This cause is close to my heart – please sign: https://t.co/OJfoFpvhs7
— No One You Know (@Nobody_special1) January 5, 2020
After experiencing some significant pain in my right shoulder/arm, I decided to see my orthopedist – Dr. Keiras last September. He took x-rays and let me know that I have bone-on-bone arthritis which is causing the pain.
I knew my granddaughter was coming so I decided to try an injection to see if that would help alleviate the pain. Woo hoo! The injection in mid-October allowed me to travel to Denver to see Isabella without too much pain!
I came home and the pain started up again with a vengeance. I made another appointment for an injection in early December hoping it would get me through the holidays. I also began doing some research on Total Shoulder Replacement surgery.
I discovered this study by a surgeon in Kentucky who was doing these using a posterior approach which preserves the rotator cuff. Obviously I was intrigued.
I sent Dr. Greiwe an email with my x-ray and exam reports and asked if he thought I’d be a good candidate. He responded within a day and said he’d like to see my actual x-rays. I obtained a CD when I received my second injection and uploaded them to his Ortholive.com portal.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
I had my consultation with Dr. Michael Greiwe yesterday evening. He created an app called Ortholive.com which I used to upload the CD with all of my right shoulder x-rays (from 2015 when my local orthopedist did a “Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; capsulorrhaphy;
debridement; acromioplasty, subacromial decompress”) as well as the most recent x-rays from September. He reviewed everything and then we chatted via the Ortholive app on my iPhone. He was very open and honest with me and said he’s done 81 total pTSA (posterior Total Shoulder Anthroplasty) with 3 revisions; 1 due to instability, 1 due to rotator cuff problems and 1 due to stiffness. That is 3% revision rate. I did some research and found that this study USA shows a 4% all cause revision rate for standard TSA so that’s encouraging.
He did say that it is more difficult to get the stemless prosthetic aligned just right via this method but it does allow for a much easier and shorter recovery.
He told me I would be a good candidate for this if I chose to as my bone structure looks good for the stemless prosthetic.
He’s sending me a packet of information as they have done quite a few of these for out-of-state patients. They have a relationship with a small hotel close to the hospital to accommodate out-of-state patients. He said I would typically fly in Saturday or Sunday and have the surgery Monday. I would follow up with them the following Friday and then fly home.
Follow up visits will be done via OrthoLive.com portal.
I’m planning for a March surgery with him and will document updates and my experience as this unfolds.
November 14, 2019 through November 18, 2019
Matt just sent me this text; it’s Monday, October 28, 2019 at about 10 PM.
Looks like our newest member of the family will be here soon!
11:18 PM Pacific (a little after midnight, Mountain)
They arrived at the hospital and are settling in. No contractions yet.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 7:44 AM (Pacific time)
Text from Matt:
Their doctor is in Hawaii so she is being cared for by the attending physician. Matt said she seems to be doing fine and sent this pic:
It’s a good thing they went to the hospital when they did because now there’s lots of snow too. Text from Matt at about 8 AM:
And this one is from the roof of their hospital room – lots of snow. I’m so glad they went to the hospital when they did. All things are always in sync with exactly as the Universe intends.
Here’s Matt in the hospital room:
And here’s the hospital room:
Ashley is doing well:
Babies come when they are ready. Matt is doing his editing work from the hospital room:
October 29, 2019 – 11:10 AM Pacific Time
Text from Matt:
Text from Matt at 4:22 PM Pacific Time
Should be about five to six more hours and our Baby Girl will be here! She’s coming on a very snowy Denver day!
Isabella Lynne Hickney – Born at 11:08 PM on October 29, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. She weighs 8 lbs 14 oz and was 21 inches long.
Isabella’s First Bath – October 30, 2019
Ashley had to have emergency surgery to remove the placenta late yesterday so she’s getting her strength back slowly.
These are photos of Isabella after her first bath. She’s not very happy with being taken out of the nice warm, womb-like bath!
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at about 9:30 PM, Mountain Time
Daddy posted these on Instagram and I cried. I so wish I could be there to hold you my little one!
