Updates

So I have updates on two things (I know, I know, you are shaking in your seats you are so excited):

ADOPTION:  Our homestudy is complete!!  Finally.  They are putting it into final form and we should have a completed copy by the first of next week.  So right now I am filling out all the INS forms (immigration).  Those usually take about 3 months to clear, but the good thing about Russia is that we can go ahead and get registered in Russia while we are waiting on those to clear.  SOOOOO if all goes as planned (and at this point I have learned that is a BIG "if") we should know in July which region our little girl is going to come from!!  At that point I am sure that I am going to use every avenue of research to learn as much as I can about that region.  I will also talk to people about the travel to that region, etc.  Keep your fingers crossed!!!

ANKLE:  As you know, I went to an orthopedic surgeon on Monday to get a second opinion on my ankle, which had been in a boot for close to 6 weeks.  And I am so glad that I did, althogh I got good and bad news.  Good news first -  I do not have to wear the boot anymore!  I was so happy to put on two normal shoes and not have to wear this certain shoes that was clostest to the same height as the boot.  Plus, even afer repeated washings, that thing smelled.  I threw it into the abyss of a closet, hopefully never to be seen from again!

The bad news is that I have officially torn my peroneous brevis tendon in my ankle.  See picture below.

The tear is longitudinal, meaning that it goes with the tendon (i.e. it does not cut across it like you think of tearing paper in half).  Instead, as my doctor described, it is like a "delamination" of the tendon.  So what is the protocol for this?  Normally, you immobolize for 4 weeks (like in a boot) and they get better.  We all know that mine has not gotten better.  That is why I don't have to wear the boot anymore - it is just not helping all that much.  So I am going to just see how I do.  He gave me some exercises and told me that I can walk on a treamill (no more than 3.5 mph and no more than 2% incline), do the ellipical, or stationary bike with a brace on my ankle, icing before and after.  And I am taking an anti-inflamatory called Mobic.  No running or anything "jarring" like tennis or waterskiing or anything else where there is a potential to tear it even more. 

All likelihood is that I am going to have to have surgery at some point (outpatient), but I am not there yet and I am certainly not going to have it in the summer months since I will have to be in a cast for a couple of weeks after the surgery.  The doctor says that he sees this injury in a lot of athletes (not that I am an athlete by any means!) and it is what they consider an "off season" surgery - meaning you get through the season with the injury by taping, wearing a brace, icing, etc. and then when the season is over you have surgery and do rehab. 

But maybe I won't have to have surgery.  I am superwoman, you know.