Pearl Harbor - Hawaii Day 3

One of my favorite places to visit and something I consider a must see if you are on Oahu is Pearl Harbor.  We got there bright and early Friday morning since tickets are on first come first served basis.  there was a huge line already wrapping around the building but it went very quickly and we were able to get in for the 7:45 tour, only having to wait twenty minutes.  You first go into a theater and watch a film about the history of Pearl Harbor. Then you board a boat and go out into the harbor. In the past, the ferry takes you to the actual memorial where yoh can read and reflect. The memorial, however, is under repairs, so the ferry brought us past the memorial and back.  I have to admit, it wasn't as touching or meaningful. You dont see the full impact of seeing the battleship under the memorial or see the oil, called "black tears" still leaking out. You still learn a lot but you don't get the emotional impact.  I hope its fixed soon and that people can resume visiting the memorial.

After we toured the memorial, Stan and Ethan went to tour the USS Bowfin, an old WWII submarine.  Nikki and I waited (I couldnt go on).  Then we headed out for a drive to the Leeward (west) side of the island.

Nobody was impressed with that side. It was covered in graffiti and there were homeless camps everywhere.  These homeless camps were quite elaborate. Some.had fenced in their "yard" and had their areas decorated.  I was shocked that the county allows them. They were at every beach and coast line. Not to mention all the abandoned and stripped cars everywhere.  It was like nobody took pride in paradise .

We went home after we got as far north as we could go.  Ethan didnt want to be home so he went to a place called Koko Head Steps. Its a series of steps that goes straight up Koko Head Crater, about one mile.  I was impressed he made it.

I wasnt up to walking up one mile of stairs.  The rest of us hung out at the house and napped.   I was in need to elevate and ice my leg so badly so spending the rest of the day doing that made me feel so much better.

Hanauma Bay - Hawaii Day 2

We woke up bright and early to head to Hanauma Bay.  if you don't know what Hanauma Bay is, it's a bay formed in a crater where  hundreds of beautiful.tropical fish swim. It's a popular snorkeling place.  When I lived here, it was open to anyone and free.  Now, they limit the number of visitors let day. You have to pay admission and watch a video about preserving the bay.  I read that we need to get there early so, off we went.  We arrived at about 8 am and it was already pretty full.  I hobbled from the car to the theater on my crutches (not an easy task on the sandy, set and uneven ground). After the movie, we got on the shuttle and headed down the hill.  Hanauma Bay has been totally redone in the past three decades and is very nice. They are handicapped accessible and even had free wheelchairs that go in the sand.  I took advantage of that.

Pano of Hanauma Bay

the bay from above

me on my wheelchair

While everyone snorkeled, I sat at the beach and just enjoyed being there.  I missed not snorkeling, but did enjoy just sitting. I was able to.prop up my leg with towels so I was comfortable. I bought everyone a waterproof phone case, but they were all afraid to try them, so no pretty fish photos. 

After Hanauma Bay, we went home, had lunch, and napped. Then we went for a drive.  We headed to Kahala area and.Then headed toward Waikiki. Nobody was impressed with it.  It's changed a lot. By International Marketplace , which used to be a bunch of carts with touristy trinkets is now upscale designer shops. Traffic is still really bad and we aren't able to park in a walkable distance (for me) even with my handicapped placard so we didnt stop.

Makapuu

Mynah bird

Stan and Nikkis selfie

I

Ethan was busy stacking rocks

We headed back to Hawaii Kai and went to dinner at Kona Brewing Company. We had excellent seats by the water and enjoyed each other's company. After dinner, as we headed back to the car, Ethan spotted a shaved ice place where Obama stopped so he had to have an Obama shaved ice.  I don't know where he puts everything. rocks

My kids are grown up

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My lava flow. 

Ethan was fascinated by the best selection. He got a flight to sample several. 

Nikki had her virgin lava flow

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Koko Marina looks the same

Same But Different- Hawaii Day 1

We have been planning this trip for over two years.  I grew up in Hawaii. The last time Stan and I went, I was pregnant with Ethan. I thought that since the kids were now adults, I had better take them before they were on their own.

Of course things didn't start out as planned.  I had to break my leg/knee that required surgery three weeks before our big trip. I had the blessing of my surgeon to go and I was determined to make the best of it.  We woke up very early on Wednesday morning and headed to the airport, with my scooter in tow.  I was still not allowed to put any weight on my right leg for another month.

