Update waaaaay over due!

Wow! I can't believe it has been 6 months since I posted here on our blog.

So just a few updates!
The girls graduated from preschool in May...so off to kindergarten in the Fall!
We had our summer Vacation in the keys a few weeks ago (picture below).

I was released by my back doctor in March (one year since having the hardware out!) and he says I can resume normal activities again without restrictions. So I joined then gym, but then....to top things off, I haneeded foot surgery last week! Just a bunion...BUT...my foot/toe was worse than the doctor expected once he got in there. He said it looks like I broke my toe/foot at some point and the joint grew back all crooked...probably what caused the bunion in the first place. It could have very well happened during the accident and I just didn't notice it, since I was so consumed with my back issues. So, I am now one-week post op and another week before I get a walking boot. Going a little stir crazy!!!


Other than all of that, everyone is good...just keeping busy with the kids being home for summer and all! OH! And the puppies are almost 9 months old already and weighing in at about 50 pounds each!!! NUTS they are, but they are so beautiful and such affectionate dogs. We love them!
I will post some more pictures tomorrow.
Hope to check back in again sooner:)

Puppy Pics...3 months old already!

Babies are growing like weeds! They are such sweethearts and little snuggle bugs!

Rianne hanging out with the puppies!

"Remy"

Always snuggling close...:)"Roxy"

Girls' Christmas Pics...

Puppy Update...

Our new babies are almost 9 weeks old. They are sooo adorable:)

Roxy (left) and Remy (right)

It's OFFICIAL...meet our newest additions!!!

Help us welcome our newest "twins"...Remy and Roxy Connor!
We picked them up in South Carolina yesterday, so today was their first full day home.
While they have slept quite a bit, it has been an interesting day, since the girls didn't have school today....little mother hens!!! We just love them!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Whew! Soooo glad Halloween is behind us! Man...the girls were jacked up ALL weekend!

Here are a few pictures of them before we went trick or treating! They were witches:)

A great picture of JAKE!

I found this picture of Jake a few days ago. I think the picture is about 2 years old. He was so healthy and happy. Wasn't he beautiful???? We miss him!

Something Cute...

It has been 4 weeks since our dog Jake died. The girls usually ask about him everyday and we tell them that he is in heaven and feels better there. Rianne asked me tonight if I gave Jake dog food to take with him to heaven. I was floored and honestly didn't know what to say. So I told her I did. And she said good...and that God would feed him everyday! But she said it like for me not to worry about Jake because God would take care of him! AMAZING!

For Jake...

It has been a long few weeks with our dog Jake. He was diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg last month. He has a long history with his leg...he had a shattered femur when we rescued him. He has had mild on-going issues since then, but nothing sever. We've had him for 7 years.

So for the last few weeks, we have been trying to manage his pain with lots of medication, which didn't really seem to work. He has been very restless this week and in a lot of pain. He woke up this afternoon from a nap and his leg was swollen twice its normal size. So I rushed him to the Vet. She agreed there was nothing else we could do for him.

It was a very sad day...harder than I imagined. I was with him while they put him to sleep. It was very peaceful, but I cried like a baby! I miss him already. And Robby and the girls do too, though we are still talking about it with the girls, since they are still a little confused.

He was such a good boy. Many people, that didn't know him, were intimidated by him because he was a pitbull. But he was an angel. He loved the girls and tolerated them dressing him up...putting princess crowns and scarves on him. He would never hurt anything!

What a good boy. We will miss him!

These pictures were taken of him in July.

JAKE 12.00 - 9.09

AAAAHHHHH!

What a long couple of days it has been! Turns out that my xrays from last week were misread! Can you believe that??? I have been a hysterical mess for days over my back! I guess I am more relieved than mad though. I had my CT Scan on Friday and there are no changes from my last CT Scan. So, it appears I am just sore from the fall (and that the PA screwed up!).
So that's done! EEG (brain scan) is on Wednesday! I have a feeling everything is going to be fine, but I am just being cautious.
Will let you all know how it goes when I know something!

A lot can happen in a few days...

