My ankle hurts. So does my thigh muscle. Oh, and my shoulder doesn't feel so great either.
Want to know why?
Because I slid down a muddy hill into a creek bed.
Why was I trying to go down a muddy hill into a creek bed?
Because I had to pee and the house was too far away.
Yup, that's what 4 kids will bring you to. You will be happily lounging by the pool, reading your book, drinking your Crystal Light, when suddenly you'll have to pee. And I mean right that second. And you'll know there's no way you're going to make it the 100 yards to the door of your house or the 15 yards from the door of your house to the bathroom. So instead you'll opt for the outdoor pee.
That's OK because you live in the country. No one will see you. But your father-in-law just may be mowing hay in the fields behind your house so you'll need to find some decent cover, especially considering giving birth to 4 kids has forced you back into a one piece bathing suit. Even a tankini won't cut it any more. So you'll opt for the nearly dry creek bed that's a mere 15 yards from where the children are playing in the pool. The floor of the creek bed is well over your head when standing and it's a veritable jungle of overgrowth and trees.
The only problem is the rain you've had lately. It will have made the steep bank of the creek extra treacherous to one shod only with flip flops. But you will attempt it because you don't want to lose control of your bodily functions in full view of your 4 children. You will quietly head for the creek bank. You will judge the best place to step off the grass and onto the dirt slope leading down. You will attempt to firmly plant your foot just at the edge of the grass before you actually step down onto the slope but the tall grass will play with your perception. What looks to be a solid piece of ground will turn out to be nothing more than a weedy patch of nothing. Your foot will slip into the 4 inch abyss and your body will lurch forward in a desperate attempt to right yourself before you plunge face first down a 5 foot drop into gravel, mud, and a trickle of water.
The resulting lurch will leave you shaken but not truly hurt. You will hunt a few yards down the creek for a good place to do your business and....well...do your business. Thus far you have succeeded in keeping your 4 children from noticing anything is amiss. They even overlooked your slide down the hill. But the moment you being to relieve yourself, stripped to your ankles (remember that one piece bathing suit), your almost 6 year old daughter will suddenly notice your absence and begin screaming your name. Luckily you are graceful under pressure (except for that bit of a slide) and you will calm her fears that you've run away from home to join a traveling Ukrainian circus as their new fire eater, hitch your bathing suit back up where it belongs, and clamber back out of the creek of death before anyone realizes exactly what you're doing.
A full 24 hours later, once you've nearly forgotten the incident, your ankle, thigh, and shoulder will remind you of your brief foray into extreme peeing.
Next time, go to the house.
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
June 22, 2013
August 15, 2012
She's Got Spirit, Yes She Do!
Forgive my entire lack of grammar skills. It couldn't be helped.
As you may remember my darling eldest child is now a Rah-Rah. She hates it when I call her that as Cheerleaders no longer shout "Rah-Rah!" but I persist because I think it's funny.
Her school colors are maroon & white ("When I say 'maroon' you say 'white,'" doesn't have quite the same ring as, "When I say 'purple' you say 'gold.'" But that's just my opinion) so when it came time to cast up last night, that's what she went with.
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Her teachers were impressed but have also said she didn't have to go to such extremes to show her school spirit.
Now she's waiting for the swelling to go down so she can take her silver sharpie to school and let everyone sign it.
We saw the Orthopedic surgeon yesterday afternoon. He said the bone had shifted just the tiniest bit but because of the position of her growth plates and her age it won't cause a problem. We go back in next Thursday night to have it x-rayed to make sure things haven't shifted. I fear my child may begin to glow in the dark after all this radiation.
The cast has cut the pain down considerably. She's taking ibuprofen a few times a day for the pain, but it's not bad. Itching seems to be the biggest issue at the moment. We may try benadryl before bed tonight.
August 13, 2012
I never should have opened my big fat mouth.
Just when I thought this summer was at it's super sucky pinnacle- the climb got a little higher.
BabyGirl fell off her cousin's ATV this afternoon and broke her wrist.
We were going to have an overlap of about 20 minutes between Husband leaving for work & me getting home (this was my second day to work this year, but the first day of my official full time job) so we asked J if he could keep the kids for us. About 30 seconds after I pulled into the drive totally exhausted, and in serious need of a few minutes of downtime, J pulled in to the back yard on his 4 wheeler. BabyGirl was crying and cradling her arm. Apparently they were going up a hill and she rolled off the side. She tried to break her fall with her hands.
After Rachie looked at it (she's our resident RN), I took BabyGirl to the ER. There must have been a memo that went out that said everyone in a 75 mile radius should come on into the ER this afternoon. Every bed was full. In fact, BabyGirl started to pass out in the waiting room (something she's prone to do) and they could only put her in a wheel chair in the ER hall way.
After 3 hours, an x-ray, splint, sling, and ice pack they sent us home with instructions to take her to see an orthopedic doctor as soon as we can.
The break is not bad. Her arm is cracked just below the wrist. The break didn't separate and the doctor said he thinks it will heal nicely but they want a specialist to be the one to make the decision on a cast.
Prior to all of this Baby, the cat that B.B. has had since he was 18 months old, died.
I'm so over this summer.
BabyGirl fell off her cousin's ATV this afternoon and broke her wrist.
We were going to have an overlap of about 20 minutes between Husband leaving for work & me getting home (this was my second day to work this year, but the first day of my official full time job) so we asked J if he could keep the kids for us. About 30 seconds after I pulled into the drive totally exhausted, and in serious need of a few minutes of downtime, J pulled in to the back yard on his 4 wheeler. BabyGirl was crying and cradling her arm. Apparently they were going up a hill and she rolled off the side. She tried to break her fall with her hands.
After Rachie looked at it (she's our resident RN), I took BabyGirl to the ER. There must have been a memo that went out that said everyone in a 75 mile radius should come on into the ER this afternoon. Every bed was full. In fact, BabyGirl started to pass out in the waiting room (something she's prone to do) and they could only put her in a wheel chair in the ER hall way.
After 3 hours, an x-ray, splint, sling, and ice pack they sent us home with instructions to take her to see an orthopedic doctor as soon as we can.
The break is not bad. Her arm is cracked just below the wrist. The break didn't separate and the doctor said he thinks it will heal nicely but they want a specialist to be the one to make the decision on a cast.
Prior to all of this Baby, the cat that B.B. has had since he was 18 months old, died.
I'm so over this summer.
January 2, 2012
On the First Day of Christmas....
Instead of song birds in fruit bearing trees, young women milking bovine, European royalty jumping around like grasshoppers, and a troupe of piccolo players, I got sick kids. And to make things super fun, they didn't all get sick at once. The spread it out over the first week of their Christmas break. #1 Son got started a day early missing the last day of school when he vomited All. Over. My. Bathroom. But I already told you about that.
BabyGirl picked it up the first day of their vacation with a sore throat & vomiting. Since Doc was about to leave the office for days on end, he gave us a script without the strep culture just to be on the safe side & save me a trip to the ER over the holidays. Too bad we still had to go...but that's for later in the post.
B.B. puked Christmas Eve morning & again Christmas morning preventing us from going to church on Christmas day. He complained of a sore throat on & off for 24 hours. By the time the weekend was over, I had worn 3 pairs of pajamas & no "real" clothing. What's the point of dressing when you're laying around for hours on end, watching House Hunters on an endless loop of HGTV, and living off Chex Mix and Poor Man's Toffee?
Bitsy rounded us out by running a fever & having a sore throat Monday & Tuesday keeping the two of us housebound while everyone else went to Little BIL & Aunt Cher's for lunch. By Wednesday, everyone was finally feeling better just in time for rain & rain & more rain.
Thursday the roofers showed up. Two high strung dogs plus half a dozen Mennonite men on the roof plus four nosy kids equals entirely too much going on for one FarmWife to deal with. So I kenneled up the dogs who were trying their hardest to coax the men off the roof so they could be summarily eaten, plopped the FarmHands down in front of the television, and proceeded to undress my Christmas tree.
By Friday, we were officially de-Christmased, it was warm enough to throw the FarmHands outside, & Bitsy had a WIC appointment, so the monotony was finally broken. The roof was finished that afternoon much to the dogs' delight.
On Saturday everyone came by to see our new lid. MIL & SIL came first followed by Uncle E, J, & Beffie. Uncle E gave Husband some drywall tips before he got started on the bathroom ceiling (I lost my skylight in getting my new roof....I am still in mourning, but fully understand the need for it's departure). Then Busha & Bucka came by very proud of Husband for, "Finally putting a roof over our Granddaughter's head." Little BIL & Aunt Cher stopped by on their way out to lunch with MIL & FIL. Everyone seems to like the new change.
Saturday afternoon Husband was putting the flashing up behind the gutters when he came in the house. "Um, come look at this, FarmWife. Do you think I need stitches?" His had slipped while sliding flashing into place & he cut his hand on the new roof. He had a 2 inch gash on his right hand across the knuckle at the base of his middle finger. One frantic hunt for a sitter, and a quick trip to the ER & he is now the proud owner of his first ever stitches. Four in total that earned him a hand full of stickers from the ER nurse & large strawberry milkshake from me. He was very brave.
