As I was sitting at my computer mulling over houses on a realty site, I thought I’d check out the happenings on the blog. It’s been ages since I’ve checked. My apologies for not saying "hello" sooner.
I loved all your pictures from Thanksgiving. Margaret hosted our Thanksgiving this year. We decided to recruit someone new this year since my Mom is out of commission with her broken wrist. Margaret did a fabulous job with the turkey and the rest of us brought various items. Margaret had Tim and Daniel move her couch out of her living room and combined three tables in her living room to form one long one for all of us to sit at. It worked out quite well. And her doggies behaved like perfect gentlemen behind their barrier. Poor things had to watch a feast before them. Hopefully Margaret threw them a little something later on in the evening.
I took my Mom to Abbott (hospital) last Tuesday for surgery on her wrist. They had tried previously to straighten it in the office and then put a cast on it. But after a week, they discovered the break was worse than they thought and decided surgery was the best option for her to regain her normal control. What was to be a quick surgery turned in to a 12 hour ordeal. Not the surgery, fortunately, just everything else going on at the hospital and my Mom’s recovery afterwards. She and I have a horrible time coming out of anesthesia. They were going to try a block on her arm, which they did, but unfortunately, one of her fingers didn’t get the message and continued to move. So they had to put her out and then, of course, we had to wait for her to come out of the anesthesia. But she was so determined to get out of the hospital and in to her own bed afterwards, that she put on a happy face and I dressed her quickly while the nurse wasn’t looking and we broke out of the hospital. Well okay, the nurse wheeled her out, but it sounds better the other way. She is recovering nicely and will hopefully have the cast off in another week and then will start working with a hand therapist to get it back to its old self. Don’t be surprised if you miss a Christmas card from her this year, she may be unable to write them since it was her right wrist that she broke.
My dog, Sidney, underwent her second knee surgery a week ago. I was throwing her Frisbee for her about 3 weeks ago when she uncharacteristically dropped to the ground and wouldn’t move. This dog lives to fetch and I was immediately concerned. Eric informed me she had done that one other time this summer. We brought her to the vet and sure enough, she had ripped a ligament again, this time in her other knee. She now has plates in both knees. Poor thing is falling apart and she only just turned 5. But she is the sweetest dog ever and if it weren’t for that, we may not have gone to such great lengths. If my Dad were alive he’d be shaking his head at all that Eric and I have done for this dog. Eric reminds me a lot of my Dad and when ever something arises with Sidney, he just shakes his head and listens to me pleading for Sidney’s cause. Did I mention I also give her allergy shots?! What can I say, I love this dog.
Better close this very long blog entry before I run out of space on the server. Hope everyone had a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the week ahead.
Hey Mary,
It's good to hear from you again. Hope your Mom and Sidney both make a speedy recovery.
Mary. Mary. Mary. I loved your long and interesting letter and I just want to tell you I have MISSED hearing your news.
Sue and I were trying to figure out when your Mom broke her wrist. And how. And was this surgery an attempt to improve the wrist from that previous break, or was it a new one?
Our Thanksgiving was wonderful. Janine hosted it this year and all the children love being there because of the woods. They ran and jumped all day outdoors because the weather was just perfect. Crisp, sunny, warm enough for bare arms, but with a cooling breeze. Just lovely.
I had a little minor surgery yesterday. Sue and Scott decided to stay on after Thanksgiving; and will return to Georgia tomorrow. Pathology report will come back Friday and we expect it to be all good news.
Your dad got his dog sense from his dad. When Prince was hit by a car and his back was broken, our diagnosis, my dad nursed him back to health and he lived another seven years. He ended up with severe arthritis in his back, our diagnosis, but with coaxing from my Dad or my Mom -- come on, you can do it, you're a good boy, come on, come on, come on -- he could wend his way up the basement stairs, going from one side to the other. Going down didn't seem to present a problem.
Anyhow, my point is, my Dad never, ever, spent a penny he didn't have to spend and he thought veterinarians were opportunists who just wanted his money. He was very loving towards Prince, but don't expect beauty parlors or doctors in his life.
Mine go to the beauty parlor every month. Ha.
My Mom broke her wrist on the 1st of November. She broke her left wrist 2 years ago. This time it was her right. I always wished in school for a broken right wrist, but no one ever breaks that; Especially a kid in school.
I brought her in to the Dr. the following Monday to get her cast put on. They put her fingers in some kind of craption that looked like some kind of torture device. She said it didn't hurt, but it obviously didn't work. A week later we went back to check the progress and the new x-ray showed the break was actually in three places. They scheduled the surgery as soon as they could. The Dr. told me after the procedure that her tendon had already started to fuse with the bone.
They put a plate in and two pins. The pins will actually be taken out in a couple of weeks. I'll most likely attend that appointment with her since my other sisters don't have the stomach for it. I actually find it all fascinating. Sort of reignites my desire to pursue Physical Therapy again. But that's another story.
I hope your procedure was nothing serious. I will be sending good thoughts your way on Friday for a good report.
It was very lovely to hear from you, Mary. I also recall she had a wrist injury a couple of years ago that she had to advocate for herself about because x-rays weren't showing anything until they got the right x-ray. Sorry to hear of her troubles. She is definitely off the hook for x-mas cards.
I wish Sydney and your Mom a speedy recovery.
Mary: the device that looks like a torture device is probably a "finger trap"--the idea is to let gravity pull the wrist and forearm down, then the doc can get the bones back in place. sometimes they slip out of place again during the casting process. glad to hear surgery is done and she can look forward to the mending process.