I was going to postone this until I knew for sure what was going on. But I am completely heart-sick, and I wanted to let you all know what was going on with me. Me and the girls have been sick since the weekend. Early Tuesday morning I had gotten up to get some motrin because I couldn't sleep and my body was achy. I was in the kitchen and got my pills out and the next thing I knew I was waking up on the kitchen floor and the bottle of pills was all over the floor. I had fainted. I got up and started cleaning up...and again, woke up on the floor. By that time, Robby heard the racket and saw me on the floor. He helped me up and walked me to the couch and I had collapsed again. Basically, I had fainted 3 times in about 20 minutes. I was freaked out enough, that I had my mom come get me and take me to the ER. I was there for hours...all the ct scans and xrays turned out ok. But I am following up with a Neurologist tomorrow, to hopefully find the cause of my fainting.
On top of that, I had landed on my back when I passed out. My back was achy yesterday afterwards, so I made an appointment to get checked out today just to be sure. They are thinking I have 4 compression fractures of the spine...and my 2 fused vertebrae might be affected. They are setting me up for a bone scan and another ct scan of my back.
To be honest, I am completely freaked out and very emotional today. I just can't believe this is happening all over again. I just hope my back is going to be ok.
I could use your prayers once again!

WOW! Remembering back...

It is a rainy Sunday and we didn't really know what to do today. So we pulled out the girls' baby videos. We watched the videos from 2007. And the girls were on there playing in the leaves in Georgia with Robby. It was a few days after the accident and I was in the hospital. My parents had made it up and stayed with me in the hospital while Robby went to be with the girls. I forget what babies they were only 2 years ago! They would say they loved me and missed me on the video. Rianne even mentioned something about my "boo-boo". While Robby was videotaping, he looked up in the sky and there was a big cloud shaped like an Angel, with her wings and everything. No joke! I saw it with my own eyes! Man...the 10 minute bit of video really tugged at my heart! What a blessed miracle!

So it got me thinking...in a few weeks, it will be 6 months since I had the hardware removed from my back! Can you believe that??? It is still so surreal, even after almost 2 years...thinking back on all of it! Geesh...so much we've been through! Still feeling good most days...and going strong! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO!

Before & After...

I thought some of you might be interested to see xrays of my back since having all my hardware removed. These xrays were taken on June 11, 2009...3 months after surgery.

You can see that my back is not perfectly aligned, but Dr Hynes says it will be fine. Afterall, what a miracle that my back ever recovered from my injuries.

And if you forgot what my "Before" pictures look like, take a look again:

A Quick Note...

Hi everyone...just wanted to tell you all what I did! I am so proud of myself! I did laps in the pool today...for the first time since the accident. I mean like really did laps...almost 20 of them! I did a few different strokes and it felt so good...moving my arms and back like that! WOW! Just reminds me how blessed I am! I need to get some of this extra weight off so I am going to try some laps everyday.
Just wanted to let you all know that I am still improving everyday! I requested a copy of my recent post-op x-rays, so hopefully I will get them soon and I will get them posted, so you all can see how my back looks now...hardware-free!!! AMAZING!
Thanks for your continued support.

Back Update...3 months post-op!

Can you believe it has been 3 months since my last back surgery??? I can't. I saw Dr. Hynes last week and my x-rays look great. While my fusion is perfect, I will have scoliosis still around where the fracture was. Though he said it shouldn't have any effect on my daily life. He also checked the alignment of my neck with my thoracic spine...and all looks good there too. He will see me a few more times this year...and after the one year mark (post-op) he says if there has been no change...than nothing WILL change. He said Dr. Chutkan (my original surgeon that performed the fusion) did an amazing job!
So...my pain is still pretty minimal. Though I find that I wake up achy, but I think that is mostly in part to me LOVING to sleep on my stomach, which is a big NO-NO for people with back problems. But I can't sleep any other way! Any suggestions????
I will continue to post updates and pics as I get them!
Thanks for all the support and prayers!

Vacation Pics!

I know I haven't checked in much since we've been down here in the Keys, but I haven't had much computer time.

The dolphin down here are big ones! The first pic is of my first dolphin since surgery 2 months ago. It was a nice cow!

The second 2 pics are from the second day fishing...a big bull that put up a fight! I felt my arms and back burning trying to get this one in the boat. Robby was a good Captain, directing me how to handle him and we finally got him in the boat! He was hooked through the top of his fin...Robby was shocked we even got in the boat after the fight he gave me!

I'll post more pics soon!

We also took a drive down to Key West with the girls.

Vacation Today!

It's finally here! We head out for the keys in a few hours! Wish us a safe drive! Hoping we are going to catch some big fish! I'll post some pics in a few days!

Girls being BRAVE at Gatorland!!!

We took the girls to Gatorland in Orlando, FL for the first time today.

The girls held a real snake AND a real alligator for this picture. We were so amazed how willing they were to sit for this picture!

