Surgical ward

[orthodoc]

My third son, who fractured his talus last weekend, had his surgery today. The news could have been worse, but it wasn't very good. He took a big chunk of cartilage off the top surface of the bone, but there wasn't enough bone on the underside of the dislodged piece to make it viable if the surgeon tried to pin it back on. So she had to remove it and leave a big defect in the joint surface. It's a little to the back of the weight-bearing area, which is good, but it will still articulate with the tibia whenever he plantar-flexes. It means guaranteed arthritis. He's only 23! Very very upsetting.

My son is in smallville with his dad. I'm having my final (I hope!) surgery tomorrow here in M'town, so I'll drive to the hospital for 5:30 am and check in. It's a five hour procedure so that'll give my husband time to make sure son #3 is all right in the morning, drive the 3 hours here, and pick me up. Then, as long as I'm not throwing up or otherwise unable to travel, we'll head back to smallville. There isn't anyone to stay with son #3.

And then, for the next week, we'll have a small surgical ward at our house! At least they've promised there will be no drains this time. Last fall I had four. For a month! And a fifth one after my second skin graft. I never want to see a drain again.