.


Love to everyone! 

Look Ma - NO HANDS!

So sorry it has been two and a half weeks since the last post.   I think I left off with Jeremy heading to Brazil for work.  That was a pretty busy week but all in all productive and successful. Samantha had her first physical therapy session with Tony and was doing great!  

The week flew by as I worked on Isabella's festival skirts and Samantha finished off her homework.  She had 2 more PT appointments during the week and was feeling so great that she decided she would head back to school on Monday.  Sunday evening she discovered that she could walk without crutches!  

Sam was so happy she could walk and it didn't hurt!  Tony wanted her to take crutches to school for a while longer. Her hip strength needs to improve before she will be able to walk for longer periods without getting too tired or limping.  However, Samantha decided to push her limits and she went to school on Monday with no crutches...

She made it thru two classes and really over did it.  We did learn some really good lessons.  Sam knows she pushed it too hard but also realized that her limb had shrunk a bit more which is very common.  When this happens she needs to add a sock - this will keep her from slipping too far into the socket.  Unfortunately - Sam learned this after her Monday classes.  She ended up pulling her hamstring and the side of her leg was really sore.  She didn't have school on Tuesday but she was able to present her Capstone (senior project) Tuesday evening.  Her emotions were all over the place.  She was upset about pushing herself and a bit nervous about her presentation, but she did a wonderful job.  I was really proud of her.  

She was still too sore to make it to school the rest of the week.  PT helped her feel so much better on Wednesday.  Tony taught her some really good stretches for her hamstring and Samantha was back to using crutches.  She decided to baby the leg so she would be ready for Prom.  

We met with Dr. Heare on Thursday - he did an x-ray to make sure the prosthetic is aligned correctly with her hip and knee.  He was so happy to see Samantha happy.  The last time he saw her she wouldn't look at her limb and she cried and cried.  He is loving the progress!  

Friday was another PT session and Tony did more strength exercises, some stretching and she rode the bike!  Samantha is really looking forward to riding more this summer - maybe even doing the family ride during the Courage Classic!

Samantha at PT first time on Bike  

Friday was also Isabella's very important day - Spanish Festival time at GVA!  I had finished the skirts last week and the girls loved them.  I have one short video of Isabella leading the class in a Spanish poem about school time.  You can see the girls wearing their skirts.  We have videos of her dancing and singing as well, but I will have to post the links once we upload them to YouTube - they are just too big  for the blog.  She had such a great time and we learned so much about the different Spanish speaking countries.  

Here you see Isabella's teacher in traditional Panamanian dress and looking so beautiful!

Ms. Troetsche

Then Saturday arrived - finally!  Samantha had the whole day planned out.  We had one minor moment of crisis.  She had ordered her Prom dress online and it didn't show up in time.  Friday night, Sam and I did a last minute run to Macy's and found a beautiful substitute.  She and her friend Falyn got their hair and makeup done.


Hugo - Samantha's date - arrived right on time looking so handsome!


You can see all the pictures below.  Samantha had a wonderful time.  She ended up taking both crutches to be on the safe side but only had to use one for the most of the time.  I also believe she may have set that one aside while she danced the night away!   

The corsage

When she got home last night - extremely tired - she said she had a wonderful time.  It was exactly what she wanted.

Mom's favorite

Samantha and Hugo 2012

Last minute dress - beautiful

WOW!

This next week will be pretty busy as well.  Sam will be going to school (with crutches!) on Monday.  Then after school, we have to give her leg back to BioDesign.  They will review the alignment x-ray, make the necessary adjustments and incorporate them into her permanent socket.  This next leg will be around for 6 to 9 months.  It won't be finished off yet so as her gait changes - the leg can be tweaked.  We will get it back on Wed - so she will make it back to school in time for finals!

Jeremy is off to Moab with the boys for a weekend of Mountain Biking.  The weather is so nice that I may just have to plant the vegetable garden a bit early.   We will see - I am sure I will be busy with work, running Isabella around, Samantha's PT and planning for Sam's graduation party.   Always something to do!

And She's Off

Alright - today was the big day!  We met with Kim - our prosthetist - and Samantha got her leg.


This first picture is what it looks like.  Kim starts with a clear socket so she can see how the limb looks when she is wearing the leg.  It is malleable with heat and so adjustments can be made easily.


You can see the pretty shoes Sam picked out.  They have a specific heal and the leg will be adjusted for this height of shoe.  If she decides she wants to wear a flat shoe, wedges will be used until the rod portion is vertical again. 


The video is of Samantha's first steps - I am so proud and happy...

 This next picture is with just the 'skin'.  When Samantha was cast for the socket, she was wearing this layer.  It will always be the first thing that goes on her leg.  It has the mineral oil on the gel side that goes next to her skin.  As her leg shrinks, Sam will have to add socks over this until the socket fits snug again.  Kim gave us nylon socks, half mil thick socks all the way up to 3 mil socks.