Just checking in!

Hi everyone! I didn't realize how long it had been since I last checked in. I had my 6 week post-op appointment last week (I think) and I have been released for normal activities! I really do feel amazing...so good that I can't believe the pain I first experienced from the accident. The only way to describe it is...SURREAL! I am taking it easy though, as I am resting up for our 2 week trip to the keys coming up at the end of May. We can't wait! Even the girls are excited...they wake up every morning asking if today is "bacation". Can't wait to see them fishing on the boat! Hopefully, we will come back with some great pictures.

Robby and I took the girls to GatorLand today. It was fun. We got some great pictures. I will scan them and post them as soon as I get around to that. It was a long day, and Robby and I are exhausted. I don't know how the girls are still awake! Hopefully, it will be an early night!

Catch of the Day!

Robby was one happy Captain, when the boat limited out on Tuna last Thursday!

They caught 16 tuna weighing in nearly 650# total!

Left to Right: Dave, Jay, Robby, Jerry, and Scott

The girls are getting ready for the Keys...

The girls are getting ready for fishing in the Keys too! They can't stop talking about going fishing with Daddy on the big boat! So Robby bought them some cute little pink barbie fishing poles and took them fishing in the canal out back.

They each caught their first fish...so cute!

Here are some layouts I made of them with their first fish!

A big thank you to Paula Phillips for this adorable Scrap kit that made these layouts perfect!

Another Back Update!

I can't believe it has already a month since surgery! And I can't believe how AMAZING I feel! For the most part, I am completely of the paid meds already...with a few bad days here and there. And the rain and cold do make me ache still! I go back next week for my 6 week post-op appointment. I should be released for regular activites then, but I will continue to take it easy since we are gearing up for a 2-week trip to the keys next month...can't wait for that!

So just wanted to let everyone know that things are going great for me! Now I am just trying to prepare for turning 3o tomorrow...yikes!!!!!

2-Week Post-Op Update...

Wow! Another 2 weeks have passed. I am doing really well! I had my 1st post-op appointment yesterday. The dressing from my incision was removed and the cosmetic scar does in fact look better. My new scar is actually quite a bit bigger...about an inch longer on the top and bottom. Though the incision still has some healing to do, I still have to baby it quite a bit. It is still pretty itchy, which is driving me crazy!

I saw x-rays on my hardware-free back too! That was weird. You could actually see little signs of where the screws were removed..like little holes in my bone. Those will close up over time.

And it is official my T4 and T5 vertebrae are permanently fused...so the hardware did it's job. They still say should can resume 99% of my normal activites within the next month or 2. Of course, I will always be considered as having a bad back, so I will remain under long-term care of the doctors for a while.

I am down to 1-2 pain pills a day. I do feel really good...I am taking showers and getting dressed all on my own. Doesn't sound like much, but it is a huge accomplishment. Still no driving for me this week. I will plan to start driving the girls to school again next week though.

Thank you all again for your prayers and support!

It's finally behind us!

Hi again! Just wanted to post another update about my surgery. It was done on Wednesday the 4th and everything wen smoothly...and as planned! In addition to removing ALL of the harware, Dr. Hynes made some cosmetic changes as well. He cut out my old scar from the staples from my first 2 surgeries and used stitches under the skin instead. He also shaved down some bone that was pertruding above my burst fracture. These were things that would just help my back to look a little better as it heals.
I am still VERY sore, but the pain is nothing like went I went through before. They are planning to send me home on Saturday, so we will see how things go once I get home.
I will post some more updates in the next few days.
Thanks to everyone who called me in the hospital. I will talk to you all soon.

SURGERY is HERE!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be going in for surgery at 7:00 AM on Wednesday (3.4.09). I will be at Holmes (HealthFirst). I will get updates out as soon as I can.

Please say a prayer or two for me! Talk to you all soon.

Surgery Update!

I am getting ready to go to my Pre-Op Appointment this morning. And I just now got a call from Dr. Hynes' office saying that he wanted to move my surgery up to March 4 (instead of the 6th). So...that's right! My surgery is now going to be March 4th, which is a Wednesday! I am going to send out a mass email today, just so everyone knows what is going on.

AHHHH! I am a nervous wreck...so much to do to get ready!

Thanks for all the support! Talk to you all soon!

Reilly & Rianne are turning 4!!!!

How is that even possible??? I can't believe how fast the time has gone! They are little ladies now...or should I say DIVAS!

OMG! It's official!