Tomorrow our "normal" life resumes. I'm ready for it. Today I've battled allergies and a massive headache along with children in serious need of more structure than I'm willing to give. Husband's feeling lousy as well & I'm hoping it's just a bug & not infection in his hand. I'm keeping a close eye on it & him & if things are the same in the morning, Doc will be getting a New Year's visit from the FarmFamily Patriarch.
Happy stinking New Year.
Oh, and incidentally, I've finally joined the movement that is Pinterest. You can find me here if you like. Let me know if you pin. I'm just getting started & haven't quite got the hang of it. I'd love some ideas & input.
BabyGirl picked it up the first day of their vacation with a sore throat & vomiting. Since Doc was about to leave the office for days on end, he gave us a script without the strep culture just to be on the safe side & save me a trip to the ER over the holidays. Too bad we still had to go...but that's for later in the post.
B.B. puked Christmas Eve morning & again Christmas morning preventing us from going to church on Christmas day. He complained of a sore throat on & off for 24 hours. By the time the weekend was over, I had worn 3 pairs of pajamas & no "real" clothing. What's the point of dressing when you're laying around for hours on end, watching House Hunters on an endless loop of HGTV, and living off Chex Mix and Poor Man's Toffee?
Bitsy rounded us out by running a fever & having a sore throat Monday & Tuesday keeping the two of us housebound while everyone else went to Little BIL & Aunt Cher's for lunch. By Wednesday, everyone was finally feeling better just in time for rain & rain & more rain.
Thursday the roofers showed up. Two high strung dogs plus half a dozen Mennonite men on the roof plus four nosy kids equals entirely too much going on for one FarmWife to deal with. So I kenneled up the dogs who were trying their hardest to coax the men off the roof so they could be summarily eaten, plopped the FarmHands down in front of the television, and proceeded to undress my Christmas tree.
By Friday, we were officially de-Christmased, it was warm enough to throw the FarmHands outside, & Bitsy had a WIC appointment, so the monotony was finally broken. The roof was finished that afternoon much to the dogs' delight.
On Saturday everyone came by to see our new lid. MIL & SIL came first followed by Uncle E, J, & Beffie. Uncle E gave Husband some drywall tips before he got started on the bathroom ceiling (I lost my skylight in getting my new roof....I am still in mourning, but fully understand the need for it's departure). Then Busha & Bucka came by very proud of Husband for, "Finally putting a roof over our Granddaughter's head." Little BIL & Aunt Cher stopped by on their way out to lunch with MIL & FIL. Everyone seems to like the new change.
Saturday afternoon Husband was putting the flashing up behind the gutters when he came in the house. "Um, come look at this, FarmWife. Do you think I need stitches?" His had slipped while sliding flashing into place & he cut his hand on the new roof. He had a 2 inch gash on his right hand across the knuckle at the base of his middle finger. One frantic hunt for a sitter, and a quick trip to the ER & he is now the proud owner of his first ever stitches. Four in total that earned him a hand full of stickers from the ER nurse & large strawberry milkshake from me. He was very brave.
Tomorrow our "normal" life resumes. I'm ready for it. Today I've battled allergies and a massive headache along with children in serious need of more structure than I'm willing to give. Husband's feeling lousy as well & I'm hoping it's just a bug & not infection in his hand. I'm keeping a close eye on it & him & if things are the same in the morning, Doc will be getting a New Year's visit from the FarmFamily Patriarch.
Happy stinking New Year.
Oh, and incidentally, I've finally joined the movement that is Pinterest. You can find me here if you like. Let me know if you pin. I'm just getting started & haven't quite got the hang of it. I'd love some ideas & input.
September 29, 2010
Things I want to know.
I'd like to begin by saying to those of you who got a bit freaked out by yesterday's post, I warned you.
And now, for the questions I'd like answered:
And now, for the questions I'd like answered:
- If someone has been married and divorced 3 times, why do they think time #4 will work out? When do you say enough is enough? And when do you give up & realize you've turned into Elizabeth Taylor?
- Does the Discovery Channel/TLC pay for all the doors the Teuttels destroy on American Choppers? Do they keep a stash of extra doors somewhere in the shop so they can quickly & easily replace a door when Paul Sr. puts his fist through one? Husband is convinced the producers provide them with extra doors to encourage this behavior.
- When does peer pressure kick in & make a child start wearing more appropriate clothing? BabyGirl is back to the one outfit that's OK to wear stage. It sucks. She's worn the same ratty outfit to school 3 days in a row....at least. And I'm not joking when I say ratty. I told her teacher about the SPD a few weeks back so she would understand why BabyGirl shows up looking homeless on a regular basis. I promise, this child has clothes. Cute clothes. Clean clothes. Clothes with knees intact. She just refuses to wear them. Part of me is really hoping someone at school mentions her wardrobe to her & it prods her into changing things up a bit. Is it wrong for a mother to wish peer pressure on her children if it's for a good reason?
- Why Uncle Gick have big hands? This was actually Bitsy's question after we saw him at the gas station today. I told her it's because God gave him big hands. Why God give him big hands? Because He knew Uncle Gick would need them to do his work. Why him at that gas station? Because he was putting gas in that truck. Why him need gas in hims truck? So he could haul beans. Why him haul beans? It's his job. Why it him job? So you could ask me 500 more questions.
- How long will it take for my toe nail to grow back? When will I be able to wear shoes that are not Crocs again? When will I be able to walk like a normal person instead of hobbling around on my heel & the outside edge of my foot making my ankle & knee hurt like the devil?
- At what point are my kids going to be able to get themselves up & ready for school without being stood over & told what to do in detail at every step?
- Why are there 9 baby dolls laying prone on my kitchen & living room floor? Oh, wait, you don't need to answer that. I can hear the answer playing in her room.
- Why does the treatment for a missing toenail hurt almost as bad as the initial injury? OK, so that's a serious exaggeration. But it is not pleasant. I have to soak my foot twice a day in hot water with salt & Iodine then irrigate it with hydrogen peroxide before wrapping it in non-stick gauze with Neosporin. The salt & iodine bath isn't fun, but it's a walk in the park next to that hydrogen peroxide wash. Oh my giddy aunt, does that ever hurt!! (and no, that's not a question)
- When will corporate America wise up & institute nap time after lunch for all employees? Employees don't have to sleep, they just need 20 minutes of quite time to lay down & rest. It works for kindergartners. I think it would work for major corporations...and Capitol Hill. Maybe if they had nap time they'd quit doing stupid things like calling comedic news anchors to testify before congress & expecting them to take it seriously.
- I can't really thing of a tenth question....hmmm.....give me a minute....what's the first thing you know?
September 28, 2010
And now for something completely different.
OK, not really. Actually I do this fairly often....or did this very often & am trying to get back in the habit. Enough rambling. It's time for FarmWife to answer your most pressing queries.
Vic (who asked for another installment of Ask FarmWife Day) sent me her question on FaceBook. Is there a certain age young girls should shave their legs? Is their a magic number or just when you need it. Do little girls even care?
Ahhh, growing up. It's tricky. I'm constantly asking myself these kinds of questions. When I found out my oldest niece was starting to shave I was shocked. She seemed really young to me...until I thought back to how old I was when I took up a razor. She was going into seventh grade (I think) so that would make her 12 years old. To me just seeing the number 12 means you should still be playing Barbies & dress up & riding bikes & watching Disney cartoons. But such is not the case.
I was in sixth or seventh grade the first time I snuck out my mom's razor & took a swipe down my shin. That's it. Just one pass of the razor about 6 inches long right down the middle of my shin. Then I panicked and put it away. A day or two later, QM noticed the bald spot on my leg & decided it was time to get me my own razor & shaving gel before I made a mess of things.
Being a brunette, my leg hair was pretty obvious even before it started growing as puberty set in. In middle school we had to change into shorts for gym class. That's when I started getting a little self conscious about it. It's about the only category in which I was not a late bloomer.
I'm hoping my girls won't get on the bandwagon too soon. I don't think there's a magic number but I do think girls pay more attention to that kind of stuff than we think they do. My biggest hope in that area is that my girls will broach the subject with me before they take it up with Lady Bic....but I'm also hoping they'll wait until they're at least out of grade school. I don't want them growing up & feeling that kind of pressure too soon.
Next, Penny asks about my meal planning & canning. Do you plan menus for your week? Since you have 4 kids and a hubby who works a not normal daily schedule...how do you plan meals? I know Kork does lots of canning and preserving, do you?
I would love to say that I plan out our weekly menu before ever leaving for the grocery. But sadly that is not normally the case. I try to have an idea of what I want to cook for the week, but I often find myself at the grocery with 1/4 of a list & no clue what I need. I try to plan for at least one major meal every day all week long & the rest is left overs or small stuff.
I can tell you that our "big meal" of the day is lunch. With Husband working nights & the kids gone, I normally make a full meal at lunch time so he can have enough to eat before he leaves & left overs to take with him. At dinner time the kids & I eat smaller, simpler meals. Often sandwiches or mac & cheese or even breakfast for dinner (that's their favorite).
As for canning & preserving, I really love to do that but haven't had a good run with our garden the past 2 years. In fact, I didn't put anything up this year. We only had enough corn to eat with a few meals & my green beans withered & died without producing enough to fool with. There's nothing I love more than to look in my freezer & see bags & bags of corn that we grew & put up...but lately that hasn't worked for us.
I hope I've helped & haven't rambled on too much. And now for something really & truly different...and if you're weak of stomach or cannot handle the thought of blood, you might want to stop reading right now.