Sam will be able to do any combination depending on how small or big her limb is on different days.

Here you see Sam just before she is starting to walk.  There is a lighter colored sleeve over the socket up to her thigh.  This creates a vacuum seal holding the prosthetic onto her leg.  This is a common first option for prosthetics because the work is distributed up to her thigh and it protects the bottom part of the limb while the incision heals.  Later she can chose a pin option.


Samantha said it felt pretty weird - no real words to describe - but she said she could feel her foot going into the socket...


She still has a lot of work to get her hip strength back and she tends to keep all the weight on her right leg.  It makes sense since she has been protecting her left leg for four years now.  When she started walking she didn't put too much weight on the prosthetic; however, by the end of the appointment she was trusting it a bit more and working on getting her weight evenly distributed over both legs.


When we finally got home, Samantha was a bit worn out - she will sleep well tonight!  


Monday she will start her physical therapy with Tony.  This first appointment will be at the same place as today's - at the prosthetic office.  That way if Kim needs to make adjustments - she can do it right there.   


Next week is going to be fun - tomorrow night we are going to dinner at Carmines.  We do this every year to celebrate our anniversary.  Then on Saturday, Jeremy flies out to Brazil for work and the girls and I have a birthday party to attend.  Daniel and Jennie are coming home for the weekend to help Samantha with her Senior Capstone project.


I will be a single mom for a few days - getting Isabella to her after school activities and Sam to her PT.  I will miss Monday's PT appointment but Sam is OK with it so that is all that matters.


It was wonderful watching Samantha walk today.  No limp and she is so tall!  For the next few days she will wear the leg one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.  She can walk with the leg but she will still need to use her crutches.  Five weeks ago we were adjusting and grieving but today we are celebrating! 


Love to everyone!

Casting for her prosthetic

 So we had a really nice weekend.  It started on Friday with Samantha getting her leg cast.  


This first picture is the 'skin' that will always go on first.  You can see from the shiny side that it has mineral oil infused.  They will trim it to the correct length, even with her prosthetic.


She will wear a sock over this layer and then put her leg into the socket.

 This next step shows a white wet sock over her first layer.  The prosthetist, Kim is marking with a special blue pencil all Sam's bones and the different characteristics of her leg.


She spent about 15 or 20 minutes just inching her way all over her limb and marking it all up.  This is an important step because the socket needs to be cast in a specific way so the majority of the work happens by the upper part of the limb - just below her knee.  They do not want a lot of  pressure on the bottom.   


Sam has additional considerations because at just the bottom of her leg the skin does not have any feeling.  It is part of the skin flap taken from her upper thigh from an earlier surgery.  Since she can't feel it - she has to check more often to make sure the socket works for that portion.
        
Kim then casted a special splint on the front of her shin.  This part - she carefully molded to capture all the contours of her leg.  She kept molding and smoothing - she is like an artist.


Below is the last step - she uses the same material as if you had to cast a broken arm or leg.  Kim moved along very deliberately - she has been doing this for 20 some years.   


Every time Samantha gets a new leg - she will go thru this process.  They warned that the limb changes a lot this first year.  She will probably cast again in about 9 months.

So here is the end product.  She just pulled it right off her leg.  You can see the blue markings on the inside.  


From here - Kim will make a negative casting and then heat a special white plastic for the first socket.  This first socket is thinner and can be molded easily in the office.  


She can see Samantha's leg and will make note of the areas that may be getting too much pressure. 


They took Samantha's height and weight and asked her what sort of activity level she wants to have.  Then they ordered her foot and the rod part of the leg.


We go back on Thursday for Sam to try on the socket and walk for the first time.  After a week of walking in the test socket - Kim will make a permanent one - pretty much indestructible they tell us.  She will start PT the following Monday.   She needs to work up to wearing the prosthetic all day - at first it will just be for an hour or so at a time.


Needless to say Samantha has been pretty happy all weekend.  Saturday she went out to get her nails done with a friend and Sunday she spent the day with her Dad.


Saturday morning, Isabella ran in her second 5K and bested her last time by 5 minutes.  She ran the 5k in 37 minutes and came in 5th for her age group (12 and under).  After the race they had an Easter egg hunt and potato sack race.  

Daniel surprised us by showing up Saturday afternoon and stayed overnight.  It was wonderful to hang out with my boy for a while.  He seems to be doing great - he is getting ready for gardening season and looking for a place for Jennie and himself that is close to work and school.

He had to go back to Fort Collins Sunday afternoon but he will be back next weekend.  Isabella loved spending some time with him - last time he didn't get to stay long and she was disappointed.

It is getting late and so I will be signing off.  Another day another dollar - until next time  - love to everyone!

Sun, Snow and Sun again

 Isabella was on spring break last week so we headed up to Leadville for a couple of days and while it was in the 80's down in Denver - it was perfect weather in Leadville -  high 60s.  Samantha worked on homework all day on Friday, Jeremy worked on house projects and I just did my work...


