long awaited update!

Everyone keeps asking, "How is Jack doing?" and instead of talking a lot about it, I've been trying to deal with it. Now that I've got a bit of a routine back in our lives here is the

long awaited update!

Jackson is happy as can be, a real trooper. Actually the truth is it makes you feel even worse that he is so nice about his immobility. If he would cry and mumble all the time you could relate to him more but he is, in fact, so nice about it, it kind-of breaks your heart.

We can wash the bodice with rubbing alcohol and that has made a world of difference. We also spend an hour each morning and evening with the hair dryer. Drying out moisture from various sources...Just recently though he has taken to putting things down into the cast so I have to be diligent in keeping things out. If they make it into the legs we are goners!

The cast comes off December 16. The Doctor says there is a small chance his leg won't be ready by then, but I think he just has to say that so moms like me don't go berserk on the off chance that happens. I swear he is getting heavier and more awkward for me to carry every day.

His brothers, Dad and Mom spoil him rotten and I fear that we will have ruined our easy independent boy child. The real problem is that the more frustrated he is becoming with his cast the more tired and impatient I am becoming with him.

Nights are still by far the worst. Monte and I are both desperate for real sleep. We take turns with him over night. He still is not very comfortable and tries to shift in his bed. Then he gets very frustrated to be woken up even if it is he who has woken himself. Basically a no win situation.

Still we are happy to be not hurting anymore and have routine back in our lives. Now that we know how to do things it is easier to get out and about. I don't go out very often but at least the things I have to do can get accomplished. A sweet girl from the ward comes over every afternoon to sit while I pick up the older boys from school. That is probably my biggest life saver.

After the cast is off we've been told he won't be walking for "a month or so." He'll do his own physical therapy...crawling, pulling himself up, toddling. And even then he'll walk with a limp for "quite a while"

Update complete...

Now...how to get the Christmas shopping done?