It has been a long few days, but we are glad to report that Ava successfully made it through her first surgery yesterday. Her patella was well and truly smashed. It took 6 screws to put it back together which is remarkable because the bone is so small. I can’t imagine how tiny some of those screws are. We are grateful that Ava had a talented surgical team at Alpine Orthopedics in Bozeman to put her back together (she is pictured above with Mandy, her wonderful nurse in pre/post op). Ava was a total rock star yesterday and weirdly interested in each and every medical procedure throughout pre-op. I still can’t believe she watched her own IV be inserted. She even watched the anesthesiologist insert a ridiculously large needle into her femoral nerve to block it prior to general anesthesia. It gives me the willies just thinking about it!
Today has been a little rough, as you would expect, but Ava is grateful for the calls, texts, flowers (even a book!) that have come throughout the day. Because we are all feeling a little sorry for her we are letting her binge watch a series of 36 Barbie movies made over the past 19 years. Yep folks, you read that right. Some movie studio made 36 cartoon movies dedicated to Barbie. If you know me well, you know that Barbie makes me cringe (where do I even begin…). I love my daughter so much I have (mostly) silenced my feminist self and am sitting on the couch with her while my mind is anesthetized by truly awful movies. Dan is in a similarly generous mood and enduring the Barbie onslaught with a deep well of patience. Hazel has been a good sport throughout, alternating between books, activities with my mom and watching Barbie.
Our next surgery is to repair the nose on Feb 4th. Will update next week and let everyone know how that goes. Many thanks again for the words of encouragement, Ava is a lucky girl to have such a great community around her!
Hi #onthemend Ava and the rest of you wonderful road warriors. Grateful one tough surgery is done and just one more to go. Your attitude is amazing, but that doesn’t surprise me. Ava, will be pulling for you from afar.
As for Charlotte, it was rainy and cold today – even snowed big cotton ball flakes for a while this morning. A good day to stay inside and read. Didn’t happen. 😔 Must get Tucker out for a walk tomorrow. We go by your house a lot and all is well on Sharon Hills. Glad Moby has been a good home on wheels. You must report the number of miles you’ve spent with Him.
Xoxo,
Lucy
Thanks, Carolyn, for keeping us up to date on Ava’s progress. Please let her know I’m sorry to have been so busy this week that I never found time to reply to her “corrective” of your first post on this BIG TOPIC! She is simply too, too cute!
Love the picture with Mandy — thanks, Mandy for taking such good care of Ava. And, Ava, thanks for the big smile. It makes us all happy to see it.
Hang in there Hazel and do your best to avoid trees jumping right out there in front of you on the downhill.
Love to all,
Alice
Well done, Ava and surgical team! The M-S are a resilient group….not to mention 36hrs of Barbie! I’d pay to be a fly on the wall to watch CLs face! On to the next adventure!
xo/jmo