Appointments Today

Well, I saw my Orthopedic surgeon today. According to him, I am progressing excellently. He's happy with the state of my stump, no infection, no drainage, no pulled stitches, it's all good. he removed the stitches and the staples and wants to see me again in two weeks. At that time, he said he will start compression wrapping the stump, in order to re-form it into the correct shape for an artificial leg.

Since my wife didn't get to see my leg the last time it was re-wrapped, she went to the appointment with me today. I had told her that where the flap had been folded up and sewn to the front of my leg, it seemed to me to be a bit football shaped, you know, kinda pointed on each side? She sat there staring at my stump, then she spoke up.

"No, it's not football shaped. It looks more like a fried pie."

I thought the poor nurse was going to strangle trying not to laugh.

Stay tuned, folks.

Walrilla

WOW!

I am finally back online, everybody! I got out of the hospital last Tuesday, Jan. 16th, then promptly got sick with a stomach virus. I apologize for not getting back sooner, but I have just not felt well enough to sit up, let alone read anything.

I'm better now, and I've read all of y'all's comments(after several stops to "clear the dust out of my eyes")and all I can say is, I am truly humbled to see and realize the love and the caring shown by all of y'all. I am so truly appreciative and thankful, and I am so proud to call each of you "Friend". With all the prayers, good thoughts, and well wishes from people such as y'all, there's no way I can't get well!

I thought about this for a good while, and when I went in to the hospital,I was actually just going to have the foot healed, the infection stopped, and nothing else. When the foot doctor finished with it, though, she had made several holes in the foot... well, actually, the infection had, but, she had packed them with gauze, and she had excavated a pit on the top of my foot, exposing the tendons and bones. A couple of days after she performed the surgery, she repacked the gauze in the foot.

Brothers and sisters, that little episode changed my mind, but good. When the orthopedic surgeon came in and examined my foot, I felt somewhat relieved when he said that my foot was too far gone to save, just because I knew I wouldn't have to have my foot repacked again.

I really am at peace with my decision, now. We talked about, how, even if we tried everything we could, and somehow were able to save the foot, how much would really be left, and how usable would it be? He explained, and I agreed, how there was just too much infection in the foot, and that it would be better to just go ahead and amputate, and I requested that he go as far up as necessary to ensure clean flesh and no residual infection.

I now have about 6 inches left below the left knee. In about 2 to 3 months, I will start PT for an artificial leg, and I am going to work like hell to get back to some semblance of the mobility I used to have. I won't be running any road races, but, let's face it, I didn't run any before, either. B-)

Again, I would like to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart. You just can't realize how much your prayers and good thoughts have meant to me, my wife, and our family.

If a man is counted wealthy by the quality of his friends, then I am rich beyond all measure.

Walrilla

Important Message

Walrilla wanted me, his wife, to tell you that he is in the hospital. We took our daughter to Kentucky to see some doctors. I had to fly him home on Jan. 4. His foot was horrible and cause him a lot of pain. His mother took him to the hospital. The doctors did all they could to save his foot. After being in the hospital for a week, Friday afternoon they had to do a below the knee amputation of his left leg. He is alright but in a lot of pain now.

He will post again when he gets home.