Morgan's Surgery

Well, this post is not the usual Warrior Princess post, but so many people have been asking me about Morgan’s surgery and some of you don’t even know why she is having the surgery. So, we’ll start with the reason that Morgan is having surgery, she has a deformity in the way her leg bones grow. Her femurs (thigh bones) grow twisted inward and her tibias (lower leg bones) grow twisted outward. The orthopedic doctors call this “miserable malalignment”. When she was about 9 she pointed out to us that her knees pointed in when she has her feet facing forward to walk, but we didn’t think too much of it since our pediatrician didn’t think there was anything to be concerned about.

Morgan has been dealing with leg pain since she was about 7, but our former pediatrician always attributed the pain to other things. A few months ago the pain began to get worse (Tylenol didn’t even help with the pain at times), and she was beginning to have pain in her ankles and hips as well as the knees. I took her to our new pediatrician who actually looked at her legs and she sent us to a pediatric orthopedic who told us what her problem is and why it is causing her pain. She is actually VERY out of alignment on her right side, which is why she is having surgery on her right leg first.

Tomorrow morning she will be having an osteotomy, which means that the surgeon will cut her femur above the knee and then re-align it so that her knee is pointing forward and then he will cut her tibia and re-align her ankle so that her foot is pointing forward. He will re-attach the bones with plates and screws. Ouch! She’s supposed to be in the hospital for 2-3 days and then she will come home. She will be in a full leg cast for 4 weeks. When they remove that cast she is supposed to get a cast on the lower leg and a brace for her knee and begin physical therapy. One therapist I spoke to told me that it is 3-4 months of physical therapy. When that leg is healed, we are planning on doing the left leg.

So, this mama is a bit anxious about the surgery. I know it is what she needs (we even got a second opinion from another orthopedic surgeon last week). She actually wants it done because she is in pain every day and it is increasing. So for clarity sake, this surgery is being done because she is in pain daily, not for cosmetic reasons. It is just so hard to think about what they are going to do to her and knowing that the surgery and recovery are going to be painful and difficult. In spite of my feelings, I do have a peace about it, but it is still hard to think about all she is going to have to go through. I know that God has prepared her and us for this. A few months ago He was laying on my heart to pray for her regarding a trial that she was going to have to go through. I know that this is for her/our good (physically, but even more spiritually and emotionally), but I still struggle to take every thought captive because I worry about complications, etc.

I am so thankful that my cousin reminded me the other day that God has known about this ever since He formed her in the womb. This is part of His plan, and in that I do have peace.

You

made all the delicate,

inner parts of my body

and knit me together

in my mother's womb.

You

saw me

before I was born.

Every day of my life

was recorded

in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before

a single day had passed.

Psalm 139:13 & 16

I appreciate all of your prayers for Morgan, her surgeon, her healing, and for my anxious thoughts. I am planning on getting on here to post how the surgery went tomorrow night. So, if you are interested, check back on Saturday morning.

Sole Deo Gloria,
WP Stacey

p.s. My husband had a job interview today and he felt like it went really well. He will know by the end of next week. I would appreciate your prayers for that too. Thank you.