...maybe I can fit it in sometime late January

I could write a novel here, it has been a hell of a week. Half days of school, parent teacher conferences, working longer hours (so I could take time off to go to PT conferences), Girl Scout re dedication ceremonies, Girl Scout Service Project events, birthday party prep, clean up after last weekend project, and the loss of Rosey's classmate.

Conference have gone great so far, Slow down and turn in your class work are the only complains the girls teachers have...so all is well there. Two honor roll students, lets see if they maintain, as school gets boring. I am debating the whole special Ed thing again, now that Tay's IEP is due, the the teachers are struggling to keep her in the program. Who know what tomorrow brings...is all I can say.

My house is being swallowed by pile of recyclables, mostly it is my box Christmas box collection (don't tell mom). My crawl space was full of nothing but junk, with John replacing the boiler it was a perfect time to clean out the crawl space, now it is headed to the central land fill. With many doubts that is.... Monday I set an 8 foot stack of fiber glass ceiling tiles out for the garbage man. As soon as he pulled away I kicked myself for throwing them out; they would have insulated the garage door wonderfully. Now I am having doubts throwing any of it out. I mean how could I ever part with the box from Nordstrom's that Grandpa Epperson used to get his Christmas socks in... well that one was easy it is only 25 years old and smelled like mildew, but my point is those are MEMORIES.
I set my girls up with a project, shredding old financial documents, three small boxes, that were from before John and I married up until Byrd was born, those three small boxes were turn into 5 or 6 garbage bags of (and still shredding)... MEMORIES...

This was for the flowers at our wedding, I think they cost more then our wedding rings!
This one was from when we first came back to Alaska, we had more money then I had ever seen and a bedroom set was a great first investment for a newly engaged couple. We only have the bed frame and bed side table left, we passed the mattress to Heath (and have since replace our bed the second time), and Sarah has the head board. Many GREAT years for a measly $1200.00.

Speaking of which....today is Rosey's 12th birthday... right about now, back in 1995, I was getting my water popped at 7:30 am, while waiting for John to get to Anchorage. We all thought it would be a quick labor so John was hauling tail, to make it. Rosey had other plans and refused to come until ER came on television, 9:09 at night. I was probably a little pissy that I missed my TV show, when I sent John to go get dinner from Arby's; a craving I had all week and because I was tied to a hospital for the last five weeks, I could not get to it, by the time things had settled after her birth, Arby's had closed and John returned with all wrong things. The poor boy. Rosey was healthy, I was irritable, and John couldn't win. Today, we are celebrating with pizza, roller skating, and sleepover.

Along with a normally the busy week, Rosey and her classmates lost a friend on Monday. Cameron had gone to school with her since 2nd grade, his little sister is friends of Byrd's, and their Mom worked at the elementary School, until recently (she started got a job with another friend of ours). Cameron had some serious allergies, milk being one of them. There have been a lot of rumors going on, but the one piece that has been constant is that he drank pink lemonade that what fortified with protein, a milk based protein, he had breathing complications, and his brain wouldn't work any more.
I feel for these parents, and these kids. We have had a house full of kids all week, making t-shirts, posters, and banners. The girls that new him are taking it very hard, I can't imagine what the boys are doing dealing with it.
Death is nothing new to most of these kids, our local elementary school has lost a student or a teacher every year around this time for the last three years. Morning the loss of a loved one, sound like we should add it to our curriculum. It is just to much.

With dealing with the dis-organized house (which seems like all the time now) and the active social lives of the children, I am struggling with being a grown up about this job. I love the extra money, and I love getting out out of the house (I wish this job gave me more opportunity to meet new people), and I want a job, and my family is dealing with it, and I know I need to work....but I HATE THIS JOB. I did in the beginning, right after the interview, and I took the job anyway. I thought I was just resenting giving up my days. I am trying to positive, open minded, to remember that it will look great on a resume, and that it is easier to get a job when you have one. BUT...I am having communication problems with my boss which I am sure leads her to believe I am totally inapt to do the job, but she keeps contradicting herself and when I try to explain the contradiction she denies the previsions conversation. I can deal with that to some point, but sitting around for 4 hours to answer 3 phone calls, that I am not allowed to do anything but transfer....WHAT IS THE POINT... there's a thing call voice mail. Out of the 16 hours I put in I work maybe 4 of them. You would think it would be a dream job, but I call it BOREDOM! Maybe she will fire me...have I put enough into unemployment yet?

It has been an emotional, stressfull week. And I need a weekend in bed with a good book...maybe I can fit it in sometime late January.

Who's with me?

Thing are slow around here, BLOG people!!! I have a few project in the works but nothing to blog about. I am looking for a song for Buddy's birthday video. Any idea's?

