Gregory

This is Gregory (you must roll your tongue when you say it). Gregory went to Junior High yesterday. Gregory is tired and grumpy today. Today Gregory stayed home . Gregory wore himself out at Junior High.

Track Meet

Rose's track meet went well, our school has some awesome runners. Rose ran in the 1st event (400m) and the last (800m). She ended up placing last in the 800 due to a cramp and not re-warming up before the 800, but the team pulled though and placed. Devyn took 5th in the 400m, but we missed that race, due to having to buy gas on National Don't buy Gas Day. Rose and her friend are in the back here, but both girls pull ahead. Her friend is a hard one to beat, she is one of THOSE girls, and it all comes natural....pretty, good manners, smart, artistic, sings like a bird, sporty, poetic, dancer, has a six pack (so it is going around school, I think it is a rib cage) all around GACKKK kind of girl! She's a great girl, but hard to compete with. Rose was worried about running against her but she did a great job.

Kymbyrd on the other hand, told us today she's not fat, so why should she join track. It was very hard to convince her that some people run because they enjoy it...Imagine that!

10 days

Life has resumed, we are all back into the schedule, and the petty arguing has resumed. The weekend was full of friends and family, which was very nice. I am finding myself a bit board now that leading scouts (for this year) is over for me. A few more fun get togethers but someone else is heading up all of that, so I can be the parent calling at the last minute to see what is going on. I LOVE IT and am taking full advantage. I should be taking care of planning and a web site, but motivation has not found me...
The home front is all good my days are filled with serving Tay, although she is up ad around more everyday, and is getting very good at maneuvering around the house with the casts and new chair. Her Physical Terrorist has been coming to the house, it is nice to see De again and Tay is loving only having to work on upper body strength.
Yesterday I took Rose shopping we got her graduation dress, new bra's, track shoes and dress shoes. Her feet are now bigger then mine now so there goes my all my new shoes. Oh, well, I still can look forward to her cloths. She looks so grown up in her new outfit and heels. Tomorrow she has a track meet I will keep you posted how she does.
Byrd is still vying for medical attention, with Roses broken arm (this last winter) and Tay's surgery, we have been getting phone calls from the school nurse daily. Last week is was a broken nose, but before that it was peanut allergies, and hip problems. It doesn't help that Saturday, Riley (my yungest great neice) broke her fibula and now is in a full leg cast. She goes into today to see a real bone doctor, her poor mama I hope a real emergency never happens. They took her in on Saturday to the ER and they x-rayed the wrong leg, and told her she had some torn muscles. They get her home and Shana tells them they did the wrong leg. So another trip to the ER on Sunday and it turns out to be broken. I will have to take some movies of her trying to walk with one leg casted straight...should make for some good laughs. 10 more days and I am free...in the woods, no obligations, no phone, and no internet.... Its Time for some real planning!!!

"The Hill"

99 "Vacation" photo's....you can suffer through them.

We are home our flight was an interesting one our arrival in Anchorage was a little unorganized, but the whole process was quit fun. The dudes in the funny hats(funny hat not shown) know what they are doing.

One driver came in and put Tay in the sled which was strapped to a gurney. When his buddy showed up we rolled to down to a full size van and they slid the sled into that van and we strapped her to the floor. She slept the whole way to the airport (30 min) thanks to the drugs, she gets car sick so I am thankful for those pills.
As we pull up to the departure area of the airport, a police officer was there to meet us. He was great, he made other people leave so we could pull up right to the curb. We were early so he stayed made sure no one parked behind us so when the fire department showed we had enough room to unload. As I struggled to haul my luggage in ( I totally over pack on everything but cloths) he got me a luggage cart for free and even taught me the correct way to load it. When I got to the ticket counter (deciding the self serve boarding passes could cause problems) I found that they had booked her seats so her half of her was siting in isle 15 ABC and the rest in 27 DEF
They fixed the problem and sat all of her in a joining seats. By the time that was worked out, they had unloaded Taylor and came to help me check my luggage. So know I am standing getting our boarding pass with 4 firemen, a police man and a child on a gurney and rescue sled... we are getting some serious eyeballing.
Security was great, we walked in through the exit and was meet by TSA's head dude, he called in women to pat us down and pass us through, only that was not good enough for my agent. As she lead me back through the exit and around to the metal detectors she lectured my about how I shouldn't have gone that way and acted like it was my fault. Then she proceeded to check my bags carefully while she complained to the other agents about how the procedure had been broken and how we they needed to check me carefully. For me I just giggled, wondered what was going bad in her lief to take it out on me, and I felt bad that I was holding up the firemen, I am sure they had better things to do.
We were so early, so our chaperonages of got us to our gate and said they would be back. Tay and I went for a little cruise in her gurney having a little fun with the stares, Tay drooling and moaning and me trying to steer the thing alone, not an easy task. I tried to get her to place the sheet over her head like she was a body... but she wouldn't. I think because she would miss out on the reactions of our gwackers.
Our plane arrived and the firemen soon after. They rolled the gurney to the plane and carried the sled to her seats. The ground crew came on and tied her down and I started to put my bags aways when a fireman appeared again "We have to take her off again". I giggled "yeah right,"."No I am serious" he said with a smile "FAA rules no one is allowed on the plain before the flight crew." I hadn't notice there was no stewardess's to greet us. The ground crew manager tell us to hang on that that a debate was in order and hopefully the flight crew will get there before he looses. He lost but the ground crew did show up.
I have to say Alaska Airline treats their clients like queens. Moments after I was seated 15 minutes before the scheduled boarding time, we met the pilot, we were given our own safety class, offered drinks and snacks, and privacy curtains. I guess anyone can get this service you just have to buy 9 seats for a medical transport.