Last night I shut the back door over top of my big toe. To say it did not feel good would be an understatement. When it happened I felt something give way. I looked down in horror thinking I'd ripped the skin off my toe or broken it. Instead everything looked normal...except for the blood seeping out from around three sides of my toe nail. That's when I realized I had just ripped off my toe nail. This entire though process took about 3/4 of a second. The reason it took that long is because the nail didn't actually come off...it just detached from the nail bed entirely.
I hobbled into the bathroom where the 3 youngest were supposed to be bathing, wrapped my toe in a cold wet cloth & called Busha. I was pretty sure there was little to be done about it, but though I should ask someone, anyone, and try to fend off going into shock by talking to a grown up.
Busha told me she didn't think they'd do anything at the ER if I went & asked if I needed her to come over. I told her no & realized I should have called Rachie since she's an RN & might know something about it. Busha thought that was a good idea. I called Rachie & told her what was up & she gave me her expert medical opinion.
If I could get the nail off, that would be the best thing. Then clean it, put on some triple antibiotic ointment & ice it down. I was OK with everything but the clipping. That though made my stomach roll. After a few minutes I realized there wasn't much feeling left in my toe & that might be the best time to tackle a nail removal.
15 minutes later I was down to about 1/4 inch of toe nail left just at the base. It's not actually attached but I couldn't get it cut down that far. I smeared some Neosporin on some gauze, wrapped it up, and spent the rest of the night with my foot elevated & my toe on ice. At bedtime I took a vicodin left over from having my wisdom teeth taken out.
That helped until Bitsy decided she was done sleeping at 2:30 this morning. That's when we headed to the living room to sleep on the couches & that's also when the nausea hit like a freight train. I spent the next 30 minutes hugging the porcelain god & praying to the Real One that I could just vomit or fall asleep (which I'm pretty sure I did a few times while hanging my head over the toilet bowl...that's a rather precarious position to be in).
This morning my toe is very tender & walking is a bit of a task. The thought of putting on shoes makes me sick to my stomach (as does the thought of vicodin). This could be a long couple of months before my nail grows back. Bitsy is sporting matching gauze on her index & middle fingers of her left hand. She has sucked them so much she's broken down the skin. They're a mess. I've greased her up with Aquaphor & put on a mitten or sock, but that doesn't last long. So I've moved on to Neosporin & gauze taped on. I'm hoping they'll heal & she'll give up the finger sucking.
This week can end now.
Vic (who asked for another installment of Ask FarmWife Day) sent me her question on FaceBook. Is there a certain age young girls should shave their legs? Is their a magic number or just when you need it. Do little girls even care?
Ahhh, growing up. It's tricky. I'm constantly asking myself these kinds of questions. When I found out my oldest niece was starting to shave I was shocked. She seemed really young to me...until I thought back to how old I was when I took up a razor. She was going into seventh grade (I think) so that would make her 12 years old. To me just seeing the number 12 means you should still be playing Barbies & dress up & riding bikes & watching Disney cartoons. But such is not the case.
I was in sixth or seventh grade the first time I snuck out my mom's razor & took a swipe down my shin. That's it. Just one pass of the razor about 6 inches long right down the middle of my shin. Then I panicked and put it away. A day or two later, QM noticed the bald spot on my leg & decided it was time to get me my own razor & shaving gel before I made a mess of things.
Being a brunette, my leg hair was pretty obvious even before it started growing as puberty set in. In middle school we had to change into shorts for gym class. That's when I started getting a little self conscious about it. It's about the only category in which I was not a late bloomer.
I'm hoping my girls won't get on the bandwagon too soon. I don't think there's a magic number but I do think girls pay more attention to that kind of stuff than we think they do. My biggest hope in that area is that my girls will broach the subject with me before they take it up with Lady Bic....but I'm also hoping they'll wait until they're at least out of grade school. I don't want them growing up & feeling that kind of pressure too soon.
Next, Penny asks about my meal planning & canning. Do you plan menus for your week? Since you have 4 kids and a hubby who works a not normal daily schedule...how do you plan meals? I know Kork does lots of canning and preserving, do you?
I would love to say that I plan out our weekly menu before ever leaving for the grocery. But sadly that is not normally the case. I try to have an idea of what I want to cook for the week, but I often find myself at the grocery with 1/4 of a list & no clue what I need. I try to plan for at least one major meal every day all week long & the rest is left overs or small stuff.
I can tell you that our "big meal" of the day is lunch. With Husband working nights & the kids gone, I normally make a full meal at lunch time so he can have enough to eat before he leaves & left overs to take with him. At dinner time the kids & I eat smaller, simpler meals. Often sandwiches or mac & cheese or even breakfast for dinner (that's their favorite).
As for canning & preserving, I really love to do that but haven't had a good run with our garden the past 2 years. In fact, I didn't put anything up this year. We only had enough corn to eat with a few meals & my green beans withered & died without producing enough to fool with. There's nothing I love more than to look in my freezer & see bags & bags of corn that we grew & put up...but lately that hasn't worked for us.
I hope I've helped & haven't rambled on too much. And now for something really & truly different...and if you're weak of stomach or cannot handle the thought of blood, you might want to stop reading right now.
Last night I shut the back door over top of my big toe. To say it did not feel good would be an understatement. When it happened I felt something give way. I looked down in horror thinking I'd ripped the skin off my toe or broken it. Instead everything looked normal...except for the blood seeping out from around three sides of my toe nail. That's when I realized I had just ripped off my toe nail. This entire though process took about 3/4 of a second. The reason it took that long is because the nail didn't actually come off...it just detached from the nail bed entirely.
I hobbled into the bathroom where the 3 youngest were supposed to be bathing, wrapped my toe in a cold wet cloth & called Busha. I was pretty sure there was little to be done about it, but though I should ask someone, anyone, and try to fend off going into shock by talking to a grown up.
Busha told me she didn't think they'd do anything at the ER if I went & asked if I needed her to come over. I told her no & realized I should have called Rachie since she's an RN & might know something about it. Busha thought that was a good idea. I called Rachie & told her what was up & she gave me her expert medical opinion.
If I could get the nail off, that would be the best thing. Then clean it, put on some triple antibiotic ointment & ice it down. I was OK with everything but the clipping. That though made my stomach roll. After a few minutes I realized there wasn't much feeling left in my toe & that might be the best time to tackle a nail removal.
15 minutes later I was down to about 1/4 inch of toe nail left just at the base. It's not actually attached but I couldn't get it cut down that far. I smeared some Neosporin on some gauze, wrapped it up, and spent the rest of the night with my foot elevated & my toe on ice. At bedtime I took a vicodin left over from having my wisdom teeth taken out.
That helped until Bitsy decided she was done sleeping at 2:30 this morning. That's when we headed to the living room to sleep on the couches & that's also when the nausea hit like a freight train. I spent the next 30 minutes hugging the porcelain god & praying to the Real One that I could just vomit or fall asleep (which I'm pretty sure I did a few times while hanging my head over the toilet bowl...that's a rather precarious position to be in).
This morning my toe is very tender & walking is a bit of a task. The thought of putting on shoes makes me sick to my stomach (as does the thought of vicodin). This could be a long couple of months before my nail grows back. Bitsy is sporting matching gauze on her index & middle fingers of her left hand. She has sucked them so much she's broken down the skin. They're a mess. I've greased her up with Aquaphor & put on a mitten or sock, but that doesn't last long. So I've moved on to Neosporin & gauze taped on. I'm hoping they'll heal & she'll give up the finger sucking.
This week can end now.
September 14, 2009
How to get in & out of your local ER in record time: An Essay
By FarmWife
Take in a nearly 5 year old boy with a head injury & vomiting.
The End.
___________________________
OK, so that's not all of the story, but it works.
B.B. & his dad were playing chase at the playground yesterday afternoon. B.B. turned to see where his dad was & ran, full tilt, into a giant pole. He started screaming & crying that his knee hurt; he never mentioned his head. We got him calmed down & I checked his head only to find a big bruise coming up on his right temple. Husband & I packed up the FarmHands & headed to Wal-Mart to pick up some milk & B.B.'s birthday presents. It was around 2 o'clock.
He was a bit whiny until we hit the toy aisle, then he was his old self again, so I didn't worry too much about the knot on his head. He's a boy. They're always covered in knots, bumps, bruises, and scrapes.
He napped in the van on the way home, but so did his brother & baby sister. Once home, he got whiny again & was pretty tired. I gave him a bath, tucked him in on the couch to watch a movie, and put a bag of frozen peas on his head. Around 4:30-4:45 he took a nap. I woke him up at 5:30 to check on him, then let him go back to sleep. At 6 I woke him up for the evening. He was still whiny & cantankerous & a bit spacey, but not too bad.
At 7:25, he got up from the dinner table (where he hadn't eaten a thing), walked across the kitchen & threw up. 10 minutes later I was in the van with him on the way to the ER.
At the ER, we waited 5 minutes to get to the front desk to to paper work instead of the 20-30 minutes I was anticipating. They skipped us straight to a room (do not pass Triage, do not collect $200) before I'd even had a chance to sign away our rights to our first born (as per most hospitals policies). The nurse was still in taking B.B.'s vitals & checking him out when the doctor came in.
