House Project: Making Progress

House before we moved in.

Getting some new windows. See the hail damage from last summer on the siding?


You can kind of see the "old kitchen" area behind the kids. The kitchen is the area on the left & the "dining room" was on the right. I can't find a different picture right now.

Newly sheetrocked area.


It's so good to be making progress on the house. Thanks to several good friends, we had new windows put in last Sunday & now sheetrock after yesterday.

We have a plumber & another friend to finish the sheetrock this week.

I am nearing completion on the cabinets also. There will be some new ones that will also need stained & poly-ed, but those will be easy since they won't need stripped.

It will be SO nice to have it done. Thank you so much Rick, Aaron, Brian, Kelsey & Bruce for your work. We are indebted.

I know there will be favors returned this summer come roofing time. :)

And we will love it.

Tomorrow's agenda: Shop for countertops, lights & more cabinets.

Crutches...sort of

I've been on crutches since last Wednesday. Well, crutches & sort of a hobble on the heel sort of a walk.

I haven't posted much about my foot since the morton's neuroma surgery in December, because not much has happened, including healing.

The surgery in itself was a success. I have no pain like I did for the most part of the year before surgery. But since there was no pain, I also had a few complications, probably from being active on it too early.

The stitches didn't dissolve completely, so the incision opened back up around the first of the year-about 3 1/2-4 weeks after surgery. And it's been open ever since.

It is closing, but
ever
so
slowly.

Finally after a 2nd round of stitches (that were in 4 weeks & didn't do a thing), plus bloodwork to rule out all sorts of nasty infirmities, the doctor came to a conclusion.

He said, "I've been wracking my brain & called several other doctors to figure out what was going on with your foot."

A toe joint capsule had opened up & was leaking fluid into the incision site, therefore preventing the healing.

Aah. Finally an answer.

Now what? We wait. See you in 3 weeks. Keep it dry. Wear the post-op shoe.

No change after 2 weeks, so I called the doctor again. They said why don't you try crutches for 4-5 days & we'll see you on Monday.

I was wanting to get agressive on the treatment. But crutches??

Inwardly I cringed as the nurse told me, but I decided if I wanted to get more agressive on the treatment I'd best do what they recommended.

And you know what? I do believe it's working. I can tell today there is no fluid leaking.

Yeah!! Now that's an answer to prayer.

What have I learned from all of this?

1. I would still recommend Dr. Raska to anyone shopping for a podiatrist. He & everyone at their clinic have been nothing but helpful & kind.

2. I have a new appreciation for people dealing with chronic pain (from before surgery) & disabilities. At least there is an end in sight for me. And since surgery there has been very little pain.

3. Buy a cast/bandage protector if you have a cast or somewhere you need to keep dry. That has been a life-saver the last 3 1/2 months.

4. Do your research. It's ok to google your symptoms. Then you know what questions to ask your doctor, or possible treatment options. Talk to others, they have good ideas too. But don't get freaked out by the extreme cases you read online.

I know eventually my foot will be back to "normal." God is faithful & is teaching me humility through it all. He is the great physician & the ultimate healer.

Murray Meeting Clyde

Murray met Grandpa Pete's dog last week for the first time. They had so much fun. Clyde would just put his paw on Murray & pin him down.

Fetch

I've been fairly impressed with Murray so far. He seems very smart. He was fetching for us without training from the day we brought him home. Here's Brad & his furry friend.