Another update on MerryK

MerryK endured having all her stitches removed from her leg and arm on Thursday, as well as the staples in her head. It was much worse than we thought it would be since she healed so nicely that the stitches were stuck in there, but she was strong throughout.

They also removed the temporary plaster splint and gave her a removable boot that she has to use at night to keep her Achilles tendon stretched out. Facing the unknown that was under the cast was scary but it turned out to look a lot better than we all feared. The metal rods that they put down the center of the bones in her leg and arm will remain there permanently. The doctor assured us that they rarely set off metal detectors and if they do, we just have to show them the scars on her knee and shoulder.

We have 4 more weeks until they will take X-rays to see how she is healing. If all is well they will give her permission to put weight on the arm and leg at that point. The time frame given for walking was 3-6 months. The bones should be fully healed in 6-12 months. We are hoping that with lots of prayers, hard work, being young, and some great supplements, MerryK will be on the short track.

Her pain med use is going down and her spirits remain good, although she yearns for a good stretch. We will be visiting a Physical Therapist this week to learn some new exercises so we can stretch out those muscles and tendons and prepare them for walking someday. The doctor explained to us that it really isn't about the broken bones...those are easy to fix...but that she really has a severe soft tissue injury that just happens to have broken bones underneath it. It will take time to heal and longer to feel normal again.

Thank you all for your supports and prayers!