Check in at the airport was interesting. Secretly, I was hoping for an upgrade so I could elevate my leg, but no such luck. Because of my crutches and scooter , we were not allowed to check in prior, so we had to stand in a slow line. My leg already starting to swell.  We finally made it up.to TSA and were excited to be able to get straight in through the handicapped line.  Well, everyone but me.  I had to wait for a female agent to pat me down since I couldn't stand .  I think I waited 15 minutes, leg swelling, for one to arrive while the rest of the family had gone through.  By the time we were done, my foot had swollen so much that I couldn't get my shoe on.

Once we got past TSA, we headed to the gate which of course was the last one. We waited for the plane and were one of the first to board. I had purchased "extra comfort seats" prior to the accident and I'm so glad.  I had room to stretch and move my foot and leg.  I couldn't elevate it, but I could move it. The flight was smooth and uneventful.  We landed a little early making it about a 6.5 hour flight. We landed and had to wait about 25 minutes on the runway for the plane at our assigned gate to move.  As I looked out the window, I had a view of Diamond Head. It felt like home. I actually cried at the sight of it.

First sights of O'ahu

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I looked out the window and saw this sight. Brought tears to my eyes.

Home

Everyone was excited to get off the plane.  I think Ethan has been the most excited. Not to mention my ADHD boy was just cooped up for seven hours. We got our bags, our car and headed to our house.

We took the scenic route home.  As I looked around the city, it definitely has grown , but it was still the same. I was able to navigate home. On the way, we drove along the coast and stopped a couple of times. We drove past my old house and found our rental.

On the way home. 

One of the homes I grew up in. My bedroom window was on the left side second floor. 

another home I lived in. 

We are renting an air bnb near where I used to live. It's a cute three bedroom home so everyone has their own space. We unpacked and then headed out for a bite to eat.

We went to Zippys. It's a chain based on Hawaii and famous for its chili. Stan and I ordered the chicken and chili plate lunch. It was so good.  Nikki had chicken katsu and Ethan tried Saimin.  It was all so good I think  everyone cleaned their plates.  We got a dozen malasadas for later that evening. The waiter said they were fresh and warm and encouraged us to have one before we left. It was an excellent meal.    Zippys is at a shopping center where we would sometimes hang out, which brought back many memories. Most of the stores are different than were there 30+ years ago, but it still looked the same.

Ethan loved his lunch and was taking a photo of the Malasadas.

We went to get groceries after lunch. And then headed back to the house. My poor foot and leg were huge and I was glad to get some rest and ice and elevate them.  It was so good to be home.

Two Weeks

Today marks the two week mark since my TPF surgery.  The toughest part has been more mental/emotional.  I'm trying not to go stir crazy. I cannot put any weight on my right foot/leg, so my mobility is limited and takes a lot of effort.  I'm getting better at asking for help, but I'm so tired of sitting and watching TV.  I try to read a bit, but it's hard to focus.  The condition of my house is driving me nuts (yes, everyone is helping, but it's not up to my standards).  So I guess I'm still learning to let it go in regard to that.  I admit, I do get weepy about once a day when I am frustrated with everything.

Physically, I'm doing very well, each day seems to be an improvement from the last.  I am in almost no pain at all.  I haven't taken any pain killers in a while.  I've been faithful about doing my exercises.  It's amazing how much muscle loss happens.  I feel like my quads are non-existent on my right leg, but it's getting stronger.  The blood rushes to my foot when I try to sit like a normal person, so I am practicing that as much as possible so that my seven hour flight next week will be tolerable.  Sleep is difficult, but that's probably because I'm not doing anything all day long.  I cat nap on and off during the day and sleep about 5 hours at night.  I get frustrated if I sleep in bed since I try to roll over and can't, so I sleep in the recliner.

To get around the house, I usually use a walker (as my little niece Presley pointed out that old people use those!).   I also have a leg scooter, which is like a knee scooter, but I sit on a bike seat and rest my leg on a bar.  It's easier to get around on the scooter, but it's still uncomfortable on my (non-existent) leg muscles. I used it before the surgery, so I'm thinking that since I had some muscle atrophy, it became hard to use.    I practice on it every day, but can only do it for a few minutes at a time.  I'm hoping that by the end of this weekend, I'll be able to ditch my walker.  I have a wheelchair for longer outings.  It has a leg rest so I can keep my leg elevated.  I was hoping to take my scooter on our trip, but I think I'll still need the wheelchair.

We are getting ready to head out on our big trip next week.  I still can't believe this happened right before the trip.  We will try to make the best of it.