After a brief, but thorough exam, B.B. was declared fit as a slightly bruised fiddle, I was given instructions on treating head wounds, and we were sent on our way. A quick trip to the McDonalds Drive-thru for the necessary Happy Meal, and we were on our way home.
We left home around 7:35 & got back at 9:15. After figuring in 30 minutes worth of driving & the trip to Micky D's, that was, hands down, the fastest trip to the ER we've ever made.
Take in a nearly 5 year old boy with a head injury & vomiting.
The End.
___________________________
OK, so that's not all of the story, but it works.
B.B. & his dad were playing chase at the playground yesterday afternoon. B.B. turned to see where his dad was & ran, full tilt, into a giant pole. He started screaming & crying that his knee hurt; he never mentioned his head. We got him calmed down & I checked his head only to find a big bruise coming up on his right temple. Husband & I packed up the FarmHands & headed to Wal-Mart to pick up some milk & B.B.'s birthday presents. It was around 2 o'clock.
He was a bit whiny until we hit the toy aisle, then he was his old self again, so I didn't worry too much about the knot on his head. He's a boy. They're always covered in knots, bumps, bruises, and scrapes.
He napped in the van on the way home, but so did his brother & baby sister. Once home, he got whiny again & was pretty tired. I gave him a bath, tucked him in on the couch to watch a movie, and put a bag of frozen peas on his head. Around 4:30-4:45 he took a nap. I woke him up at 5:30 to check on him, then let him go back to sleep. At 6 I woke him up for the evening. He was still whiny & cantankerous & a bit spacey, but not too bad.
At 7:25, he got up from the dinner table (where he hadn't eaten a thing), walked across the kitchen & threw up. 10 minutes later I was in the van with him on the way to the ER.
At the ER, we waited 5 minutes to get to the front desk to to paper work instead of the 20-30 minutes I was anticipating. They skipped us straight to a room (do not pass Triage, do not collect $200) before I'd even had a chance to sign away our rights to our first born (as per most hospitals policies). The nurse was still in taking B.B.'s vitals & checking him out when the doctor came in.
After a brief, but thorough exam, B.B. was declared fit as a slightly bruised fiddle, I was given instructions on treating head wounds, and we were sent on our way. A quick trip to the McDonalds Drive-thru for the necessary Happy Meal, and we were on our way home.
We left home around 7:35 & got back at 9:15. After figuring in 30 minutes worth of driving & the trip to Micky D's, that was, hands down, the fastest trip to the ER we've ever made.
August 4, 2009
On Knees & Nephews
At 3 am Saturday, I was dreaming that I had repeatedly hit my right knee on something. Son of a gun, if it didn't hurt! About that time, Bitsy decided to make her grand entrance into our room. Husband had just gotten home & collapsed into bed. Suddenly I realized my dream had carried over into the waking world. My knee hurt.
I ended up in the living room at 3:30 browsing Yahoo Answers for information on Bursitis. My knee never ended up quite as swollen as the last time I battled this (July 14th to be exact), but it's still not been pleasant.
By Sunday night I was running a low grade fever, had a horrible headache, and felt like I was coming down with the flu. Yesterday morning, I called the doctor's office for an appointment. He said he thinks it's an infection (exactly what the orthopedic specialist said a few weeks ago), but that I wasn't on a strong enough antibiotic the first time around. Doc broke out the big guns. Levaquin. Used to treat infections or to prevent or slow anthrax after exposure. Anthrax! This stuff better do the trick.
I say "better do the trick" because if the swelling, redness, fever and pain come back again, he wants to "do a fluid draw & cultures" which is code for "stick a big friggin' needle in your knee." Yahoo.
In the meantime, this week is VBS at church. The kids have a blast. I have a blast. We're all left exhausted by weeks end. I'm not teaching this year because tomorrow is #1 Son's tonsillectomy. I didn't think it wise to commit to being some where the night my son has his tonsils yanked out.
The Queen Mother & Heir to the Throne (also known as QM & HT, or my mother & my perfect, nearly 3 year old nephew) are here to help out. HT's been very excited to come babysit his cousins for me. Daddy told me most of the trip north, HT hollered, "Yoo-hoo! Haunch House!" (For some reason the boy calls his mother "Bum," his grammy "Deem," and me "Haunch." I'm not sure which one of us has it worse....well...Grammy did back when he called her "Dam" especially when he got excited & called her Grammy Mama which came out "Dam Bum!") I'm very excited that he's here. His cousins are thrilled that he's here. I hope they can all stay friends this week.
Husband is threatening to take the three oldest FarmHands swimming this morning at the local pool. I'm all for it. Especially since I won't be going. Bad knees & slippery surfaces are not a good combination.
I ended up in the living room at 3:30 browsing Yahoo Answers for information on Bursitis. My knee never ended up quite as swollen as the last time I battled this (July 14th to be exact), but it's still not been pleasant.
By Sunday night I was running a low grade fever, had a horrible headache, and felt like I was coming down with the flu. Yesterday morning, I called the doctor's office for an appointment. He said he thinks it's an infection (exactly what the orthopedic specialist said a few weeks ago), but that I wasn't on a strong enough antibiotic the first time around. Doc broke out the big guns. Levaquin. Used to treat infections or to prevent or slow anthrax after exposure. Anthrax! This stuff better do the trick.
I say "better do the trick" because if the swelling, redness, fever and pain come back again, he wants to "do a fluid draw & cultures" which is code for "stick a big friggin' needle in your knee." Yahoo.
In the meantime, this week is VBS at church. The kids have a blast. I have a blast. We're all left exhausted by weeks end. I'm not teaching this year because tomorrow is #1 Son's tonsillectomy. I didn't think it wise to commit to being some where the night my son has his tonsils yanked out.
The Queen Mother & Heir to the Throne (also known as QM & HT, or my mother & my perfect, nearly 3 year old nephew) are here to help out. HT's been very excited to come babysit his cousins for me. Daddy told me most of the trip north, HT hollered, "Yoo-hoo! Haunch House!" (For some reason the boy calls his mother "Bum," his grammy "Deem," and me "Haunch." I'm not sure which one of us has it worse....well...Grammy did back when he called her "Dam" especially when he got excited & called her Grammy Mama which came out "Dam Bum!") I'm very excited that he's here. His cousins are thrilled that he's here. I hope they can all stay friends this week.
Husband is threatening to take the three oldest FarmHands swimming this morning at the local pool. I'm all for it. Especially since I won't be going. Bad knees & slippery surfaces are not a good combination.
July 16, 2009
Good day
I spent the morning hours in an exceptionally good mood. Well, after the initial, "Get your little butts back in your bedroom & quit screaming!! I'm going back to bed & if I hear one more scream from this bedroom, you're toast, Mister!"
I thoroughly cleaned out the budgies cage and made big plans for the rest of our abode...but didn't really get far. Husband took the three oldest FarmHands to the park to ride their bikes (no concrete in the country & gravel isn't great for learning). Bitsy played play-dough while I cleaned up the kids' rooms. I also managed to make lunch & vacuum today. Yeah for me.
My knee is still a bit red & swollen, but I can move it & put weight on it without pain. Kneeling is still out & deep bends are not advisable, but it's getting better.
Uncle Gick called around 3 to see if we could come swimming with Katie. I was so thankful for the distraction. I loaded everyone up & they spent 3 hours splashing, screaming, swimming and laughing. Katie is heading to her grandma's on Saturday, so we said our good-byes. Then Katie informed us that she's coming to spend an entire month next summer. Unkie Di said, "Oh really? We'll have to see about that!" :)
Now the FarmHands are tucked in & I'm about to hit the hay, but there are small voices coming from the girls' room. I should probably go break up the party....in a minute.
I thoroughly cleaned out the budgies cage and made big plans for the rest of our abode...but didn't really get far. Husband took the three oldest FarmHands to the park to ride their bikes (no concrete in the country & gravel isn't great for learning). Bitsy played play-dough while I cleaned up the kids' rooms. I also managed to make lunch & vacuum today. Yeah for me.
My knee is still a bit red & swollen, but I can move it & put weight on it without pain. Kneeling is still out & deep bends are not advisable, but it's getting better.
Uncle Gick called around 3 to see if we could come swimming with Katie. I was so thankful for the distraction. I loaded everyone up & they spent 3 hours splashing, screaming, swimming and laughing. Katie is heading to her grandma's on Saturday, so we said our good-byes. Then Katie informed us that she's coming to spend an entire month next summer. Unkie Di said, "Oh really? We'll have to see about that!" :)
Now the FarmHands are tucked in & I'm about to hit the hay, but there are small voices coming from the girls' room. I should probably go break up the party....in a minute.
On knees & budgies
The knee is much better today. The antibiotics are working quickly & well. For this I am grateful. It's still red & swollen, but the pain is not nearly as severe as it was. Now it's itching & making me a bit crazy. I still can't kneel on it, which is tough when you're wrangling 4 kids, but I'm getting by. It's amazing how much time I spend on the ground, kneeling & crawling around after the FarmHands.
My budgies are growing. They're so funny to watch. Bitsy loves them & would have her hand in the cage all day long if I'd let her. She calls them her bird-birds & her tweet-tweets. She adores them.
