"Hey I remember you!" I said as I answered the phone at 8:30am on a Monday. "Hey I remember you!" I was told as I booked our room in a far away place. Hey I remember you...but I sure wish we didn't- didn't have to answer that call, didn't have to book that room, didn't have to be sitting here writing you letting you know about Zackary's newest adventure.
Did you know it's been 408 days since May 16, 2018? That is if you're one of the few reading this on the actual day I posted this (6/25/19). It's has been a very full, exciting, roller coaster of a ride life the last 408 days but I'm sure everyone has had their ups and downs. When it comes to Zackary it has been filled with 408 days without surgery, it was the completion on not one but 3 basketball seasons, the start of public school and ending his 8th grade year with honor roll and being awarded the power of positive thinking award at school. For Johnathan it included his final year of football at Rio Rancho High School, the signing of his letter of intent to play football in college, his graduation from said school and the dropping off of said college student at his new home in Seward, NE where he will be playing quarterback as a Bulldog. Adam and I have both moved industries at work. Though he's still working for General Mills we also joined with an amazing financial advising company named Gateway where Adam has interned and passed multiple tests and is now a licensed financial and insurance advisor. For me, I'm the administrative assistant to a group of advisors and we both love our roles over there. To say the least the last 408 have been anything but dull, but now that you are caught up let me fill you in on what is going on currently.
That phone call I mentioned earlier that I took at 8:30 was from the scheduler of surgeries for Dr. Herzenberg out in Baltimore. I hadn't even heard from the doctor we needed surgery yet, but the scheduler was bright eyed and bushy tailed to do his job. Devin is so helpful and friendly that it took me a couple minutes to realize what he was asking. "Dr H wanted me to reach out and put Zackary on the schedule." "For what?" I asked. He asked me to check my email and there I found that the doctor was concerned about Zackary's latest xray and the amount of daily pain he was in.
We get xrays about once a year to keep an eye on things and usually they just attribute pain to him being an active, growing boy who doesn't have all the normal functions of a regular kid. Basically just learning and adapting which can put a toll on his body. But not this time, this time they were concerned about the 'migration' of his hip and how much movement there has been in his leg and honestly concerned about how much he's growing! A somewhat good concern to have since they told us we would be lucky if he maxes out at 5'8" (He's almost 5'8" now, matching where his brother was to the cm at his age, and Johnathan is now 6'2"!)
Well, they were concerned enough to call us and ask to schedule his next stage of surgery within 5 weeks! When the doctor makes strong suggestions you listen! We went back in our notes from past consultations all mentioning how he would need the surgery around 15/16 and it would be another big one. We knew it was coming but damn if that didn't come faster then any one of us could have imagined and of course it came early, he's only 14, but again with the growing and migrating.
I'll save you all the medical jargon and details and just tell you this; Zackary will be having surgery on July 10th in Baltimore, Maryland at the Sinai Hospital. This is the same place his leg lengthening procedure was in 2017 and where he and I get to spend 6-8 weeks while he heals from this surgery. He will be having a complete hip reconstructive surgery, breaking it in 2-3 places to create a shelf like hip out of his already existing femur and since he will be losing so much length from that they will be doing another leg lengthening procedure at the same time. Unfortunately he is not as lucky as last time to be able to do the internal rod for lengthening, we will have to do the external fixator. This is the halo type apparatus you may have seen that has pins going directly into the leg, connecting to the bone and separating the bone to create the length and regrowth. This is a very painful procedure, long term process and healing process.
His recovery will be 6-8 weeks of lengthening, in Baltimore, to include weekly doctor visits and daily PT. Then he will have another 2-3 months at home, though there may not be any lengthening, he will still continue PT for a total of at least 4 months of no walking. Even though we've been through it before it's never easy, it's always scary and you can never be prepared enough.
But hey, remember that awesome company Gateway I was telling you about? They are letting me work remotely while he recovers and of course Adam will do his best to make it out for a few visits and hold the fort, and puppies, down here at home. Johnathan...well, he'll still be annoying his brother via phone just from Nebraska instead of New Mexico. And what could we ask for from you? Mostly and most importantly prayers. For each of us in our own ways of needing it, for the doctors, for the safe travels as we drive to Baltimore, for sanity, for patience, understanding, all the good stuff! I will let you know our GoFundMe account is still up and running and we could use all the help you can provide and thank you in advance for your help. We have a little saved from the last round of surgeries to help fly Adam home to work after surgery but of course food, housing and medical bills add up quickly, so thank you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the past, present and current support. We would not have made it this far without you. And thank you for sticking around to read this whole long blog! I mentioned somewhere I'd spare you the details...maybe next time!
Until then~
Momma Miller