Post Op - 11 Days

I had my first post-op appointment this morning.  I went in thinking positively, although last time I went thinking positively, I was told I needed surgery.  I knew my wishful thinking of beginning to walk again would be out of the question, but I still had hopes.

No, I still cannot bear weight on my right leg, at least for another month.  But I was pleasantly surprised when my surgical dressing was taken off. Besides being hot and itchy, I was expecting staples making a Frankenstein-looking scar.  No Frankenstein.  Actually the scar looks really good, with no visible sign of stitches.  I am thinking with time, it will fade and be fairly invisible.

Photo of my scar 11 days after surgery.  My skin is wrinkled from the dressing and orange from surgery, but you can see the scar.  It starts at the outside of my knee and moves to the center and then down half way to the shin.  I'm happy it wasn't huge and that the surgeon doesn't like to use staples. 

When they took my dressing off, I headed to the X-ray.  I must admit, I was pretty nervous since I didn't have my brace on.  As much as I hate that hinged brace, it does offer a sense of security.  I hopped onto the Xray table and she told me to straighten my leg as flat as I could .  I was very nervous and chattered on nervously, but I managed to get it surprisingly straight.

I went back to the exam room and the surgeon came in.  He said it looks really good and was surprised when I told him I had no pain, except when it became swollen, which isn't too often.  In fact, I really haven't taken any pain pills for a few days.  He had me move my knee 90 degrees.  I was scared, but with some concentration, I could do it.  What a relief to not have to have a straight leg all the time.

My next appointment is in a month and it's probable that I will beginning weight bearing.  I will also start physical therapy at that time.  In the meantime, I will keep working on my range of motion and strengthen my quads which seem to have disappeared in a week.  I really need to be walking before school starts, at least part time, so I'm going to be focused on that goal.  Not to mention we leave for Hawaii in 9 days.  I need to get that range of motion in shape for the airplane.  Still no long walks on the beach, but at least I'll get to the beach.

As for the X-rays, I had 8 screws and one plate put in.  4 of the screws are in my plateau alone.  They repaired my meniscus and put something in (Stan calls it sawdust) for cartilage.

My X-ray 11 days post surgery.  8 screws and a plate.  Looks horrible, but no pain.  Except when my leg and foot get inflamed.  

One Week

Today marks one week since I've had my surgery.  It's been a long week.  I am still spending my days in the recliner elevating my leg.  I haven't had too much pain, although today it's been feeling uncomfortable, almost like raw nerves behind my kneecap, with occasional charley horse pains in my calf.

On Thursday, everyone was at work and I was by myself for the first time since the accident.  I was very proud of myself.  I hobbled to my wheelchair with help of my walker and then managed to make a cup of coffee (although it was probably entertaining to watch me do!)  I pulled the wheelchair up to the counter, grabbed on and stood on one leg, reaching for the cup.  Then I wheeled over to the fridge and got water, and then pulled up to the coffee maker, once again using the counter to support me as I stood on one leg.  I also got myself dressed.  I've resigned myself to wearing sun dresses for the remainder of the summer.  It's way too hard to put shorts on and pants are out of the question.  Thankfully, Amazon came to the rescue and I ordered a few easy pull on dresses.  Nikki had my makeup out and ready, so I even put on makeup!  I almost felt normal.  My hair, well, hasn't been washed in a week, so it went into a pony tail.

I did manage to join a couple of friends for lunch on Thursday, which is why the makeup.  I was so glad I went, as it was nice to hang out with good friends  and to be out in the world.   I was a bit nervous getting ready to leave.  I debated whether to bring my wheelchair or my walker.  I decided that the walker would be easiest, since the only stop we were making was at the restaurant.  My friend, Young patiently helped me to the car and drove, then helped me out.  We met Sarah to celebrate her birthday.  It was good to see them again.  After two hours, however, my leg was ready for ice and elevation, so we went home.  I'm sad I didn't get at least one photo.

This week I've also battled with emotions of this whole situation.  I go from "I'm fine.  It will all be good." to "I'm so stupid.  How could I do this?  I've never broken a bone before and now, after planning a really big trip, I'm immobile!"  to "Why me?"  But, what I've told myself is it's not going to change anything now, so make the most of it.