AS the other passengers boarded I was approached by a gentleman who had the nerve to tell us "You are in my seat." as he points to the window seat Taylor's midsection is in. After that, as the other passengers approached I would just state "I am sorry, are we in your seat?" . As it turns out we were in thier seats, the ground crew put us on teh wrong side of the plane, no big deal for us the passengers, some oved to the front of the plane, mothers with babies were moved to the back with us, pretty much musical chairs. For us it worked out, but for the ticket agent had to fix it in the computer, just in case we crashed and they have to identify bodies.

Our arrival was a little more unorganized, me a little touchy, I did get some sleep on the plane and did not wake well. The ground crew ended up carrying Tay all the way to the car and even strapped her down. I was a little nervous them carrying her so far, and Tay says she could tell who was stronger, but it all worked out.

Today was full of sleep, a nice sound sleep with no one waking me to take vital signs or asking stupid questions that should have been talked about at their shift change briefing. I love not staring at dirty sage green walls. I loved it, the sleep, I love my bed I love the breeze through the window, the sounds of todays rain and hailstorm. I think we beat the storm to Alaska, here is the after math of the one we had in Oregon.

(From "The Hill" Portland Oregon
looking east over the Willamette River at the Cascade Mountains)

Tay is doing wonderful, she is taking her medication less and is getting out of bed with more confidence and little pain. I don't have to roll her every two hours to prevent bed sores, she can now to it on her own.
Byrd and Rose are sporting the tans, Taylor and I were supposed to be bringing home. I think I will walk them to and from school tomorrow, and I think I will make Tay go too. Its good to be home.

Wanted - Black Ninja Midget

They covered Tay's casts today with a nice green chartruese (sp) color, they mole skinned the top and the toes, telling me this will keep "accidents" from seeping in to the casts. I hope they won't be shocked when we come back and I have adapted the mole skin so it is water and germ proof. Tomorrow I will ask her real Doctor if it will be a problem if we cut them down just a bit on the thighs.
I was a little disappointed I wasn't there when they added the green fiber glass, I SOOOOO want to play with the fiber glass, especially when it is in pretty rainbow colors. I tried to get Tay to order stripes, but she doest want to inconvenience anyone. While Tay was getting casted I was wandering through the woods. As fist I tried to make my own trail through the ivy ridden forest floor, I was keeping eyes out for crazy's in woods, when the thought occurred to me that I didn't know the local wildlife or plants. Does Oregon have snakes or poison oak? I high trailed it back to the road quickly. Then I found an exercises trail, so I called back to the hospital and asked to stay out longer, Nick the nurse said Tay was still sleeping so I took it as a "YEAH". The trail was a 40 mile loop, I sure wish I could have walked longer. The "Foili-age" is so pretty and the birds singing and the creek babbling was wonderful. A lot of the plant life is the same as home, the fiddle head fern is just about finished uncurling, the watermelon berry bushes have already bloomed and are ready to start making berries. (psst, you think John really will read all of this?) There were, what I would call lily pads growing no where near the water in full bloom. I sure wish I would have known the trail was there last Tuesday, I could see no better way to wait out a long surgery then hiking though the woods. As I was strolling and taking pictures I thought "What will I ever do with so many pictures of plants?" Then I thought I need to buy some books, so I can find out just what each plant is. Oh yeah...On my outing I met the Mayor of Kenai brother in-law...he works at the local quickie mart "the Plaid Pantry", where I bought three packs of cigarettes for $11.05.
Taylor got out of bed again today, and did a pivot transfer to her wheelchair. It was painful but much better then yesterday, then we find out it is for MY sake not hers. She is not to do anything for the next 6 weeks, pivot transfers only, it was NOT Physical Therapy, it was NOT for her benefit. I needed to learn how to do it...WELL DUH folks she has been casted before you think I don't know how to handle a pivot transfer with my child with out hurting myself. De DE DEEE!!! So all that pain so I could learn, poor girl, I insisted on a blanket transfer when she got back into bed, now that one is new to me, but also self explanatory. The good news is she got most of the way out of bed by herself, it is bearing her own weight that hurts. The pain is an intense hamstring stretch, not the bones.
Her new wheelchair reclines to a flat position, when she is in flat, the handles to push it is at my knees. They are so worried about me hurting myself, causing my little girl great pain, yet I am expected to push her (her and the chair before her casts weighs 197 lbs) bent over. Hopefully at the Oregon airport I will have help. I asked the PT here for help on coming to a solution, once again no help. Taylor was concerned about me and I told her I would just hire a midget to push her, she told me only if it was a black nija midget . So John will you will need to get one of those also before we get home. 32 Hours to go!!!

