pictures from california

Doug was sooooo disappointed that his plane was late getting in. Just late enough that he couldn’t quite make it to

IN-N-OUT until lunchtime today. He sent me these cute pictures:

 

Apparently, the boys were quite happy to go with him. They were all home from school…sick? 

 

Have fun with Papa!

feeling vulnerable

I had my appointment to go  back to see Dr. Manoogian again today. He said that my shoulder looks good and that I don’t need to wear my sling anymore. It feels  scary without it.

Doug took me for a driving lesson yesterday in anticipation that I would get clearance to drive today. I did pretty well with the lesson. Even though the doctor first said next week for the driving, when I moaned, he relented and said that  Thursday will be fine. However, Doug’s flight to California was this afternoon, sooooo….

We checked Brianna out of school early (really, she hasn’t been feeling well all week!) and after dropping him off at Orlando International, formerly known as McCoy Air Force Base, Brianna and I headed home. Well, we headed home, but the car headed to the mall at Millenia. We had a nice meal and did a little walking and a little shopping together, which is where we still were when Doug called from Dallas to make sure that we had returned home safely.

leslie sue

My dearest friend and roommate from BYU came to visit me today.

 

She lives in Missouri and has three married children and a darling 8 year old named Clare that they adopted after a trip to Kazakhstan. Clare has been visiting the Disney sites this week and also made a trip to Clearwater to enjoy some beach time. We enjoyed getting to know her.

 

Leslie Sue and I had a great time catching up and vowed that we wouldn't let another seven years go by without seeing each other again.

my assistant

No amount of words or thanks would be enough to thank Brianna for all the duties that she has picked up, without a bit of complaint, since I went down. Today she added more to her long list.

 

She has been wanting to learn how to make cinnamon rolls for quite a while now and it was a perfect opportunity.

 

There are a few times a year when it is 100% guaranteed that you will find fresh cinnamon rolls in my kitchen. The first weekend in April and the first weekend in October are two of those times because we receive General Conference from Salt Lake City and "watch Church on TV" on those dates. We watch Church on television AND eat cinnamon rolls. 

The cinnamon rolls were delicious and conference was wonderful as always. My favorite session was actually Saturday morning. http://new.lds.org/general-conference/sessions?lang=eng

and I really like the updated website for the church at http://new.lds.org

if you haven't already, check it out.

where does the time go?

For so many years when the days and weeks have gone flying by, I have wondered where the time goes. Now I have my answer. All those minutes had been sent to September 2010 when every day lasted much longer than normal to me.






At least, I have two accomplishments to report!
~ I finished my blog book for 2009, and it is currently at the printers.
~I can flip pancakes with my right arm. (Brianna ate scrambled pancakes at least 3 times while waiting for me to perfect that awesome skill.) In actual fact, I have a whole new right-handed skill set.

My arm is feeling stronger, and I am happy, more than happy to welcome October.

trials of my lawn mower

My husband used to mow the lawn/weeds. Then a few years back, I took over the job, mostly because I like it mowed a little bit more often than he is willing to do it. And, I found that I really enjoyed it.

Since I haven't been driving anything for the past 4 weeks AND 2 days, mowing was definitely out of the question. I told Doug that I would sit on the porch and enjoy the evening. It is still a little bit warm for that, but I wanted to be as supportive as possible.

The mowing adventure lasted less that 2 minutes.

Unbeknownest to him, a group of yellow jackets had made a nest near the big camphor tree in the front yard and when Doug mowed over it, they were Not happy. One jacket found a target on Doug's leg and with the pain and swelling that ensued, he was Not happy either.

Much later, we went to the store and bought pesticide so that he could reap his revenge.

He was actually hoping to see thousands of dead wasps in just retribution. Maybe they flew away to die.

Anyway, the lawn did  get mowed. And the nest has been abandoned.

new glasses

happy sunday

On our way out of Tallahassee yesterday early evening, we were diverted by police and barricades. I assume it was to help the traffic flow. We actually left the game before it ended as I didn't want to worry about my shoulder getting jostled by the crowd, which meant that we didn't have too much traffic. The houses along the detour were small and not well kept. After a couple of blocks, however, I noticed one in particular because there was a freshly washed white shirt on a hanger drying in the cross current of the front porch. I pointed it out to Doug. "Look, they are getting ready for the Sabbath." For me, it was a powerful reminder of all the preparations that are made to make Sunday special.

Hours later we arrived in Inverness, where my friend Danette, kindly allowed us to stay the evening at her mother's house. It meant that we got to bed much earlier and saved Doug something like 3 hours of driving this weekend, had we gone on home. She had thought of every detail to make us comfortable, including fresh flowers and fresh fruit.

