Day 4...
Mom gets to go home this morning!
J. was great & stayed @ the house "being domestic" while I'm here with Mom waiting for all the paperwork, etc. before
My sister will hopefully arrive in town within the next couple of hours, & we get together on what needs to happen over the next few days while she's in town.
The doc said that Mom will probably be in her brace for up to 4 months before getting it off, which is going to make it hard for her to get around.
I'm more worried about her trying to get up and down the steps since she can't move her head up & down to see.
07 August 2004
06 August 2004
On the Road
Day 3...
Mom is still in the hospital, but it looks like she will be able to go home tomorrow.
There was talk of transferring her to a rehab unit for as long as twelve days, but now it looks like she can have home-care come & do PT every other day or so for that time.
My sister will be up tomorrow, & I'm sure she'll have her hands full trying to keep Mom from doing too much.
It's hard for me to see Mom having such difficulty, but she'll have much less pain when all is said & done.
The biggest positive, I think — aside from fixing her spine — is that she finally has to stop smoking. Unfortunately, she can't use the nicotine patches, either, & has to stop 'cold turkey'.
J has been wonderful to have here, staying over @ the hospital the 1st night & giving Mom a soothing foot massage last night. She's at Mom's house working on the first dinner we haven't eaten out!
We're hoping to get all the shopping done that we need to in the morning, too.
Mom is still in the hospital, but it looks like she will be able to go home tomorrow.
There was talk of transferring her to a rehab unit for as long as twelve days, but now it looks like she can have home-care come & do PT every other day or so for that time.
My sister will be up tomorrow, & I'm sure she'll have her hands full trying to keep Mom from doing too much.
It's hard for me to see Mom having such difficulty, but she'll have much less pain when all is said & done.
The biggest positive, I think — aside from fixing her spine — is that she finally has to stop smoking. Unfortunately, she can't use the nicotine patches, either, & has to stop 'cold turkey'.
J has been wonderful to have here, staying over @ the hospital the 1st night & giving Mom a soothing foot massage last night. She's at Mom's house working on the first dinner we haven't eaten out!
We're hoping to get all the shopping done that we need to in the morning, too.
05 August 2004
On the Road
Day 2...
J stayed with Mom last night, & I'm grateful, as was Mom.
I'm sure J will need to catch up on her sleep, though I got a little more sleep than the night before.
J stayed with Mom last night, & I'm grateful, as was Mom.
I'm sure J will need to catch up on her sleep, though I got a little more sleep than the night before.
04 August 2004
On the Road
Day 1...
We're at the hospital waiting while Mom is in surgery. There are two procedures one from the front to replace the bone, & one from the back to put in a hinge to replace the torn ligament.
The entire operation is expected to take almost six hours, (it's been about two hours already).
The first update from the surgery nurse was positive, & we'll get those every hour or so.
J. has gone back to the house to walk the dogs & have a nap; she'll be back here later after mom is awake.
I still haven't gotten much sleep, though, & I'm definitely feeling it.
On Monday, we were both up late working on things & only got about four hours of sleep.
After driving for a couple of hours yesterday, J. took over & I expected to drop right off.
Alas, 'twas not to be. I dozed for about 15 minutes and that was it.
We got in late after a couple of delays — including a stray dog (more on him later) — and only got about 5 hours of sleep last night.
I'm hoping to catch a little snooze here in the waiting room, but it's looking doubtful with all the comings & goings and noise.
!! It's 2:50, and the first part of the surgery is done. They're in the process of getting everything switched around for the second part.
I'm sure that when this is all done and I'm rested, the enormity of this whole deal will catch up with me... .
We're at the hospital waiting while Mom is in surgery. There are two procedures one from the front to replace the bone, & one from the back to put in a hinge to replace the torn ligament.
The entire operation is expected to take almost six hours, (it's been about two hours already).
The first update from the surgery nurse was positive, & we'll get those every hour or so.
J. has gone back to the house to walk the dogs & have a nap; she'll be back here later after mom is awake.
I still haven't gotten much sleep, though, & I'm definitely feeling it.
On Monday, we were both up late working on things & only got about four hours of sleep.
After driving for a couple of hours yesterday, J. took over & I expected to drop right off.
Alas, 'twas not to be. I dozed for about 15 minutes and that was it.
We got in late after a couple of delays — including a stray dog (more on him later) — and only got about 5 hours of sleep last night.
I'm hoping to catch a little snooze here in the waiting room, but it's looking doubtful with all the comings & goings and noise.
!! It's 2:50, and the first part of the surgery is done. They're in the process of getting everything switched around for the second part.
I'm sure that when this is all done and I'm rested, the enormity of this whole deal will catch up with me... .
03 August 2004
On the Road
We're on 40 West on our way to stay with my mom while she has surgery.
