The good old leg update......

Probably most of you are really sick of hearing about my stupid leg (I'm sick of my stupid leg, too). So, you can just skip this post if you're tired of the updates. I find it a lot easier to post things than tell the same thing 20 times to 20 different people.

Last week I went to PT for the first time. Really the first time was just an evaluation. The regular physical therapists weren't in. It was just someone filling in for them. She spent over an hour evaluating me, and then sent me home with a few exercises. When I went back this week, the regular PT looked at my chart. And then he did a lot more evaluating. Then he dragged in the other physical therapist to look at me too. I got a lot of "hmmms" and "this is unusual". They left me for a little while, and of course, I thumbed through my chart that they left sitting by me. (Who wouldn't look at their chart, if they're gonna set it next to you and step out of the room?)

After a lot of discussion, they physical therapists concluded that physical therapy was not going to help me. They think I need to pursue a diagnosis. Now, I have an appointment with another doctor at the U.

I am walking really well these days. I am quite thrilled with that. But I know there's still something wrong with me. My reflexes in my left leg are abnormal. I trip or stumble a few times a day. Luckily I haven't fallen down yet. My chart said "possible MS" on about every other page. It can't be MS though. The MRI of my brain came out fine. I don't know what in the world is wrong with me. I've spent a lot of hours online researching things, and haven't been able to find anything that matches exactly.

So, now I'm just in the wait until I see the next doctor. This makes doctor #5.

Alex is amusing......

Alex has started talking a lot lately. I must admit, he really amuses me. He comes up with different things every day.

He has renamed our cat "Twinkle". Anna decided to rename the cat "Sparkle" but he didn't want that name. Not that we were voting on it anyway. Our cat stays outside---at least it does if Alex is anywhere near. Alex calls it "my cat" and carries it everywhere. Tizzy (the cat's real name) is very patient and never scratches him. But she makes a beeline for the door as soon as he sets her down. Cats don't belong in my house anyway.

Alex loves lawnmowers. For a long time, he carried around the lawnmower section of the Sears ad. He called it "my lawnmowers". Whenever we go to my parents house, he always asks my dad where his lawnmower is. Dan recently bought a riding lawnmower. Alex always asks Dan if he is going to "play with his big lawnmower or his little lawnmower". We don't allow rides on the lawnmower. But Alex takes every chance he can get to sit on it and pretend to drive. He thinks any equipment that is remotely similar to a lawnmower is a lawnmower. Those big tractors working on the road are just really big lawnmowers.

At church on Sunday, Alex spotted someone in a wheelchair. He then exclaimed, "Look, a baby jogger!". Of course this was during the sacrament. And he said it many times.

When Alex says his prayers at bedtime lately, he roars a couple of times during his prayer. He is trying to act like a dinosaur. I don't laugh, but it is all I can do not to laugh sometimes.

Cars is his favorite movie. During the day, he goes around clearing his throat and making strange noises. Then he exclaims that he's starting his engine. If you've seen Cars, you know "Start your engines".

When we were driving down the street today, there was a truck in front of us. He yelled, "catch that garbage truck!". It wasn't a garbage truck. But he certainly loves garbage day. With 3 different trash cans, we get to see a lot of garbage trucks. He comes running to the window whenever he hears one.

Although Alex has been a challenging toddler, he sure makes up for it with all of the cute things he does. I love his mischievious little grin. Now that he's talking, I am really enjoying him.

Done with diapers!!!!!!!!!!

We started potty-training Alex on Monday. The first day did not go too well. But then, I went to the store and bought some cool new undies insteady of "tidy whiteys". I never knew how great Cars underwear were. After we got out the new undies, Alex turned over a new leaf. He has had very few accidents.
I was worried about him wearing underwear for bedtime. So I put a diaper on him for bed. A few minutes later, he was no longer wearing it. He was wearing his cool new undies again. Once again, I put a diaper on him. Once again, he took them off and put on his underwear. After he went to sleep, I put a diaper on him.
When he woke up in the morning, his diaper was dry. I tried to diaper him again for bedtime the next night. It was a repeat of the night before. So finally, I just gave up and let him wear his favorite underwear to bed. He has not wet the bed yet. I am thrilled! My other kids wore diapers to bed for quite a while after they were potty-trained.
Since Anna was still in diapers when Alex was born, I've had someone in diapers for 4 years and 7 months now. Diaper free at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now she's 10!

