Cowboy Up!

You can't tell how good a man or a watermelon is 'til they get thumped.(Character shows up best when tested.)  (cowboy logic)

This was my Facebook Entry:

The term to dally as used in rodeo is the action of wrapping a lasso around a saddle horn, after a calf or steer has been roped.

 

Picture: This is what happens when your thumb gets in the way. Spent the wee hours (Sat. night/Sunday morning) in two emergency rooms and the thumb is intact. That is the knuckle (where it should have been in the top line of thumb) sticking out in the drumstick portions of his thumb.   Regardless, he still won the saddle and big bucks! (and very thankful to still have his thumb....) Cowboys!

David was at a roping Friday and Saturday.  I got a call about 6 on Saturday saying I needed to meet him at the hospital.  When I got there, two cowboys I didn't know (and he hardly knew...but they insisted on driving him to the hospital) met me to give me an update.  They said they thought he was doing to lose his thumb but David was insisting that he then needed to change hospitals since he knows everyone at the University.  Actually it was a huge dislocation.  They put him out and actually popped his finger to maneuver the knuckle back in place.  It was gruesome. 

When then spent many more hours at the University hospital where they did lots more images and consulted with the hand specialist that wasn't on call but that David knows pretty well.  Dr. Hutchinson had the ER staff keep sending him the images so he would know if he needed to come in or not. 

The good news is he didn't lose his thumb.  He easily could have.  We are so grateful knowing it could have been worse.  So thankful for son Travis and his brother in law Andy, for coming to the hospital to give David a blessing.  It was awesome and meaningful. 

Pain pills have been a necessity but  David is awesome as always, ready to be healed.  We are going back to the hospital in a couple of hours to see if surgery is needed to repair a ligament, and if so, when that will be.

On the other hand, my mom is doing quite well and may be coming home this week.  If so, and depending on David's situation, I'll hop back on the plane to be there and help her when she gets home.  It almost seems crazy since I was just there but I promised her I would.  I promised her if she would get better and leave the care center, I'd come back....and so I will.

 

Back Home Again

 On Sunday, they moved my mother from another week in the hospital (is a recovering from pneumonia...then developed blood clots in her lungs.  Today marks a month since this started) back to a care center where hopefully she will start doing therapy to get back on track again and be able to go hope.  It was a difficult week...horrible for my mom, out of body for myself.  At one point she broke down about how scared she was and cried that she had worried that she would never see me again.  I did the same.  Oh, how I love her!  It was difficult to say good-bye...I flew home Monday night.  She is in a shared room at the care center, without much space to even sneeze.  Mom either was so exhausted she needed to sleep or be up trying to do therapy so I made the decision to come home, then I'll go back when she goes home to help again.  My brother Gary and his wife Cher are continually helping my folks and I was glad I could be there to give them a break.  I got to spend some alone time with my father, run some errands for him, do their laundry, beat him in a few games.  And of course, he made me bacon waffles.  That's tradition.  Feels like home....

Most of the time in Vancouver (WA, not BC) is rainy or misty.  I loved this view of the walking paths that are part of where they live.  Reminds me of, sigh, France.....  Actually, the last two days I was there were in the 80's with sunshine.  I've never seen that happen!  Came home to the beautiful same weather here.

Monday night and all yesterday I felt shell shocked.  I could just visualize my mom lying there in that care center, surrounded by people in various stroke positions or worse.  My mom had lost her zip and I worried, her will....    I had a pretty teary day all day long until about 5 when I called Cher for an update.  She thought she was doing better, had walked with her walker, had even smiled.  I think she's going to make it!  I can't even tell you the difference in my heart......like a huge burden eased.  Thankful for her. Thankful for small miracles.


Yesterday was a back in the saddle again day.  Started the day with our Tuesday morning class.  We are re-studying Jesus the Christ again since many missed the class before and it is so outstanding.  Yesterday was exceptional in Spirit....and in my weak state of mind, I was touched and fortified as we talked about our "need for a Redeemer" and that the atonement doesn't just cover our sins, and weaknesses and sorrows....but that it is a source of "enabling" power.  We all need to tap into that enabling power (grace) which gives us the strength through the Lord to do more than we humanly would be able to do (or carry loads we could not otherwise carry.)


Last night David and I and Kirk and Cathy went to dinner at the Porcupine, then to the Jazz game versus the Phoenix Suns.  I game was exciting because it determined whether or not we would be going to the playoffs.  Sorry, friends in Phoenix, Jazz won (as you can see by the confetti coming down.)  Had a wonderful date night with David and our friends.

So life continues.  Today is our Visiting Teaching lunch.  Trying out a new restaurant called Schmidt's Bakery.  Anxious to get caught up on our group.  Friend Elsa was traveling in the Pacific Northwest and had a gall bladder attack and they removed it....and then they continued on their merry way (finishing their trip!)  She is a trooper!

Hoping to get some flowers planted.  Brendalyn and I are thinking we need some grow boxes made.  Travis is thinking we need to turn a big un-used area next to the cabin into a big garden where his kids can learn to work (ha!) and plant pumpkins and sell them in the fall.  It will be a huge job just to get it ready.  But the shine is shining and the birds singing.  My mom is better and I think I might survive.  Thanks to all of your comments and emails and best wishes and prayers. 

