Hello everyone! Well, we didn't hear the news we wanted from the doctor today. The doctor believes more surgery is needed to get my leg to heal. The news wasn't a shock to us because at my last appointment he told us if it wasn't healed the next time he saw it then we needed to discuss the next step.
The next step is a free flap surgery. The reason my leg won't heal is because the tissue can't heal over the exposed bone. The exposed area is very small, but it's enough to keep the wound open. Muscle will be removed from my abdomen and implanted over the bone. Then a skin graft will be placed over the free flap. The doctor said the success rate of the surgery is approximately 98%.
Vascular surgery is involved, so that complicates the surgery. Blood flow must be restored to the implanted muscle. Because of this, I will have to stay at Wishard Hospital for 10 to 14 days so the free flap can be monitored. During this time my foot will be elevated 24/7 so the veins and arteries can heal. If too much blood flow is introduced too fast it can damage the delicate circulatory system to the implanted muscle.
It's looking like another summer in the recliner. Do I want to have the surgery......no. Do I need to have the surgery......yes. Could God heal it between now and the surgery date......of course, and that is what we will continue to pray for. Janay and I are at peace with the doctor's decision. We came away from the appointment with positive attitudes. I don't have a surgery date yet, but it will probably be the first week in July.
On a lighter note, when the doctor was giving us details about the free flap surgery, he said a rectus muscle would be used for the implant. Red flags immediately went off in my head, but I kept my mouth shut. As he continued my fears were put to rest when he grabbed his lower abdomen showing where the muscle would be removed. When he finished, I spoke up and admitted that he made me very nervous when he said a rectus muscle would be used. As you have probably already figured out, the abdomen is not where I thought the rectus was located.
No broken spokes today..........just one nervous rectus.
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