Quill has finally decided to get vocal for us. In the beginning Emmett would tweet & chirp & carry on, but Quill would just sit & listen. Now they bicker back & forth, sing to each other, and play quite a bit. The FarmHands love to watch them "kiss." I'm working on acclimating them to my hand so they'll be comfortable enough to perch on my finger. They've done it a few times, but always seem surprised when they discover where they're standing.
Today I pulled their cage apart & cleaned it all out. They stood on their perch & watched the goings on with great curiosity. I think they're warming up to me.
July 15, 2009
Good news & the insane price of feeling better.
I did not rupture the bursa in my knee. It's infected. The specialist said it's cellulitis. In fact, he looked at my x-rays before coming in (I assume since I could hear him talking about them in the hall), looked at my knee for all of 3 seconds, touched it for about 7 seconds & said, "Oh, that's just an infection. Your doctor needs to put you on antibiotics." Since his office couldn't contact my Doc (he only works half day on Wednesdays), he wrote the script himself & sent me off.
Husband said, "That 10 seconds of work probably cost $100." He's right. It's ridiculous. He was a nice man. I don't doubt his diagnosis. But I do think the price his office will charge will be tantamount to highway robbery. Can't wait to see the EOB from my insurance company on this one.
I think BabyGirl & #1 Son's first appointments at our ENT's office (which lasted an entire 10 minutes combined) cost $245 a piece. OK, stepping back before I climb up on my soap box.
But I do have to say, I'm very relieved that a round of antibiotics is all I need and there will be no giant needles inserted into my joints. I know, I know, after birthing 4 kids & having one amniocentesis, I should be able to deal with draining & cortisone shots....but alas, I'm a big wimp.
Husband said, "That 10 seconds of work probably cost $100." He's right. It's ridiculous. He was a nice man. I don't doubt his diagnosis. But I do think the price his office will charge will be tantamount to highway robbery. Can't wait to see the EOB from my insurance company on this one.
I think BabyGirl & #1 Son's first appointments at our ENT's office (which lasted an entire 10 minutes combined) cost $245 a piece. OK, stepping back before I climb up on my soap box.
But I do have to say, I'm very relieved that a round of antibiotics is all I need and there will be no giant needles inserted into my joints. I know, I know, after birthing 4 kids & having one amniocentesis, I should be able to deal with draining & cortisone shots....but alas, I'm a big wimp.
In the capable hands of my daughter
Hobbling around on crutches is old school to me. I was on them once a year from third grade until my junior year in high school. The FarmHands, on the other hand, are fascinated by them. I fear one of them may end up actually needing crutches if they don't leave mine alone soon.
I'm not using them this morning. My knee doesn't hurt quite as bad & I can put a bit of weight on it without wanting to scream. Mostly I'm sitting in my computer chair doing nothing...but last night even this was excruciating.
I did discover that BabyGirl is a very capable young lady. She tucked her brothers in for me last night, helped with laundry, and did other odd jobs I couldn't manage with my crutches. She even tucked Bitsy & me into bed before she turned in for the first time.
I say first time, because she kept getting up & coming back in my room to check on us & tell me she couldn't sleep. Could it be because she refused to stay in bed for more than 4 minutes at a time? Nah, probably not. Eventually we got down to the nitty-gritty of it. She was worried that I'd be laid up for a long time & the entire responsibility of the house hold would fall on her slight shoulders. I promised her that she would not be asked to do anything she couldn't handle.
Now I just have to wait to see what the doctor has to say today.
I'm not using them this morning. My knee doesn't hurt quite as bad & I can put a bit of weight on it without wanting to scream. Mostly I'm sitting in my computer chair doing nothing...but last night even this was excruciating.
I did discover that BabyGirl is a very capable young lady. She tucked her brothers in for me last night, helped with laundry, and did other odd jobs I couldn't manage with my crutches. She even tucked Bitsy & me into bed before she turned in for the first time.
I say first time, because she kept getting up & coming back in my room to check on us & tell me she couldn't sleep. Could it be because she refused to stay in bed for more than 4 minutes at a time? Nah, probably not. Eventually we got down to the nitty-gritty of it. She was worried that I'd be laid up for a long time & the entire responsibility of the house hold would fall on her slight shoulders. I promised her that she would not be asked to do anything she couldn't handle.
Now I just have to wait to see what the doctor has to say today.
July 14, 2009
Oh what fun.....
A possibly ruptured knee bursa can be. Let me tell you. Ugh.
When I knelt down to change Bitsy's diaper this morning, my knee hurt. There was a small red spot on it & I assumed I'd bumped it sometime yesterday & didn't remember. I kept trying to figure out what I'd done, but came up blank.
Katie came over to play & I had promised her a trip to our creek. The FarmHands & I tromped all over creation showing Katie fun, muddy, crawly things. Some how I got zapped by the electric fence twice today...not fun. I promise you. And through out the day, my knee got more & more tender.
When I sat down at the picnic table after throwing lunch in the oven, I realized my knee cap was swollen & red. When I touched it, it felt warm. The pain increased as the day wore on. Around 1:30, I called my doctor to see if he could take a look at it.
Doc thinks I've ruptured a Bursa. Tomorrow I go see an Orthopedic specialist to have him look at it. My timing is good, he's not a permanent fixture at our local hospital. Tomorrow is his day to be in & he's working me in at 10:45 tomorrow. He wanted an x-ray of my knee, so I've had that done today, too.
I was supposed to pick up my dress for Bubba & Beck's wedding tomorrow, but that's been put on hold. Tonight I have a date with Vicoprofin.
This sucks.
When I knelt down to change Bitsy's diaper this morning, my knee hurt. There was a small red spot on it & I assumed I'd bumped it sometime yesterday & didn't remember. I kept trying to figure out what I'd done, but came up blank.
Katie came over to play & I had promised her a trip to our creek. The FarmHands & I tromped all over creation showing Katie fun, muddy, crawly things. Some how I got zapped by the electric fence twice today...not fun. I promise you. And through out the day, my knee got more & more tender.
When I sat down at the picnic table after throwing lunch in the oven, I realized my knee cap was swollen & red. When I touched it, it felt warm. The pain increased as the day wore on. Around 1:30, I called my doctor to see if he could take a look at it.
Doc thinks I've ruptured a Bursa. Tomorrow I go see an Orthopedic specialist to have him look at it. My timing is good, he's not a permanent fixture at our local hospital. Tomorrow is his day to be in & he's working me in at 10:45 tomorrow. He wanted an x-ray of my knee, so I've had that done today, too.
I was supposed to pick up my dress for Bubba & Beck's wedding tomorrow, but that's been put on hold. Tonight I have a date with Vicoprofin.
This sucks.
April 9, 2009
The rest of the story
BabyGirl has three stitches in the back of her head. She fell on the school bus on the way home Tuesday & hit the back of her head on a heater in the floor. There was a one inch cut & a lot of blood, but the doctor said it looked clean & stitched up nicely. BabyGirl was scared & cried when they were putting in the stitches, but the doctor & nurses said she did a wonderful job holding still for them.
A little boy on the bus was playing with #1 Son & BabyGirl when (for an unknown reason) he started hitting them. #1 Son went under the bus seats to get away from him. BabyGirl started walking up & down the aisles trying to keep the boy from finding #1 Son. At some point the boy was trying to walk by BabyGirl & she thought he was going to run into her, so she sat down too fast. When she did, she missed the seat & hit her head. It happened aobut 2 minutes from our house.
#1 Son & our niece, E, ran to the house from the bus to tell me about BabyGirl. I ran to the bus to get her & saw there was a substitute driver...a rather young man who looked like he'd seen a ghost. I assumed she fell getting off the bus & didn't ask any questions. I just grabbed her up & carried her back to the house. It wasn't until later I found out about the rough housing on the bus.
Yesterday I took the kids into talk to the principal before school. I was not happy with the lack of supervision on the bus Tuesday. I told him I know my children were misbehaving & we'd had a long discussion about keeping our fannies planted in the seats at all times on the bus, but BabyGirl said she couldn't get the driver's attention when the other boy started hitting them. The principal already knew she had been up & moving around on the bus & got hurt, so I had to wonder why the driver (who obviously noticed something) never told her to sit back down.
The Principal reported the incident to the bus supervisor & had a sit down with the other boy involved. The boy ended up with a 3 day bus suspension because this was his third incident on the bus this year.
BabyGirl is doing pretty good. Her head hurts (naturally) and she has a decent sized goose egg around the stitches. They come out in 8 to 10 days & until then, keeping her hair combed is not going to be fun, but we'll survive. I'm thankful it was only a small cut & not something much worse.
A little boy on the bus was playing with #1 Son & BabyGirl when (for an unknown reason) he started hitting them. #1 Son went under the bus seats to get away from him. BabyGirl started walking up & down the aisles trying to keep the boy from finding #1 Son. At some point the boy was trying to walk by BabyGirl & she thought he was going to run into her, so she sat down too fast. When she did, she missed the seat & hit her head. It happened aobut 2 minutes from our house.
#1 Son & our niece, E, ran to the house from the bus to tell me about BabyGirl. I ran to the bus to get her & saw there was a substitute driver...a rather young man who looked like he'd seen a ghost. I assumed she fell getting off the bus & didn't ask any questions. I just grabbed her up & carried her back to the house. It wasn't until later I found out about the rough housing on the bus.
