Some of Mark's Photo Favorites

Here are some of my favorites that I'm not sure have made it to the blog yet:

Rylee does great playing inside, imagining stories, singing, and self entertaining are her specialties.  Lauren on the other hand, requires constant entertainment and it has to be outside. 

Archery with our good friends, Joel & Jocelyn Tippets. This was one of our family night activities this summer.  We just went across the street into a retention basin, perfect spot for an archery lesson.

Rylee & Lauren both picked this up pretty quick.  I thought this picture was very cool, Rylee's fingers outstretched to release the arrow give this picture a lot of motion. 

Janna was the first to hit the target. 

 There is an air force base near Ogden, Hill Air Force Base. Lauren, Rylee, and I went to check out this years air show.  It was the coldest day in August I've ever experienced. The show was stunning.

 Gigantic bubble making sticks.  This almost worked. The $1 bottle is still the best.

Maya. This girl is one of my life's greatest rays of sunshine. She brightens my day, everyday. I think the Lord knew we were going to have a few tough days, every one of us. So He gave us Maya.

 This was our hike during a camping trip to Tony's Grove, in northern Utah.

Rylee and I have worked very hard together to create some bracelets.  Rylee has become really good at making these. We give them away to friends for birthday parties. 

Rylee bobbing for apples, with her hands.

All three girls lost in a coloring book.   

Maya pulled Janna's running shoes of out the hall closet and brought them to me.  So, I put them on her. Tied them up nice and tight.  It wasn't as easy as she was expecting, but it was fun to watch. 

I have no idea where this picture was taken, I must have missed out.  Rylee doesn't remember either. 

Maya meets Elmo. This is my spot for much of the day, on the couch with my leg elevated to easy the swelling pressure on my knee.  Occasionally, Maya will come over to see me, so I pulled her up and we watched Elmo and Big Bird for a few minutes.  You can tell we watch no TV at our home. All the girls crowd around my laptop to catch a glimpse of Elmo and Sesame Street.

Ten Cool Things

Here's some cool things that have happened in the last few days:

1. Maya has learned to say "Dada" and she knows what it means.
2. Janna got me a wheelchair to spin around in with the girls while we are outside.
3. Stitches were removed from my knee incision on Friday, October 26th.
4. Lauren had her first indoor soccer match, see the post below.
5. I was released as Stake Executive Secretary, and sustained as Ward Mission Leader.
6. Rylee ate her vegetables.
7. Ogden Valley received our first snow. The mountains are now frosted, and probably will be until  June 2013.
8. Our ward held our Halloween party last night, at the stake center right behind our house. I rode over in the trunk of the Subaru. Lauren was a witch, Rylee was a Bat. Maya was an alligator.
9. I ordered a stationary recumbent bike. First day of Physical Therapy will be on Halloween. At the moment, I am unable to lift my leg off the floor if I'm laying on my back.  I've got a lot of work to do, but I can't start until Wednesday, and I want to follow the instructions of the therapist to the letter.  Maybe this spring, if I am still unable to ride my racing bike, I will purchase and modify a full recumbent bike. 
10. Maya danced for us in the living room.

Lauren's First Indoor Soccer Match

Saturday, October 27th.  Today was Lauren's very first indoor soccer match.  She had a stomach full of butterflies on the drive there, but has been very excited to try indoor.  I have clipped a few seconds from her match for posting.  The match was two periods, 22 minutes each. She is playing on a U10 Girls league. Watch for her 1st header at about 21 seconds. She is Number 4 in the tie died shirt, with a long pony tail.

Superman's cryptonite

This past week has been a challenging and humbling one for Mark.  Mark is tough, he will conquer this.  At night he lays awake redesigning a one legged bike;)  It may be quite interesting to see the final concept considering how potent pain meds are on Mark.  All great inventors were a little crazy, right? 

Here are some of the classics from the week:

(Post-op recovery)

• 'Where's my leg? Oh, it's big!'
• 'Something's biting me!' (the pulse ox on his finger) 'Oh, don't take it off, I like the red light.' (so nurse Melanie put it on his toe where he could still see the red light)
• 'Is that my toe?  It's big!'
• 'This is Melanie, she's nice!'  (repeated about 5 times)
• The Dr. came in wearing a surgical cap, 'Are you the Doctor?, I like your hat.  I don't play football.'

Wednesday morning

• 'Janna, I remember waking up in recovery.  I told them I was married, it was important that they knew.'

Friday after our Dr. apt.  we were leaving the hospital and ran into our wonderful surgical admit nurse. She laughed with us and told us what Mark really said in recovery:

• 'My wife is soooooo hot!'  Here's hoping that's where he stopped!

With no bending in the knee, Mark's only option is the station wagon trunk.  The girls love it!

Mark's Knee Injury

Well.  I'm back to the blog and it's time for an update. Life changes quickly, and most of the time it just drags me along if I'm not keeping up.

Friday Night, October 12th.  My indoor soccer match started at 10:20 pm. There was a double header on the schedule, 2nd match would begin at 11:15pm and I was planning on playing in both.  At about 10:45 pm, I was about 15 feet out from the opposing goal and posturing for a shot. I planted my left foot and balanced as my right foot started to swing through for the shot.  An opposing player on the other team and I collided and we both went down. I'm still unclear on all the details, however somewhere in the tangle I sustained a blow to the inside of my left leg at about knee height. Must have been just after I had planted that foot for the shot.  (The guy who I collided with was actually a friend, we have played on the same team, and against each other for years).

As it turns out, I completely ruptured the Patellar Tendon and detached it from the bottom of my kneecap. By the time my hand reached out to my knee, there was a large indentation where my kneecap was normally situated, I don't know where it went. The pain was the most unbearable I've ever felt. After a few moments, I was finally able to relax my leg and as it straightened the knee cap returned to position.

That tendon is a critical mechanical connection that allows you to lift the lower half of your leg.  Without that connection, the lower leg is simply a hinged appendage that will swing freely.

(photo above)  Day 2. Three days prior to surgery.  The X-Rays showed no bone damage, but the Patella was sitting extremely high and the doctor confirmed a complete rupture.

Day 7 (above).  Surgery was successful, Dr. Richter made about a 3-4 inch incision over my knee cap, drilled 3 holes through the patella at an angle, then threaded the detached tendon through the 3 holes and pulled them tight. Then he sutured them directly to the bone with extremely heavy, permanent sutures. He told me today that during surgery he had my leg bent at 90 degrees to test the tension in newly made connection. Man, it's a good thing I was asleep for that.  

Day 7 (above).  He covered the stitches up and strapped on my brace again. Sent me home to continue to heal for 1 more week. Physical therapy begins next Friday, October 26th. 

This may sound backwards, but Janna and I have been very blessed this last week. More on that later.