retrospective

Approaching what we think/hope is the last surgery tomorrow, I have been thinking about this uncommon journey Mason has traveled.  It has not been a path we really expected, or one that anyone would want to tread.  I am hopeful there will be some sort of awareness in Mason, because of these hardships, that will enhance his life in the future.  I believe in the silver lining.

Even with a hunk of metal sticking out  his arm, Mason had "a great Christmas".  By that time we were hardly even aware of the fixator, although Mason assures us he was a constant source of gawking at school, or any time he was out in public.

Close up of the dreaded external fixator, complete with the screw Mason turned 4 times a day for 3+ weeks.



Who knew that external fixators made a handy iPhone stand?  "Neccessity is the mother of invention."



The family pet, Hank was keenly aware that something was amiss with Mason.  Normally boistrous to a fault, Hank was gentle with Mason, and kept pretty close tabs on him for several days after he came home from his surgeries.  Of course, he did rip out one of Mason's stitches too, but after all - he is a DOG.

The pictures below are kind of nasty to look at, but I'm looking at it as a sort of community service. If you have a wound that looks like this, coupled with severe pain, you are in trouble.  You need to get to a doctor, toot-sweet. Staphylococcus aureus is nothing to play with, as evidenced by Mason's 2 debridement surgeries to clean it out.  When it settles in your bone it can cause "destructive granulation", which is basically the bone turning into mush.  Thankfully the infection in Mason's bone was not near the new growth.  The hole the infection left will fill back in and be good as new.

Being inpatient in the hospital isn't fun.  Mason didn't even find the wheelchair amusing, although Olivia did!

One of the worst parts of this whole experience has been the chemical cocktail Mason has been forced to swallow 3 times a day for.....28 days or so?  Suffice it to say he has experienced many side effects, and is looking forward to being off the dope.  He did tell me he would rather take the meds for another week or so than end up with another infection, so I know that at the very least, he has learned delayed gratification. "So shines a good deed in a wicked world." ~ws