(Rob:) Tessa Jean and I made it home after our quick trip back to Baltimore to see Dr. Herzenberg today. We had a good time, visited the Inner Harbor, had some crabcakes, swam in the hotel pool, had some good father-daughter time. We spent the whole day today at the hospital waiting to see the doc, then just barely had time to get the rental car dropped off and board the plane for home.
The news was great! The X-rays look awesome!
The leg is perfectly straight and the new bone has nearly completely healed. She has only a 1.8 cm length difference between the right and left legs, but the difference is all in the length of the lower legs (below the knee); her femurs are exactly the same length!
I really can't imagine a better result. She will have to start using a small lift on her right shoe sometimes, but it will be very subtle and won't be necessary to wear all of the time. She can be more active and start backing off some on physical therapy to 3 days a week from 5 days a week currently. He was pleased with the work she has done and the range of motion she has in the knee.
Here's Dr. Herzenberg testing her range:
The best news of all: we don't have to go back to Baltimore until next summer!
(No offense, B'more)
We were able to see some of the people who helped Tessa Jean last winter when we lived in Baltimore:
Miss T and Miss Pam from Kennedy Krieger Day Program P.T.
(therapists Miss Lisa and Miss Rebbekah were in the pool: a "no camera zone")
Miss, now Mrs. Cindy from Sinai Hospital P.T. (still with her honeymoon tan from last month's wedding)
Six months ago tonight we were all lying in bed in our Baltimore apartment with a winter blizzard raging outside trying to get some sleep before we had to get up at 4:30 the next morning to get to the hospital for her first operation. In some ways that time seems like a million years ago, but in other ways it seems like it has just flown by so quickly! I look at these two pictures below as bookends of a sort: the first one was taken last September when Tessa Jean and I went out to Baltimore to set up her surgery (it's on the first post of the blog) and the second one is from yesterday at the very same spot:
The obvious difference is that she no longer has the big shoe, but there are other differences, too.
I notice how much taller she looks now overall, which freaks me out! Because I have a tactile memory of how she felt when she was just this big and I could hold her in my two hands:
I also look at the second picture and I know I'm seeing a whole different person then the one I tucked into bed that night six months ago. I can't begin to guess what this experience does to a kid deep down in the personality, but I hope it has mostly been for the good. To have suffered and cried and had to work hard to achieve a goal and then actually achieve it, and know that there's a worthwhile end to justify the excruciating means, hopefully will be a source of strength for her as her life goes on.
Coming home tonight, we were the last to board the plane, which was very full and only single middle seats were left. After it became clear that no one was going to offer up their aisle or window seat so we could be together, we both found seats several rows away from each other just before take off. I felt horrible that we couldn't be together, mad that the doctor's appaointment was 4 hours late and mad that nobody would help us be together. I white-knuckeled it through the take-off, fighting off the inevitible morbid thoughts of the plane going down and me being a half a plane away from being able to help my little girl. The instant we reached altitude and the seatbelt sign went off, I maneuvered back to check on her. Instead of a sad and lonesome scared little girl, I found a happy, smiling young woman bopping to her iPod, chatting with a couple she met from Leawood.
("They were really nice!" she said.
"Not nice enough to let me sit next to you!" I replied.
"Well, she bought me a soda!" she argued.
"THOSE ARE FREE!" I said.)
Anyway, my little girl is growing up, and that's a good thing (but a little bit sad for big softies like me.)
Here's one more from the archives of Tessa Jean with her best baby, Kimalee, from 2001:
(As an aside, sometimes I feel that my iPod is trying to communicate with me. As I type this, the last two songs on random play have been "I Got A Right To Sing the Blues" by Sam Cooke and "She Used To Be My Girl" by the O'Jays. I can't tell if it's trying to be supportive or if it's mocking me.)
The blog will be going through some changes in the next week or so. We love having a blog and I think will always have one, but as part of our healing process I think it needs to be called something other than "Tessa Jean's Operation" since we've both been there AND done that!
(Suggestions for new blog name are welcome- just click on the blue "Comments" link below and do what's intuitive.)
