Uncle Sam And A Trip To See The Wizard....

What can I say?

It's Tuesday, and Tuesday is close to Monday.....and we all know that me and titles don't mesh on Mondays.....

Anyways - I've been sparser than even "my" normal these days, so I thought I should explain.  Several have also asked for an update on certain things near and dear to my heart, so this will serve a two-fold purpose.

So let's begin....

Once upon a time, I started this Uncle Sam ("Liberty" by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread).   And, yesterday, I finally finished punching it.

 I need to decide how to finish it....Frame it? Make it into a pillow keep? Mount it on a basket? A hornbook???  I truly detest decisions.....

Or, my personal preference, send it to either Marly, Ann, or Cathy for finishing???  Watch out Girlfriends....I think I have all your addresses....)

Back to the story.....

The reason I actually (half-way) finished something?

I've been spending more time in doctor offices and hospitals than I care to again lately.

Yesterday, on the auspicious occasion of Little Crow's 21st birthday, we journeyed to Madison (about 3 hours from Nod)....in search of The Wizard.....

You know....the one who gave the Lion courage, the Scarecrow a brain, and the Tinman a heart???  

Well, we were hoping to find a new knee for Lil' Crow.

Remember this?

Well, it's still "that" two surgeries since November later....'Cept with many more scars now (I'll spare you the photos), and quite a bit more pain.

We found the Wizard.....And I truly felt like someone had pulled my tail walking through those halls, until Lil' Crow reminded me that crows don't have tails....  Thankfully, there were no glass walls.

Unfortunately, the Wizard doesn't know if he has anything in his black bag for Lil' Crow either.  There was a great deal of head-shaking and frowning going on.  Even the Great and Magnificent Wizard apparently had not seen a knee so wayward as Lil' Crow's.  And no balloon in sight

But, the Wizard is recommending yet another surgery.  This one a major reconstruction of the areas both above and below the patella (kneecap) and a complete re-do of the two previous surgeries.  He is still debating the complete parameters of everything, but the plan is for August.  This will mean several pre-op and post-op trips to the Emerald City Madison, as well as in-patient surgery there.  There is some question about where the Wizard will be able to get the necessary ligaments and tissue from, as they already snatched what they could from Lil' Crow's left hamstring for the first surgery.....The right is a possibility, but given that his right knee is also weak (from compensating for his left), the Wizard is thinking perhaps a tissue donor may be the way to go.  Unfortunately, we are only being given a 75% chance of success in returning to Kansas.  The Wizard predicts at least six months recovery time, and a possibility of continued, permanent, pain even if the surgery is successful in stabilizing the knee.

It's going to be a long road....Once again, prayers and good thoughts will be most sincerely welcome.

After 2 hours of hobnobbing with fellow wizards, and  6+ hours of driving, I arrived home, dropped Lil' Crow off with a promise to "make up" his birthday another time (????), and went to the ER as I had gotten several calls in transit that my mother may have had a stroke.  Thankfully, all the tests came back relatively normal and she was released back home.

And so ends another chapter in the Uncle Sam chronicles.....I am truly sorry that I haven't responded to the individual comments and emails.....I so appreciate your concern.