Today, Friday, is the week mark.  It's also my 23rd wedding anniversary.  No celebrating here today,  although I did shower for the first time since surgery.  It was a very hard and painful thing to do.  We have a shower chair, but I have to stand on one leg to rinse and it's quite painful on the good leg and surprisingly painful and stressful on the bad leg.  But my hair was finally washed and I didn't smell, so I guess it was worth it.  But afterwards, I planted myself in the recliner and haven't moved since, except to use the restroom, and I'll only get up for that if really necessary.

I've had a couple of things on my mind this week.  We have a big trip to Hawaii planned in two weeks.  I've been tutoring after school for two years saving for this trip.  The kids have never been and I wanted to show them where I grew up before they are off on their own.  I didn't want this accident to spoil the trip.  I had to change our car rental.  No more sports car.  Now it's a Honda Pilot, big enough to hold a wheelchair.  I've called the different venues where we have reservations and all can accommodate a wheelchair, except the snorkeling boat.  I'm a bit disappointed that snorkeling will be out and I'll be confined to the front of the ship, but I want to go for my family.  We had hiking planned.  We will still go, but most of it will be on paved paths, once again to accommodate my wheelchair.  There is one that I think I'll encourage my family to go without me, but I'll be good. I am planning on renting a special beach wheelchair while I'm there.  There is no way I can use crutches in the sand on one leg and there is no way I'm going to Hawaii without hanging out at the beach.   I still need to call the airline.  I'm hoping that maybe if I sound pathetic enough I may get an upgrade.  If not, as everyone keeps reminding me, I'll be the first to board (in all honesty, I'd rather be last and not have this injury!).  I did get "extra comfort" seats before all of this, which offers more leg room, so since I'm short, that may be OK.  Another "bright side" is we have a handicap placard for the car, so parking shouldn't be an issue.  (OK, I'm trying to remain positive)

Another thing on my mind a lot this week is school.  I guess it's a "blessing" that this happened at the beginning of summer, giving me more time to heal.  But I moved to a new school for this next school year.  All of my "stuff" is sitting in my new classroom needing to be unpacked.  According to what I've been told I'll be walking full time by the end of August...a month AFTER school starts.  I'll think about that after the trip.

We have an exchange student staying with us for the next school year.  I'm super excited to host her and have been looking forward to getting ready for her.  I'm learning to rely on others to paint and get the room ready, but sad I don't get to do it.

So this week was full of emotion and a lot of time for me to think.  I go to my post-op visit on Tuesday, and I'm really hoping:  1)  the dressing comes of because it's HOT and itchy and I'm curious to see what's going on under it  and 2) I can start bending my knee.  I know it will be painful, but it's hard getting around in a totally straight leg.  Of course, what I'd really like is the doctor to say, "It's a miracle.  You're about healed.  Go ahead and walk" but I know that's not happening.  So, I'll be happy with any good news.

Surgery

I was scheduled as the first patient of the day because I was told the doctor like to do his more complicated surgeries first.  Lucky me.  So, Stan and I reported to the hospital at 5:30 a.m.  I was holding it together pretty well that morning.  I got prepped for surgery.  All my labs looked great (I hadn't had blood drawn in so long I was curious, but turns out I'm pretty healthy) My nurse was easy to talk to and we chatted about lots of things, which helped my morning go quickly.

The surgeon showed up and the waterworks started.  It got real.  When I got wheeled into the operating room, I remember seeing a computer set to a music streaming service, which music playing in the background, lots of equipment (if you know orthopedic surgery, it's not fun-looking...saws, hammer, drills, ...)and the doctors and nurses.  It was very cold and I was shivering, probably from the temperature and the anxiety.  I was trying to be brave.  They put a mask near my mouth and nose and told me to take a deep breath.  That's all I remember.

I woke up in the recovery room, which seemed like a minute later.  The surgery had taken about an hour and a half.  The nurse was talking to me and told me we would go to my room soon.  At that point I either dosed off again or just don't remember anything, but I wasn't in pain. When I got to my room, I saw Stan waiting for me. Stan told me that they used a "hammer and chisel" to move my bones together, and I had a tear in my medial meniscus that he repaired, but  I wasn't in pain.  The nurse was very sweet.  I was told I was not to get out of bed. I felt relief and it was finally nice to be taken care of without feeling like I was bothering anyone.  Of course, I was on morphine, so that might be one reason I was feeling relaxed.  I could barely keep my eyes open.

