Public Service Message ~ Slam in to THAT animal!

this is what happens when you choose to avoid

hitting an animal and cross the center line!

SLAM IN TO THAT ANIMAL!

As a dog and a cat owner I would much rather you hit

my pet than for you to cross the center line into on coming traffic.

This is Hubby's car when a dump truck driver decided

to not attempt to hit a dog in the road.

I know it's a reflex but you have to get it into

your mind and your reactions to just plow in to the animal!

Never swerve!

and if you're driving a dump truck

never brake so hard you'll loose control!

Hellllooooo let me introduce myself!

I know I've been gone a while, but I've been sick! Just laying on the couch, coughing, with a pounding head sick! I blame it on Allergies but I don't really know anymore. I still can cough like I've had too many cigarettes! Lovely picture huh?

I'm back today with a long list of things to do! Some from last week that never got done and plenty from this week to do! I love a good list to scratch things off of!

I have the dishwasher going now and the laundry already down stairs (thanks to G) .... So I need to get things really moving ....

Should I have a royal wave ???

This week has been a dental challenge.

I was sat down at Monday's lunch for a fabulous Bean and Brown rice Burrito! A piece of lettuce slipped out and dropped to the plate! I picked it up popped it in my mouth and chomped down!

I cracked 2 teeth. Yea a bonus 2 at once!

Now these were teeth that we (the dentist and I) had been watching. So it was ready to go at any minute.

I switch to eating on the right side of my mouth. Not an easy task.
I switch to room temperature water drinking it through a straw.

and call the dentist.

Wednesday afternoon I get the first part of my crown on the tooth that seemed to be the most sensitive. The trauma and sensitivity of the tooth after is always greater than the before!

He's alive

After sleeping almost 24 hours W is now alive again.

He was worn out from his weekend, THEN he had a dental crown yesterday afternoon. Getting a crown is a big deal from anyone but for W it's a bigger deal!

The boy has never taken to Novocain, as in the Novocain doesn't numb his tooth. Poor kid has just gripped the arm of the dental chair for the last couple of fillings he's had! So this Crown was going to be a big deal.

He had novocain, laughing gas, and 3 anti anxiety pills yesterday for his 1 hour 20 minute dental procedure. Came home and went directly to bed. Sweet Megan came over around 8, he woke up long enough for soup and rolls, but that was all.

I'm glad this is over and I'm sure he is also!

Monday Ramblings ~ Therapy

After surgery I switched therapist. I think the other therapist did a great job but it was a great distance to get there. I now go to a therapist in the same town that G goes to school (and the same town as Walmart). My travel time is greatly reduced. GREATLY!

I've always been leary about this local hospital but I knew I'd been through enough therapy that if I didn't think they were making good progress then I could always go back to the other therapist.

OK, I love this therapist! She massages the tight muscles! If there is a 'catch' when we move my shoulder she'll stop and massage things until the 'catch' is gone! HEAVEN! Remember at this point there isn't scar tissue (or at least not much yet) so now it's just tight muscles keeping the shoulder from moving!

My range of motion is increasing! and I'm happy.

I did start back with exercising this morning right after therapy.....My shoulder is screaming now!

After 21081600 seconds

After 21081600 seconds, or 351360 Minutes or 5856 hours or 7 months and 30 days

aka 3 surgeries
1 month and 1 week in the hospital
laying most of that time in our bed
reading a pile of books
watching hours and hours of mindless TV
playing countless games of spider solitaire

Hubby is returning to work
only to most likely have a snow day tomorrow and Wednesday!

I have survived

and I have survived well!

This surgery was not as bad as I was prepared for. I seem to do that prepare of the worst!

1 ~My surgeon was 45 minutes late.
2 ~They were able to break it mostly lose by just manipulation but still broke things up arthroscopically. I have two little stitch marks.
3~ I got the most wonderful shoulder block (lasted over 24 hours). I was actually doing a load of laundry Thursday morning. (see #6)
4 ~ I tried to sleep in bed at least one night too soon!
5~ I'm so grateful for my friends that brought food to feed my family.
6~ G got the flu, the throwing up kind.
7 ~ I felt like I was rushed out of the outpatient surgery, it was after 5pm.
8~ I've already had Physical Therapy.
9~ I've realized the bad part of sleeping on the left side of the bed. It's my left arm.
10 ~ When I ripped off the bandage, I ripped a small piece of skin off my back. Seriously, why did this bandage need to go all the way down my back? I've got to get this arm moving cuz this little piece of healing skin is going to itch like crazy!
11 ~ I learned to sleep with that U shaped pillow that I never knew had to sleep with before.
12~ Today, day 4 is the first day that I haven't reached for some sort of medication just after my feet hit the floor. I've still not had any meds.
13~ G being sick does not mean that he was quiet or still.
14~ I briefly decided that I didn't need surgery once the shoulder block doctor told me all the negative things that could happen!
15~ my family took good care of me.

