KG's Hideaway

9-29-05 12:26am

I'm exhausted. It's a good kind of tired, though. That letter really did help me verbalize what I was feeling and then let it go. For now, at least. I'm making no promises except that I was going to do my best. Of course, I've gotten no response from them though I have no doubt they have received it. Whatever. Today is my dad's birthday, and I'm not really sure how I want to handle it. If I call, they won't answer the phone. Should I email him? I just don't know...

I took Austin back to the orthopedic surgeon today. This is the one that did the surgery for his compartment syndrome, not the one that did the synovectomy. Dr. Bajaj is just so caring and totally "gets" why I'm upset that my 18 year old essentially can not use his left hand without significant amounts of pain. He's in college, trying to have fun but he's not able to do all that he'd planned. There are several boys there from his high school and they were all going to play intramural volleyball and football, but he can't catch a ball right now and certainly can't hit one, so he's missing out. Dr. Bajaj said he's going to make some calls to different colleagues and see what they come up with. He probably needs a total joint replacement but the traditional material for that is designed for little old ladies who don't do more than crochet. But if he were to get this, they believe it would snap the first time he tries to make a fist. So they're hoping that the Swiss doctors can come through with some type of titanium joint that they've been hearing about. We'll see.

In the meantime, Austin's condition is making me worry about my own. I'm having the exact same surgery (and the same doctor) except that my surgery is on the fifth MP (metacarpal/phalangeal) joint on my right hand and his was the 4th on the left. His cartilage was damaged and chipped off in places and they don't know yet if mine is (cartilage doesn't show on xrays). I broke it just over a year ago and had to have a pin placed for 3 weeks. My joint appears to be fused, so I don't know how successful the surgery will be, but I'm going in knowing that, but hoping all goes well so that I can get back to the sports I enjoy. Sadly, I'll never be able to punch again, so tae kwon do will not be the same. I should, however, be able to play softball again and Craig wants to teach me to play golf.

The soldier that we "adopted" is coming home from Iraq. He's not sure of the date, but he's been told that no packages will be delivered to them after October 15, so I'm assuming that means he'll be home sometime around the first to the middle of November. We're really excited about that and look forward to getting to know him and his wife and kids. They seem like a great family. When I first signed up to "adopt" a soldier, all they did was give me a name and address, so I knew nothing about him. That led me to sort of imagine what type of person he was, how old he was, what he looked like... all kinds of shit. I started this in December, I think... but it wasn't until sometime in March that I heard from him. I'd sent him a letter that gave him my email address if that was easier for him to do than to write a letter. He's a medic in the Texas National Guard, so he was around a computer pretty often on his shift. I imagined him to be young... you know, 20-25 range. His name was Jesus so I was fairly safe in thinking he was hispanic. Turns out, he's 33... only 5 years younger than me... but I was obviously correct about him being hispanice. (he even translated a Josh Groban song for me!) He doesn't go by Jesus, though.... he goes by Jesse. Anyway, we've corresponded alot since that time and have come to feel a bit like family. (wait, not the way MY family is...more like what other families are!!! LOL) I'm really glad that he's leaving Iraq AND that NO one in his unit was killed or even hurt! YAY!

And now, I'm going to bed. My eyes aren't staying open. Late! kdgr