Tuesday, February 8, 2011

1 week down, many, many more to go

So we have the prognosis... Mike has a torn MCL and he retore his ACL and he will be getting surgery on Thursday, February 17th. :( We'd been expecting that all week leading up to our appointment with the orthopedic surgeon but it was still a little bit tough to hear.. Anyways, here's how our week went. On Tuesday we were thinking about what the urgent care clinic did and we did not feel that they checked everything that should be checked when someone is hit by a car so that night at about 11:15 we checked in to the ER. He got in pretty fast I think partly because of his situation and partly because it was so late. The doctor came in and checked his neck, head, shoulder, knee, shin, nose, back... all the things that should be looked at after being hit by a truck. After finding some tender spots on Mike's neck and shin they decided that they would give him a morphine shot, put him in a neck brace and a straight leg brace and send him off to get an x-ray on his shin and a CT scan on his neck.
poor guy..
The morphine shot really hurt his bum bum and made him really really tired and out of it haha. His butt was sore for a few days. After being scanned he slept for about 45 minutes while I did some studying for a test we had 2 days later. They took the neck brace off of him when they found out that nothing was broken there. They also told me (since Michael was sleeping) that his tibia wasn't broken. After getting some instructions, a prescription and signing a few forms I had the hard job of waking him up and getting him outside. He asked me the same question at least three times and he kept falling asleep within seconds of me waking him. We came straight home and got him in bed. The next day, we didn't go to class, him for obvious reasons, and me because he really couldn't get out of bed without help and I didn't want to leave him stranded and hungry all day.
With his new brace he could get around better. When he had nothing on, even the slightest movement would jostle his leg and cause him pain. Now, as long as he is careful to keep it still, the brace helps a lot. Wednesday we pretty much laid low and he slept. We also went and got a handicap permit so that if he felt like going to school it would be a lot easier for him. On Thursday he decided to go to class in the morning. We had to study all day that day because it was the last day for our test. He had an MRI that evening and then directly after we went to take our test. Which I think we both aced :)
On Friday he seemed to be able to move a little better, not so much because his knee was better but more because he was getting better at keeping it very still. We had 3 classes and it was pretty difficult for him just to get from building to building because his crutches were hurting his armpits. We had to go shopping to et a few things for breakfast and the superbowl and Mike was dreading walking around the store on crutches. Luckily they had one of those electric carts for old people. It was quite the funny site.
We got a really dirty look from a lady who probably didn't understand that Mike had been hit by a car but watching him ride up the aisle and try to back up with an obnoxiously loud beep was quite hilarious. This picture still makes me laugh.

That night his wonderful sister and her husband, Michelle and Clark, brought us dinner and helped me clean. I have been terrible at cleaning and cooking. It's hard to keep up with making sure Mike's comfortable and has everything he needs, cleaning, cooking healthy food, going to class and doing homework! I need to work some more on it..
The next morning some of our new friends from our ward and Michelle and Clark came to have some breakfast at our house. The others cooked, we just enjoyed the goodness. There was a basketball game that afternoon that we didn't quite feel up to going to so we stayed and did homework instead. Awesome Saturday afternoon. That night Mike had gotten us tickets to this Y-Ball for married couples where we would get dinner, a limo ride, dessert, and dancing.. all for FREE! We just couldn't pass it up. The dinner was delicious and the limo ride was pretty fun even though it smelled like feet. But obviously Mike couldn't do any dancing so we sat and watched the dance while we ate our cake and then we left.
Our church flooded on Friday. Apparently a sprinkler pipe froze and broke and covered both chapels and cultural halls in 2 inches of water! That's a lot of water. So we got to split up and go to a singles ward again haha. That afternoon was the superbowl, of course. Which we hosted at our house since Mike is basically glued to the couch. And because our living room is pretty decent sized for a party. We had fun with our family and friends and eating way too much junk. As long as Mike is hurt and can't go to the gym we need to be a lot more careful with what we eat. After we partied we kinda realized we had a lot to do and felt bad that we wasted all afternoon. Once we found that out, we did what we usually do when we feel overwhelmed and we went to bed haha.
Monday was a stressful day. For one, it was the day of Michael's appointment where we would find out what needed to happen with his knee. And for two, we had our first Chem 105 test. Which was very ominous because I've heard nothing but bad things about the class and the tests. At the doctor we got to look at the MRI pictures which was kind of interesting  since he told us what it was supposed to look like as we looked at what it did look like, which was far from the same. And two different doctors bent, poked, and pulled on Mike's leg despite his obvious suffering. Which should have been horrifying for me as his wife to watch but instead I laughed. Not because I found his pain funny, but because I was maybe a little exasperated that they would do that to him. Why it came out in a laugh I do not know haha. We got the bad news and tried to find a time during this busy week with Michael's 4 tests to fit in physical therapy. Apparently a torn MCL takes a long time to heal because it becomes very stiff and has to be stretched out. He was given a new brace with the instruction that he needs to try and bend his leg a little bit everyday. Ouch. He was not excited about these instructions.
Anyway, that evening we studied for a few more hours and gave ourselves what we thought was plenty of time for the test. Until we got to the testing center to find a line wrapped all around and almost out the door. Lucky the back was right at the door so we didn't have to wait in the cold. But I felt a little panicky since we got there at about 7:55, the last test is handed out at 9, and it closes at 10. Mike took the elevator and waited for me at the top of the stairs. When we got our tests we were sent back downstairs to overflow seating which was quite a pain with Mike's crutches and such. We sat down at 8:40. I didn't know how long the test would take but I really don't like feeling rushed. After rushing through a few problems and giving up on some that I had done 40 times and hadn't found the right answer to, a guy came and told us we had until 10:25, in those extra 25 minutes I found a few mistakes and figured out that one problem that stumped me for so long and we both did pretty decent. Well above the average in our class. We were pretty pleased. We didn't get home until about 10:40, ate a quick snack of oreos and milk (I told you I'm really not good at cooking when I have so much to do) and we went to bed.
Today we had an equally busy day, another test for Michael. As well as another doctor's appointment. This time with an ENT. We got fairly good news at this appointment. He said that his nose is broken but it seems to be pretty straight so if he just lets it heal for 6 weeks without another hard hit then he should be just fine. The inside was a little inflamed so he gave him a nasal spray but I'll take that over surgery any day.
Before this week is over we will have had 2 more tests. But it's also Mike's birthday this Friday! Yay :) He'll be 23. Boy am I especially grateful that he was born 23 years ago :) So hopefully we can party this weekend before he'll be out all next weekend (our 3-day weekend ) from his surgery.
My goal is to keep the house clean and make lots of delicious and nutritious food this weekend for his birthday and for valentine's day. Let's see if I can do it!
betcha can't tell which one is hurt...

3 comments:

  1. Oh man I'm sorry you guys are having such a hard time. Let me know if you need anything!

    Camden is getting surgery the same day as Michael! Weird, eh?

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  2. Aleisha. I decided that you and Michael are amazing. You are both so optimistic about everything that happens. There are so many things about this "slight inconvenience" that you could complain and whine about and feel sorry for yourselves, but you guys never forget what's really important. You always keep your priorities straight and do the right thing. I know everything will work out because you both are too awesome!
    I hope the surgery goes well.
    And you shouldn't say you are bad at keeping up with cooking!! You and Michael are the best cooks ever when you don't have school and cleaning and broken knees to deal with!!
    i love you!

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  3. oh i forgot--that anonymous is me LIZ!!! :D

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