Now I'm off to take a shower, I thought I'd better get this written before the shower since that could change the entire tone of this post!

There will a thaw!

Tomorrow my frozen shoulder will be thawed!

I wish it would just that simple,

but the end result will be the same,

a loose free moving shoulder!

I'll be back in a few days,

(hopefully not all hopped up on drugs and

talkin' crazy) with an update!

Where I have gone? you ask

I've been no where! I've been sickly. A blasted head cold, it took days to get here, a couple days of head pounding and now a few days to leave.

I subbed on Thursday and Friday. I would work, and then come home and sleep, then back again. It all worked out. I'm still on the mends but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel very brightly now!

Hubby kicked me out of the bed a couple nights for snoring! I then told him that that was my bed and I was sleeping in it, he needed to just bury his head if he didn't like the snoring!

I really thought I'd stopped snoring since he didn't say another word about it. I hadn't I then started waking myself up snoring! Yesterday morning I got up early, cleaned a few things and then decided I could go back to bed so I did. I was going back just as he was waking up, I slipped into sleep only to be jolted back awake by "you can't snore all day in here too"!

Gotta love that man!

Monday Ramblings

Several years ago my Sister in law told me that

once you hit 40 you start to fall apart.

Wwweeellll, in my case it has been 45!

I think today could very well be a Wordless post!

This weekend I've started this odd cold/allergy thing.

It's not getting any worst, just staying the same.

At our house Hubby and I have always had this deal

that we couldn't both be sick/injured in bed at the same time

and up to this point it's always worked out.

BUT I think Hubby has over stayed his time in the bed, cuz .....

My shoulder is frozen!

Yeah, you read that right....frozen.

It has always been alittle stiff

(or at least for the past few years)

but over that past few weeks the range

of movement has gone to almost nill.

Last Monday when I couldn't get my bra on without extreme pain

I decided it was time to call the doctor.

I got a cortisone shot and

a month's worth of Physical Therapy appointments!

I don't seem be to aging with grace,

at this point I just want to stomp my feet and pitch a fit!

Well no time for that,

cuz that would make my pounding head cold pound more and

I've got to make myself wince in pain,

while I force my shoulder to move!

Third Surgery the Charm??

Last week Hubby had Surgery #3 of the summer! This was suppose to be the only surgery this summer, but other things arose wanting surgery also! but we won't go into all of that, just to say FINALLY Hubby's shoulder had it's surgery.

Now shoulder surgery is a big thing on it's own, but when you already have 2 legs that don't work, it's a HUGE thing to take away an arm. It must have really REALLY hurt for Hubby to decide it was time to go down to just one arm!

Going into this surgery we knew that Hubby had a Slap Tear, which is where the bicep has torn away from the Labrum, ALONG with a torn rotator Cup. When they got in there, they found just what they thought for the Slap Tear (wasn't a big deal), but the torn rotator cup was fringed on the outside (between the collar bone and the rotator cup). That was odd, and all the surgery could do was smooth it out. When I asked how this would have occurred, it's comes from pushing his body up with his arms.... ahhhh, exactly what he does all the time.

Also at this point, the surgery discussed a motorized wheelchair with me, NOT HUBBY. Evidently they can only fix rotator cups' 2x and Hubby has now had both of his fixed once. I informed the doctor that HE'D have to tell Hubby that bit of news!

Hubby has now been home and totally bed bound for a week and a half. We 're working on getting a lift so I can get him into his wheelchair BUT there seems to be some customer service issues with Apria Healthcare. I won't go there, but I will be writing a letter of complaint!

Hubby goes to the doctor in another week and an a half, BUT can't put any weight on that arm for 12 weeks after surgery! It will be a Merry Christmas when he is turned lose!