Yesterday I took the kids into talk to the principal before school. I was not happy with the lack of supervision on the bus Tuesday. I told him I know my children were misbehaving & we'd had a long discussion about keeping our fannies planted in the seats at all times on the bus, but BabyGirl said she couldn't get the driver's attention when the other boy started hitting them. The principal already knew she had been up & moving around on the bus & got hurt, so I had to wonder why the driver (who obviously noticed something) never told her to sit back down.
The Principal reported the incident to the bus supervisor & had a sit down with the other boy involved. The boy ended up with a 3 day bus suspension because this was his third incident on the bus this year.
BabyGirl is doing pretty good. Her head hurts (naturally) and she has a decent sized goose egg around the stitches. They come out in 8 to 10 days & until then, keeping her hair combed is not going to be fun, but we'll survive. I'm thankful it was only a small cut & not something much worse.
September 7, 2008
Ride 'em, Cowgirl! Yeah, right.
OK, so the story goes something like this:
Husband & the three oldest FarmHands were playing outside. Bitsy was napping. I was baking cupcakes as a special treat for us & getting ready to start working on a certain little bug's baby blanket from his favorite second cousin. The windows were wide open. There was a House marathon on USA. Life was good.
I heard Husband call my name from the cow lot. When I looked out the back door, #1 Son was sitting astride the horse, thrilled to be there. "Come lead the horse so I can hold on to #1 Son," my beloved called. I slipped on my flip-flops (yes, I know....not with a horse), ran out, and helped them make one trip around the pen. Then I headed back in to get the cupcakes out of the oven & put on my mud boots (flip-flops & horse poop don't go well together).
BabyGirl & B.B. took their turns, and then it was mine. I haven't been on Lightning in more than 2 years. She was doing very well. I was not concerned. Husband gave me a boost (she's a tall quarterhorse), I tucked my boots into the stirrups, adjusted my weight so it was on my feet & not my bottom, and took a good grip on the pommel of the saddle. Husband took the lead rope & we headed off. Things were good for a few yards, then BabyGirl started yelling for me. She wasn't feeling good & wanted to go inside. I raised my hand to tell her to hold on a minute and we made the first turn in the pen. BabyGirl started shouting again & her dad quietly told her to hush & I'd be there in a minute. I doubt she heard him. She hollered a third time & I raised my hand again to tell her to wait.....and that's when things went wrong.
Lightning got spooked & jerked her head back. Husband tried to calm her & kept a firm grip on the rope. She slammed into the woven wire fencing next to us & I leaned away from it to keep from getting barbed wire in my face (this resulted in the bruising to my right hip & thigh). Then she jerked away from the fence & spun out in the field. Husband kept wrestling to keep her under control & I kept holding on for dear life. I'm not really sure what happened next, but the result was my face making direct contact with the hard packed ground before any other part of my body did.
As soon as I was off, Husband jerked the horse away from me & pulled her to the post to tie her up. He yelled for me to lay still & he'd come get me. I couldn't have gotten up if I wanted to. I couldn't take a deep breath. I couldn't roll over. All I did was lay there in the tall grass & cry, "Oh God. Please Lord. Jesus. Oh please God. Sweet Jesus. Dear Lord," over & over & over.
Husband got to me, picked me up, and carried me up to the house. I was beginning to breath easier, but my left arm hurt like the dickens just below my elbow as did my right hip & thigh & the right side of my face...and don't even get me started on my head. Oh, and I was picking grass out from between my teeth. Really.
I went inside while Husband went to calm the boys down (who watched the entire fiasco) and take the saddle off the horse. When he was done, I went out to tell him about my arm. He said to call his mom & see if she'd come sit with the kids while he took me to the ER. When I couldn't get through to her, I called Uncle E's. RL answered & I asked if she'd take me. She grabbed Beffie, jumped in her truck & high tailed it to our house.
On the way to the ER I could follow the conversation at hand fairly well, but couldn't back track to figure out how we got to this point in the conversation. And if anyone quit talking, I was lost.
At the ER, the doctor (who happened to be one we'd had before that I loved...although I know Needlefinger's Mom does not like him), checked me out & said he didn't think anything was broken, but he wanted an x-ray just in case.
The x-ray tech had the same name as BabyGirl. While she was setting up the x-ray I said, "I'm nursing. Will this be OK." She said, "You're in nursing?" I said, "No. I'm nursing my baby. This won't hurt anything will it?" She said no, it wasn't an issue & asked how old Bitsy was. For the life of me I couldn't tell her. I think I said, "She's either 14 months or 17 months, but I'm not sure because I can't count right now." When I told Husband the story he says I said either 11 months or 17 months...I was still pretty loopy.
The doctor came back in & said nothing was broken and I probably had a mild concussion (no vomiting or anything) but he wanted me to get a tetanus shot because of the scrapes on my face. He sent me home with my arm in a sling & a prescription that reads:
To whom it may concern:
Husband must do all house-hold domestic chores for next 4-5 years.
I wish I could tell you the conversation that led up to the script because it was funny...but alas, that was one that's been lost in the fog.
RL & Beffie brought me back home & I crashed out in the arm chair. I called to tell QM my adventures, and at some point I was gesturing to her over the phone & she laughed at me. I had to ask her what was so funny & she said, "I can't see what you're doing." I was so confused.
My right hip hurts a bit. My right thigh hurts a bit more. My left arm is pretty sore & I've been alternating moving it around & tucking it in the sling. The right side of my face is covered in broken capillaries & a few small scrapes. The left side of my lip is busted & the inside of my mouth (where the top lip meets the gums) hurts. My right temple has a small lump & is VERY tender. I can't open my mouth too wide because it makes my temple hurt. Tylenol, Ice, and wake every 3 hours were my instructions.
Husband woke me up & asked me inappropriate questions in the night....well, inappropriate to ask your wife who's suffering from head trauma anyway. This morning I had to ask him what he'd said. I only remember thinking, "Why is he asking me this? Is he stupid?" but couldn't remember the questions. I'm pretty sure I told him he was stupid & asked what the hell was wrong with him...yeah, I was out of it. This morning I told him, "You were supposed to ask me things like what's my name, how many kids do we have, what year is it...not that!" But this is the same man who said, "I would have jumped off the horse." To which I think I replied, "Shut up."
Bitsy took care of the rest of the wakings for us. Husband moved to the couch. BabyGirl vomited in the night. She & B.B. were both up by shortly after 5 am wanting ibuprofen. B.B. is already on antibiotics but I have to wait for the doctor's office to open Monday to call in & get BabyGirl some. I was going to give her #1 Son's dosage since they're the same weight, but I can't remember what antibiotic she was on that sent us to the ER with her covered in hives. Why I didn't write it down is beyond me. Oh well.
So, two out of four kids sick. One mother laid up with horse related injuries & lingering sinus issues...and intestinal problems stemming from her antibiotics. One five year old completely over his illness and a toddler who doesn't understand why mom can't tote her around & pick her up every 90 seconds. A very messy kitchen.
Well, that's my story & I'm sticking to it....at least until RL & Beffie tell me different. I wonder what all I said to them yesterday. Those girls may have gotten a real education.....
I'm off to put my sling back on & kick back in the arm chair while my Tylenol does little to ease my head ache. Enjoy your Sunday & stay off the horse! I'm going to eat a chocolate cupcake for breakfast.
Husband & the three oldest FarmHands were playing outside. Bitsy was napping. I was baking cupcakes as a special treat for us & getting ready to start working on a certain little bug's baby blanket from his favorite second cousin. The windows were wide open. There was a House marathon on USA. Life was good.
I heard Husband call my name from the cow lot. When I looked out the back door, #1 Son was sitting astride the horse, thrilled to be there. "Come lead the horse so I can hold on to #1 Son," my beloved called. I slipped on my flip-flops (yes, I know....not with a horse), ran out, and helped them make one trip around the pen. Then I headed back in to get the cupcakes out of the oven & put on my mud boots (flip-flops & horse poop don't go well together).
BabyGirl & B.B. took their turns, and then it was mine. I haven't been on Lightning in more than 2 years. She was doing very well. I was not concerned. Husband gave me a boost (she's a tall quarterhorse), I tucked my boots into the stirrups, adjusted my weight so it was on my feet & not my bottom, and took a good grip on the pommel of the saddle. Husband took the lead rope & we headed off. Things were good for a few yards, then BabyGirl started yelling for me. She wasn't feeling good & wanted to go inside. I raised my hand to tell her to hold on a minute and we made the first turn in the pen. BabyGirl started shouting again & her dad quietly told her to hush & I'd be there in a minute. I doubt she heard him. She hollered a third time & I raised my hand again to tell her to wait.....and that's when things went wrong.
Lightning got spooked & jerked her head back. Husband tried to calm her & kept a firm grip on the rope. She slammed into the woven wire fencing next to us & I leaned away from it to keep from getting barbed wire in my face (this resulted in the bruising to my right hip & thigh). Then she jerked away from the fence & spun out in the field. Husband kept wrestling to keep her under control & I kept holding on for dear life. I'm not really sure what happened next, but the result was my face making direct contact with the hard packed ground before any other part of my body did.
As soon as I was off, Husband jerked the horse away from me & pulled her to the post to tie her up. He yelled for me to lay still & he'd come get me. I couldn't have gotten up if I wanted to. I couldn't take a deep breath. I couldn't roll over. All I did was lay there in the tall grass & cry, "Oh God. Please Lord. Jesus. Oh please God. Sweet Jesus. Dear Lord," over & over & over.