Big Brother...

is watching me... my site is now allowed to be seen on this G rated computer. Thanks Mr./Mrs. computer tech dude.
I got my kid back this evening, every obstinate piece of her. It's amazing what a good poo will do for you. She sat up, kinda, this evening and isn't begging for Valium, and even spoke on the phone. I hope this holds out.
It must be poo day because the baby next door is finally eating and sleeping again, and I must say all this poo talk has helped me also, now if it will only work for the teenage boy on the other side of us. A fever and belly swelling that won't do away, X-rays are clear, they are hoping it passes (pardon the pun). My poor little Leslie (9 year old girl) friend is also not doing so well. Today I delivered some flowers, that I stole out of Taylor's arrangements, she was in so much pain, and her mom looked so flustered. The Moms family (boyfriend and Grandma) is making it hard, they expect her to be in the room 24/7...and that would be okay if they plan on taking care of her 24 hours a day for the course of her rehab. People don't realize that sometimes it is harder on the parents then the patients in these situations. We need our breaks, we need to talk, we need to get OUT!!
You know its kind of sad, just as I make friends we will be leaving. ONLY TWO MORE DAYS!!!

Fear

...the fear of suppositories got my youngster out of bed today. The IV and the epidural are both gone, in-trade for Percocet and Valium, Taylor is on the nurses to get them on time. There will be NO lag time, just a nice even high! Last night we told the nurse we don't need anything but the narcotics, nurse left shaking her head "All I am to you is your dealer."
I am feeling better now that I got 4 hours of straight sleep, and the nurses have stopped avoiding me. Yesterday they would only approach the room if I was gone, but hey I am not here to make friends right? There have been a few instants where I have caught them lying because what I asked for is not what they wanted to give, like a female urinal vs a bed pan. The girl hurts when she lifts her butt how is she supposed to sit on a bed pan. Or how about the nurse who told a few days ago it twas Dr orders to get out of bed, it was just permission LADY!!! not orders.
Tay adventure out of bed, today, was a hard one. The spasms in her legs are so bad when she tries to move more then her arms, hence the Valium. We did a pivot transfer, I got to see just how tall my little girl has gotten, her chin is at my shoulders and I just wanted to stand there hugging her all day long. Tears of joy and tears of pain for her, I couldn't stop them from coming. I hope all her pain is worth it.
Our flight home arrives in Anchorage at 12:20 am on the 8th, Taylor's eat assigned to seats A B C D E F and G, I am sitting in seat ESC, wherever that is. sure glad I am not footing that bill. We asked not to accompanied home by the ambulance, but after today, John you better bring some more muscles because it took 4 of use to get her out of bed today.
Tay told me today she wished we could take a flight straight to Homer, because her family is the best support in crises. Between Grandpa Stan's surround sound, Grandpa Val's orthopedic sympathy, Grandma J's nurturing ways, Grandma's Terry's energy, Aunt Valette's twisted humor, okay there are to many of you... but she wants to see you all. Anyway if you are up to traveling north...I will throw the party. All is invited...maybe for mothers day weekend?Tay also wants you all to know she is not pushing you all away, she feels bad for not wanting to talk, she misses you all and is thankful the prayers and the support....and that goes for me too.