I haven' been playing much with my camera, since I got permission to buy my new lens's (is that plural, cause I can't just buy one I need them ALL). Now the camera seems boring with out them...but I can't afford them yet, so, I have to wait. Come on dividends!

School starts soon, I am job hunting again, you will find I do this every fall and nothing ever happens. Maybe this year I will apply myself! Byrd is only going into 4th grade, doesn't take everyone 4 years to find a job?

I am committed to volunteer for the MS bike ride. I am still looking for buddies...I sent out an email to my friends and relatives with the details!! Who's with me? How come I can find all these things to volunteer for but if it involves making money I don't want to do it?

Anyway BLOG PEOPLE!

Byrd is off to summer camp, for a week, she was going to do a "Kaleidescope" of things but camp called this morning asking if she wanted to switch to "Paddlers Paradise". She took the deal, which means she will NOT be with her friends (though I threw a few names in there for the counselor to call if she still had room), but that won't be so bad, they will still be there. They will make a day trip to Ekultna Lake to do some Kayaking. I am jealous! I am also a little nervous, she getting over a cough. I hope it doesn't get worse and she gets sent home.

Tay and I fly down to Oregon, early morning on the 2nd, and fly home late that same night. She is doing well. After I took her chair away from her last week she fell/was pulled onto her knees. We/I thought she did some major damage. But after a few days off of her feet, she is back up again, and the chair is parked outside.

I have finished the new Harry Potter book, I tried to make it last, but there were to many late night reading sessions. So its over...no more Harry! I am kind of disappointed, but if she comes out with another series I am not sure I will latch on. It was a good but its time to end it been going on WAY to long.

Between the book, Tay, the puzzle Rose started, chores, the boat video, and trying to keep up on taking photo's....I still have not...finished up the Girl Scout Paperwork (that was due in May), grooming the dog, cleaning the garage....I'll stop there...can't freak myself out.

My Weekend

My plans changed for the weekend, I was supposed to be doing chores and parting with John and Taylor. Celebrating the success of the surgery and Johns birthday...but thing were burning and I wasn't going to miss out. Thanks Jen and Rodney for all the fun (no blog to link)!!

This is the view of the Ninilchik Fire/ Caribou Hills Fire. This is from my Brothers Cabin on Moose Horn Ridge, (Caribou Lake is to the right)... Check out my Fliker Account for more photos.

The Bug

The camp bug hit me yesterday and sent me to bed, between trips to the John to deposit anything and everything I put in my stomach. The laundry from our Anchor Point trip is still getting done, the house is a mess, the yards needs tended to, and there are flowers to plant (thanks for the plants Jola)... but the Girl Scout Troops are ready for Encampment and I didn't have to plan much. My scout moms are so good and just MAYBE they will have a good time and will volunteer to head up such a big project again. They meet for departure in and hour. I will be making nightly trip to Palmer to bring them dinner, but I don't have to stay the night. YEAH!!!

Shana is doing well, her PEEP-Mellow, burnt her pretty severely, but they think she lost the feeling in the tip of her finger because of her treatment. FROST BITE!! Her blister is still intact so they will wait until Monday to take it off and look under it. The blood flow and feeling are returning. She got a nice welcoming home, a new roof, or a ripped up roof. The landlord came over and got her sons to start tearing her roof off getting prepared to repair. While they were at it they did something to the power going into the house, because only half of her house is powered. Thank god I only had to deal with the flu bug.

Since we last talked....

...we went to Anchor Point for the annual camping trip, check out the photo's.

Since we last talked...

...May 23, 2007 - School is out and everyone has passed to the next grade, some, just barely. Rose pulled the best grades this year, she has worked really hard to get there. Our school is sending their sixth graders up to the new middle school , so Rose has officially graduated to middle school, hasn't she grown?

Byrd and her friends, at the end of the year picnic.

"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...

My List

I have almost taken care of a months worth of errands and chores in this last week. I ...

• finalized our flight plans... we leave April 29 early morning, arrive in Portland 4:30pm, stay in a hotel that night. Motion Lab testing noon on the 30th, hospital check in 2pm. Surgery (Bilateral Distal Femoral Osteomy's and Distal Tibial Osteomy's) 9am May 1st. Our return flight has not been planned due to the fact the insurance company's will not approve the flight until they know we are covered for the month of May. So it is really up to them if we get home or not.
• two GS meeting this week. With one we have no lesson plan until the morning of and the other involved leaving the GS with parents, making mothers day gifts, while the leaders enjoyed a bottle of wine and some good ol' fashion bitchin'. We got little planning done but my task list shortened. My goal this year was to learn to delegate. It just took dealing with major surgery for me to let go.
• two volunteer expeditions. One to CostCo to buy stuff for Bean's Cafe' , $100 will buy 42.37 Size#10 cans of green beans. The other one we will go clean the Bean's Cafe' facility. The girls (11 year olds) wanted to serve dinner there, but Bean's will not allow it until they have proven they want to be there, work your way up from the bottom. I really like their policy, so cleaning it is.
• two year end parties, one swimming party and one awards ceremony.
  