Husband got to me, picked me up, and carried me up to the house. I was beginning to breath easier, but my left arm hurt like the dickens just below my elbow as did my right hip & thigh & the right side of my face...and don't even get me started on my head. Oh, and I was picking grass out from between my teeth. Really.
I went inside while Husband went to calm the boys down (who watched the entire fiasco) and take the saddle off the horse. When he was done, I went out to tell him about my arm. He said to call his mom & see if she'd come sit with the kids while he took me to the ER. When I couldn't get through to her, I called Uncle E's. RL answered & I asked if she'd take me. She grabbed Beffie, jumped in her truck & high tailed it to our house.
On the way to the ER I could follow the conversation at hand fairly well, but couldn't back track to figure out how we got to this point in the conversation. And if anyone quit talking, I was lost.
At the ER, the doctor (who happened to be one we'd had before that I loved...although I know Needlefinger's Mom does not like him), checked me out & said he didn't think anything was broken, but he wanted an x-ray just in case.
The x-ray tech had the same name as BabyGirl. While she was setting up the x-ray I said, "I'm nursing. Will this be OK." She said, "You're in nursing?" I said, "No. I'm nursing my baby. This won't hurt anything will it?" She said no, it wasn't an issue & asked how old Bitsy was. For the life of me I couldn't tell her. I think I said, "She's either 14 months or 17 months, but I'm not sure because I can't count right now." When I told Husband the story he says I said either 11 months or 17 months...I was still pretty loopy.
The doctor came back in & said nothing was broken and I probably had a mild concussion (no vomiting or anything) but he wanted me to get a tetanus shot because of the scrapes on my face. He sent me home with my arm in a sling & a prescription that reads:
To whom it may concern:
Husband must do all house-hold domestic chores for next 4-5 years.
I wish I could tell you the conversation that led up to the script because it was funny...but alas, that was one that's been lost in the fog.
RL & Beffie brought me back home & I crashed out in the arm chair. I called to tell QM my adventures, and at some point I was gesturing to her over the phone & she laughed at me. I had to ask her what was so funny & she said, "I can't see what you're doing." I was so confused.
My right hip hurts a bit. My right thigh hurts a bit more. My left arm is pretty sore & I've been alternating moving it around & tucking it in the sling. The right side of my face is covered in broken capillaries & a few small scrapes. The left side of my lip is busted & the inside of my mouth (where the top lip meets the gums) hurts. My right temple has a small lump & is VERY tender. I can't open my mouth too wide because it makes my temple hurt. Tylenol, Ice, and wake every 3 hours were my instructions.
Husband woke me up & asked me inappropriate questions in the night....well, inappropriate to ask your wife who's suffering from head trauma anyway. This morning I had to ask him what he'd said. I only remember thinking, "Why is he asking me this? Is he stupid?" but couldn't remember the questions. I'm pretty sure I told him he was stupid & asked what the hell was wrong with him...yeah, I was out of it. This morning I told him, "You were supposed to ask me things like what's my name, how many kids do we have, what year is it...not that!" But this is the same man who said, "I would have jumped off the horse." To which I think I replied, "Shut up."
Bitsy took care of the rest of the wakings for us. Husband moved to the couch. BabyGirl vomited in the night. She & B.B. were both up by shortly after 5 am wanting ibuprofen. B.B. is already on antibiotics but I have to wait for the doctor's office to open Monday to call in & get BabyGirl some. I was going to give her #1 Son's dosage since they're the same weight, but I can't remember what antibiotic she was on that sent us to the ER with her covered in hives. Why I didn't write it down is beyond me. Oh well.
So, two out of four kids sick. One mother laid up with horse related injuries & lingering sinus issues...and intestinal problems stemming from her antibiotics. One five year old completely over his illness and a toddler who doesn't understand why mom can't tote her around & pick her up every 90 seconds. A very messy kitchen.
Well, that's my story & I'm sticking to it....at least until RL & Beffie tell me different. I wonder what all I said to them yesterday. Those girls may have gotten a real education.....
I'm off to put my sling back on & kick back in the arm chair while my Tylenol does little to ease my head ache. Enjoy your Sunday & stay off the horse! I'm going to eat a chocolate cupcake for breakfast.
August 1, 2008
Random thoughts for the day
Never thought I'd be thankful for a heart attack. But now I'm wondering if the doctor would have caught Aunt Silverbelle's cancer if it hadn't been for the tests following her heart attack. Would it have gone unchecked until too late to treat?
If you read Inkling's blog she has a wonderful post up today that sums up pretty well how I'm feeling too.
As a total distraction from what's taking place around me I shall now return to my normal mindless blogging.
This summer I decided the three oldest FarmHands are old enough to play outside by themselves. We live in the boonies. We have no close neighbors. Our house sits well back from the road. They have strict instructions to stay in certain parts of the yard. It has been a huge help to be able to shoo them outside this summer. I check up on them every 15 minutes or so. They run in & out of the house all afternoon.
Yesterday I heard a blood curdling scream coming from the side yard. I leaped over the baby gate & tore through the house at a break neck speed (for me). #1 Son was screaming & sobbing & trying to get in the back door. When I got him to calm down enough to talk he told me he'd been stung. Because we have wasps in profusion around here, I'm pretty sure that's what got him. Ice, a shower, and 30 minutes of Spongebob & he was all better.
Every time I leave B.B. alone with his siblings, he ends up wearing a dress. Today he's lounging around the house in a cute red, white, and black plaid dress from Art's Syd. The black velvet ribbons across the bodice really show off his figure. I worry about that boy.
Bitsy has decided #1 Son should pack her around the house all day long. Every time he walks by she reaches for him. When he bends down to hug her, she wraps her arms around his neck & her chubby little legs around his waist. Big brother is loving it! Big Sister is pea green with envy.
The lady working the drive-thru at McDonald's this morning was wonderfully cheery. It's nice to be told, "Here's your food. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!"and think the person who said it truly means it.
Today was school registration. Two kids in school all day long this year. Next year B.B. will go half a day. In 4 more years I'll be all alone all day long. What ever shall I do?
I need to start baking cookies for VBS. First I need to clean my kitchen up again. Before that I think I'll take a nap....yeah, right.
If you read Inkling's blog she has a wonderful post up today that sums up pretty well how I'm feeling too.
As a total distraction from what's taking place around me I shall now return to my normal mindless blogging.
This summer I decided the three oldest FarmHands are old enough to play outside by themselves. We live in the boonies. We have no close neighbors. Our house sits well back from the road. They have strict instructions to stay in certain parts of the yard. It has been a huge help to be able to shoo them outside this summer. I check up on them every 15 minutes or so. They run in & out of the house all afternoon.
Yesterday I heard a blood curdling scream coming from the side yard. I leaped over the baby gate & tore through the house at a break neck speed (for me). #1 Son was screaming & sobbing & trying to get in the back door. When I got him to calm down enough to talk he told me he'd been stung. Because we have wasps in profusion around here, I'm pretty sure that's what got him. Ice, a shower, and 30 minutes of Spongebob & he was all better.
Every time I leave B.B. alone with his siblings, he ends up wearing a dress. Today he's lounging around the house in a cute red, white, and black plaid dress from Art's Syd. The black velvet ribbons across the bodice really show off his figure. I worry about that boy.
Bitsy has decided #1 Son should pack her around the house all day long. Every time he walks by she reaches for him. When he bends down to hug her, she wraps her arms around his neck & her chubby little legs around his waist. Big brother is loving it! Big Sister is pea green with envy.
The lady working the drive-thru at McDonald's this morning was wonderfully cheery. It's nice to be told, "Here's your food. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!"and think the person who said it truly means it.
Today was school registration. Two kids in school all day long this year. Next year B.B. will go half a day. In 4 more years I'll be all alone all day long. What ever shall I do?
I need to start baking cookies for VBS. First I need to clean my kitchen up again. Before that I think I'll take a nap....yeah, right.
June 7, 2008
The healing powers of painters tape
Long ago, B.B. discovered the magical healing properties of the band aid. He's demanded one with ever drop of blood that has risen to the surface on his little body. He has screamed for one with every bump & bruise. He's demanded bandaids for his tongue when he's bit it. He's wanted them plastered all over himself in place of his clothing. He's put them on his belly to prevent vomiting (Inkling, have you tried this? It works for B.B.)
After I caught him & BabyGirl & the remains of a brand new box of Batman bandaids in the dry bathtub one afternoon, I told him they were only to be passed out now in case of actual blood loss or broken skin. This has been a thorn in his side. He's not happy unless he's sporting a little sticky strip. I'm not happy about buying a giant value box of band aids every other week.
A few weeks ago, Husband was painting the kids bathroom. B.B. was tearing through the house (as is his normal mode of movement) when he banged his shin into something. He came screaming to us that he needed a band aid. Sorry, Bud. No blood, no broken skin, no band aid. Complete melt down ensued.
Husband had a flash of brilliance, slapped a short lenght of blue painters tape on B.B.'s leg, and sent him merrily on his way. B.B. was so proud of that blue tape & informed me, "Dis blue tape made my owie all better, Mom! It doesn't even hurt now!"
