Holiday Decorating, Surgery, New Year's Day Football!

Still not a whole lot going on.  With Rich's injury to his arm, it's been pretty hard to do much, or make plans to do much.  I've done some of my Holiday Christmas Shopping - but still nowhere near done.  We've both spent so much of our time seeing doctors or not feeling well........that it's been hard to get in the Holiday Spirit at all.  With all the aches and pains - I refused to put up that big Christmas Tree....... I went and bought a 3 ft lighted tree, put it on the end stand in the family room and decorated!  Plenty big enough for the two of us.  A little more decorating around the house and on the front porch.......Would like to pick up a couple of Poinsettias...........and that should do it!

So finally Rich was able to get an appointment scheduled with a surgeon who actually knew how to take care of his arm.  After several failed attempts here in Sebring and Lake Placid, and doctors who had no idea what needed to be done, I contacted our Insurance Company and asked for help.  They suggested Orlando Hand Surgical Associates.  And as the name suggests, they are located in Orlando! An appointment was scheduled for Tuesday 12/4........and we made the  200+ mile round trip. Dr Patel knew immediately that surgery was necessary, and needed to be done as emergency surgery...He put Rich back on 500mg antibiotics for 10 days, and said we would be getting a call to schedule the surgery sometime later in the day.    We actually got the call about 1/2 way home... and they scheduled him for the next day - Thursday 12/5 asking us to stop on our way home to have some lab work done STAT at Florida Hospital in Lake Placid.

Nothing to eat or drink after 9:00 am on Wednesday.  Headed back to Orlando and they took him right in,  and began prepping for surgery within 5 minutes of our arrival!   The surgery was much more invasive than we had expected.  They put him under, but also did a "long block", which pretty much numbs the entire arm.  Dr Patel said the surgery was successful, he pulled out a one inch or bigger piece of bark from his arm, and he told Rich that he was very lucky,  he could have easily lost his hand.  It's about 11:00 PM and Rich still has no feeling in the arm.  The block will pretty much keep it numb for up to 24 hours............the the tingling and pain will begin. ( Yes we will pick up the pills in the morning!).. The splint and bandage will stay on for two weeks, at which time he has a follow-up.

Dennis called on Saturday after learning that the Ohio Buckeyes might possibly be playing either in Orlando or Tampa on New Years Day...........   (Both of the grand kids attend the University of Iowa....It turns out they will be playing Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl.........and so Dennis and the kids, and three others will be making the road trip on Thursday, His Step-Sister, Kim, and Step-Father Jack will be hosting a New Years Eve Cookout in Tampa for all of us, and we'll all attend the game on New Year's Day!  Getting excited about seeing Dennis and the kids!