BIG NEWS

First of all-  NO, I am NOT Pregnant. That is not the big news.


Ok, got that out of the way.  Just wanted to post some new updates for us.... I apologize for the very belated Christmas post, but since this is like my journal, I had to still get it in there.


Anyways,  here's our biggest updates for the past few months:


#1.  Baron is officially and completely POTTY TRAINED!!!


It only took about 3 devoted days before he was completely loving the new big boy undies and the idea that he can go potty on his own.  The best trick that really clicked for him was sitting him backwards on the pot.  Makes it SO much easier and he can even climb up and go on his own!  Also, I really mean that he is completely potty trained- he does not wear any diapers, EVER! WAHOO!!!!!  About a week after we started potty training I noticed he was keeping his diaper dry at night.  So we just decided to go for it and get rid of diapers completely.  He's only had about 2 accident's in the past 2 months at night so far! (unlike his older brother who still has accidents once every week or two- not sure what to do about that! Any advice??)  He is doing great and I cannot even begin to describe my joy at not having to buy any more diapers for him and not having to clean a messy bum!




#2.  I FINALLY got a correct diagnosis for my knee!!!


This is HUGE.  It has been something over the past few years that have been really difficult for me.  To go from being active and always doing some type of sport or running my whole life to not being able to do anything at all after just having baby #2 was really difficult for me.  I have really struggled.  The surgery was suppose to help and instead seemed to make everything worse and take away any strength I did have left in that particular knee.  SO frustrating.  But, after finally going to a highly recommended Orthopedic Surgeon a year and a half after the surgery, there is FINALLY a light at the end of the tunnel.  What is different?  Well the first thing is that this new Doc after looking at my previous MRI pictures determined that the reason the surgery did nothing and has only in fact slowed everything down is that the first Doc misdiagnosed my knee and that surgery was actually not necessary, or even an MRI. As soon as I explained to the new Doc my symptoms and the original story of when I first noticed things going wrong, he knew exactly what I had.  He did a quick and easy Xray from a certain angle that hadn't been done yet on my knee to confirm his suspicions and was able to get a correct diagnosis.  So, instead of having some random injury and scar tissue build up causing the pain and inability to fully straighten my leg (which was the first diagnosis), I was told I have Trochlear Dysplasia.  He explained that is is rare and is passed down through females in certain genes usually and that because it is so rare, Doctors often miss it and come up with another diagnosis that usually doesn't end up right.  After he explained it all about what it is and the gene thing (my sister has problems with her knee cap too!), I just knew it was the right diagnosis finally and that treating that was going to be the right thing that would work this time.  It felt right and I finally felt peace over it.


SO, the treatment for Trochlear Dysplasia is A LOT of physical therapy, but the key to it working is this:

Meet my new Best Friend

This is a knee cap stabilizing knee brace.  I am suppose to wear it as much as possible (while taking some breaks to give my skin some breathing room and to sleep), so that the muscles around my knee will get used to holding my knee cap in place.  That is the biggest problem with my knee is that the knee cap tracks back and forth and is really close to dislocating all the time. That little blue thing holds the knee cap right in place.  It takes me a couple of minutes to get it on tight enough and to where my knee cap is really in the right place- which I can tell by if I have pain when I straighten my leg completely.  I especially need to wear the brace while doing any physical activity, going up or down stairs and while doing my physical therapy.  They say I may have to wear it for up to a year constantly and then after that still wear it while running or playing sports for possibly my whole life.  That is a lot, BUT, I am just so happy to know there is a cure and an opportunity for me to be able to run again.  That is still 4-6  months or so away because my muscles are totally gone from the surgery, but both my Dr. and my Physcial therapist were pretty positive that I will be able to run again.  I have been doing physical therapy for the past few weeks, and already there has been tremendous improvement- which there never was before without the brace and this new physical therapist who is wonderful and really knows what he is doing and how to help me fully recover!


#3- Still love our ward and the friends we have made!!


Just wanted to throw that in there.  We have really been able to do a lot of fun date nights lately and hang out with some great friends we've been able to make in this ward.  We LOVE our ward.  There are so many fun and wonderful people in it.  I love my young women.... they are some of the best girls I know and I am super sad to have to say goodbye to 7, yes that's right, SEVEN of them in a few months after they graduate.  :(  We will be left with 3 laurels after that for a while.  Jackson and Baron have also been blessed to have made lots of good friends from the ward too! We recently split a Children's Museum pass with a friend and her kids who are the same ages and it has been fun to be able to go together, especially during the rainy season!


Anyways, that about sums it up for now!  I am making a goal to blog more often.... promise.  No more 2 months later posts..... hopefully :)