She fell a couple of months ago, & after going around with the doctors, finally getting someone to do an MRI.
It turns out she has two cracked vertabrae ? C7 & T1.
I really hope that I can catch up on my sleep tonight after we get there.
She fell a couple of months ago, & after going around with the doctors, finally getting someone to do an MRI.
It turns out she has two cracked vertabrae ? C7 & T1.
I really hope that I can catch up on my sleep tonight after we get there.
24 July 2004
more new things
We've learned a little more about what mixes BlackJack has in him today. It turns out that his new toy doesn't float, so he stuck his head under the water and started blowing bubbles, just like a big, silly black lab! And upon closer inspection, he definitely has webbed feet.
That goes a little further towards explaining why he's such an oddly sized dog &emdash; too big to be small, and too little to be medium!!
That goes a little further towards explaining why he's such an oddly sized dog &emdash; too big to be small, and too little to be medium!!
22 July 2004
McCain for Vice President?
Speaking at a rally in San Diego on Sunday, Sen. McCain had this to say about the vice presidency:
I spent a number of years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark and (was) fed scraps, and I don't know why I would want to do that all over again.Somehow I gather that he's just not too excited about that position!
14 July 2004
13 July 2004
Belief-O-Matic
From BeliefNet.
My results:
Number 1, of course, but you can read more here.
My results:
- Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
- Unitarian Universalism (97%)
- Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (93%)
- Theravada Buddhism (89%)
- Liberal Quakers (88%)
- New Age (88%)
- Neo-Pagan (87%)
- Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (85%)
- Taoism (85%)
- New Thought (82%)
- Hinduism (77%)
- Scientology (76%)
- Bahá'í Faith (66%)
- Jainism (63%)
- Orthodox Quaker (58%)
- Secular Humanism (56%)
- Sikhism (50%)
- Reform Judaism (48%)
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (47%)
- Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (38%)
- Jehovah's Witness (35%)
- Nontheist (31%)
- Seventh Day Adventist (25%)
- Orthodox Judaism (24%)
- Islam (19%)
- Eastern Orthodox (12%)
- Roman Catholic (12%
Number 1, of course, but you can read more here.
08 July 2004
'Tis the Season
Over the last few days, the wife & I have picked almost a pint of blackberries each day from the bushes just off of our back deck!
They've made their way down from the fence at the top of the hill over the last 6 years, and even though they are a bit of a pain to have right in the yard, it is so worth it.
BlackJack liked the black raspberries when they were in season, but the blackberries are a little too tart for him. He stil tries to help, though, occasionally grabbing one off the lower part of a bush and then dropping it after he gets a taste. Such a good little helper!!
There's going to be some tasty cobbler soon....
They've made their way down from the fence at the top of the hill over the last 6 years, and even though they are a bit of a pain to have right in the yard, it is so worth it.
BlackJack liked the black raspberries when they were in season, but the blackberries are a little too tart for him. He stil tries to help, though, occasionally grabbing one off the lower part of a bush and then dropping it after he gets a taste. Such a good little helper!!
There's going to be some tasty cobbler soon....
07 July 2004
12 June 2004
Life in Reverse
I think we did it backwards last night... .
We had some really hot sex, followed by a movie, then dinner?!
We had some really hot sex, followed by a movie, then dinner?!
08 June 2004
update
Good news! We found out today that Stray puppy #2 (see below) found a new home. It's always a nice feeling when someone takes in an abandoned pet & makes them feel wanted.
Now if I could just find a nice firm blonde to do the same for me. =)
Now if I could just find a nice firm blonde to do the same for me. =)
31 May 2004
Dogs, dogs, dogs…
How do they find us?
Over the weekend, we had not one, but two temporary dogs to look out for.
The first, a pretty brown husky, had slipped from her person's car in a parking lot on Saturday and wandered across a busy street near downtown. It took four people following her for about ten minutes to finally get a hold of her and we gave her a drink. The number on her tag had been disconnected, which sent us into a state of worry about what to do with her. The dog got a little antsy as we waited and wondered, so my wife took her for a walk ∼ yes, I keep a spare leash in the car (as well as puppy and cat treats). Luckily my wife happened across someone who knew the dog and its owner, and we tracked her person to a nearby hair salon. (whew)
Number two wasn't so easy. This morning I looked out the back window to see a medium size black dog with a docked tail looking around.
With some coaxing (and a biscuit) I got a hold of him, and could see that he had had a collar on, but must have slipped it. It was obvious, too, that he was fairly young, maybe seven months, but was going to grow into a monster. As we watched him, we figured he was possibly a husky | german shepherd mix. We closed off the back porch, and let BlackJack out to play with him ∼ a bonus for everyone. I made numerous phone calls through the day, but couldn't find anyone looking for him, so we reluctantly brought him to the city animal shelter. They do have a good partnership with a local group that takes care of animals that have been there for more than a few days, so I do feel confident that he'll either find his original home, or get a good new one.
