Home with new hardware...

Beau and Jessica are back in North Carolina and he's doing great. He said he could tell almost immediately after the surgery that his arm was in much better shape than it was beforehand. The pain was different and has gotten much better and his shoulder looks alot more normal and in proportion now...probably because it's actually staying in the joint! He's already off the pain pills that he got after the surgery! Below is a picture of the prosthesis that they removed from his arm and a shot of his new hardware...

The bright white pieces are the new prosthesis and from about an inch below the screws up to the top of his arm is the new cadaver bone. It's pretty amazing what they can do these days...

Beau will be beginning physical therapy after his follow-up visit with Dr. Frankle and he's already started working on his cardio by riding an exercise bike. He wants to be in top physical shape so as soon as the time comes, he will be ready to get back in a racecar!

Thanks for all the prayers and support...please keep them coming!

~Maggie

Today Hopefully?

Beau didn't actually get to go home yesterday. His hemoglobin was low which required a blood transfusion and they wanted to make sure they got his pain controlled before he was able to leave so he's still there. Jessica said he was feeling much better today and they've found some pain meds that are working so he should be getting out today and heading back to NC this weekend. Thanks again for the all the prayers and thoughts.

I'll let everyone know when I hear anything new.

Thanks!
Maggie

Checking out...

Beau will be getting out of the hospital tomorrow! He's already had two physical therapy sessions and walked around his floor hallway a few times. He will have another meeting with the Doc on Friday and a follow-up appointment in 6 weeks. Thanks for keeping up with Beau through all of this and please continue to keep him in your prayers!

~Maggie

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

Out of surgery and resting...

Beau came through the surgery just fine and his doctor said that everything went great! Beau will be in the hospital until Wednesday and he has to go to a follow-up appointment on Friday. Then he will be heading back home to North Carolina. Thanks for all of the prayers and support for Beau...please keep them coming!

~Maggie

Snowball Derby Weekend...

Please click on this link and vote for the "best looking car" at the Snowball Derby this weekend! Vote for Bubba Pollard's #08 car...he changed his paint scheme to Beau's signature camo and orange #08 in honor of Beau!

http://www.speed51.com/2010_Stories/Snowball_Derby/best_appearing_vote.html

~Maggie

Surgery this Monday

Just a reminder that Beau will be having his surgery this Monday, December 6th. If everything were right with the world, Beau would be racing in the Snowball Derby stuff this weekend down in Pensacola. But since his arm is still non-functioning, he will be watching and cheering for Bubba Pollard from the sidelines. Bubba has added some of Beau's paint scheme to his car as a tribute and we are all pulling for Bubba to do well this weekend in the #08 car!

Updates will be posted as I receive them, but for now, please just pray that the surgery goes smoothly without any complications and that there is enough muscle to work with when Dr. Frankle replaces the prosthesis in Beau's arm.

Here is a pic of Bubba's car from the Speed51 website:


To follow the Snowball Derby coverage go to www.speed51.com and click on the Trackside links for the Snowball Derby.

Thanks for keeping Beau in your prayers!

Good Luck, Bubba!!!

~Maggie

Shoulder Surgery, Part II

It's been awhile since I've posted. The last thing all of you heard was that Beau would be starting physical therapy and working on getting back to normal with his arm function. Unfortunately, his arm is nearly useless and will require more surgery. Beau will be heading to Tampa, FL for Dr. Mark Frankle to perform a "reverse shoulder replacement" on December 6th. We have reason to be very hopeful that this surgery will provide him with greatly increased function in his arm and shoulder. The gist of it is that Beau's first surgery left him with little to no rotator cuff. The rotator cuff consits of the four tendons that attach muscles to the humerus and allow it to lift and move. Without these muscles and attachments, Beau's arm is nearly immobile. His shoulder is actually out of the socket and he can spin his whole arm around backwards which is kind of interesting but nauseating at the same time :) See what I mean??? You can actually see the ball of his arm bone sticking up through the t-shirt...