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Ashley had to have another transfusion today. They had hoped to be coming home but they will be there another night. Fingers crossed they can come home tomorrow. I asked Matt if he was ready to take care of Isabella full time while Ashley recuperates when they come home and this was his response:
I recently took my online journal offline due to being stalked by someone I knew when I was very young.
The stalker’s name is Earl Robert Sitman Jr (his alias is “JR Sitman”) and he works for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in So. California.
He is/was married to Linda Sitman who probably knows nothing of his sick behavior.
This isn’t the first time either. He’s been doing this periodically for decades.
Recently, he actually pretended to be Wayne Blandin, a person we both knew in high school.
I’ve captured all of his emails and contacts and will keep them in a file. If it continues, I will take legal action.
Thursday night, August 29, 2019
Motorhome is all packed and ready to go. First real road trip in my little Winnebago Warrior, and Ryan and our pups are going to. I’m exhausted and looking forward to unwinding and seeing Matt and Ashley.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Back home now. Motorhome started acting up in Boise. We took it to a Toyota dealer who was unable (or unwilling) to properly diagnose what was causing the problem. It was intermittent which makes it difficult on a 1992 vehicle. I’m sad and depressed because I planned this trip for a long, long time. But I’m grateful to the battalion of guardian angels who obviously kept us safe and got us home without too much damage.
This is the pic of her parked at the Toyota dealership.
I’m grateful we made it home safely. I’m very, very disappointed at not being able to spent time with Matt and Ashley before the baby comes though.
I do believe everything happens for a reason so that’s how I’m looking at this.
Blessed to be home.
September 2, 2019
After a day of rest, I decided to drive to Colorado and see my son and Ashley before my granddaughter arrives. My new RAV4 Hybrid got over 40 mpg and was wonderful to drive.
I decided to take the scenic route which was amazing.
We enjoyed a lovely visit and I feel so good to have salvaged my planned trip. They have a lovely home with a wonderful front porch. I sat out there and enjoyed the beautiful weather and the birds. (my car is parked in front of their house)
Matt and I went to Garden of the Gods – it was incredible.
While there, my wonderful mechanic (Blake Walker – Central Avenue Automotive) called and said he thinks he knows what’s going on with the motorhome. He’s picking it up for me, and I know he’ll get it right. Thank goodness!
Matt, Ashley and I went out to dinner – they are such a lovely couple! Their daughter (my first and likely only grandchild) is due November 9th.
I left Colorado on Saturday, September 7, 2019. My goal was to make it to Boise and stay there for the night. It was a very nice drive but I was sure glad to arrive at my hotel and get a nice dinner.
Arrived home at 3 PM on Sunday, September 8, 2019. Very good to be home and see Ryan and Mickey and Ava.
I’m 65 years old.
I had a very close relationship with my grandma (on my mother’s side), and I was very close to my mother-in-law who just recently passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s.
Neither of my sons had a close relationship with their grandparents.
My granddaughter is due in November and I want to be close to her.
Today was my first water aerobics class and
I LOVE IT!!
My goal is to get in real good physical shape in the next 12 months so I can live to be 100 and see my granddaughter graduate high school and maybe have children of her own.
I always do better when I have a tangible goal.
Pat was my mother-in-law, but that doesn’t really communicate how much she meant to me.
She was more of a mother to me than anyone.
She helped me learn how to love vegetables (I was an adult dating her son).
She helped me see the real value of family.
She helped me with my sons, when I had no one else.
She got Alzheimer’s and was bed-ridden for a few years so I only have memories of earlier times we were together.
I love her very, very much.
May God welcome her with a very warm embrace. She passed away early this morning.
After my 2006 motorcycle cycle, I haven’t attempted to ride again.
I’m now ready – 13 years later.
I bought this cute Vespa so I can tool around campgrounds and see sights when I’m on the road.
I’ve signed up for the Motorcycle Safety Training course (again) and am confident I’ll overcome my fear.
Her name is Barbie.