Once the pain medication began to wear off, I began to experience quite a bit of pain...like 9-10 out of 10.  I was trying not to be on morphine, but it was the only medication that worked.  This continued throughout the night and I got almost no sleep.  In the morning, I asked what else they could try and the nurse told me the doctor ordered Toradol.  So, I wanted to try it.  It helped a great deal.  Once the pain was relieved, the nurse came in and told me if I was feeling up to going home.  At the time, I probably could, but I had a fear that the excruciating pain might return and I told them no. The doctor approved another night.

The physical therapist and occupational therapist came in.  I was about to cry because I was just feeling better and I was worried that they would torture me again.  They didn't .  They did make me walk using the walker (of course non-weight bearing) and go use the bedside commode and they told me what exercises to do with my feet, which didn't hurt.  I was a good student and continued to practice for the rest of the day and into the evening and made a lot of progress, able to walk to the real restroom when I needed to.

Sleeping in the hospital is difficult because there is a lot going on and they always decide to do lab work at 3a.m.  So, I didn't sleep much, but I felt better by the hour.  On Sunday, I was told I'd be discharged and I felt I was ready for it.  OT and PT came in again and were amazed at the progress I'd made and said I was ahead of schedule with what most people do.  So, about 2 pm I was able to go home.

I'm determined to follow my exercise routine and heal as quickly as I can so that we can make the most out of our Hawaii trip.  

Bad News

I managed to keep my leg elevated and still over the weekend.  I had taken a summer job doing evaluations for special education preschoolers and was on a time crunch to get many reports typed up in a short timeline, so I kept busy doing that.  I went to work on Monday and painfully finished my meetings and paperwork.  The orthopedist's office called me back and the only available appointment they had was Tuesday at 10:30.  I had a meeting at 10:30 and couldn't make it.  The scheduler said they had no more openings until the end of the week and with a Tibial Plateau surgery, I needed to be seen right away.  I had to finish my summer job, so I told them to find the next appointment available.  After I got off the phone, my awesome coworkers had heard the conversation and told me that they would cover the meeting and that I needed to go to the appointment, so I called the office back and set the appointment for Tuesday at 10:30.

Over the weekend, I had done some research on Tibial Plateau fractures.  The treatment varies widely, depending on what's going on...from fractures on the plateau which would require a brace for awhile, but that's it...all the way to surgery requiring plates and screws and hospital stays.  I had convinced myself that I wasn't very injured.  Really it wasn't that painful, except for the swelling.  I'd never broken a bone before, so I was good.  But the weekend was very difficult for me emotionally.  If you've never been able to do things and had to rely on others for everything, it's very hard.  I'm very independent and don't like to sit and do nothing.

Spending my weekend relying on everyone and doing nothing. 

Stan picked me up and took me to the appointment.  We went to the doctor's office that was approved by our "awesome" new insurance.  (very sarcastic tone there)  It was almost like sitting at the DMV.  Packed with people and waiting and waiting.  Finally, they called me back.  I hobbled back on my walker and met the doctor.  He was a good personality and seemed easy to talk to.  I explained to him what happened and then he pulled up my X-rays.  It took him about 2 seconds to say "you need surgery."  My jaw probably dropped to the floor and I bawled and bawled.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  He was showing Stan and I the X-rays.  First, the fractures on the plateau.  Then he started signing that old Sesame Street song, "One of these things is not like the other, one of these things doesn't belong..." I just told him they looked the same to me.  Then he pointed out the part of the X-ray where the tibia and femur meet.  There should be very little space between the two.  The right side of my tibia had shifted more than 5 mm from where it should be and needed surgery.  Stan asked if he would be able to wait until after Hawaii. He said if we waited, more damage could be done.  He said since it had happened on Saturday, he would like to do it tomorrow (Wednesday) if he had an opening in his schedule, but if not Wednesday, then definitely Friday. But he said by the time we went to Hawaii, which was 25 days from that day, I would still be non weight bearing, but I wouldn't have pain and I could possible get in the water.   I don't remember much after that, other than crying most of the way home.

My Xray.  The right side towards the middle shows a fracture line.  The left side shows too much space between tibia and femur. That's the part that needs surgery to pull them together. 

The next could of days were spent getting ready for surgery and finishing up my summer job.   Of course battling with insurance was a lot of fun and I'm praying they pay for everything.

Tibial What?

Before June 1, 2019, I had never heard of a tibial plateau.  Granted, anatomy has never been my strong suit, and I've heard of a tibia, but I wasn't able to tell you if it was located in the arm or the leg.

