Hi Everyone,
It has been a long time since I have written to let everyone know how we are doing so here we go......
Bri is doing well from her surgery.  She is limited on her exercises because of pain as well as the healing that needs to happen in the vertebrae.  She had a follow up appointment a couple of weeks ago where they took an x-ray and Dr. Swender is very pleased with how it is healing.  He said that it is still too early for Bri to notice it but he is happy.  YEAH!!   Every once in a while she realizes that she has forgotten to put the brace on, Ooops!   The brace that she is wearing is soooo much better than the ones that we wore in the first 3 months of our recovery. 

Brandi and I also had appointments to see him for our backs.   Brandi's pain, based on MRI's is still due to the bulging disk.  He said that if the cortisone shot did not provide obvious relief that he felt it not worth doing again.  If Brandi ever gets to a point where she can no longer tolerate the pain they can do a fusion which would remove the bulging disk.  He said a fusion in the lower area of the back does not cause as much limitation as a fusion higher up because the lower back is not as flexible as the higher back.  She knows that it is an option if it ever gets to a point where she cannot tolerate the pain.   

I am still busy with Lori @ PT, training with Eric, my routine exercising/stretching and now getting outside for walks with Brad and the Pugs.   I can't remember if we have mentioned this but I am actually able to do some jogging.  It is not pretty or speedy but it is jogging.  Eric feels that I am better to walk/jog verses hopping on the treadmill as I get my heart rate up higher so I am getting better cardio.  I have also gone back to work about 25 hrs/wk and will be bumping it up to 30 hrs/wk next week.  It's great being back at work.  Lori is doing ultra sound and message on the area where they removed the hematoma to soften the tissue.  It's getting softer so it's working!  I was scheduled to have my InterStim surgery on 4/8 but due to the ultra sound needed, this surgery is rescheduled for 5/27.  Once I have surgery to implant the InterStim I will be like a person who has a pace maker.  While it's main intention is good there are things that I cannot do as well as some other situations where I will have to turn the device off.  I am sure that once I have it for a while I will be comfortable with the routine and will know what to do.  I had another round of Botox shots in my inner thighs as well as my hip flexers.  We believe that it is working.  My hip flexers hurt a lot after sleeping and after walking.  You really use that hip flexer muscle, hopefully we can get them stretched out soon to help eliminate this pain.    The tightness in the hip flexers is because of the HO in the legs. The range of motion in the legs was so limited that the muscles and joints in the legs, where there wasn't bone, were limited as well.   I finished my first semester back at school and have a class for the summer semester as well as a plan for the fall semester.  I am going to start out slow so that I still have time for exercise.  
 
Brad is doing well.  He is currently going to Medx for physical therapy where they use different types of equipment.  We are happy with what we are seeing from the therapy and they see improvement since the first evaluation.  He has been working in the yard and walking with me so all of that is therapy.  

Spring is finally here.... A time for all of us to enjoy the great weather!

Thanks for all of the support, we couldn't do it without you! Take Care!!

Paula