Jack's Wolves Wish Night

It's no secret I LOVE hockey.  To be specific I love Chicago Wolves hockey.  I have been taking Jack to hockey games for a few years now - this is his third season.  I remember deciding it was time to take him to a game.  I worried about if he would freak out when the fire and fireworks started.  I worried about if he would be able to sit through the whole game.  As always, Jack pleasantly surprised me when he loved having his face painted and playing at the Family Fun Fest before the game, got excited when the music and fireworks began, added Skates to his growing list of friends, and sat through the whole game without any fuss at all.

Jack's First Wolves Game

He only went to one game that first season, but the next year he went to a few more.  It was always fun to hear the people around us talk about Jack - all good things of course.  They would comment about how cute he was, how much he seemed to love the game and were even surprised that he would watch the game.




This year, Jack has been to quite a few games, but no will ever compare tot he February 15, 2014 game.




Back in October, before the season even started, I stumbled across a page on the Wolves website for making a Wolves Wish.  I wish I would have saved the message I sent, but I didn't.  So unlike me, but looking back I probably never thought anyone would read it, let alone act on it.  I remember the message being something short about how much Jack loves the Wolves, Skates and hockey.  How that when the little kids come out on the ice to play between periods, Jack cries because he wants so badly to be out there.  I mentioned that he wanted to learn to play hockey, but that he has hip dysplasia and was having an operation in November; and that he couldn't learn to skate or play hockey until after the surgery and the doctor said it was okay.




Much to my surprise I did receive a response (and as I recall it was rather quickly after I sent the message via their website).  Right out of the gate, Courtney Mahoney had a wonderful idea for how Jack could get his wish to be on the ice a little earlier than when he begins his professional AHL career.  She suggested that they would have Jack join Skates on the ice and help throw t-shirts during an intermission during a game.




With only a few games that the Wolves would be in town before the circus arrived and Jack's scheduled surgery date, we tried for a game day after the surgery.  Not knowing exactly how long Jack would be in his cast, and not knowing what recovery would be like after he was freed I shot for a game in February.  October to February - I am not a patient person, that was one heck of a wait for me.  I was so excited for Jack, but I didn't tell him anything.




And that's where I'll leave you until I can properly finish the post about Jack's big night.

Can you believe?

I can hardly believe it's been only two months since Jack had his surgery and a month since he got his cast off.

Two months ago, before the journey started, this leg looked like this.

Two months ago going anywhere meant putting on the parachute harness and strapping Jack into the car.

Two month ago going out for a bite to eat meant asking for a table with space around it and getting looks from other people wondering why a child Jack's age was in a stroller and why we didn't take him out to eat.

Two months ago baths were oh so much fun!

And two months ago Jack's leg was replaced by and electrical plug - just kidding, but it does look weird in this position on the xray.

One month ago we waited patiently for the cast to come off.

One month ago you would have thought they were cutting off his leg and not the cast.

One month ago we said good bye to the green cast.

Today he's walking, running, jumping and dancing.  He's doing great. He has an almost unnoticeable limp, though it does get pretty noticable when he's tired or has been running around.  I'm looking at him now thinking has it really only been two months?  Of course two months ago I was wondering how I was going to make it through the next month ;-)

Almost Done!

Okay, first let me say I know the FB and blog appear to be mighty bare the past few weeks. Next let mw say how wonderful(ly) frustrating technology is. Apparently there are quite a few posts "stuck" in my phone. I will work to get those posted this weekend - if you are interested in how things went.

I will continue to post updates here and on the blog about Jack if you are interested and want ...to see how things are going out of the cast and in the follow-up visits we will have over the next 10+ years.

Also, I do need to get back to work on photographing the items I have for sale. So far nothing has been sold. If you look back at a post here or on the blog and see something you would like, let me know.

Can you believe it's been:
1 month 0 days 7 hours 22 minutes 38 seconds
or 1.0 month
or 4.3 weeks
or 30.3 days
or 727.3 hours
or 43,642.6 minutes
or 2,618,558 seconds

Not that I am counting :-)  For those who do not know, the cast comes off tomorrow at 8am! That's the good news. The "I hate living in the Chicago are sometimes" news is that it's supposed to rain, ice, and snow for the next 3 days! This means Jack and I are having a sleepover at Nana's house tonight to get us closer to the hospital so that a 2 hour drive doesn't turn into a 5 hour drive, or worse a missed appointment and Jack having to stay in the cast longer. I can't wait to see 2 legs on my little guy!