June 1 was the date of Nikki's graduation party.  I'd been planning it for awhile and had every detail thought through.  If you know me, I'm an organizer and enjoy doing that sort of thing.  I wanted the day to be very special for her.  I actually woke up at 4:30 that morning, thinking about all that needed to be done.  I worked all day cleaning and decorating.  Stan cleaned up the yard and Ethan ran errands for me.  Everything was going smoothly and I was actually ahead of schedule for the day.  So much so that I thought a nap would do me good, since I had woken up so early that morning.  I tried to nap, but couldn't sleep, so I got up to decorate some more.

I was trying to hang the backdrop for her photo booth.  It was above the kitchen window.  At first, I stood on the kitchen chair.  Not being a tall person, the chair wasn't sufficient.  I thought about grabbing a ladder, but they are all the way in the garage.  The barstools are right next to me, so hey, let's use that!  I stood on the barstool and finished decorating above the window. The stool was sturdy and did its job.  But, having so much on my mind, and probably a bit tired, I had forgotten that I was standing on the bar stool and was thinking I was still on the chair.  I stepped down.  The floor was not there.  All I can remember about that is in slow motion, falling to the ground, hitting my head, and then asking myself if I was still conscious.  I was, so I yelled for Stan, who was in the other side of the house napping himself.  He didn't answer, so I stood up and discovered I couldn't stand or walk, so I hopped on one foot to my phone and texted Stan.  Still no answer.  I then texted Nikki, who was in her room.  No immediate answer, so I hopped into my bedroom and collapsed on my bed.  A few seconds later both Stan and Nikki came running in.

Looking at my legs while in bed, my right leg looked to me as if it had been dislocated.  It was swollen as well.  Stan told me he didn't think it was dislocated and the kneecap looked good.  I could barely move my leg and I was in a lot of pain.  I was only thinking I landed on my knee and bruised it good.  Stan insisted I go to urgent care, but I just wanted to stay to finish getting ready for the party.  He had Ethan take me to urgent care and assured me that he and Nikki would get everything done.

My knees while in waiting room.  The one on the left is the injured one.  You can see the swelling.  If you looked at it from my angle, it also looked crooked. 

Ethan and I got into the car and drove to the urgent care that we have gone to for years.  By this time, I'm crying in pain and anxious to get some relief...a brace, maybe some pain meds.  We fill out the forms and the receptionist says they don't take our new insurance.  Great.  So Ethan helps me hobble back into the car and starts driving. I call another urgent care, and another.  Nobody is taking our insurance.  I thought about the ER, but I knew there would be a long wait and I didn't have time for that.  I called another urgent care and there was a 3 hour wait.  I lost it at that point.  I was in pain and I had to get ready for the party.  Finally Stan calls and found one that took our insurance with no wait, so we headed there.

At the urgent care, we got in right away.  The PA came in and talked to me.  He said all he could really do was Xray it, but it wouldn't show any tissue damage or anything.  I declined, saying I had to go, but if he could secure it in a brace, I'd be thankful.  He said he wasn't comfortable just sending me home and that he'd really like it X-rayed, but assured me that there was no wait for that so I reluctantly agreed.    They took me in and I was torchured while the tech was straightening and bending my knee, but she got some good photos.   As I waited back in the room, the PA came in and said that he saw something he wanted the radiologist to look at and that I needed to hang on 10-15 minutes.

When the PA came in he explained to be that I fractured my tibial plateau in multiple places.  I remember asking, "the tibial what?"  He drew me a picture.  (in very simple terms)The femur is the larger thigh bone and the tibia is the shin bone that runs from your ankle up to your knee cap.  The very top of the tibia that is behind your knee is like a plateau.  He said there were small fractures on that plateau.  He gave me a brace and told me to not put any weight on the leg and to call the orthopedist first thing on Monday.  I remember asking him how sure he was of that diagnosis because I was going to Hawaii in less than a month and I couldn't have a broken leg.  He said he was very sure and unfortunately walks on the beach were not going to be happening. I denied pain meds (they make me feel sick to my stomach) and headed back home for the party, trying to keep from crying.

When Ethan and I arrived home, we had a house full of people helping...my parents, my sister, and her husband and kids, all pitching in to help Stan and Nikki decorate and set up.  That was something I learned that night...I need to let go.  Things may not always be what I have planned, but they will work out and everything will be OK.

The party went on.  Not quite as planned, but Nikki had a good time and she had many friends and family come to support her.   I made it through most of the party before needing to go in and elevate my leg.  I wasn't the best hostess, as I couldn't greet the visitors, but everyone understood.