Doug left early for his meetings. I woke up a couple of hours later and after getting ready for church, sat on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful morning while I breakfasted.

The meetings were wonderful today. I especially enjoyed attending Relief Society (although it did give my heart a little tug when I heard the primary children singing down the hall.) Danette shared a spiritual experience that she had where she saw a picture in her mind. Then she figured out what it meant and worked to make it happen. I think it is  interesting how the Spirit works differently among us according to our needs.

There are physical preparations for Sunday and there are spiritual ones. I feel very blessed to be the beneficiary of both kinds of preparation.

My daughter called this evening, and when I answered the phone she said, "Happy Sunday!"

Oh yes...it was!

fsu vs byu

We met my brother, John and his wife Linda and their two kids, Zack and Mav and had a wonderful lunch in Tallahassee at Food Glorious Food. And it was glorious. Loved it!

Then it was off to the home of the SemiNOLES.

We cheered for our Alma Mater.

We lost.

I loved the adventure though. I think Tallahassee is a beautiful city. I enjoyed getting to see a little bit of the school and spending 7 hours in the car with my husband, nearly uninterrupted, was fabulous!

effortless garden

When the killing freezes destroyed the flower garden growing next to the house and accenting the herb garden, I was very disappointed. However, I waited to see what came back to life and then planted more of the same. My garden received very little care this summer and now, none at all, and yet it is growing with happy abandon serving up daily doses happiness.

likening the scriptures unto me

I've read the Book of Mormon many, many times. Yet it never ceases to amaze me how answers to current situations seem to pop off the pages exactly when they are needed.

For example, I couldn't have imagined until today that in an account of the sons of the people of Ammon standing fast in defense of their liberty and faith, that I could find so much solace for my current situation in a matter of a dozen verses:

...therefore it became expedient that [I] should wait, that [I] might rerceive more strength...and it came to pass that [I] did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months. [My family, friends and I] did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen [me]...and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit [me] with assurances that he would deliver [me]; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to [my] soul, and did grant unto [me] great faith, and did cause [me] that [I] should hope.

engine 2

When Tricia recently figured out that cow's milk was giving her heartburn, it prompted me to have a better look at my own diet. In an article about John Mackey, the Whole Foods CEO, he referenced the Engine 2 Diet, so I requested a copy from my local library.

Although Rip didn't convince me to become a vegan, nor even a vegetarian, inspite of the quoted facts, he did convince me that I need ALOT more grains, fruits and vegetables in my diet.

I am a huge fan of a breakfast recipe called Rip's Big Bowl. I like how he included quite a few recipes in his book. I am now geocaching my way through Publix looking for and finding items that I never noticed before.

The library book will be due back soon, but I ordered a personal copy on half.com that I can tear apart and use. This diet coincides with the counsel Joseph Smith revealed and recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants more than 100 years ago, including giving up alcohol and coffee. Since foodie fads come and go, I  feel good about incorporating ones that closely mirror my beliefs, as this one does, into my lifestyle.

greater tuberosity

I went back to see Dr. Manoogian today and had my shoulder x-rayed again. Everything looks okay, so no surgery necessary. He let me get an extra good look at my fracture on the "hot light" on my way out. I thought before that it was a straight line fracture starting at the top of my shoulder and running down about an inch. But what I learned today is that it is actually circular, called a greater tuberosity fracture. It looks like the little picture above, except it isn't detached like that. I go back to the doctor's on the 5th of October and if all is well, then I can start physical therapy. In the meantime...still, still, still.

no maintenance hair for high maintenance me

Nearly a month ago, I saw someone with cute hair, so I called her salon and made an appointment. It was not convenient to my house, but quite near where I played tennis, so I figured it would work out great...right up until I was no longer driving.

I was debating whether it was possible to even keep the appointment, but Doug said he would take me and then received a reprieve when Gail volunteered.

I told the stylist that I have to put the blow dryer between my knees and rotate my head back and forth and that I truly need a "no maintenance" haircut since I can't manage a brush, nor an iron.

My cute husband, who has never liked my hair short, let alone extra short, is coping.
Brianna tactfully said, "It's different."
My friends told me it was great though, and I am going to go with that ;)

This week, I have been the recipient of so many thoughtful

words,

gestures

and acts of kindness.

They have all been significant to me.

I feel very loved.

*In the end, I decided not to have the mri at all since the therapy for a torn rotator cuff or bicep is rest. All parts of my arm will get plenty of rest while waiting for my shoulder to heal.

splat calculator

I was wondering how fast I was actually moving when I hit the floor. It seems shocking that a fall off a bed could hurt me like this, but it is true. So  I laughed when I found this climbing website called the Splat Calculator.

This calculator simply calculates the ideal speed you're travelling at the end of falling a certain distance. It completely ignores things like friction (air, rock, rope, or otherwise).


