Proud

Proud of the hospital I work at, and my fellow colleagues...nurses, PA's, physicians, surgeons, lab techs, CNA's, all of them! My mother in law, Gloria, has had a tough week. Actually a down right rotten week really. Within 2 days she learned she was a severe insulin dependant diabetic, and that she had broken her hip. The fall was completely unrelated to the diabetes. She had been moving a branch off her driveway and in the tug of war match, well, the branch won and she went flying, breaking her femur. She actually didn't see a doctor, was walking on it with the help of a walker, and saying it was feeling better when she saw her PA for the diabetes news. Her PA on examining her hip promptly ordered an xray and Voila, a broken hip had occured.
Through great PA friends who work with our orthopedics group we quickly had a pending ORIF scheduled of the right hip, as well as Diabetes management as her sugars were pretty out of control. I was doing my best to check her blood sugars before and after work, and be sure she got her insulin , but it was all very overwhelming to her, and for good reason! We took one day at a time this last week until today...and today it happened! She is a hospital virgin, I would call it. No prior surgeries, and other than the recent diabetes no other medical diagnoses. She was a nervous Nelly but she had a wonderful spinal anesthesia, a short nap, and her hip will now, (hopefully) heal, and she will learn how to manage her Diabetes, give her self insulin, and be non-weightbearing for 6 weeks.
My hospital did fabulous. She was one impressed patient! I loved being able to chat with my friends who were also the amazing professional people who were giveing her great care. I think this really put her at ease, giving her faith in the medical community.
For myself, being on the other side, seeing the whole system come together as family of a patient, rather than a PA in the hospital, I was impressed as well. I speak to nursing staff on the phone all the time, work in the OR all the time, but to see their interactions, high level of skill, and awesome compassion, well it made me proud of our big little hospital here in the redwoods.
She will be in for another 2 -3 days, where hopefully we can get a great care plan ironed out. I'm sure there is still a lot of struggles with her weeks events left to play out, but at least now we are on the road to recovery. This is an individual who is NOT overweight, has never smoked, is very active, but well, SH$% happens you know! A pancreas can  poop out, falls happen, and you can get better and overcome it all. Looking forward to healthier weeks ahead :-)

A Jumpin' Janurary for Forrest and the whole family....

Quite a busy month this last one was...in no particular order it brought...

 Swimming Lessons For Forrest!

Putting his ears underwater was a big fear, as you see in this picture, that he conquered by the end of the month. Go Forrest!

Forrest and his 3 Tiny Swimmers pals, practicing their moves out of the water

Burnt Ranch Preschool for BOTH boys!!!

Not the greatest picture, but Forrest is trying the trike out in the red helmet. Burnt Ranch Preschool is a morning, parent involved school three days a week. We are going Monday mornings. All kids 1-5 are invited so little brother Talin has joined us as well. Being a kindergarten readiness based program it is helping Forrest, along with his other preschool, get prepared for the big start of K this fall! So far we love it. I have most Mondays off, so we are able to go to "school in the canyon" as Forrest says, just 15 minutes away from our home. ANNNDDD meet other parents and kids who will eventually be in K next year :-)

 

 

 

 

 

Finding ways to fill the LONG WINTER NIGHTS.....(besides beer for the parents ;-) and goodness those nights sometimes can be LOOONG!

like drumming on the kitchen floor to Rusted Root and Dave Matthews Band, of course :-)

Forrest gets a real haircut!!!

Handsome Boy!

 Dad has a mishap with a box cutter and Forrest learns about stitches...

yea, I know, a scary picture. Forrest was very enthralled in how the whole "stitches" deal worked though. His Dad, lets say, is not the biggest brave guy when it comes to blood, stitches, you get the picture. Forrest's job  was supposed to be to rub his head while I did the deed, but he was too curious about how I was going to get his hand back together so he wasn't much help. "Wow Mom why are you putting that needle RIGHT in Dad's bloody oweee?" Yea, I probably wouldn't have liked that much either. Hence the shot. All healed up now though....

Cold weather means a LOT of wood cutting going on...

Quite clear Forrest loves doing a job, especially with big equipment. Here he is splitting wood with Dad, working the handle for the splitter that controls the machine. He did a great job. A brave Dad took the chance :-)

 

 

 Watering our neighbors cute greenhouse plants and enjoying their great view...

a great day to break up our weekends for the next month

And Mom just may have added a glass of wine to this picture :-)

And....We have eggs! 8-10 a day!!! You say, okay, that's great, I guess. But we LOVE eggs, and we LOVE LOVE the days getting longer which is why the chickens are laying again. Whipeeee :-)!!!!!

Carpe Diem

When you have a bunch of sunny and cold days, eventually those sunny frigid days turn a bit warmer and THIS happens!!!!