It was pretty clear that he hadn't had much obedience training, but he was very sweet and eager to please, like all good puppies!
Over the weekend, we had not one, but two temporary dogs to look out for.
The first, a pretty brown husky, had slipped from her person's car in a parking lot on Saturday and wandered across a busy street near downtown. It took four people following her for about ten minutes to finally get a hold of her and we gave her a drink. The number on her tag had been disconnected, which sent us into a state of worry about what to do with her. The dog got a little antsy as we waited and wondered, so my wife took her for a walk ∼ yes, I keep a spare leash in the car (as well as puppy and cat treats). Luckily my wife happened across someone who knew the dog and its owner, and we tracked her person to a nearby hair salon. (whew)
Number two wasn't so easy. This morning I looked out the back window to see a medium size black dog with a docked tail looking around.
With some coaxing (and a biscuit) I got a hold of him, and could see that he had had a collar on, but must have slipped it. It was obvious, too, that he was fairly young, maybe seven months, but was going to grow into a monster. As we watched him, we figured he was possibly a husky | german shepherd mix. We closed off the back porch, and let BlackJack out to play with him ∼ a bonus for everyone. I made numerous phone calls through the day, but couldn't find anyone looking for him, so we reluctantly brought him to the city animal shelter. They do have a good partnership with a local group that takes care of animals that have been there for more than a few days, so I do feel confident that he'll either find his original home, or get a good new one.
It was pretty clear that he hadn't had much obedience training, but he was very sweet and eager to please, like all good puppies!
30 May 2004
Just strange
What kinds of things will make a waiter look at you funny?
For starters when two people of average size split a meal. I mean actually share the entree. Nutritionists & dieticians go on and on about how portion size affects obesity in America. And it's not cheap to eat out, either. With that in mind my wife & I often share a meal, as much to save money as to minimize our leftovers and growth.
Last night we shared an appetizer — chicken quesidilla, and then the entree — a 12 ounce Sirloin that was,admittedly, quite tasty. Having a 12 ounce steak on the menu makes it seem like a pretty normal serving, yeah? But how many folks out there actually eat that type of portion (and live past 50 to tell the tale)?
We still took enough home to split the remainder for lunch today! No wonder America is obese!!
I will admit that maybe we deserve the funny looks when we split the daquiri with the appetizer, thought it was served in a pint glass that would have done either one of us in, and the beer we split with the steak — again, a pint of lager.
And talk about huge, we split dessert, some incredibly to die for chocolate cake. Took some of that home, too, and had part of the remainder after lunch (though my wife was the real dessert, and still have a bit left for after dinner tonight.
So for our $50.00 we got four individual meals, with dessert… . Not too bad, I suppose.
For starters when two people of average size split a meal. I mean actually share the entree. Nutritionists & dieticians go on and on about how portion size affects obesity in America. And it's not cheap to eat out, either. With that in mind my wife & I often share a meal, as much to save money as to minimize our leftovers and growth.
Last night we shared an appetizer — chicken quesidilla, and then the entree — a 12 ounce Sirloin that was,admittedly, quite tasty. Having a 12 ounce steak on the menu makes it seem like a pretty normal serving, yeah? But how many folks out there actually eat that type of portion (and live past 50 to tell the tale)?
We still took enough home to split the remainder for lunch today! No wonder America is obese!!
I will admit that maybe we deserve the funny looks when we split the daquiri with the appetizer, thought it was served in a pint glass that would have done either one of us in, and the beer we split with the steak — again, a pint of lager.
And talk about huge, we split dessert, some incredibly to die for chocolate cake. Took some of that home, too, and had part of the remainder after lunch (though my wife was the real dessert, and still have a bit left for after dinner tonight.
So for our $50.00 we got four individual meals, with dessert… . Not too bad, I suppose.
19 May 2004
Poetic spam
I received this incredibly moving poem in my email today:
Believe me.
You may give her flowers and presents.
You may take care of her and love her.
But the best you may make for is to be the #1 10ver.
C1a2li3s will help you. Get er[ect[10n whenever you want.
Did I mention that it moved me to throw up?
Believe me.
You may give her flowers and presents.
You may take care of her and love her.
But the best you may make for is to be the #1 10ver.
C1a2li3s will help you. Get er[ect[10n whenever you want.
Did I mention that it moved me to throw up?
18 May 2004
10 May 2004
ahh...
Weellll.. Seems that dogs actually cannot get poison ivy, and BlackJack has a bacterial infection that he picked up running through the wet grass somewhere.
:-(
:-(
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