• 1/3 of a of two major GS camping trips. Who's gonna do what and when is a pretty major part.
  
• GS bridging, bought costume for the aloha theme and made candy leis.
  
• two SWAP (Special Whatchamacallit Affectionately Pinned) making parties. With 5 hours yesterday and 7 little girls making hundreds of the same mini art projects. They made it through.
  
• gathered gazillions of supplies for my two girls to make their own original SWAPs. We will begin that project soon.
  
• planned two encampment training meeting for the girl scouts. Tent set up, storm lashing, sanitation, dish washing, safety at encampment, and expectation from the girls and leaders.
• got an Rx and renewed the 4 month outdated handicap park tag.
  
• purchased $400 worth of badges and awards.
• planned the last two GS meetings
• The best Sarah in the world is going to find me 20 -5 Gallon buckets.
• I called, fought and won with the car insurance gal over the price they are charging, I do I know more then everyone else?
• I have been talking with some medical supply suppliers to get some stuff to make the month of May easier for everybody, the only thing they couldn't get was the Valium. Hopefully, the insurance companies will approve it before we leave. That stuff is spendy, I would hate to have to buy it myself.
  
• Researching a new little project to exploit the talents of a loved one.

Next week... more GS stuff... half days of school, parent teacher conferences, buy new rolling suitcases, start gathering stuff to take, buy new lap top so I don't have to share a computer at the hospital or another memory card for the camera 2 gigs may not be enough, plan what we can do between 5pm and 11am on the 29th-30th, some site seeing is in order. We could visit the Grotto or Pearl District or 24 hour church of Elvis or Oaks Park or Portland's Rose Garden or Oregon Zoo or OMSI. The bad part is most of them close at 5:30 so we may need bail money.

Happy Passover

Tonight we celebrated passover with the neighbors. Do you know why you don't pour you own wine? So my glass is never empty...no, not really, do you know? or why I CAN recline in my chair if I want?

PS...Maybe I shouldn't blog in this state of mind. I'll let you know in the morning. If the internet allows me it been finicky with me lately, booten' me for hours at a time. Keepin' me on hold for minutes at a time, three different times....poop heads!

With different things going on in life we decided it was time to put style and class aside and trade it in for something more practical. Yes, last Tuesday night JD traded my pretty white Chevy for a Granny Vanny, we are not talking mini-van but a top of the line Granny Vanny. Something a Grandma would haul all her lady friends around in.
We got a lower then optimal trade in on the truck, "they are dime a dozen" "hard to sell", it broke my heart to see it go. The Vanny needed some work, so we kept the truck all week. Friday, when we were supposed to pick up the Vanny, the sales dude called and said it wasn't ready. But he needed a favor, he had a guy wanting my truck but the Vanny wasn't ready. So they brought us over a lunch box (my suggestion, do not purchase, I was not impressed). Anyway the Vanny was brought home today, but I have to wait for the check I am owed for the rental of my truck, it made up for the bad trade in deal.

While we had our lunch box, he went and played in Eagle River. Taylor had a Science Olympiad meet at the high school out there. She did great and aced her competition, in ecology, but did not get a medal. Her team though brought home bronze and 15 of them will be headed to nationals. The younger girls and I tried to find a place to eat, but gave up after we ended up at Central's Shop (Valette there are some great rust shot out there), so we ended up eating at Denny's in the big city. My meal was especially interesting, it must be a new menu item, Runny French Toast, it will be while before I go there again.

I needed to feel spring, so after Breakfast the two younger girls and I went to the Russian Jack Green House. There where so many interesting things to see. Like this, I think I finally figured out where Crunch Berries come from...... I will go back when I am alone and get a cutting.

The bears feel the urge to see spring, also, we met this one... ...I wish he would come home with me.

Proud Parent

As the proud parent I am, I have to announce the birth of our first son Stone. You can call him "Spike", just not around me. It was a quick labor of 7 hours, feeling some of contractions 24 hours earlier. It was a lot like my first birthing experience rushing to the ER not knowing what was going on, thinking "oh shit they better not give me an enema". After a CAT scan, I found that I would soon be birthing a 4mm Stone out of my petite 3mm Ureter. I was sent home with my buddy Morphine to birth this thing and I have survived. The good thing about this kind of birthing is, I don't have to feed it for 18 years.