If you fill in the height, you'll get the time and speed at the end of your fall. If you're kind enough to supply your mass, you'll also get the energy in joules (newton-meters) when you deck. :-

If I did it correctly, I figured that I was moving about 8 miles an hour and the fall took .4 of a second.

Enough of that...

I didn't get my MRI today. I was feeling quite nervous about it and the lady helping me was as kind as possible, but I am quite claustrophobic. Anyway, she had me all ready to go and said she would do a trial in and out and not to worry because she wasn't starting anything. So in I go,

and she had mis-centered me on the bed, and my shoulder, my poor sad broken shoulder, now encased in some kind of MRI paraphernalia bumps the side of the tube sending shooting pains across my chest and down my arm.

She re-centered me after I cried out in pain and did the trial run thing again, but I just couldn't manage it. I went back to my doctor's office and they said it happens all the time. Then they told me that they would re-schedule me for an open MRI, so I will hope for a better time there.

doctor manoogian

I have a proximal humerus fracture. The good news is that my shoulder is in the right place and if it stays there for the next two weeks, the chances of it moving to the wrong place go down significantly. If it doesn't stay in the right place, then surgery becomes necessary. Dr. Manoogian said that I need to keep my arm very still.

I can be very still.

He is concerned about my rotator cuff and bicep muscle. He is sending me for an MRI of my shoulder and elbow tomorrow. I presented a very colorful arm today.

doctor brown

I called Dr. Brown's office as soon as they opened this morning. They asked me to come over as soon as possible, so we arrived about ten minutes later. It was my first time ever in a chiropracter's office. Even though we ended up waiting about an hour for them to work me in, Dr. Brown was so attentive and made me feel as if I was his only patient. He spent about half an hour with us, but he felt quite sure that my injuries are out of his league and recommended that we go see Dr. Manoogian.  In the end, he called our visit a no-charge "consult" and only asked that we contact them and let them know how things turn out.

We drove straight to Dr. Manoogian's office. Doug filled out the paperwork for me and returned it to the front desk and then received a sheaf of papers and gestured to me that we were leaving. Once in the car, I asked if we were going to get x-rays. He said that we weren't and the papers were just to be filled out by my appointment on Thursday.

Keeping in mind, my fragile emotional state as well, of course, that made me cry. How is it that I can have an accident four days ago, but now I want to be seen right now, today! I asked him to take me back...and then I went in an begged for an appointment today. She told me that he was in surgery, but was able to schedule me for tomorrow. I can cope with that.

handled with care

On the bright side...today I can move my wrist. Having my hand back is wonderful. It is not strong and so I am doing one-handed internet searches and one-handed messages. But just knowing that I can move my hand is a good thing.

Brianna did my makeup for me. She has been an amazing helper, doing whatever is asked of her right away and with a smile. I normally hold the handrail when I go down the stairs, but since the hand near the rail is out of order, Brianna volunteered to treat me like Princess Victoria. I am royally escorted to the hallway.

I asked Missy at church if Jonathan would recommend a good orthopedic doctor. When I didn't see her after church, I assumed that they were busy with their little ones, but then Missy came running into the church and said that they had been looking for my car in the parking lot when she realized that I wasn't driving.

Jonathan was really an answer to my prayers today. He helped me to better understand what was going on in my body and encouraged me to go and see Dr. Brown tomorrow.

I received the sweetest notes from the Shipley family at church and then the Bishop and his family came "hymning" to my house. Mackay made cookies for me and wrote me a get well message.

Many people at church asked me about my arm. When I told them that I fell out of bed, their instinctive response was to laugh...and then apologize for laughing. Of course, it doesn't seem funny to me at all.
 
Maybe I needed to hear the laughter though, because I am feeling better. Or maybe it was those nice notes and the cookies!

three days

I have talked Doug into giving me three days to see how the injuries present themselves. The body is such an amazing miracle. Yesterday, I couldn't even move my fingers, but today I can. I am not in much pain, unless I move, therefore, I am not moving. But my body systems are busy taking care of business and mostly keeping me sleeping while they do so.

The right side of me is taking on all the extra duty. My right hand and arm is getting used to going from being the non-dominant helper to the total caretaker. Of all the new tasks, the thing I do the best right-handed is eating.

Word is beginning to travel about my accident. It makes me too sad to talk about it, so I haven't called many people that I should have. I hope they forgive me for that. Today I crawled into Doug's lap and just sobbed and sobbed.

My family and friends and even my new tennis team acquaintances have been so encouraging and supportive. It is wonderful how a phone call and/or an email can cheer one and specifically, how they have cheered me.

sleeping the day away

I am like a newborn today...sleeping and eating and crying...that's all...except for the ice. I love ice.