6 months post op pic

Here's the X-ray from Sophie's 6 month visit. The one on the left is
most recent. The lower curve looks great.

Random string of updates (157.2)

School's out tomorrow.  Luke & Sophie both finished the year with straight A's. 

The summer is planned out as far as kids go, and it's going to be packed.  God help me. 

Sophie turns 13 on Sunday!  God help me. :)

We had her 6 month check up in St Louis on Monday.  Rods & screws look great.  Spine is in same place, lower curve looks like it may have even improved, to our untrained eyes (I'll post a pic later).  We learned it takes a full FIVE YEARS before the rods are fully fused to her bones.  So she has to be careful of impact movements for the next 4.5 years.  Not just the next 6 months.  After one year, they are 30% fused.  No trampolines, no jumping in pools, no bounce houses, no water parks, no roller skates.  Lucky the girl isn't sporty, or there'd be lots more "no's."

I walked 10 miles last Saturday in a race I signed up for months ago, then didn't train for, but promised my best friend Amy I'd do with her any way.  We had gorgeous weather, so we just decided what the heck.  I was thrilled and grateful my 44 y.o. body didn't rebel against walking 10 miles.  We were the next to last finishers.  They published the participants names and places in the paper.  That was humbling (and I won't do it again). 

I've been taking new meds for almost 3 weeks. Wellbutrin 150 mg (back on) in the morning and topamax 50 mg (new) at night (both generic).  The topamax is to quiet the voices (not the crazy kind, my own) in my head and settle down the intrusive thoughts.  I'm not so much depressed as anxiety and crazy ridden. I just want my brain to slow the hell down.  It seems to be helping. 

I had some weird side affects, esp at first, like numb spots in my face and tingling hands, but no hair loss and no memory loss (although sometimes I do lose a word or two, but seriously, it's no worse than normal!  I "lose" words all the time... I've complained for years I have early alzheimers).  It gives my mouth a metallic taste, so food is sometimes less appealing--this is not a bad side affect, in my opinion, at least for the time being.  

Life is OK right now.  So stinking much going on, and I've got a lot of overwhelming LIFE issues to deal with (who doesn't?) but I'm just trying to take them a day at a time.