Answers and heading home. . .

This morning was the x-rays and doc appointment part of this journey. They are just so organized here. The Gonda building that all of our appts were in was just opened in December of '07. When you have an x-ray in that building you get your own room to change in and lock with a tv and then when the x-ray tech is ready for you she opens another door (still in your room) and you go into the x-ray room and have your test and then go right back into your changing room and when your ready to go you push a button and they come get you. Very organized!!
Then when it was time to see the doc, first her assistant came in and talked with us, went over history, and did a mini-exam and looked at the tests. Then he said he'd give the doc the info and see if there was anything they could do for us -- and then she'd be in -- these were anxious moments.

Then she came in. She was such a nice lady, very knowledgeable and pretty :0) She told us that my kneecap is not in place and that is where a lot of the pain is coming from. So she told us what she suggested and gave us the option to whether we wanted to proceed.


Well, here is the option: patella femoral arthroplasty. This is a procedure where the doc removes all of the cartilage around the patella and then removes the bottom part of the kneecap and replace it with a plastic button and then she'll remove the grove and replace it with metal, so the kneecap will move on the metal. The up side to this is that the arthritis cannot form anymore under my kneecap -- hallelujah!!

This is a big surgery. I will be in the hospital for two or three days and then home for two weeks and then back to Mayo for staple removal and check-up and then back home and then back to Mayo at the three month mark for follow-up. I'll be on crutches for four weeks and then one crutch or a cane for two or three more months. The PT will be extensive, but the end result will be that I can hike again and walk for exercise. No more running, but that is okay. I look forward to being able to exercise again. I will not be pain free after this but she said that it should cut my pain by 50 - 80 %. .

Well I also wanted to leave you with a few more pics . . .

This is an outdoor dining area. This pic was taken from the skywalk.

The big back bldg is the Gonda bldg.
There are lots of statues here. These are on the side of the Mayo Medical Clinic bldg . . . so cool!!!
And here we are in a mirrored bldg . . . hubs and me in my sweet ride ;o)

Thank you all for praying. We love you all so much.

Tomorrow we head home.

Have a Blessed weekend, Dawn