Introducing Murphy!

Introducing Murphy!

Today was a milestone in my journey to learn to walk again.  After having an amputation on June 9, 2014 and then having an infection that caused me to be on IV antibiotics for almost three months, today we finally got to don Murphy (my prosthetic leg) and begin configuring the settings so I can learn how to walk.  Woohoo!

The last month has been very difficult waiting for the wound to complete the healing process so we could finally work with Murphy.  I am not working right now.  That is a very difficult thing for me to do.  Staying home and vegetating is not my idea of fun.  So...I learned to make mobile applications and I am now producing mobile applications that are being published on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Kindle.  Yay me!  With all of the physical therapy and work I must do to get back up and walking, I believe that I will not be able to return to the classroom this school year.  I hat that...but that is the way it has to be for now.  

So, while I am not working, I am working on my dissertation (soon to be Dr. Turner), building my application business, and learning to walk with Murphy.  That should be enough to keep my busy for a while.  :-)

So my wound doctor released me today, my orthopedic doctor doesn't want to see me for three months, and my prosthetist is super excited about our progress in getting ready to use Murphy!  Just about the time I was thinking I would never get there, here I am!  Woohoo!

Thursday I go to the surgeon to discuss my surgical options for my gallstones.  Hopefully I will get that done quickly so I can get up on Murphy and begin regular physical therapy.  I know I am ready to get the stones out.  About 1-2 nights a week, I really struggle with abdominal pain.  Whew, what a relief when we get that taken care of!  

That is about it for now.  I have so much more to say,but it has been a very long day and I am ready to jump into bed (literally, because my bed is so tall I have to jump to get into it).  More updates later.

Remember, it is not "disabled" but "differently-abled"

Shelly Turner

almost Dr. Turner

Wife to Tony

Mother to Tavis, Heather, Tabitha, and Allyn

Grandmother to Sweet Baby Rae

Biology Diva

Skydiving Diva

Amputee

Living Life without Limb-its!!!

Good News!

Good news!! No ulcers!! Woohoo! Now we are setting up an appointment to get a surgery consult for the gallstones. Let's hope it is soon, because they are very painful!! My appointment is for January 29th, but please pray they can get me in sooner!!

Also, tomorrow I go get Murphy!! Woohoo! I am still not allowed to use it, but in about four weeks I can get it "programmed" and start physical therapy. It will be several months before I can walk unassisted, but I am so excited to get started!! Woohoo!!

The colder weather has been wreaking havoc on my phantom limb sensation (it is hard to call it pain because it is not quite the same as the pain I have experienced in my lifetime). The wound looks wicked awesome! I have skin covering it now and I just have to wait for it to get mature skin before I can start working with Murphy.

My dogs are getting very comfortable with my amputation. When I am walking down the hallway with my walker or crutches, they just run under my stump to get by me (I am still really slow). He he he

I am excited about working with my leg so I can meet my first big goal. Springfest in Batesville always does a 1k walk and a 5k run. My goal is to get good enough with Murphy that I can do the 1k this spring...and maybe the 5k run the next year! C'mon Murphy!! We can do it!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed your time with family and friends. I also hope that you took a moment to remember that God sent his precious son for you. .

With 2014 almost over, I have a few resolutions:

1. Keep doing my physical therapy exercises, but bump it up to twice a day instead of once a day now that the wound is almost healed.

2. Go to the gym at least three times a week to start building up arm and thigh muscles (I have a marathon to prepare for!)

3. Eat healthier. I am super bad about eating very, very little during the day. I need to eat little meals throughout the day. At least a small breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hard to do a marathon without energy!

4. Keep working on the Kindle version of iLoveScience (a resource for high school biology teachers).

5. Keep growing and learning how to build iPhone, iPad, Android, and Kindle apps. It is really cool stuff and keeps my techie skills up-to-date! Just because I am not working does not mean I cannot learn and grow my skills!! 

6. Read some of the books that I have on my "must read" list. I have so many I am not entirely sure where to start!

7. Post weekly (at least) to my blog. I have had so many people that told me they were disappointed that I was not posting about my progress, so I will do better. 

8. Finish my dissertation. Then I will be Dr. Shelly Turner!! Woohoo!

I am sure there are more, but those are my main ones. Of course, the primary resolution is to get back up on my feet/foot, but I am at the mercy of my medical team for that one. But rest assured, when they give the nod, away I go!!

Happy New Year to everyone! 2015 is going to be a wicked awesome year!!