Isabella also read her books a bit and on Saturday, she and Jeremy hit the last day at Cooper.   She crashed and had a beauty mark near her eye to show for it.  Jeremy said she hit face first and popped up laughing.


The picture is of Isabella posing on our front porch.  You can see a bit of snow still hanging around on the North side of the house.


We came home on Saturday evening so I could have Sunday to do my chores.

I took a beautiful picture of Samantha sunbathing and doing her nails.  It is a great picture of her limb - it has the compression sock on it.


Sunday it was 85 degrees.  Sam could only stay out for 20 minutes or so.  She was bragging that she had a tan line when she came in.


Tuesday we met with the prosthetist and got a smaller compression sock.  Samantha's limb is looking great!


On Wednesday she had her stitches out and we got the OK to cast her socket.  She is in 7th Heaven! 


She is down to only having to take her nerve medicine (helps with the phantom pain) and her antibiotics.  She no longer needs Advil or any other pain medicine.  I think this is the first time in over 4 years that Samantha has been able to wake up and not need pain medicine.  How fantastic is that!!


I will see if I can get some pictures of the casting process.  Then next week we go back in and she will see her new leg.


If she is healed up and her scabs (she has a couple still hanging on after her surgery) fall off then she can start walking on April 16th.  At first she will wear the prosthetic only a couple hours a day and work up to wearing it all day.


The Sun is back after a bit of snow on Wednesday and it matches the atmosphere in our home.  Everyone is happy.  


I will continue to post and include as many pictures as I can.
Love to everyone!

Smile

 So Sam is feeling so good she actually let me take some pictures of her.  She is up and around working on her homework this week.


Her leg is looking fantastic and soon she may let me take a picture of that as well.


This week is spring break for the kids.  With everything happening so fast, I didn't sign Isabella up for any camps so she is hanging with us here at home.


Work is coming along although it can be a bit challenging being productive with a full house.


On top of that - it is absolutely beautiful outside.  I find myself wandering around playing with my plants - inside and outside.  
Isabella has cleaned her room - a gigantic feat for such a small girl...  She also has had a couple play-dates - which keeps her happy as well as mom.

Samantha has been getting out of the house a bit - usually just car drives - but that is a start.  She is off of the heavy narcotic drugs which is fantastic!  Every once in a while she will have a Valium at bedtime.  It helps with the phantom pain.  She has decided to name her phantom foot...   She doesn't like always trying to explain what type of pain she is experiencing - so she just calls it 'darling Mildred'.   With the Mildred pain - Advil won't help - she needs to actually  move around a bit or massage her leg.


There is still a bit of draining but I still think we are improving.  As you can see from the pictures - Samantha's beautiful smile has returned!   I love it...


We are heading up to Leadville for a couple of days.  Jeremy is taking Friday off from work and he and Isabella will probably try and ski one more time before all the snow melts away.


Samantha will take advantage of the quiet in Leadville and hopefully catch up on her reading.  I have work and the Spanish Festival skirts I am sewing to keep me busy. 


We will be back in the city late Saturday so I will have Sunday to work out in the yard.  I have a new garden I need to prep.  If this warm weather says here - I will be able to plant in April!  


I hope you all enjoy the pictures of my beautiful girls!  Like I mentioned before - I am trying to get Samantha to agree to a picture of her limb.  I think it is beautiful and would love to show it off.


Until then - love to everyone!

Finally - YAHOO!

Samantha had a good day yesterday and a great day today.  Finally she has been feeling better.

We had a wonderful lunch with friends on Saturday.  Samantha stayed off the couch all day!  She has lost a bit of weight over the last couple weeks, so it was really nice to see her eat.

After a great lunch both Isabella and Samantha set up a blanket in the front yard to just hang out and enjoy the weather while I cleaned out my front gardens.  My forsythia bush is almost in full yellow bloom and I have daffodils popping up everywhere.  We haven't got a lot of moisture this month so we are hoping for snow or at least rain soon.  We usually get most of our snow in March and April - but this year we have had really warm and windy weather.

It was such a beautiful day that the girls talked me into going out for ice cream - totally twisted my arm!  :)

Today - Samantha hung out at her dad's house to celebrate his birthday.  Jeremy and I met up with other friends and we headed to the zoo.  We spent another beautiful day outside.  Isabella was pooped.  Jeremy cooked up some steaks and we are just wrapping up a relaxing day.

Samantha's leg is looking fantastic.  The swelling at the surgical site is mostly gone.  There is still a bit of draining going on but much less than before.  She has started her exercises again and will be attacking her homework tomorrow.  I feel that we are on track to have her leg cast for her socket next week.  Then we are planning on about a week turnaround while they prepare the prosthetic and Sam is off.  She will have about 4 weeks of physical therapy (3 times a week).

Can you believe she will be walking in 3 weeks?  

YAHOO!