On Pins and Staples

Seth had his temporary cast removed on Thursday and was given a boot to wear. Our excitement about having the cast gone was tempered a bit when the surgeon warned that they see lots of re-breaks after as long as six weeks. He told us to be careful and not do anything crazy. He also said that most of the re-breaks occur in physical therapy--as if we needed another reason to avoid physical therapy!

I posted the pre-surgery photos last week, so here are the post-surgery photos.

Look, Ma, no pins!

No more scar and bald spot--just 14 staples.

Another highlight this week was attending a training class for service dogs. We got to work with three beautiful golden retrievers that will eventually go to other wounded warriors. The dogs and the trainers are amazing. The only downside was that it made Seth want his own dog even more! If Seth chooses, he can do a dog training internship. If he does the internship, he may get the chance to bring a dog home at night, something worth considering since we have pondered how to smuggle a dog into the apartment ever since we got here.

Wednesday, February 1, marked seven months since Seth was injured. I think I will try to think of it as Seth Survived Day or Seth is Alive Day, rather than the most awful day of our lives. We didn't acknowledge it. It remains to be seen what we will do when July 1 rolls around. I hope it will be a good day for all of us.

Mom's Thoughts
Without pin care to do, I am almost out of a job. There aren't many things that Seth can't do on his own now, and it means I have to reassess my role. One would think I would feel relief--and, of course, I do--but there is also a sense of let-down. We all like to be needed.