Well...I made the dreaded phone call today! My surgery is scheduled for March 6, 2009! I say "dreaded" only because I am sooooooo nervous about having another surgery. But I feel it is the right decision and that things will go smoothly!

Surgery will be on a Friday, and I will probably stay the whole weekend in the hospital. So now, I have a month to prepare...mentally and everything else! My mom will help alot, I know, but lots of other things need planning too...so I will be working on that.

Just wanted to let you all know what was going on!

Talk to you all soon!

Some AMAZING pictures of my back!

This is a little follow to my post from a few days ago. I got a copy of my most recent CT Scan from September 2008. I was playing with it tonight and I got some good clips of what my back really looks like inside.
If you look closely at each picture, you can see which screws are securely in the vertebrae and those that are NOT. And you can also see the screws that are poking my lung. The big black spaces on either side are my chest cavity which the lungs completely fill when they are full of air. So you can see why the doctor is concerned about the screws that are poking the lung.
The last picture is a view of my T5 vertebrae that is basically bone that completely regrew from the bone graft. You can see that is oddly shaped and there is a small rough gap in the center of it. The vertebrae is solid but not perfect.
And...I have decided to go ahead with the surgery. I have to call at the middle of next week to schedule it. We have decided to wait until after the girls birthday party. So I am hoping to do it at the beginning of March, so I will be fully recovered for our trip to the keys this summer!!!

Big news about my BACK!

Robby and I just got back from the back doctor (14 months since injury). We are still in a bit of shock about our visit. I assumed he was going to say the same thing about waiting to remove the hardware, since I have been doing so well. But...he told me that one of the tips of the screws was poking my lung. The screw could very easily puncture or collapse my lung, but he doesn't really know what the chances are of that happening. As scary as that sounds, he is only mildly concerned about it, but enough to give authorization for surgery.

We also looked at the CT Scan together from September, and there were at least 4 screws not even in the bone, but still attached to the rod of course. He could tell that Robby and I were still on the fence about whether or not to proceed with removing the hardware. And he said, if I was his daughter, he would take the hardware out. So that was enough confirmation for Robby and I that we will most likely have the hardware removed. He said the authorization for surgery is signed and in my chart, so whenever I am ready, we can schedule surgery! I should expect a 2-3 day stay in the hopsital and 6-8 weeks recovery time. He is even going to leave me with a "prettier" scar (he called it cosmetic), which will be nice, not that I am worried about it.

So for now, we will be thinking about how to go about this...scheduling surgery and when the best time for that will be. Please keep your fingers crossed!

Will post more updates as soon as I have more!

I caught my first KINGFISH!

OK...don't be mad...but I don't have a picture of my newest catch! But I just wanted to tell everyone that me, Robby, and Esley went fishing yesterday and I caught my first Kingfish (Esley caught his first too). The guys say it was about 20-25 pounds...and I reeled in completely on my own...without my back brace even! What a feeling! I know it doesn't sound like much now, but the whole time I was reeling, I kept thinking "I can't believe I am doing this only a year after breaking my back"!!! I am a little sore today...my middle back is achy. I even had a scheduled massage today, but then I had so much running around to do afterwards, that I am now back to being sore! So tomorrow, I guess I will rest...or try to anyway.

My sister is getting in from Arizona tomorrow, with Scott and the kids...I can't wait to see them! All my little neices and nephews toghether (ALL OF THEM) for the first time! It will be an exciting Christmas!

Wishing everyone well and safe holidays! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Pictures - 2008!

Reilly & Rianne's Preschool Pictures!

WOW! The day is HERE!

OMG! Where to do I start? I can't believe today is a year since the accident! It has been a pretty emotional week for me...all the memories flooding back like it all happened yesterday. It still seems surreal to me to think that this could've (and DID) happen to US!

I am still doing GREAT! Most days I feel 100%, but lately it seems that afternoons seem to effect me the most. I think it's just because I do more than I should during the day, so I feel it later on...nothing Ibuprofen doesn't help. I can't believe I have been off all of my heavy-duty pain medication since MAY! Who'd have thought that 6 months after breaking my back, I would be "pain-free"??? I know I say this over and over again...but I guess I just assumed recovery was going to be a lot "worse" or harder I guess. It hasn't been a walk in the park, of course, but you surely won't hear me complaining...about anything!

I never would've been able to be so positive if it wasn't for all of you...your prayers, thoughts, visits, and meals will never go forgotten. So again, THANK YOU to all of you who showed your support!!!!