Missing Home

Good morning all, it was a long night, our quiet nurse had the night off, he was stealth, I barely heard him when he came in, minus the time I woke up and saw a strange man over my bed...and screamed. Last night we had student nurses, someone needs to tell them they need to teach OUTSIDE of the room at night, walking someone through how do a paitent assesment is not something you should do at night. Also those Damn flashlights, don't turn them on until they are pointed to what you need to look at, NOT in my eyes. I even left the bathroom light on.
Tay is feeling 100% better after a bath and hair shampoo, I had to teach them how to wet wash a girls hair in bed...hope the nurses are learning something. They just turned off the epidural, and the oral medication is treating her REALLY well, now the silly's are kicking in. She is sitting up a little more but is still freaked out, our very first nurse after surgery yelled at her about sitting up and filled her head with horror stories about snapping tendons and killing nerves, after her experience last March with her torn meniscus and stretched knee tendons, she is pretty freaked out. I had to get on the nurses yesterday about trying to force her out of bed, they did it, they instilled the fear, I had to stick up for Tay. The nurse lied to her telling her it was Doctor orders and I was NOT impressed. The Doctor only gave her permission, but he must have heard about my conversation with the nurse because he expects her to be out of bed when he does his evening rounds. Today she is looking forward to it.
I do have some bad news, even though she will be ready to go home on Sunday/Monday, the travel plans include to many people to change the plans, so Tuesday (I still don't have confirmation) we will fly home. I wonder how much a rental car to Alaska is? The good news is we may get a day pass and get her out of here on Monday maybe we will go to the Zoo or to the mall, the girls and I can use some new cloths, maybe they will be cheaper down here.
I am meeting some new friends the other moms are great, and its nice to complain about the service here. It is not bad service in fact it is excellent (for us), but bitching (oops "r" rated word) about something makes us feel better.
The poor boy (17 years old) next door, he spiked a 104 fever, they tried everything even icing his whole body down to get the temp down. Mom noticed some swelling in his stomach. It turns out they didn't put his catheter in right his urine was backing up and causing the fever. Our other neighbor was a screaming 16 year old girl. All day long it was nonstop screaming, "f" word this "F" word that, yelling at the nurses, yelling at her parents, moaning and screaming like she was in horrible pain (pain management is not an issue here), she was know as the Drama Queen. Yesterday she disappeared, turns out the Docs told her to behave or leave and find another Doc. I think they left. Met the another little guy that had back surgery (scoliosis) one day and left the next, turns out he was born with no feeling in his mid-section, lucky (or is it unlucky) boy. I also have a new little 9 year old friend she attached to me instantly, she is here for hip surgery, but other wise a normal little kid. She is going in for surgery today, Tay and I are gonna repackage some of her flowers for her. Oh and I forgot, a dog came by to visit last night looked just like Barley with a darker face and brown eyes, I would have to say barley is NOT a prerinise mountain dog mutt. I forgot what breed this dog (began with an L) was but it was Barley all the way , I miss HOME!!!

On Schedule

Everything is on schedule, thanks for all you works of encouragement. I would reply to your comments but this is a "G rated" hospital, and they won't let me read or comment on the blogs, I am lucky to get this far. *okay so it is just Damon's site and mine, I guess my name is a little to close to Erotic. Hope your hiccups go away Valette, the yard is look Great Kiana, and Marty I love the angle on that pipe shot, Dad and John get off your butts and post.
Tay is doing great she is finally eating, although very little, they pulled the the drainage bags from her incision sites, so she is no longer sleeping with four bags of bloody fluids. The Doctor gave her permission to get out of bed today, but she is still not allowed to sit up more then a 30 degree angle, because she has no feeling in her legs still they are worried she will damage the tendons or nerves and not know it.
Tomorrow they will start weaning her off her epidural, and the nurse today encouraged me to start getting the transportation coordinator to start planning our trip home, Sunday or Monday if she takes to the oral medications okay. So things must be going well.
It's funny that Jeanette mentioned Val and her comparing screws and metal plates, because Taylor was just telling me how thankful she is to NOT have cadaver bone puddy in her legs, unlike Val.
any way we are just sitting around waiting...not much else to do. Hugs to all and thanks for the prayers, I know they are working.