Friday, THE puking conversation and Angel, THE man

Today I subbed in Pre School. It is a half day, and filled with children at all levels from 3 to 5. It's a mentoring class so there are bright preschoolers and then some that need some guidance. It's always fun! Fun mainly because there are 10 children and 5 adults (sometimes 6 adults).

As the children were having center play, one little boy walked by me, stopped and said,

D ~ "Andy can't eat shrimp because he'll puke, but I can have shrimp and I won't puke."
Me ~ "oh, I'm glad you can eat shrimp, I like shrimp too"
D ~ "So it doesn't make you puke?"
Me ~ "no, I'm fine eating shrimp"
D ~ " I like Shrimp and I won't puke too."
just then another boy walked by added to the conversation,
boy ~ "I can puke too"

I walked off leaving the conversation hanging.....


Last week, the doctor's nurse, Angel, the man called and left a message that Hubby's surgery #3 was "taken care of". I didn't know what that meant, and Hubby was willing to just wait until Monday's doctor's appointment to see when the surgery was, BUT I wasn't. As the Mom of the house, there are plans to be adjusted, babysitters to call, a strategy to work out, and NO, I didn't want to just wait and see!

I called the surgery scheduling department to see what day the surgery planned for. Well, the surgery wasn't on the schedule!?! So, what did Angel, the man mean by it was "taken care of"? I don't know but I took the liberty of scheduling the surgery! It will be this week! Hubby is thrilled, he would have been happy if it would have been yesterday, so this week is perfect for him.

This doesn't give me much time but let's open the war room and get the plans working and moving.

LIfe on Thursday

Today really should start with last night, Hubby came home after being away for 4 weeks. He didn't get home until around 8pm and it wore him out.

So he goes from 24 hour nursing care to.... my Life on Thursday!

up at 6:30am shower, get ready (everything except curling my hair) by 7.
come in get lunches ready for the day, wake up G, fix him breakfast, nag at him to stay on track with getting ready.

We leave at 7:40am....Aggghh, later than I'd like
Drop G off at his school, and I go to sub in Kindergarten.

It's Kindergarten on day #16 and I'm their first sub.
I hear alot of "That's not the way Mrs **** does it." and "We're suppose to be doing it this way not that way." It's a challenging morning but things fall into place by the afternoon. Either it's that or I'm just counting minutes by then and in a total stupor! At this stage in the game (stage day #16) I actually get "No, I'm not going to do that and you can't make me!" from a student. Aww that's when you love to see a para teacher come along so you can send this child to the principal! No, I didn't send him to the principal but I did send him to the rescue teacher next door for some help!

Happy Bear came to visit the class today! He tells them about good touching and bad touching. He teaches them the proper name for their privates, from the responses from my class, the boys have been taught the correct name but the girls (and the boys for that matter) had no idea what their private part was called. I didn't notice any snickering when the boys said what their private part was called, but there was alot of snickering when they were trying to guess what the girl part was! it was funny! I can add this to my adventure in Subbing book!

Off to the Book Fair (G got a must have Star War Clone wars book) and then to Walmart to pick up prescriptions! 5 of them (2 for me and 3 for hubby). Only to get a text from Hubby on the way home that said, "I don't want all those Rx, only get the Cipro" Too late! good thing, they were all on the $4 list!

I had (and always do)such a headache when I get done subbing. I came home to pop some Advil and see if Hubby had survived his day alone. Alone, just him, his special bed, his lunch box and his Internet. From 24 hour nursing care to Alone, absolutely ALONE!

Then ran off to take G to soccer practice and I walked 3.5 miles at the track. Home to eat supper, fix lunches for tomorrow (I'll be in 1st grade tomorrow) and off to bed!

Sunday

Today G and I spent the afternoon with hubby!

For those of you who don't know, hubby had surgery #1 June 9. This surgery came with great hopes but untimely failed. Surgery #2 was August 10 and seems to be a success thus far.

In order for surgery #2 to be a success Hubby had to be in a speciality hospital for 4 to 6 weeks. So that's where he's been for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Today was day 17 (but who's counting? Me, that's who) in the Speciality Hospital. We could be at the half way point if things continue to move along smoothly.

Hubby's surgery involved 64 staples and about 25 stitches! Impressive, huh? They started taking out the staples last week, by taking every other staple out! I thought that was interesting, maybe you don't!?