This morning he's sporting a 3 inch piece across a scratch from yesterday that's perfectly scabbed over (he requested the tape this time). Who knew? And costwise, I'm pretty sure we can heal a lot more owies with small strips of painters tape for much less than it would cost to heal the same owies with actual band aids. No, I'll keep them for real injuries.
After I caught him & BabyGirl & the remains of a brand new box of Batman bandaids in the dry bathtub one afternoon, I told him they were only to be passed out now in case of actual blood loss or broken skin. This has been a thorn in his side. He's not happy unless he's sporting a little sticky strip. I'm not happy about buying a giant value box of band aids every other week.
A few weeks ago, Husband was painting the kids bathroom. B.B. was tearing through the house (as is his normal mode of movement) when he banged his shin into something. He came screaming to us that he needed a band aid. Sorry, Bud. No blood, no broken skin, no band aid. Complete melt down ensued.
Husband had a flash of brilliance, slapped a short lenght of blue painters tape on B.B.'s leg, and sent him merrily on his way. B.B. was so proud of that blue tape & informed me, "Dis blue tape made my owie all better, Mom! It doesn't even hurt now!"
This morning he's sporting a 3 inch piece across a scratch from yesterday that's perfectly scabbed over (he requested the tape this time). Who knew? And costwise, I'm pretty sure we can heal a lot more owies with small strips of painters tape for much less than it would cost to heal the same owies with actual band aids. No, I'll keep them for real injuries.
April 23, 2008
I'm on a jelly roll.
HA! I am so funny! Really, aren't you just amazed at how funny I am?
I have learned things recently. Want to know what they are? Too bad. I'm going to tell you anyway.
- Young calves are too cute for color TV. When they grow up they are much less cute.
- Any signs of life in my yard are enough to make me run around with my camera capturing every sprout & blossom.
Now if only they could inspire me to weed & mulch things. I think I may be A Wandering Heart's HOA's worst nightmare! - When he gets mad, B.B. likes to throw things (OK, so this isn't a new thing. It's been going on for a while. It is not met with great enthusiasim from his parents).
- I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dermabond!!!! It comes in very handy when your three year old throws a glass (Really!) at his brother in the bath tub lacerating said brother's shoulder. SO much easier than stitches & the shots that go with them.
- Great Uncle Gick is really good at calming down & distracting brother while Doc glues him back together.
- B.B. is terrified of his brother's blood. Like won't-come-near-him-in-the-shower-for-fear-of-being-bled-on terrified.
- Glass shards are not easy to clean out of a bath tub full of water. They are also not easy to clean off a wet boy.
- If one child gets hurt, the other 3 must have melt-downs....& the dog must go crazy....and the pizza must burn....and mom must yell, "EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP FOR 3 SECONDS!!"
- Busha is a great emergency baby sitter.
- RL & J can be at my house in under 3 minutes if the need arises (like the kids melting down, the dog going crazy, the pizza burning).
- A sucker & a Happy Meal make all owies better.
- "It's NOT FAIR that #1 Son got a Happy Meal & didn't have to go to school today!"
- BabyGirl may just lacerate her own shoulder to get chicken nuggets & a day to play hookey.
- McDonald's American Idol toys will make you want to toss them out a 4th story window within minutes of coming out of the plastic bag.
- Once I start making jelly with wild flowers, I may never
stop. When do roses bloom around here?! What other flowers are edible...dandelion jelly doesn't really sound appealing. - Bad things really do come in threes. 1. Earthquakes (many, many earth quakes). 2. Vomiting & fever in the night. 3. Deep cuts & a trip to the ER.
- I need a vacation that does not include giant concrete dinosaurs.
Yes, last night was super fun. Can we do it again, please?
March 17, 2008
'Cause chicks dig scars
OK, so yesterday I was doing dishes & chatting with the Queen Mother on the phone while the boys tore through the house with mad abandon. I had repeatedly warned them about the dangers of running through the house. I asked them to stop running. I demanded they stop running. I deposited their hind ends on the couch & threatened them if they did not stop running. Did they listen? Obviously not.
I turned from the dish drainer to put the silverware away when B.B. shot out of nowhere (seriously, I think he was invisible before he crashed) and slammed his head into the side of the open drawer. He was running full tilt when his head made contact with the drawer runner. He hit it so hard his feet flew up in the air & he came down hard...the side of his face hit the ground first.
I nearly screamed. I got off the phone very quickly, grabbed an ice pack, and deposited him on the couch. I just knew we were getting ready to make a trip to the ER for stitches, but thankfully the skin didn't actually break. It's just a scrape. Today there's barely a bruise.
B.B. wanted QM to come see his owie as soon as it happened. I told him we'd send her a picture instead. This is the email he wrote to her & Pa this morning:
Dear Grammy & Pa,
Do you like my owie? I got it because I been running and and I bumped into that drawer and I falled down. You have to be careful & not open those drawers again so I don't get an owie.
Love,
B.B. FarmHand
Her response:
Dear B.B.,
Your owie looked like it hurt bad. Maybe you should just walk and not run in the kitchen.
Love,
Grammy
Words from the wise.
And while this may be off topic, I have to share. As I was typing, Husband said, "Uh, Bitsy is in Lilly's kennel chewing on a raw hide." Eww Gwoss!
I turned from the dish drainer to put the silverware away when B.B. shot out of nowhere (seriously, I think he was invisible before he crashed) and slammed his head into the side of the open drawer. He was running full tilt when his head made contact with the drawer runner. He hit it so hard his feet flew up in the air & he came down hard...the side of his face hit the ground first.
I nearly screamed. I got off the phone very quickly, grabbed an ice pack, and deposited him on the couch. I just knew we were getting ready to make a trip to the ER for stitches, but thankfully the skin didn't actually break. It's just a scrape. Today there's barely a bruise.
B.B. wanted QM to come see his owie as soon as it happened. I told him we'd send her a picture instead. This is the email he wrote to her & Pa this morning:
Dear Grammy & Pa,
Do you like my owie? I got it because I been running and and I bumped into that drawer and I falled down. You have to be careful & not open those drawers again so I don't get an owie.
Love,
B.B. FarmHand
Her response:
Dear B.B.,
Your owie looked like it hurt bad. Maybe you should just walk and not run in the kitchen.
Love,
Grammy
Words from the wise.
And while this may be off topic, I have to share. As I was typing, Husband said, "Uh, Bitsy is in Lilly's kennel chewing on a raw hide." Eww Gwoss!
May 9, 2007
Another one bites the dust...
It finally happened. I fell. Crashed & burned. Bit the dust. Sprawled out on the floor. It happens at least once during each pregnancy, but never before in the privacy of my own home. Usually it's a very public display...but usually it's not caused by loose jewelry.
When I was carrying BabyGirl I hit the ground climbing out of Husband's truck at Big BIL's house during a family cook-out. With #1 Son, I really don't remember the particulars, but I know it happened. With B.B. it happened twice. Once when I was carrying a Pyrex casserole dish out to Little BIL- I fell off the side steps of the house & landed on the gravel. The dish survived...my husband barely did (not quite as compassionate as the situation deemed necessary). The second time I flopped down in the Wal-Mart parking lot while heading back to the van. RL was with me and was so shocked to see me laying on the pavement, she just stared for a moment...I got up before she had time to react. She hadn't actually seen me fall & must've thought I'd lost my mind.
Today I was walking past the island in my kitchen when my right foot slid out from under me, my left knee hit the floor & I twisted around to land on my hip/back. When I looked down I discovered BabyGirl's beaded necklace laying in the kitchen floor...the one I told her repeatedly to put back in her jewelry box. My right ankle was achy (still is just a bit), my left knee hurt but doesn't now, and the left half of my pelvis (which didn't need anymore trauma) is still hurting...7 hours later. This has condemned my kids to an evening of the boob tube because there is no way I'm attempting to chase them around the yard...I can barely chase them around the house!
I know I'm not "injured" in the "I need to go to the hospital and get this checked out" definition of the word, but I am hurting & cannot get comfortable. Anyone want to come be my maid-of-all-work for the rest of the week while I recuperate?
When I was carrying BabyGirl I hit the ground climbing out of Husband's truck at Big BIL's house during a family cook-out. With #1 Son, I really don't remember the particulars, but I know it happened. With B.B. it happened twice. Once when I was carrying a Pyrex casserole dish out to Little BIL- I fell off the side steps of the house & landed on the gravel. The dish survived...my husband barely did (not quite as compassionate as the situation deemed necessary). The second time I flopped down in the Wal-Mart parking lot while heading back to the van. RL was with me and was so shocked to see me laying on the pavement, she just stared for a moment...I got up before she had time to react. She hadn't actually seen me fall & must've thought I'd lost my mind.
Today I was walking past the island in my kitchen when my right foot slid out from under me, my left knee hit the floor & I twisted around to land on my hip/back. When I looked down I discovered BabyGirl's beaded necklace laying in the kitchen floor...the one I told her repeatedly to put back in her jewelry box. My right ankle was achy (still is just a bit), my left knee hurt but doesn't now, and the left half of my pelvis (which didn't need anymore trauma) is still hurting...7 hours later. This has condemned my kids to an evening of the boob tube because there is no way I'm attempting to chase them around the yard...I can barely chase them around the house!
I know I'm not "injured" in the "I need to go to the hospital and get this checked out" definition of the word, but I am hurting & cannot get comfortable. Anyone want to come be my maid-of-all-work for the rest of the week while I recuperate?
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