The secret to the reverse shoulder replacement is that it utilizes the deltoid muscle for lifting and working the arm and this has proven to be much more successful in patients with severe rotator cuff injuries or no rotator cuff function at all. Beau does still have a deltoid muscle so this surgery should help him immensely. Part of the surgery will also involve removing the titanium prosthesis and replacing it with a cadaver bone that actually comes with tendons in order to reattach muscle. Another great thing about this upcoming sugery is that it will be performed by the man who invented the Reverse® Shoulder Prosthesis...so Beau will be in the best hands imaginable. I've included a link below that explains the reverse shoulder replacement and it's benefits in great detail if you are interested in reading more about it.

http://www.eorthopod.com/eorthopodV2/index.php?ID=dbb85cd4171ee690cff1b8cc7b0a57c6&disp_type=topic_detail&area=6&topic_id=c0cef76579cc52c11d5c9f9092ca1b3d

Thanks so much for keeping up with Beau and continuing to pray for and encourage him along the way.

~Maggie

Chugging Along

Beau came home from Texas last Monday (August 16th)...since then he has been to Macon, Dublin, St. Simons, back to Dublin and now he has gone back to North Carolina. Who would have thought a "resection proximal humerus with reconstruction endoprosthesis " would have slowed Beau down? Not me...

He did have quite a bit of pain at first but that has been getting better as the days go by. His pain patch is working well, and for the most part, he can get by on one or two pain pills per day instead of one every four hours.

Beau and Jessica will return to Texas around September 20th to meet with the surgeon that worked on his arm. At that time, he should be getting out of the sling and beginning physical therapy. It's going to take a while before Beau will be able to use his arm like he wants to so please pray for patience and determination on Beau's part (although I don't think Beau has ever been lacking in the latter).

Thanks for continuing to support Beau throughout this process...more updates to follow :)

~Maggie


"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18



"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance...Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:2-3, 12

Wardrobe Malfunction

Does this pocketbook make me look fat?

Beau at the mall in Houston....

Originally, they were told to buy Beau some XXL shirts so he could just put it on over his sling. After this picture was taken, they found out that they could unhook the sling and slide a shirt over his arm and then attach the sling OVER the shirt...so Beau no longer looks nine months pregnant.

Free man...

Beau just called to tell me that he's been discharged from the hospital! He sounded great...just like his old self and he said he felt really good. They got him started on a pain patch this morning and took his pain pump out this afternoon. They will be around Houston for a day or two to get everything squared away and they should be coming back to Georgia on Monday or Tuesday!

Thanks so much for all the prayers and support. Beau has a long road ahead of him but he's going to be working hard to get back to work and back in the race car.

Thanks for keeping up with his progress...I will continue to post on here over the next weeks to keep everyone updated on what is going on.

-Maggie

Beau's new hardware...

I foresee complications with various airport security in Beau's immediate future...

This picture is in direct to response to the blog posted by Beau's cousin Jimmy earlier and found here: http://jimmyewing.blogspot.com/2010/08/humerus-comedy-in-two-parts.html .

So as you can see, Jimmy, it's the top part...INCLUDING the ball :)

Thanks everyone for continuing to keep up with Beau's progress....

-Maggie

Day 3

Beau had a better day today in terms of pain. The doctor doubled his dosage of pain meds and that seemed to fix things without giving him severe headaches like yesterday. He did a lot of walking and ate some dry cereal. He felt good enough this afternoon to send Jeanne for a Jamba Juice...a favorite for all of them since they began spending time in Houston.

When Beau gets released from the hospital in a few days, he will be able to come home immediately. He won't have to meet with the surgeon for a follow up until 6 weeks from now. If everything continues to go well, they will be heading home at the beginning of next week.

Thanks so much for all of the words of encouragement and the constant prayers. Beau is so blessed to have such great friends!

-Maggie

Day 2 continued....

Beau was able to get up and walk down his hallway at the hospital today. They finally got him some pain meds that he liked and he was able to rest, too. He has been hurting again pretty badly this evening but they are changing the dosages in hopes of getting him some relief. Everything seems to be going pretty well other than that. Thanks for keeping up with Beau!

-Maggie

Day 2

Apparently the goooooood drugs aren't doing their thing anymore. Jessica says Beau is in a good bit of pain and they are raising his dosage of pain meds as much as they can. He got sick this morning and hasn't been able to eat anything so they are working on that. Hopefully they will get the pain under control soon and he will be able to eat and rest.

Thanks for keeping up with Beau through all of this...and please keep the prayers coming!

-Maggie

Settled for the night...

Beau is in a room and on some gooooood drugs :)

Thanks so much for the prayers and words of encouragement...

