Saturday, July 6, 2013

I got updates from Trina throughout the night regarding James's surgery:  This text was sent at 12:50 am:
"He's out of surgery.  I just talked to Dr. Ortega.  He was able to place screws and bars.  They are going to watch the swelling every day.  They will do a ct scan later today to figure out the extent of the injury.  After the swelling goes down the earliest would be Monday, they will go in and place a plate and nail.  (They actually placed three plates and a rod.)

 Recovering from surgery

Exterior hardware

3:16 am. "They got him to his room.  He's eating ice.  His nurse is great.  I'm not going to stay because the room is tiny and he has a roommate.  There is nowhere for me to be, but he's good.  They are giving him pain medication now.  He is in room 410."

I got this message from James at 3:54 am: 

"This is my new home for about a week.  They will do another surgery on Sunday or Monday. (They weren't actually able to do it until Thursday).  Please bring me some garment changes, and shirt and pants and socks.  They cut off my clothes.  Please bring my medicine as well.  You are the love of my life!  Trina stayed with me all night.  Darrel is very blessed to have her.  I'm so drugged that it took me 30 minutes to do this text."

I left Vernon around 8:00am.  I stopped in Show Low to get gas and wash my car and to get something to eat at McDonald's.  I got this text as I was coming into Payson: "Where is my sunshine?"  I texted back: "On my way."  "What does that mean?"  "Payson."  "Be careful."  "OK."

James is so happy to see me when I finally arrive.  He is in alot of pain and very tired.  His nurse, a young black girl named Ryan tries various drugs for pain.  

This afternoon Tricia and her kids, who are in town, come for a visit, and so do Trina and her kids.  

James had a roommate, a hispanic man by the name of Ernie, but he checks out at the end of the day.

I stay until 9:30.  James wants me to stay but there is really no where for me to stay.  We ask the nurse about the empty bed and she said if I did use it we would have to pay for it.  Well I guess not.  I really do hate to leave but I need some rest so I can be here for him tomorrow.

I am going to close with a quote I saw today on Facebook by Mother Teresa:

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.  Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway."

Friday, July 5, 2013

It was overcast this morning and looked like it might rain.



James went out and chopped down another dead tree and hauled it away to be burned later.



I tried to do some catchup on my blog.  I am 18 days behind.

The boys played Rockband and Alex took a break to meditate.



Brian has a sinus infection and his medicine is not working.  He went into town to get a new prescription. 

Kim was in the kitchen making spaghetti tacos and I was sitting at the dining room table when a bat flew through the room close to her face, and then to mine.  We yelled and James saw where the bat went out through a crack in the ceiling near a log in the living room.  He had the boys bring in the big extension ladder but then realized he did not have any foam to seal the hole.  Another reason to go into town today. 

When James and I went in to town we made the following stops: Walmart, Home Depot, Express Fuel for gas, Big 5 Sports for a ping pong table, (obviously we took James's truck), and Show Low Motorsports to see about getting a windshield for the Razr.  We talked about full or half and decided we would come back tomorrow and get a half windshield.

Owen Taylor came by for a visit this afternoon.  He has a Razr just like ours!  He has a half windshield and mud flaps.  He told James he got them on Ebay a lot cheaper than what they are selling them for at Show Low Motosports. 

Around 5:30 or so, before dinner, James, Kim and I went on a Razr ride to Buckley Springs.  James was so happy.  He loves being out in nature and he loves the new Razr.

Antelope



 When we got home I was putting my jacket on a hook in the entryway when I heard a loud crash!  James had climbed up on the ladder to put foam in the crack where the bat came in and the ladder falls and his leg gets caught between two of the rungs as he comes down.  He broke it in three places.  You could see a bone sticking out.  I think that is called a compound fracture.  The sad thing is the room was filled with people who could have held that ladder for him but he didn't ask.  Kim was at the table doing a puzzle, and the boys were playing Rockband.  Brian was also in the room. 

We decided it would take too long to call an ambulance to come and get him so I put the seats down in my car and made a place for him to lay.  Brian and the boys helped him out to the car.  Alex got him a jacket because he was shivering, probably from shock.  I gave him two hydrocodone pills to help with the pain.  Michael came with me in case there was anything he could do to help.  He is so sweet!, and Brian followed behind in his car.  Brian also called ahead to the hospital to alert them that we were coming.

James said the worst pain he felt up to this point was when they put an air cast on him before they lifted him out of the car.  They tried to straighten his leg before putting it in the cast and that was what was so painful.

