Bending! That's the focus!

Aaron spent a LONG day yesterday waiting. It's especially long when you aren't allowed to eat and drink!

It's a long day waiting if you are his parents too!

When he saw the doctor he was asked if he was happy that his arm could straighten. He said, "No."

My boy will tell it like it is. He didn't do this surgery to get a straight arm. Bending. That's the focus! Anything short of that is not good enough for him!

In surgery, they harvested skin from the top of his arm and grafted it to his open wound. No more med vacs!! That's a PLUS!

They spent time in surgery manipulating his elbow. 

Extension - no problem. 

Flexion - they got the arm to 105 degrees and had to stop. The fear of ripping the skin is HUGE.  Rob has the pictures from the surgery a few weeks ago and can see how beautifully Aaron's arm bent when the skin around the elbow was not a factor. He said it bent just like a normal person's elbow bends. THAT FAR. 

The skin is the problem. Getting it to 105 was an answer to prayer but knowing that Aaron's arm can go to 130 breaks our hearts. Just imagine how life-changing it would be if Aaron's arm could bend fully!

They removed some of the staples but left the ones around the elbow to keep it reinforced.

Rob is getting lessons from the doctor this morning on how to work his arm. We will continue doing the hourly therapy with him to retain the range he has and possibly push for more.

From what Rob was told last night - they are going to remove the block on the fixator that has been holding it at 90 degrees. If we are able - we can push past the 105 degrees as the elbow continues to heal. Everyone still wants more. 

We aren't giving up. We are praising God for 105 degrees and we are praying for more.

Aaron did amazingly well - his attitude continues to amaze us. 

This morning, he ate a man's sized breakfast and is up and ready to come home!

He will have to go back in a matter of weeks for the final round to get the fixator removed. It will possibly be another opportunity to get the elbow moving!

On top of that - The doctor is now talking Plan D for Aaron. Another surgery down the road.

It's not something we have to decide now and in the end Aaron will be the one to say yes or no. 

He's our warrior - brave and true!