Quick update from surgery...

Beau is out of surgery after nearly six hours. He is able to move his fingers and the surgeon told Dad that she was able to get clear margins...meaning all of the tumor. He will be in recovery for a couple of hours and they will get to see him in about 2 hours. Everything seems to be going well out there! Thanks for all of the prayers and support...please keep them coming!

-Maggie

Surgery Day...

Beau will be heading into surgery tomorrow at 10:45 am (11:45 GA time). Please say some prayers for him and his surgical team. The surgery is supposed to last 5-6 hours. Buster and Jeanne flew out to Houston this morning to be there for the surgery and Jessica's mom will be there later in the week. He's got a long road ahead of him in the recovery department but we all know how determined and stubborn Beau is so we're thinking he'll bounce back faster than your average person :)

Beau, Jessica and my family would like to say a special thank you to the Turner family for being so great to Beau and Jessica. Steve Turner is the owner of the motor-sports team that Beau works for in Charlotte, and he's also the one that gave Beau the opportunity to run the four ARCA races that he ran last year. They happen to live near Houston and have given Beau and Jessica a place to stay while they have had to be out there. It's great for them to have some friends out there in Texas where they really don't know anyone else. Sandra, Steve, Kris and James - Thank you all so much for opening your home and your hearts to Beau and Jessica. You'll never know how much you are appreciated.

As Beau prepares for his surgery tomorrow and we prepare to pray him through it, I'd like to leave everyone with a reminder of how blessed he really is and the kinds of friends he has...here is a picture sent to me by some of the great friends that Beau and Jessica have made in North Carolina.....

Back Row:Kim, Bryan, Kathryn, Whitney, Ashley & Buck, Jared, and Steven...Front Row: Ben, Allison and Brooke

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:24-26

Update #2 from Houston...

Beau met with an orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday to discuss removing the tumor that is in his arm bone. They have decided to do it this Monday, August 9th. The surgery will invlove removing 17 cm of Beau's right upper arm bone, starting at the ball in the shoulder joint and extending downward, as well as tissue surrounding the tumor site. The bone will be replaced with a rod of some sort. Beau will spend 5 to 7 days in the hosiptal in Houston. He will have to wear a sling for 6 weeks and then begin 4 to 6 months of rehab back at home.

Please pray for Beau and Jessica as they go through this ordeal. It will be a long 6 months but Beau is strong and facing this with a positive attitude.

I will let everyone know of any updates that I hear from Houston...

-Maggie

Update #1 from Houston...

Beau had his full body PET scan yesterday and there were no signs of any tumors except for the one that we already knew was in his shoulder/arm! They will be deciding over the next few days about removing the tumor in his shoulder and what the plan of action will be. I will let you all know when I hear anything else...

Thanks for continuing to pray for Beau and Jessica!

-Maggie

Prayers would be appreciated...

Beau and Jessica are headed to M.D. Anderson early Monday morning. Please keep them in your prayers this week and I will post information as soon as we learn it.

I'm not sure of his schedule for tests yet but I know he is having a full-body PET scan plus blood work first. The biopsy of the tumor in his shoulder is not on his patient schedule yet, so we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for all of the support, prayers and kind words that have been sent their way over the past week. We are so blessed to have the kind of friends and family that we have....

~Maggie

Another Speed Bump

So I haven't posted on here since last November. Beau went for his first round of scans then and the reports were good.

Alot has happened since last November...Beau and Jessica got married on January 16th. They moved to Cornelius, NC (near the Charlotte area) so Beau could pursue his racing dreams. Beau began working in Steve Turner's race shop for Turner Motorsports. He ran a few late model races at Gresham Motorsports Park and did very well. During this time, he was also going to M.D. Anderson every three months for scans and a meeting with Dr. Benjamin. Each times the scans have been clear.

Until last week....

Dr. Benjamin found a tumor in Beau's shoulder on Thursday. We know no details right now but Beau and Jessica will be heading back to M.D. Anderson on Sunday to get a biopsy and do more scans. They don't even know if it is the same kind of tumor as before. As we learn more about what is going on, I will post it here.

Please continue to pray for Beau, Jessica and their families as they face the unknown...but remember that they continue to hope in the One that DOES know.

Thanks...

~Maggie

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2 Cor. 4:7-10