 Putting the cast on.

 

 

He was taken to a room in the emergency area of the hospital.  They took some x-rays and determined that he needed to be air evaced to Scottsdale because of the nature of the injury.

 

 

Sheri and Ian and the rest of their boys were on their way up when this happened.  Sheri had Ian drop her off at the hospital so she and I stood and watched the helicopter leave before going back to the cabin. 

 

 

Darrel and Paul met James at the hospital and gave him a blessing before his surgery.  Trina came and waited until the surgery was over and they had him in his room before she left.  I am so grateful to all of them for being there with James when I couldn't be.  I went home and tried to sleep so I could go down early tomorrow morning.

 

I was also grateful to Brian and Michael for going with us to the hospital and for Sheri for driving me home.  It has been a long day.









Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Sunrise

 

James and I went out on a Razr ride this morning.  It was a great way to start the fourth of July. 

 

Did I mention that James brought green chili burros from Burger House back with him yesterday.  I had one for breakfast, also a good way to start the day!

 

James and the boys take a ride on the Razr up to Greenspeak.  It starts to rain so they call me to come and rescue them.  I go outside and the Ranger is parked behind me so it takes me a few minutes before I can leave.  By the time I head up the hill I pass James and the boys coming down.  They don't even stop so I am a little upset.  Oh well, I got over it.

 

Kim and I went for a ride.  I took her up to where we had girls camp.  We enjoy our ride but little rocks keep flying up and hitting us in the face.  We need a windshield.  I am putting that on my list.  We only got rained on for a few minutes.  When we get back to the cabin Brian is here! 

 

For dinner we cook a feast.  We always have good food when Kim and Brian are here. We had steak, corn, broccoli, and Brian grilled some veggies.  It was yummy!!  Oh yes, did I mention we also had garlic bread.

 

We watched the Capital Fourth on TV and played "Fact or Crap", and "Five Crowns".  Kim wanted to get the boys away from Rockband for awhile.

 

To end the evening Brian gave Alex some fireworks he had up in their closet and Alex put on a show for us.  It was a fun way to end the evening.

 

 

 

 



Wednesday, July 3, 2013

James made me watch a video on Youtube about Senator Elbert Guillory, a black man who explains why he became a Republican.  Very inspirational.

James left for the valley this morning.  He has a meeting with an agent from the Registrar of Contractors at the Shakir home.  The meeting went well.  Out of 15 complaints issued mainly by Ariana Shakir, the agent only felt 3 needed attention. 

He also met with the realtor about selling our house.  Some investors have made a good offer so now we need to decide if we are going to sell to them or put it on the market and try to get a higher price.  James also picked up the last check from Lake Park Village for $28, 271.94.  That job saved us this summer.

Back at home I go into Vernon to mail bills and I stop at Midway station for some ice cream.  While the guy in front of me is checking out the cashier, (I call her Annie Oakley), asks him: "Do you grow pot?"  When he says yes, she says: "That's what I thought."  And he says: "Am I in trouble?"  "Oh, no, you're cool."  I felt like saying: "Hey people, I'm here." Weird!

Kim arrived around 4:30 pm.  The boys were gone on the Razr. 

I made some brownies and poppy seed muffins to take to Young Women's this evening.  We are assigned to clean the church.  These are the young women who came: Maddie and her friend Jamie, Jordyn, Shelly, and Trenda.  The boys also helped.  I am afraid I deserted Trenda when it came to cleaning the men's bathroom.  There was a terrible smell and with my gag reflex I just couldn't stay in there.

When I came home Kim had made her delicious homemade macaroni and cheese.  Also, James was back from the valley and he was in a good mood!!
 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Dallin got a job at Harkins today and registered for college at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.  Hopefully he is still planning on going on a mission. 

I checked my credit score today before going in to Show Low Motorsports to buy a Polaris Razr4.  I was pleasantly surprised. 

Before going to town James had to chase some cows. 

 

Well, we went to town and bought the Razr4, which seats four people.  James drove it home on the back roads.  I took a picture of him but that picture was lost when he lost his phone in the hospital.  I will take another one tomorrow and post it.

 

When James got home he picked up the boys and took them to the pit.  Afterwards we went on a short ride just as a wind, dust and rainstorm hit.

 





 This picture was taken later when Darrel's family came up

but it's the only picture I have of the Razr.

The ones we took on James's camera got lost.

