Guess Who's Back?

Although I haven't discussed the entire Jersey Finger injury just yet, I MUST start with the day that Ty was actually released by Dr. Apel. A few weeks prior to his possible release date, we had an appointment with Dr. Apel and Ty expressed his desires and recovery goals. Ty desired to be able to play AT LEAST half of the basketball season for his middle school team. Ty's injury happend on September 6th, the surgery took place on September 11th, and from that point forward we were told that a full recovery takes a MINIMUM of 12 weeks. Sigh... November 19th was 9 weeks and 6 days. At this visit, Dr. Apel looked at Ty and said, "Your mom and dad care about your well being for the next 10 years, but I care about your well being for a lifetime.  You have all the time in the world to play ball. We have got to get this finger right and putting you back on the court too soon could cause long term damaging effects!" He made NO promises to Tyson and truly gave us the impression that his goals and desires would not be met.  He did NOT want to give us any false hope.  AND I didn't want to give Ty any false hope either, but on the morning of his appointment, the appointment that we were banking on hearing those words, "Go play ball!", I had to set up the breakfast table with some preconceived notions that it was going to happen! I don't think there is anything wrong in staying in the positive, do you?

 I decorated the kitchen in Glenvar colors, a basketball tablescape, and displayed Ty's jersey number, #5.

I am not going to lie, I wasn't sure if I could handle the smiles from him seeing this setup and then the huge let down if Dr. Apel told him that he still needed more therapy/time.

Regardless, what I had hoped Ty really saw in this pre-celebratory breakfast was a mom who believed in him!

Breakfast was nothing fancy.  Half the time my kids can barely make it down before the bus arrives.  It never used to be that way, but now that they are getting older and now that they are so involved in extracirculars, their bedtime is later, so their wake time is more difficult. I served mini pancakes, representing basketballs, and turned his bacon into a #5.

I also served clementines, representing basketballs, and ORANGE juice.

I am so pleased with how it all turned out.

Off to occupational therapy we go! Our therapist, Amy, and NOW LipSense customer worked with Ty, on what we had hoped would be his last appointment. She measured him and told him, "I can't see why you wouldn't be released!" Eek! She knows her stuff, but she isn't the doctor, so we felt ONE STEP CLOSER, but still had to hear the words form the doc.

Before the appointment with Dr. Apel, Ty had a session in the fluidotherapy machine. Towards the end of his occupational therapy, he was using this machine at each visit.  

It was hard to capture Ty's hand inside of this machine because of the glare, but this machine was really interesting to learn about and witness do it's magic on Ty's injury. This fluidotherapy machine circulates warm, ground corn husks around the extremities at 114 degrees.   

With NO guarantee that Ty would be released, we still took a photo of Amy and Ty together.  I hate that I didn't look at the photo before leaving. I'm sorry, Amy, that I captured you with your eyes closed, but you are still looking gorgeous as ever with that full face of SeneGence products on.  :)

Then upstairs, to see Dr. Apel we went! He is a cool doctor. He's very matter of fact, intelligent, funny, personable, AND very serious about giving his patients the BEST care, instruction, and advise.  He refuses to release anyone until a full recovery is made.  Again, we were told from the VERY GET GO that Ty's recovery would be very intense, long, AND a minimum of 12 weeks. BUT, on week 9 and day 6, Ty was RELEASED TO PLAY BALL!

 Ty had to make that call to his dad and tell him the good news!

Dr. Apel asked Ty what he desired and his wish was granted AND NOT BECAUSE it was what Ty wanted, but because Ty had made a BIG ENOUGH recovery to be truly be released. Ty was also released from occupational therapy in addition to doing his exercises that he had been doing EVERY WAKING TWO HOURS, ON THE DOT. Doctor's orders were to just not "hang on the basketball net" because that's the other way that people typically get jersey finger. Fortunately, Ty is not tall enough to hang off the net yet.

Later that day, just as Ty had hoped and dreamed, Ty played in his FIRST basketball game and scored over 27 points! He was ON FIRE!!!!! And we were so proud and oh so excited to see our boy back on the court.

His season has since ended, but I received a phone call from the JV coach, two Fridays ago.  He invited ONE player to move up and play on the JV team.  Guess who they chose????? TY!!!!!! They were even out of jerseys and the coach special ordered one for him! God is so good!!!!!

After Ty's game, he returned home to a celebratory dinner.  Sadly, I wasn't home.  I was at the theater with Lilah. I made a homemade lasagna and cheesecake! 

 #SoFun #EveryLittleThingIsABIGDeal