On May 13th my husbands surgery was successful! His left leg was amputated right above the knee. He is doing amazingly well!!! He was in the hospital for a full week. Discharge was delayed due to the pain medication and then because of a fall during physical therapy they kept him another night to make sure there was no bleeding. His transistion home has been great! We never did get a wheelchair ramp but he doesn't need it. Crutches and a walker and my shoulder have provided all the support he has needed to get up the two steps into our home. Our kids have adjusted remarkably well to the changes we've had to make and to Daddy having only one leg.
I want to put a question out there and ANY advice or information anyone may have would be greatfully appreciated. Aaron is suffering from phantom pain. He tells me that 90% of his pain is shooting pain down into the part of the leg that is gone, or a cramping sensation in his calf which is no longer there. Does anyone have any tricks for dealing with this? Or how he could go about easing the pain when it happens? Right now he is on morphine, lyrica and norco (strong vicodin) and it does little to ease his suffering through these particular pains.

We are in the final weeks of preparing for my husbands lef amputation.  I have been busy preparing the house the best I can and contacting people and agencies about getting the things we will need. I've yet to get or find out how to get a wheelchair ramp into our house. Everyone I ask points me to someone else. I am hoping there is an agency or charitable organization that will do it for little to no cost. I have to admit that throughout all the preparation the only major concern I have is our finances. I beleive I am as mentally and emotionally prepared for the coming months as I can be. I am confident in my husbands ability to recover and walk again, and confident in my ability as his wife to provide him the support he needs from me and get everything else done. I have prepared my kids for a summer at home and have purchased fun outside things for entertainment. Honestly, it is our finances that have me the most worried. While I do feel taken care of and that our needs will be met, it's a huge stress just thinking about not being without income for that long. My husbands work will hold his job for him (thank goodness!!) and he will receive disability. But that is basically half of his current salary and we live paycheck to paycheck as it is. I feel almost guilty worrying about such a material thing.

My husband is in good spirits. He is getting a bit nervous and I imagine will become more and more nervous as it gets closer.  He has noticed a difference in the attitude of the guys at work. Nothing negative, but like his boss told him he just "doesn't know what to say and wants to cry sometimes just thinking about it". I suppose it is an awkward thing for people not right in the situation to have to come to terms with. I mean really...what do you say when someone says, I'll be out for a few months because I'm getting my leg amputated. Despite some awkwardness at work, things are going well for him. 

I can not thank everyone on this site enough...for the information, advice and support!! It has been such a valuable resource for my husband and myself!