Oh Where to Begin...Finally an Update

It's been so long since I last posted but so much has happened I just haven't had time to sit down and recap. Now that July is almost over I think things may slow down for the few weeks of Summer we have left. So here goes the update...

Four weeks ago (June 30) my Mom fell in Dad's shop and broke her hip. Dad called on the way to Duke Hospital following the ambulance. The next day she had a full hip replacement and Nathaniel and I headed to NC to help. I was with them for about a week and a half. Mom is doing well now but had a pretty rough time before and after surgery. Before the pain was unbearable and after she had a reaction to the medicines and was unable to stand without feeling very sick and vomiting. Normally after hip surgery they get you up and start walking almost immediately. Due to the nausea Mom needed to stay in bed a couple of extra days and wasn't released to come home until Friday. The great news is she is feeling much better now, moving around with just a cane for steps and made it to Jason & Cristine's wedding. Here are some pictures from our time in NC.

Speaking of the wedding we all headed to Smithfield,VA for the grand event on July 19th. To say it was beautiful would be an understatement! The ceremony was on the pier at the Smithfield Station Inn and the reception at the Smithfield Center. Cristine & Jason both looked stunning and Nathaniel was the cutest ring bearer ever! The reception was lively and fun with a fantastic band. I think the highlight of the evening was Jason singing to Cristine then staying on stage for a few more songs. I have never heard my brother perform and he is fantastic! Nathaniel was a trooper that day participating in the 4pm ceremony, dancing his heart out at the reception until 10pm and playing with his hulk hands that were his very appropriate wedding gift from the bride and groom.

 

After the wedding festivities Chad, Nathaniel, Mom and I headed to Virginia Beach to spend a few days with my cousins and their families. They rented a beach house in Sandbridge for the week. Our hotel was right on the beach and had 4 pools so we played on Sunday afternoon/evening and went over to the beach house for a full day of fun on Monday. Most of my cousins I hadn't seen since my wedding 6 years ago so it was so nice to catch up and see all our kids play together. We drove home on Tuesday to return to reality and Dad picked Mom up from our house on Wednesday.

Nathaniel has taken swim lessons at Kid First for most of the summer and we wrapped up his last class last Wednesday. We choose a semi-private class with his good friend Noah and they have both done great learning to swim. We are taking a break for August and hope to resume in the Fall. Swimming is an essential skill and is very good for Nathaniel's muscles so its something I want to keep him doing for as long as he enjoys it.

And lastly Nathaniel had a follow-up Orthopedic appointment on Friday at Kennedy Krieger. I wish I could say the appointment was fantastic but to be honest it was the opposite. Nathaniel participated but the doctor was not pleased with his progress or lack there of. His ankles and legs muscles are tighter and his range wasn't good. All of this is probably due to the fact Nathaniel has done a ton of growing in the last 6 months and with growth comes tightness in kids like Nathaniel. He also hasn't worn his braces as much this summer because they are hot and he wants them off when we come inside; we have also spent time at the beach and pool where obviously he doesn't wear them and prefers to walk around barefooted. So the new plan of action is a new set of daytime braces (same as what he has now but bigger since they are too small) and a pair of nighttime braces. The nighttime braces will provide additional stretching and are a new venture for us. I am sure Nathaniel will protest but this is necessary to avoid possible more invasive intervention. The doctor mentioned serial casting and botox as the next step in the Fall if range doesn't improve. So we are going to do our best to keep him in his braces as much as possible and increase the amount of stretching we do each day. This appointment and the last couple of days have been very emotional for me; its the first time we didn't come home with a positive report. The casting for new braces will be this week so we should have both pair in the next 4 to 6 weeks. I am terrified at the thought of serial casting so I really hope the new braces and additional stretching will work. Lots of prayers for loose muscles!