So glad I found you guys!

[Doreen1]

I have so much to do today before we head out on Tuesday morning to make our trip to Portland

Hi Elisa,

My hubby is flying out today to Portland for the week. Safe travels to you!

Warmly,
Doreen

[Elisa]

Thanks Doreen. Definitely looking forward to getting on the way.

I have a new solution to all my chores... I'm taking the day off tomorrow and my daughter is taking my shift so I can finish up all the stuff I want to get done, lol.

I feel as though I've worked really hard around the house today but I didn't finish everything and I don't feel like doing anything else. I will do the bathroom and the chinchilla room tomorrow, although I will be heading downstairs to the chin room to let them all out for a while and to have a nice dust bath.

[Elisa]

We're off to see the wizard!

[walid]

... the wonderful wizard of portland!!

[Elisa]

Yes Debbie! Glad you 'got it' b/c I was getting some friends on fb questioning my sanity, lol.

We will be heading out at 8:00 am this morning, appointment at 9:00 am and then back on the road again. Will update after we talk with the Wizard, err, I mean Dr. Krajbich. ;-)

[Elisa]

The appointment went well! X-rays look good, everything is healing as it should and Dr. K wants me to take Elias out of the glass case I've been keeping him in and start some physical therapy to build up his back muscles as they are in need of building up. We spent about half an hour with the therapist and she worked with Elias showing him some exercises he can do at home. He is 6' tall now and weights 131 lbs!! It was great to see everyone again. We will spend the night here in Vancouver and our driver will pick us up at 10:00 am tomorrow and will drop us off at Metro Town (huge mall) for about 1.5 hours b/c he has a doctor's appointment and then we'll ferry back to Vancouver Island. He would have changed his appointment but I said NO b/c it is not very often we get to go shopping at a real mall and he wants new head phones. We'll all meet for lunch there. Back in six months for his one year checkup. :-)

[Pooka1]

Excellent check up! You guys have your life back.

[Elisa]

Excellent check up! You guys have your life back.

Yes, we absolutely do! Six months ago Elias would/could not walk a few blocks to school without feeling pain and tomorrow he is looking forward to tromping around Metro Town. Unbelievable. I am so happy for him.

http://www.green-gables.com/metrotown-mall.html

[titaniumed]

Fantastic!

I had permission to lift 100# at 6 or 8 months post. It sure seemed like a lot at the time. I think that I might have been too careful in my recovery and this was the message, the same message you and Elias just got to start building up some muscles.

At 10 months, I tripped over a large rock in the Redwoods and slammed really hard, face down. For a second there, I thought that was it. I just had my shoulder repaired also.

I guess it could have been worse. I hear Montezuma’s revenge can be rough!
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2011/10...ent-68424.html

Both of you guys handled this whole thing pretty well. Elias is a trooper!

Ed

[Elisa]

Yes Ed, I definitely was on the overly cautious side of things with his first six months and he definitely needs to build those back muscles up but I was just so afraid that he'd do damage and we'd have to start all over again. The therapist wants him to do some cardio as well and she suggested swimming and walking but Elias absolutely hates swimming, hated it long before his back got whacky so walking it is. At least now I won't be hovering over him all the time watching every movement that he makes. It's a good thing he isn't a sports-oriented kid or I'd have driven him crazy long ago.

Here's a pic of me, Dr. Krajbich and Elias this morning. My hair is all weird so I'll be editing myself out asap, lol.

[titaniumed]

I felt so delicate in my first months..... I’m sure many surgeons see this happening. I think you did the right thing, now just let go a little and let him feel things out a little more. We explore our limits in our recoveries and create pain episodes with little tests. If this happens, I wouldn’t worry too much.

Oh, I wouldn’t worry about the hair....we are looking at Elias’s shoulders. He he The crooked t-shirt and sweater combo is misleading, but his posture looks good.

I’m wondering if he is feeling any “gripping” bear traps in his thoracic area.....This is common. Usually when the storms roll through.
Ed

[mabeckoff]

I am so happy for you both that everything is going so well

Have a safe trip back home

[Doreen1]

What a wonderful photo! Definitely no stress on anyone's face, just relief :-) Have fun shopping!

Warmly,
Doreen

[Elisa]

Received the reminder to make an appointment for Elias to see Dr. Krajbich for his one year checkup. I will call on Monday and set something up for the middle/end of April as that would make it exactly one year since Elias' second scoliosis surgery. He is doing amazingly well, hasn't missed a day of school except for a couple of sick days, no pain to report and he has really gained a good amount of weight. He looks so good! We're both really looking forward to heading down to Portland OR soon and meeting up with the amazing staff at Shriners as well as getting to meet other families from BC who will be on that big cushy bus.

[titaniumed]

I guess they need to re-name it the “magic bus”?

So glad to hear about Elias.

Ed