Usually Sunday is W's day to visit but since he was out of town, G and I went this afternoon. We stayed about 3 1/2 hours, we chatted, I helped hubby do somethings, and sometimes we just sat there doing our own thing, but we were together and it felt good.

Hubby's there in his home away from home and we're here ... waiting and counting the days!

Never a Dull moment

For the past few months Hubby has had an issue with his shoulder. A pain issue. He had an MRI last week (with dye ~ I have to add that because he says that was painful!).

this morning, Frank (the doctor's assistant) called with the results .......

a small Rotator Cuff tear AND a Slap Tear
(basically that's a tear in the bicep where it attaches to the shoulder socket)

Due to other family issues he has not schedule his surgery yet, but it will be in the next 2 to 3 weeks. (updated: well, how about 4 weeks!?! Hubby called Frank and left a somewhat begging message to see if it could done earlier UPDATE #2 They have called back again and it's been moved up to 2 weeks! What a relief!)

This will mean that I will have all 3 of my 'boys' home for the summer!

Burn Notice

I've not told you about my first burn simply because it was silly and a bit embarrassing. While fixing soup early in January, I reached over the boiling pot and burned a very tender part of my body. I didn't touch the pot, I was attacked by the steam, it came right through my sweatshirt to 'get me'. I have a good size scar and I can't wait to go for my mammogram and GYN appointments next month and have to explain it.

You wouldn't even have to hear about this if I'd not burned myself again. Not in the same place but an even more tender spot .... got'cha thinking about that one huh?

Last Sunday I was sampling the potatoes from the pot of Roast, potatoes and carrots. I scooped a potato out, let it cool, popped in my mouth.... it tasted heavenly so I did it again .... there was my mistake! Yes, I let it cool the same amount of time but it was HOT, burning HOT! I've burned the entire left side of the roof of my mouth. I can't believe it. That was last Sunday and I'm still suffering not just a bit but alot! I'm hopeful that tomorrow will be a day of hope that this latest burn will have some hope. Guess I can explain this scar to the Dentist next month also!

lesson I've learned .... stop cooking!

I'm here and alive ~ I think!

I got my Rx Monday
Tuesday I was still feeling yucky but had a commitment so I was on the go
(I'll tell you about that in another post)
Wednesday around noonish, I came alive!
Thursday I was back feeling good BUT realized that I'd lost an entire week. Which wouldn't be anything to panic about except it's DECEMBER! It's a huge lost this month.
Friday I had a bit of a relapse ... I was chilly so I laid down to get warm and woke up 2 hours later!?!

November Blessing #21

I have been waiting to see if I could really be Thankful about this or not, but decided that I'm thankful for the opportunity to see if this could work.

Hubby has suffered with blood clots (don't worry they won't kill him) thus causing his feet to swell thus giving him sores on his feet. Due to the lack of circulation in feet the sores just wouldn't heal. It's all a doomed cycle or seems like a doomed cycle. This cycle has gone on for months.

A couple of weeks ago he went back to the doctors and they had a wonderful surprise for him. They had a man in before hubby that was approved and got lab grown skin for his wounds. They'd only needed half of it for the man and half of it to give to someone else .....HUBBY! Notice the word GIVE, this stuff is expensive and they were going to GIVE it to Hubby. I'm tell ya it was the right appointment to have that day!

Well, they put it in place, wrapped it up and said don't peek for 2 weeks. That was hard wondering if the skin had taken or been rejected.

He went back to the doc yesterday they changed the wrapping, didn't peek and sent him on his way for 2 more weeks.

This time I'm once again thankful by Modern Medical Technology!

November Blessing 20B

Today I am Blessed to be available.

Today I got a call from the

school saying that G was sick.

I rushed out of the house, scooped him up,

brought him home to be comfy and cozy.

November Blessing #9

Today I'm thankful for a Doctor

that looks like he could be my son!

**When my mom told me that I'd think that he was young enough to be a friend of W's, I thought weeeeelllll... She's probably just getting old and thinks that every young man under 30 looks like he's W's age.... BUT when I first met him, I thought "WOW you could be W's friend."

but enough about his appearance and on to his talent.

Today Doctor Looks So Young successfully removed a small cancerous tumor from my mother's left breast.