What's really going on

There hasn't been a whole lot happening on the homefront around here. Just living the dream, as usual. Ryan's hand is healing nicely and he continues to work on extension and flexion in therapy. He did have a bit of a skin reaction to the adhesive in the tape they used to dress his suture line, but we've found that his skin is much more sensitive than it used to be. And we're finding creative ways to bandage him without tape. He follows up with his hand surgeon again on Tuesday, and we expect he will tell us just to continue with hand therapy as planned. Ryan has also been working with his prosthodontist again since he's all healed up from his "face off" surgery. They made new molds of the sides of his head in preparation for making his prosthetic ears. It is a multistep process that involves making wax versions of his ears and taking pictures and measurements for placement. Then taking a CT scan of Ryan's skull and creating an acrylic model of Ryan's skull. Then making acrylic versions of his ears and finding the best location on his skull to drill and place the implants. They then make a marker for the surgeon so he knows where to drill during surgery. They place the implants and have to let them sit for up to six months before they attach the magnets and Ryan can use the silicon versions of his prosthetic ears. So......yeah, it's a process. We are planning to have the surgery to remove the remaining cartilage in Ryan's ears and place the implants in January. And we were hoping to combine that procedure with Ryan's plastic surgeon releasing his eyelids and revising his upper lip. But we met with Ryan's plastic surgeon on Friday and he doesn't think we should wait until January to do Ryan's lower right eyelid. And he wants to do Ryan's eyelids in two or three surgeries. So, now Ryan has eyelid surgery scheduled for November 3rd. It wasn't what we had planned, but preserving Ryan's vision is of the utmost importance.

Now, don't go worrying that Ryan is spending every moment dreading his upcoming procedures. Right now, he's too busy packing. Yes, he was invited to go France and Belgium on a 10 day tour of World War II battlefields with Operation Comfort. He is so excited! And while I have to admit that I wish I was going with him, I am thrilled that he is independent enough to go alone. This will be the first time he has traveled without me since he was deployed with the 26th MEU. The kids and I will miss him terribly, but he's in good hands and it's so good for him to have some time on his own again. Before his injury he was gone more than he was home, and now he never gets away. But more than anything, it's good for him to get a break from the hospital and all his appointments. If I can get him to take some good pictures, I'll be sure to post them when he returns.

While Ryan's gone, the kids will be sure to keep me busy with school, soccer, gymnastics, and the joy of parenting. But we also get the distinct pleasure of a visit from Ryan's youngest sister, Rebecca. She's been traveling Europe since May and is finishing that trip with a couple of hops across the U.S. Unfortunately, Ryan won't be here for her visit, but that just means we'll have to talk her into coming out again when he's home. And no one ever visits us to see us, the kids are really the main attraction. That's okay by me, I just can't wait to see her pictures and hear the stories of her travels.