Today marks two years since Ava's nerve transfers in Cincinnati following our farm accident. She is currently sleeping on our couch, flat out from what we have termed PFS (Post Fair Syndrome). All kinds of kids picked up a stomach bug that incubated for a long time and then hit hard.
Initially, we were told that Ava would continue to see improvement for two years as her nerves slowly grew. So that would mean today is the last day for gains. However, a few months ago at a visit, they said that they still think Ava may gain some hand function yet. We are still hopeful but working in our hearts and minds to make peace with the situation if she never is able to have a helper hand.
When she went in for surgery, I honestly thought that today, her arm eventually would look and function a lot more like a normal one than it does. However, I have learned that a little is a lot. The things she has gained are
1. Shoulder stabilization.
2. Ability to use forearm to hold paper in place.
3. Ability to carry something between bicep and ribs.
4. Ability to bicep curl half-way to hold something up while she manipulates it with her other hand. (Like husking corn video I had shared)
Many more gains are possible if she had the ability to open and close her hand!!! She sometimes has motion in her fingers if she is activating other muscles, but not voluntarily.
Please pray for this!!!!
On the farm, we are anxiously awaiting making 4th cutting hay but have received 6 inches of rain in the last week. Joe is just finishing up a building project in the holding area, where our cows wait for their turn to be milked 3 times a day. We recently had some major landscaping done with some bulldozers and other construction equipment. As soon as we can dry out and get haylage up, it is a mad dash for the crew to switch the chopper from it's hay head to the corn head and take off for South Dakota. We picked up another farm out near Canistota last year that we make corn silage for their cows. Then, lots of other dairies including ours. Joe loves the challenge!
Our son, Vince, is in denial that school starts soon. I may be, too. Ava hopes to get healthy soon so she can enjoy these last few weeks of summer break.
soshemarriedafarmer 