9-Oh!

Saturday is Grandma Hoof-n-Mouth's 90th birthday. So tomorrow I'm flying to Baltimore where 2bit will pick me up and take me to her new home. Hopefully, I get a little quality time with the SecretBro and Boomer (the new doggie in the family). Friday we head for Wakefield to surprise Gma-Hoof with a fun family visit and birthday party. I know she's not expecting me; I'm not so sure about 2bit's arrival being as much of a surprise. Despite the festivities planned, I am still bracing myself for a repeat of the verbal attacks from 2bit's wedding time. With or without the verbal banter, there should be good stories to report upon my return.

Catchin' up

In the last few weeks, I've been up to a million things and loving them all.


After Momma D was discharged we got to spend a few more days together before they flew home and I headed to the AMTA national conference in Louisville.
Time there was fun, but I worked harder than I have in a long time. Each day was 6 a.m.-ish until well after midnight. The University was well-represented with alums and current students. Still, despite the work, Meganne and I found ways to have fun and coffee, with our last night spent in an embroiled
battle of scrabble.


Plus, while I was in Lu-ih-vul my prediction came true. My beautiful nephew arrived...dimples and all (though I haven't seen the dimples yet). Welcome, Maddox Joseph!

The drive home was uneventful, that is until I got to town and encountered not one, but three, accidents within a mile of each other at my exit to get home.


Thursday brought fun in the form of friends and lots of food, but with the price of a damn early start (and a white Thanksgiving). Matt wanted to smoke the turkey using his fancy-shmancy grill. That required a 5:30 a.m. start; a start on which I was not planning as the thought of sleeping until 9 was firmly cemented in my head. Instead, I woke up and helped him make the brine, wash the bird and get the grill going.
At 6:30, the bird was on the grill and, being filled with coffee, I could no longer return to bed. Instead, I made the rest of the food I hadn't prepped the day before. The result of all the cooking and food from friends equalled one hell of a spread.

This was followed by a good nap, playing with a beautiful baby, and a heated game of Cranium, which we won. Then we sent home left-overs for all to enjoy. We did, however, end up with all of the desserts. Wonder how that happened...

Back home

Momma D was discharged this morning. Fully dressed in sweats with fun slippers, no more IVs, no more JP drains and just antibiotics to take, she is glad to be home. Sydne was more than thrilled to have her Grandma D back.

Now she's content and has a belly full of treats thanks to Grandpa Pat...

Extended house guests

Today was SO much better than yesterday. Momma D had a bit of nausea this morning, but it was quickly averted with meds. I had to head down to the office while Matt and Pat kept her company. I got a call around 12 that Pat was hungry and would like to grab some lunch, so I grabbed Molly and up we went. Momma D looked fantastic and had been up, gotten a shower and was feeling much better. She actually told Pat to call me and go for lunch. Once we got back, she decided to go for a walk and made it to the first exit sign (about 50 yards from her room). Then she was ready for a nap so I sneaked back to the office. After work I went back to her room to get Pat so he could come home and take a shower (he stayed all night) and get some dinner. She had gone for yet another walk and added about 20 more yards in distance and had a visit from 2 different pastors. So she's extra blessed today and feeling 100 times better. The ARNP stopped by said she could probably go home Friday or Saturday, but unable to travel for as much as 10 days. They were a bit shocked at the length of time, but more worried they'll make us nuts by being here so long. I'm just glad that everything is looking up for them. They can stay with us 'til the cows come home.
Peace and health

Update on Momma D

First, Matt passed the recital...YEAH! Diane came through the surgery with flying colors, she was doing well, in some pain, but everything was being handled through TONS of IVs. She slept well last night and was ready to go this morning, getting up for a walk shortly after we got there and planning on a day of Jell-o and other clear liquids. I headed down to work to test my patient and then went back up. Problem was, the upswing had stopped, she had been feeling pretty nauseous after trying to eat and got sick on her clothes and the bed. Bring on the phenergen, which made her sleep. The good part was the catheter was removed so that increased her comfort, but the rest has stagnated. She hasn't been able to get up and walk, save going to the bathroom, which is still progress, but the phenergen didn't work long enough causing other anti-nausea meds to be brought on board, and her fever from last night came back. On a positive note, her white blood count went back to normal (9,500). Now we just need the nausea to stop.

Damn!

So the happy-go-lucky time with the in-laws has taken an unexpected turn. Pat and Diane got here Friday night, all was right with the world. We got up Saturday, did our "thang" and after lunch Diane started to feel a little puny so while Matt and Pat went for pizza I fixed her some chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese. We stocked up on crackers and all the standard "feel better" foods. Yesterday she seemed to perk up a bit, we went to lunch, to the mall and to Lowes then came home. She went back to the couch and curled up again, but said she was feeling a bit better. At dinner she couldn't eat, not even bread and started having really bad stomach pain so the whole clan got in the car and headed to the ER. Around 10 Pat came out and told us to go home and he would call us when they were ready to be picked up. At 12:30-ish Matt decided to go back to the hospital since he hadn't heard anything. He came home at 1:30 and woke me (I fell asleep somehow, not sure how) to tell me Diane was going to have surgery in the next bit because she had appendicitis. Holy cow!
Fast forward to this morning: While I was getting ready for work (only about 4 hours) Pat called and told us she had yet to go into surgery, but would be doing so shortly. As soon as I got to work, I headed up to her room and caught them in transit to the OR and walked with her to the pre-op area until they wheeled her away. After surgery the Doc came out and told us she had a perforated, gangrenous appendix. Yes, gangrenous! The perforation has allowed some fecal matter into her abdomen so now we have to wait and see if it has affected any other organs. She's going to be in the hospital at least another day while we watch her organs and her white cell count (it's about 7,000 too high).
And did I mention, tonight is Matt's recital?!
Please send happy thoughts...lots of them

Happy Birthday * 2

Matt turned 31, Sydne turned 5 (or 35 in dog years). I'd say they both enjoyed it.

Relaaaaxing

Now that all the presentations are done, the abstracts submitted, the house almost clean (well, it will be eventually), I am finally stress-free, back to my OCD on cross-stitch self. It's such a great feeling. I also got my ego boost from Dr G. The ego that was bruised so many weeks/months ago was now stroked for the hard work and dedication. I guess the next time I start to whine, I need to remember, the good part will come, too...eventually.
Happy thoughts all the way around--

Almost Halloween Humbug

Now this isn't something I would expect in the great state of Iowa. South of the Mason Dixon, yes, but Iowa, no.
Good thing our Governor is on his toes! I'm also glad I bought my pumpkin from a roadside vendor (i.e., homegrown) and not from a chain.
Maybe we'll get taxed on Apples, Eggs, and other assorted items that can double as decoration...
Then these poor kids!! Geez!
Ah bureaurcratcs are fun!