Eight Hours

Just an update after eight hours (two hours more then they thought) of surgery Taylor is out and feeling fine, she has four metal plates in her legs and multiple screws, two of them holding her knee caps ups, the doctor had to raise them, her muscles were so tight her knee caps were being pulled down. The Doctor cut her hamstrings in where is connects in two places, he was going to move them to a different location (muscle transfer) but couldn't find the right place to attach it, so he just cut them. I guess you don't need all your hamstrings connected. He rotated the right femur 5 degrees and the left 20 degrees and both tibia's 20 degrees. He said Taylor is an odd case, looking at the the range of motion with her lying on her tummy does not match what he sees when she is on her back. I think she was a brain teaser for him. He look so exhausted, Taylor was his second surgery of the day so he had to have been operating for 10 hours.
The detail are still fuzzy with all of the information they gave me, its all so hard to keep it straight. So if my story changes its due to jet lag and stress and confusion. I plan getting copies of her records, just so I don't have to take notes. The epidural should be in for three days so she shouldn't feel any pain until we switch her to oral meds.
The word on the floor was that she received the Aiona (her Doctor) Special, and it always goes well. I really like this doc. Our prospective home date is Monday, Sunday if all goes well. It will be more like 6 weeks before we come back down to remove the casts and he will probably bring us down again the end of July.
I tried to upload pictures of our adventures but the public computers won't let me take them off my camera, I will go to the OHSU library and see if I can't do it there. Do all public computers limit you to email and Internet searching? If i find an Internet cafe' will it be different?
Taylor is sleeping soundly, Marty she really appreciated you phone call, and got mad at me for almost hanging up. I asked her if she wanted to make any phone calls and she said NO!!! Marty you should feel special.

Surgery Day

I am here trying to get my mind off of surgery and there are no new posts to read, so I will write. Taylor went in to surgery about 8:10 your time and should be out by 2:00. The stress has finally reached me or I am in the emotional state of my cycle, anyway I cant seem to keep the tears away. Taylor's o funny, she keep say "what will be will be..." which is scary to me. The clouds moved in last night and we got some rain and wind. This morning lying in bed with her I prayed to keep her safe and to keep her strong, she has a lot of work ahead of her, the clouds broke and the sun came streaming in the window, someone is looking out for her.

We have been trying to play tourist. Our hotel stay Sunday night was a scary event. First they put us on the 2nd floor, with no elevator, then they switched up to a 1st floor queen room. After a small flight of stairs and packing way to many suitcases, we got moved into the smallest room, Taylor's wheelchair could barely get in the door. We were going to have to park it outside or crawl over it all night. On our way to dinner and a streak and fish house we were stopped by the manager who was quit upset that the receptionist put us in that room. He upgraded us to the Salmon River Suite, which has two beds but the room it self was not much bigger the wheelchair block the only exit. After a dinner of what they told us was Halibut (it was COD at $12 bucks a plate) we switched rooms and went for a walk.

The Grotto was closed and I couldn't talk Taylor into sneaking in so we set out to explore the neighborhood. We found Rocky Butte Bar, Frolics strip club/adult video's/game room, and a little house that they said was a strip club but I think more was going on in there. We booked it back to the hotel quickly before night could set in and the creepy crawlys came out to play. So the Grotto is in the Ghetto, it makes a cute song.

Yesterday we come in for her Motion Lab to see what has changed, they added a few more procedure to the surgery. Muscle lengthening behind her knees and her right femur twisted so they will have to straighten it instead of just the shortening it. The staff here is great and they include her in on everything, her "sleepy Doc" let her make the decision between and epidural or IV pain meds, we choose the epidural. He also had this nifty device, the technology is about a year old, it is for localized numbing so he could place the IV, it is shaped like a pen when he pushes a button a CO2 charge is released and it forces the "numby" stuff right through the skin. Taylor was greatly impressed and very pleased, the main thing she remembered about her stay in Anchorage with her burns was how painful the IV placement was.

Yesterday we rode the Tram down to the river and ate dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory, we had a beautiful walk. The river is HUGE, there was a barge tied up and it looked like the tankers in Katchamak Bay...
The doctor just called...its 10am here, the surgery has started and Taylor is fine. I am gonna go see if I can download you some pictures... I will keep you posted, my cell phone works and calls after nine are free, if you want to call the hospital direct she is in room 302. Thanks for listening I feel much better.... Love you all...