I am still scheduled to see Dr. Hynes in January...so there is still the possibility of taking the hardware out. But I am just thankful to be here for the holidays and actually be able to enjoy it, so I am not thinking about January...just yet!

I would love it if you could post a comment at this post...maybe something you felt or thought when you heard about the accident? Or even just a prayer or your thoughts about anything.

Hope you all have a safe and restful Thanksgiving!

Our Annual Visit to the Pumpkin Patch...

The girls are going to be Butterflies this year for Halloween. We got them dressed in their costumes and went for our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch. This year, my new nephew came a long too. He was a little Chili Pepper (sooo cute). We're thinking about taking the girls for their very first official "trick or treat" adventure.

My Newest Baby Nephew is HERE!!!!

Welcome my newest nephew...his name is Brayden and he was born on October 4. He is just adorable and such a sweetie and he loves to cuddle. I can't get enough of him! Wish my other nephew and neice lived closer:((

The Girls' first trip to DISNEY!

We took the girls to Disney for the first time. They were so excited and had a great time. Rianne was going full-speed the whole time. Reilly, on the other hand, lagged behind while she took her time checking everything out. She got tired of all the walking toward the end, and Robby ended up carrying her! All-in-all, we all enjoyed it and hope to do it again soon.

10 Month Update

Gosh! Where has the time gone??? 10 months since the accident already...amazing!
I saw my doctor on Tuesday and got really good news. My CT Scans show that the fracture to my vertebrae is completely healed and the bone graft is filling in nicely. The burst vertebrae is actually resembling a vertebrae again. He is very impressed by this. AND....i am finally out of my back brace...for good! I had been wearing it for 10 months! For those of you who saw it, you can image how much more comfortable I am without it.

As for removing the hardware, I was hoping for a yes or no answer, which I didn't get. He initially wanted to remove the hardware once the fracture was completely healed. But since I am doing so well, he doesn't want to mess with anything...just yet. So we will wait another 4 months before making any more decisions about removal.

I will continue to have massage therapy for as long as I feel I need it. And he also recommended I see a Chiropractor to help with any discomfort. So I will probably start that in another few weeks.

So, all in all, still doing GREAT! Oh and we are taking the girls to Disney for the first time this weekend. They are so excited! So I will surely have pictures to post when I get back!

Thanks, as always, for all the support!

9 Month Update!

Hi everybody! Can you believe it? It has been 9 months since the accident. I am still doing AMAZING! I don't have any new medical updates, but I have 2 appointements in September, so I hope to get a ton of information then (will we be scheduling to remove the hardware or not?). I have been having some lower back pain, which is what the doctor told me to expect. The pain is at the exact point of my back where the hardware stops. My lower back (spine) is taking the most stress from getting the most use (as I can't bend my upper back). My muscles around the fusion are still weak too, so I am working on that. I am wearing back brace less and less each day...only have to wear it for driving (and other dangerous activites). So I hopefully I can get out of that thing for good too. I have also been prescribed more massage therapy for my lower back aches too. Though it's only 30 minutes every other week, which is a tease, it seems to help a little!

Thanks for all of your support and prayers. I will post another update after seeing the doctor next month!

Our Little Mermaids...Summer 2008

Accident Photos and X-Rays (11.21.07)

Introduction...Survival Story

Though most of you already know me, this is for those of you who don't...

I am currently 29; happily married to Robby and the busy mom of 3.5 year old twin girls - Reilly and Rianne. We live a pretty normal life...though crazy as you can imagine raising two 3-year olds!

However; our lives were changed on 11.21.07, when we were in a near-fatal auto accident, while traveling to Georgia for Thanksgiving weekend. In short, we were t-boned, flipping our Ford Super Duty F250 4-Door Pickup...TWICE! Luckily, the girls and my husband walked away with only a few scratches. I, on the otherhand, had BROKEN MY BACK, in one of the worst ways. I suffered a Thoracic Burst Fracture (my vertebrae had exploded, leaving only about a quarter of it intact), plus a broken shoulder blade and several bruised and fractured ribs. I am lucky to be alive, and even more miraaculously to NOT be paralyzed from the injury to my back.

It took 2 dangerous surgeries to "put me back together" with 12 titanium screws and two 18" inch titanium rods, running the length of my spine, resulting in a 7-Level Fusion (T2-T8).

I am doing amazingly well (surprising all my doctors)! LIFE IS GOOD! I always welcome prayers, support, and kind thoughts...I truly believe they have ALL gotten me through this hard time.