Monday madness

this morning started out with a huge to-do list...and all things were immediately shelved when I got a phone call from my dad telling me my mom was rushed back to the. Hospital with chest pains. the wonder of this day and age is that I was on a plane as fast as I could be ready (albeit with damp clothes from the dryer).... She has thrown some blood clots to her lungs but thankfully they are small. I am sooo thankful to be here with her and to be with my dad (who is scared to death.). They needed me here and I needed to be here. Blessed.

It's Friday!

This is a Friday the 13th that I've looked forward to.  One of my BFF's- Funny Kathy and her husband are returning from a 1 1/2 yr. mission to the Congo!  They are home safely and I can't wait to hug and squeeze her.  This morning I made two little deliveries.  The first is from our Bucket Group. (hence, the balloons are tied to a bucket of sorts)....we've been a half-empty bucket without her.

The second was a bouquet from our GNO group.  We haven't laughed as hard when we're together without Kathy.  Of course, we could tell Kathy tales all evening and never run out.  I can't wait to see what adventures she's had on the plane on the way home....

I do have to admit, though, that our gno this past week at Terri's got so crazy.  Somehow we started talking about weird health things (that is EXACTLY what we feared we would talk about some day and guess what?  It's some day!)  I get flashies out my left eye at night when I look to the left.  Loretta gets these weird kind of migraine eye (that they don't think is that) where the image kind of tears occasionally.  Cathy has funny migraine eyes as well.  But Tauna took the prize.  She said, in a tone like it was just a normal every day thing.... that at night in bed, when she coughed, it blew sparks!  Really?  We were laughing so hard and of course had to run around and turn off every light in the house and kept making her cough and cough.  It's hard to cough when you are laughing.  No sparks.  I guess her husband just had to be there....

Just wanted to post one more dish from Creative Cooking.  I asked Allison Butterfield for a quick and easy mainstay dish at her house and she shared this delicious Pasta Taco Salad recipe.  I loved the taste and made it last night for kiddos. Recipe on the cooking blog.

We had a little baby died, probably of SIDS in our Ward this week while the family was vacationing in Hawaii.  It has been such a heartache for our tight little (big) neighborhood and Ward.  Then last night Brandi was telling me about a patient that is the wife of a boy Brandi's age....that we lived by when they were just little kids.  She has a terminal illness...leaving behind, I think, 5 little kids.  I really think, as I heard the whole story....and how this boy (man, now) has come back in Brandi's life in a sweet way so that Brandi can minister to his dying wife.  Truly, Brandi is so compassionate and takes the time to talk to the heart.  I'm so thankful for sweet comforting words Brandi was able to share with her yesterday.  I ache for so many (SO MANY) all around who have difficult journeys right now.  Every day can be a "hold on, hold on."  For friends reading this that are on this journey, I love you.  I do.  Hold on.

My sweet mother is still in a nursing facility.  Her day is filled with therapies including swallowing and just walking.  It is so hard to be so far away and I miss talking to her (she hasn't had a voice for many weeks.  I think she may have done damage to her esophagus with all the coughing.) 
But I think she is on the road to recovery, however slow it may be.

The weather has been sunny all week since we got back from Disneyland...then it snowed yesterday and is suppose to snow for a few more days.  Spring/snow/spring-a-little/snow-a-little....that's our wonderful Utah typical spring.  Love it!


Every wall is a door. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Update

I'm back from Disneyland but have been running crazy with many "have-to's."  Anxious to journal about the trip (chaotic fun) and my mom (she's been in the hospital for almost two week, although for the past few days she is in a care center trying to get her strong enough to go home.  It's been heartache for me to say the least.  Frustrating to be so far away.)  Last night was GNO and we laughed so hard over things that I'm sure don't seem as funny in the light of day. In the middle of it, BFF Cathy got a phone call that we have a new heartache in our Ward. (which I won't talk about now.)  Then when I got home, I had an email that Kathy Egan died.  She was the wife of our former State President and they also served in the Draper temple presidency.  She was a hero to me. And today is Creative Cooking- which means I have been cooking up a storm.  Here are just two recipes I've made for today's class.  Pina Colada fruit salad (light and refreshing dressing) and Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro.  Both are posted on the cooking blog.

Mixed Emotions

Since my brother's heart attack, I have been scared to death for my parent's health. I have been worried about my dad but my mother is the one who landed in the hospital. She spent 6 days with pneumonia, came home and then has now been taken back. I get updates between Disney rides and don't know whether to laugh or cry. To go or to stay. Nothing is ever simple...

M.I.C.....

We're in Disneyland this week (not all our family but half.) How can you not get teary at the first sight of Mickey or one of the princesses waving and blowing kisses? The weather has been perfect and the kiddos pretty good (considering we have 9 of them under 13!). So, what happened to the rolling stone in Indiana Jones? Got soaked on Grizzly River Run. Longest wait for Toy Story. Who ever thought up Fast Track was a genius. Ate at Goofy 's Palace last night and totally worth the price. Staying at the Camelot...across the street from Disneyland and a great family friendly place. Life is good!