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• Daily Movie Quote (this week: Westerns!)
"We deal in lead, my friend."
-- Thursday's answer: "Planet of the Apes" (1968)
Grampa Smith rides into the no-prize zone!
• Daily Obscure Song Lyric: (the best time for show tunes is all the time!)
"Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he get to be so tall?
Wasn't it yesterday
When they were small?"
Thursday's answer: "Star Trek" lyrics by Gene Roddenberry (1966)
Never used in the show, and apparently only written so Roddenberry could claim half of the royalties to the song!
Uncle Tom will live long and prosper with many no-prizes.
I just got caught up on the blog entries. I'm bursting with pride for the job well done for Tessa Jean. She worked so hard to reach her goal. She is truly an amazing little girl. Kudos to her Daddy and Mommy as well. None of this, from diagnosis to now, has been easy. You have both been incredibly strong. I love you all very much. Missing you. Zanny
Posted by: Zanny | July 30, 2004 at 12:56 PM
What wonderful news!! I'd noticed Tessa looking taller and (maybe I'd imagined it) actually more mature looking than 6 months ago. She's a gutsy little lady. And she's very lucky to have the family and friends she has too. Cheers to you all!!
Posted by: Karen Moriarity | July 27, 2004 at 05:07 PM
Congrats Tessa on a GREAT report. I could certainly tell that you had grown some from the picture in last year's photo. Dad, thank you for sharing your heartfelt sentiments. What an awesome dad. I continue to hold all of you in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for sharing your window into your world. It is wonderful to see a family growing and so full of love. "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof is the song you quoted!!
Have a good one...
Presten
Posted by: Presten | July 27, 2004 at 02:37 PM
It was great to hear that things are healing so well and that the travel time will be dropping off. It's a huge accomplishment for Tessa (and the rest of you) and I hope you all have some opportunity to take in the feeling of relief. School's out...........
We are getting going on some wedding and party plans this week - any suggestions for songs on the play list would be surely considered. Dad and I did some practicing on Saturday - much work to do.
Have a great week and savor the time,
Tom
Posted by: Tom | July 27, 2004 at 02:06 PM
Great news about the Baltimore Doctor visit. I am so grateful that this all turned out so well for Tessa, and she still has a few weeks of summer vacation to enjoy. I just had Kat and Nate come down and see the pictures of Tessa and how her leg has changed. They had just finished drying the dishes for me and later , Lisa is taking them to swim at the YMCA, followed buy a sleep over at her house tonight. We will probably have Sharon with us when we come on Labor Day. She bought a new Ford Explorer and wants to put some travel time on it, and visit with Marv, and you. More later. Delores
Posted by: Grandma Delores | July 27, 2004 at 01:27 PM
Good Morning!
I was so touched by the sentiment in your blog, I forgot to "Name that tune." It is "Sunrise, Sunset" from the musical "Fiddler on the Roof."
Have a great day!
Love,
Gramma Judy
Posted by: Gramma Judy | July 27, 2004 at 09:11 AM
Wow, what wonderful news. The BLOG entry about your feelings about the experience Tessa has gone through, and the pictures of her 6 months apart were so touching they brought some tears to my eyes. Reading this for the last 6 months, I've often wondered how this does affect a child. You see the obvious physical differences, ponder the emotional differences, and yes can only guess at how this has made her a stronger individual. Then, you can know, in your heart, that this has formed how she will approach every challenge from here on in.
She couldn't have done this without the love and support of her parents, family, and friends. You are all very lucky to have this person in your lives.
Posted by: Carla | July 27, 2004 at 08:11 AM
What a touching and thoughtful entry. Thank you.
I am so glad that the news was good. What a relief it must be to know that you don't have to return until next year! That's awesome.
I am fighting insomnia tonight, so I think I may go back to bed and try it again. I am so glad I checked your blog though. With such good news and such a poignant entry, I should sleep well and have very pleasant dreams.
I love you all ...
Gramma Judy
Posted by: Gramma Judy | July 27, 2004 at 12:11 AM