 

Tonight we played Five Crowns and Michael won his first game. After Five Crowns it was back to Rockband for the boys.

 

 

James and I went to bed early because he has to leave for the valley early in the morning.



 









Monday, July 1, 2013

Today is Max's 10th birthday.  Happy Birthday Max!

 

When we went to bed last night we were not aware of any fires in the state, but since we are not regular watchers of the news, how would we know.  A new fire in the state started near Yarnell a little town near Prescott. Of course it is being called the Yarnell fire.  It will go down in history as the worst fire related tragedy in the state of Arizona.  Last night 19 hot shot firefighters gave their lives.  Here are their names and ages: Andrew Ashcraft, 29; Anthony Rose, 23; Christopher Mackenzie, 30; Clayton Whitted, 28; Dustin Deford, 24; Garret Zuppiger, 27; Grant McKee 21; Jesse Steed, 36; Joe Thurston, 32; John Percin, 24; Kevin Wayjeck, 21; Eric March, 43; Robert Caldwell, 23; Scott Norris, 28; Sean Misner, 26; Travis Carter, 31; Travis Turbyfill, 27; Wade Parker, 22; and William Warnecke, 25.  Each one of these men left behind a story and a life.  For example, Andrew Ashcraft was an LDS father of 4.  Such a sad tragedy. Two thirds of the town of Yarnell was burned.  More than 8,000 acres have burned so far and the fire is not contained.

 

James and I made a trip to town today.  The boys did not go with us.  We had lunch at Licano's and then did some shopping at Safeway.  I promised the boys I would make them baked ziti for dinner.  I am using Dallin's friend Kevin's recipe. 

 

The boys loved the baked ziti and so did James and I.  After dinner we had a FHE with the boys.  We watched Mormon videos.  We watched a blind boy play the piano, we watched Dayton's legs - the video about the Dewitt's grandson Spencer, a conference story video about a scorpion bite and then a video someone placed on Facebook about a man from India who cares for the poor.  It was a good FHE. 

 

James and I went on a Ranger ride today and the hood flew up while we were driving.  It was quite scary.  Later the boys went on a ride and a bird flew into Michael and hit him in the chest.  When he came back he was pretty shook up.  Not a good day for Ranger rides.

 

 

 

 





Sunday, June 30, 2013

Happy Anniversary to Stacy & Paul.

I took these visiting teaching handouts to give to my sisters at church today.  Does that count for visiting teaching? 

A bookmark and handout about

Family History

I put a roast in the crockpot before we left for church.  We also had family prayer with the boys, Alex, Joe, and Michael before we left.  We got there a little late but I found a place in the front by Lane Hall and the Hunsakers.  I told Lane I was impressed with the line drive he caught in a friendly game of softball last night at the party.

 

Tyler Hunsaker was the youth speaker today and Michael and Chris Brady were the main speakers in sacrament meeting today.  Chris Brady leads the music in sacrament meeting so we see her every week but neither James nor I ever remember seeing Michael before.  He says he has lived in Vernon or the area most all of his life.  Interesting.

 

I was proud of the boys.  They stayed for the entire block without complaining.  Alex has become friends with Trenda and I think he and Michael wanted to see Maddie but I am not sure they got to.  She isn't in their Sunday School class. 

 

During Sunday School we had a lesson entitled, "Seek Learning Even by Study and Also by Faith."  During the third hour the priesthood, Relief Society, young men and young women were all combined.  Sister Klug, our ward family history consultant spoke about family tree and how to use it.  It was quite good.  Sister Klug was a Goodman before she got married.

 

After church our home teacher's Chuck Crane and Collin Dewitt come by for a visit.  Since Chuck's wife Kathy is out of town we invited him over for dinner.  The roast I put in the crockpot got a late start because I forgot to turn it on. 

 

The boys were hungry after church so James cooked them some chicken on the grill.  Alex liked it so much he ate at least eight pieces.  He then went downstairs and took a long nap. 

 

James went home teaching this afternoon.  We he returned he helped me get dinner on the table.  We had BBQ beef sandwiches, beans, coleslaw, corn on the cob and watermelon.  It was fun to have Chuck over for dinner.  He has helped us so much it was nice to be able to do something nice for him. 

 

Visited Pasha Westbrook and took her a family history handout and bookmark.  When I was visiting with Lannie Gillespie she said her foot is broken again and she is going to have to have surgery.  Oh dear.  This had been a problem for her since I have known her.  It just won't get well.