A not so brief update

Like I said before, we're all one big happy family again. My oldest, Creighton has started kindergarten (again). He originally started in Montana, about two weeks before he came back here when he was staying with my sister-in-law. So yesterday, he started kindergarten for the first time again. It is very exciting for me to be able to see this and talk with him every day about how much he has learned and what is going on in school. Adelle is still in preschool, so changing from place to place had little (if any) effect on her. But we’re all finally back home again.

I started occupational therapy yesterday, and my new OT Dr. is making me a new splint for my left hand: one that will maintain constant stretching on my thumb away from my palm, and will hopefully stretch the scar out in my hand, allowing me to have full range of motion. When I finally get feeling back, (which will probably be after a nerve graft/transplant) I should have decent range of motion with the four digits on my left hand and hopefully a little bit of strength. That's the reason for the twice a day OT appointments and Carren stretching my fingers out in my hand. Fluid builds up in the joints, and the muscles quickly atrophy after so many months of disuse. I can move my fingers, at least in a curling motion and my thumb in a short up-and-down motion. However my thumb is severely restricted in its abilities to move because of all the scarring in my palm. But, as I like to say, I'm doing better than I did yesterday, and not as good as tomorrow. Apparently hope springs eternal from the minds of fools.

And, since you asked, Carren is just such a busy beaver, taking care of three children now (me, the boy, and the little girl.) I can function to a point without her, but because of the meds I'm taking, I'm unable to remember details. So anything that needs to be done on a given day I really need her come with me. It's such a far cry from where I was four months ago. And I know it's the meds... fear and indecision have never exactly been words used to define me. But Carren shoulders such a heavy burden; she is constantly on the move from the time she wakes up until the time she goes to bed at night. I try to help out as much as I can. When the kids are home, and the weather is nice, I'll take them outside and watch them play and give her a few moments of peace inside the house. Of course, she doesn't use the time to just sit and veg and take a mental break. Rather, she does whatever chores she's been thinking about all week and just hasn't had the time to get to. But she is truly an amazing woman. Anyone lesser would've left me by now citing too much stress too much to handle. She just tells me that she's my wife and she loves me. And you have to play the cards you’re dealt. I love her.

--Chuck