Rachel turned 10 years old last week. This was the first birthday that she didn't want all toys. It was kind of sad in a way, because she's getting old! The two big things she asked for were a bike and a globe. I thought the globe was kind of a funny thing to want. She looks at it every day and finds different places, and asks me where everything is.

We had a friend party on the Saturday before her birthday. At her request, we had a chocolate fountain. They all thought it was great. It actually wasn't as messy as I thought.

On her birthday, my parents came over for cake and ice cream. I made her a chocolate layer cake. Right before my parents came, I ran to the store quickly to get ice cream and candles. When I came home and put the candle on the cake, everyone got quite a laugh. I bought the wrong candle number. Of course I hadn't forgotten how old Rachel was! I don't know how I managed to buy the wrong number. We made do, as you can see.

I am thankful for Rachel. She is such a cute, sweet girl.

Mother's Day

I had a nice Mother's Day. I just thought I'd share what Caleb made me at school.

It says:

My mother's love means everything to me. She give s me hugs and teaches me not to eat drugs. She takes me to school and sometimes to the pool to cool. My mother's love means everything to me.

Improvement :)

Last weekend was a rough weekend for me physically. I did too much and really felt awful by the end of the weekend. My weak leg gets to where it is so hard to move. I wondered if things would ever get better. I started some more prescription anti-inflammatories on Sunday night. Yesterday when I woke up, my leg felt stronger and more moveable. My limp was barely noticeable yesterday. Today, when I woke up my leg was even better than yesterday. When I walked up the stairs this morning, it was the easiest it has been in over 6 weeks. My limp is mostly gone today. If you were scrutinizing how I walk, you might see it. But probably nobody would stop me today and ask what's wrong.
I am starting PT tomorrow.
I am thrilled for improvement. :) I'm not sure that I'm cured. When I try to move my leg sometimes, my toes wiggle in a funny way instead of my leg moving. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to get my leg to do what I want it to. I wish that something hurt so they could figure out what to fix. Little improvements really make me happy though. If I could put a laughing smiley face at the end of this I would. I hope I never take walking for granted again.

Family Pictures

These are some of my favorite pictures from our recent family photo shoot. We used a photographer named Whitney Stark.

Good and Bad News

The good news: I don't have to get back surgery.

The bad news: They don't know what's wrong with me.

The Neurosurgeon contradicted what the Neurologist said. He doesn't think the leg issue is coming from my back, even though I obviously have disc issues in my back. He thinks the lack of back pain confirms that. Good. I didn't want back surgery.
I have an apointment for another opinion since I got conflicting opinions. Also, I am going back to my regular doctor. I trust my regular doctor.
Since I am improving with rest and anti-inflammatories, that's what I'm gonna do until I go back to my regular doctor.
They've ruled out MS with the brain MRI.
Dan and I have been researching things, and it still may be a nerve issue. Inflamed nerves don't work right, which would cause my leg muscles not to work right.
What a rollercoaster ride! I think I want to get off this ride now.

Like a kid at Christmas

I woke up really early this morning to go to the bathroom. When I walked to the bathroom, I realized that I could feel one of my leg muscles that I hadn't been able to feel anymore. I could walk even better than yesterday. I lay there trying to go back to sleep and trying not to wake up Dan. But alas, my excitement got to me, and I woke him up to show him that my leg was working better today. It struck me as funny because I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning trying to be quiet till it was time to get up.
What a difference a week can make! I guess what a difference rest, not picking up a toddler, and lots of anti-inflammatories can make. I am hoping that I am cured. But in reality its not all better. Its just back to where it was 3 or 4 weeks ago.
So, Merry Christmas! :) Hopefully there's no more snow to go with it.