The First Cast is Removed

Many of you have e-mailed me for the latest update. Brandon, Kristin and I just got back from Dallas. Brandon had his cast removed under anesthesia, had all the pins, wires and the button removed and his foot was molded for a brace. They then placed another "tight cast" on the foot and leg for another month. The good news, Brandon can now bear weight on the foot. The bad news, that is not as easy as he or I thought. He will probably need the next month to build strength in the foot to take the weight. He walked a little today with the walker, but was in the wheelchair again for the remainder of the day. Tomorrow back to school and hopefully walking a little more. The physicians and the hospital also want to look at the other foot which has already started to curve in as well. Hopefully we will not need surgery on his right foot for a while. Brandon is in good spirits and everything today went very well. By the way the new cast is green.
Leah

Back from Scottish Rite and Out of School

Brandon has a pretty easy week this week. He went to school on Monday and had a fairly easy day. Tuesday he went to all his classes at school. Wednesday afternoon we left to head back to Scottish Rite. We had an appointment for a cast check. The cast was starting to unravel on the base so it was good we were going. We spent the night in Dallas. Kristin came with us. The next morning (thursday) I worked in the hotel room until lunch and we headed over to the hospital. We ate the stangest mexican hamburger place close to the hopsital. It was so bad we headed over to Whole foods close to the hospital for a few snacks to eat after the appointment and the drive home. Brandon's cast looks good. They put another layer on the cast and we are all hoping it lasts 2 more weeks. We will remove the cast under anestheisa on Sept 24 (6:00 am UGH). Brandon was in great spirits after hearing that the doctors were going to try and place a walking cast on the foot on the 24th. At least Brandon could walk rather than be in a wheelchair. Brandon is getting a little restless and you can tell he is ready to walk again. I think he can last another two weeks. Friday the school closed and Brandon stayed at home with me. Below is a picture of Brandon with Dr Birch.

Leah

Back to School Back to Dallas

Brandon started school this week after being off for two weeks. He has done very well returning. Unfortunately we have to go back to Dallas on wednesday afternoon for our check of the cast thursday. Brandon will return to school on friday. Brandon is doing very well transitioning from the wheelchair. He is also dealing with the foot pain very well. Hopefully the cast is surviving well and we can have it removed on Sept 24th. They will replace it with another cast after removing the pins and possibly the button. They will then mold his foot for a brace. Then 3 more weeks while the brace is being made. Brandon will be very happy when he gets a little more independent and when he does not have to bathe with water being poured over his head. He's a real trooper. Need to pack - AGAIN.
Leah

His Gift

Kind of hard to see, but Brandon's gift after surgery was Beatles Monopoly. Brandon finally asked to sit up today. You can see the cast on his foot. It goes up to below the knee. He has been sleeping for long periods of time. He also has a few medical issues now which hopefully will clear up soon (not major).

Thanks Kate for the call from Tulsa so Brandon could hear "Sgt Peppers" live from Tulsa. That really made his day.

We are hoping Brandon can go back to school sometime this week.

Leah

Recovering over the Weekend

Brandon came home friday from the hospital with very little sleep over 48 hours and was very tired. He could not sleep on the drive home. Once he was home in his own bed he finally let himself get some good sleep. I was almost as bad as him having little sleep myself and Kristin felt the same. Brandon has slept on and off for hours the whole weekend and now is beginning to show signs of feeling better. He is not asking for pain medicine as frequent and has been up long enough to watch his new video "Beatlemania". He has been awake long enough to track Gustov - the hurricane and hear about the changes at the Republican convention. All of great concern to him.

Brandon will be very limited in his mobility for the next month. He cannot get the cast wet, he cannot sweat (therefore no outside) and he cannot put any weight on the foot. This will really limit his activities for a few weeks. Dr Birch and Dr McDreamy fused four bones in Brandon's foot and detached and repaired his main tendon. The foot was put back together with pins, a button at the bottom of the foot and wires sticking out of the cast. If this area gets wet there is a possibility of infection. The cast has been mostly covered. It was open all the way up the leg to allow for swelling. Transfering Brandon has been a little difficult because he now weighs 100 lbs and he must balance on one foot. But so far so good. We will go back to Scottish Rite on the 18th for a cast check and then 2 weeks following for the removal of the cast and molding for a brace under anesthesia. They will place another cast on this foot while the brace is being made. The new cast should be on for about three weeks. If they are able to remove the button when they remove the cast he will be able to walk on the new cast.

I think this is the latest info I have for now. More later.
Leah

Headed back to Austin

We are about to pack up and leave for Austin. Brandon's foot is doing very well. He has not slept very much and we are all thinking when he gets home he will be sleeping better, with a few pain drugs. It was a long night again because Brandon was not able to sleep. See you in Austin
Leah

Long Night and Better Day

Kristin did the night shift with Brandon last night. It was a long night of beeps, nurses, bedding changes and little sleep. She is looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight while I am on night duty. I feel asleep on Patrick's couch last night while watching TV only to wake to "Gabby", Patrick's new dog, licking my face. I did have a great night's sleep. Brandon is doing really good today, even though he did not have a good nights sleep. He is laughing and happy. They just took him off his epidural pain mediciation and we are trying regular pain medication. They will close his cast today. It is open to allow swelling and some oozing. That has seemed to become better overnight. If he can withstand the pain just on the pain medications for another 8 hours, they will remove this epidural. They have also ordered a wheelchair for him. He will use the wheelchair for the next month. We will return in a month to have the pins removed and have a brace placed on the leg. At that point he should be able to walk with the brace. Brandon will only be allowed to place weight on the toe of the foot for the next month. He will need to be transported otherwise in the wheelchair. Brandon is doing so well that the hospital is discussing possible friday or saturday discharge. We will let you know soon. Thanks
Leah