School starts tomorrow! Time to think about how much the Mom-Bus is going to cost these kids, er, Daddy.
I think it is ridiculous that our school charges $395 per kid for a bus pass! Second child gets a discount and pays $365. So I figured out how much it will cost me to drive my kids. I wouldn't bus them anyway because they go to a school that isn't serviced by the school buses, but that didn't stop me from being curious.
At $3.89 per gallon and 24 miles to the gallon in my car, I drive 3.21 miles to school. It costs me $1.04 to go one way and I do the round trip twice per day for 103 days of school. That's 1322.5 miles of driving back and forth to school. Total damage: $214.24.
A friend of mine takes her child to school via bike and trailer. She rides her bike and pulls him to school in the bike trailer every single day. Heat, rain, wind, stuffy nose, traffic, she pedals that kid to school. I'm not that amazing. Read about her transportation calculation HERE.
I figure that my kids won't attend every single day, but the times that I have to make an extra trip mid-day for the forgotten lunch box will make up for the times when they don't attend. It'll all even out in the end. For this guesstimate, I am just saying that they will attend every academy day and never forget anything. And, gas prices will never fluctuate.
This calculation also does not include Starbucks stops on the way back home. Tee hee. Nor does it include professional driving and referee fees.
The public school bus would cost $760 or riding in my back seat costs $214. That's a total savings of $546.
Riding with me is a freaking STEAL! Good deal, people.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Mommy Meet Up
Almost 8 years ago, September 2005 to be precise, I went online to dig for information about pregnancy. I had just turned 40 and just found out a baby was on the way! Since my last baby was in another time and another place, I decided to see if I could read about prenatal tests and whatnot.
I found lots of information! Having babies in the digital age is fascinating! But the best thing I found was a forum. Real people discussing real pregnancies and real life.
And that's where I found my friends. My online mommy friends. Right there on the computer screen all those years ago! We went from the support group forum to our own forum to a facebook group. Over the years, we've really gotten to know one another. And we've learned a lot about each other's lives in various parts of the country. We "know" each other. It's weird, but I truly feel a bond with these women that I've never met. The friendships are genuine.
Thankfully, they all seem to feel the same way!
I've actually met quite a few of them in real life, but one at a time. They are all so nice and have such beautiful families. With this group of women, I have been excited each time I've met one of them and each meeting went very well. My kids have played with their kids. It's amazing that I found this great group of people!
Scattered as we are, there happens to be a fairly good size group of us in Southern California. Finally, we decided to all get together at once. Only a couple of the moms couldn't make it.
One of the moms offered up her house as the party place. It was great! There were six of us that attended, and 16 kids! It was really nice to meet everyone and see these real people without a computer screen between us.
The kids all played together as if they knew each other all along. They ranged in age from 10 years old to 1 year old. All of them looked like they were having fun and meeting new friends.
It was really fun. I'm so glad to call these mommies my friends! And now we are no longer online friends, we are real friends. That just warms my little heart!
Friday, August 9, 2013
My Ankle is Healing
My six week broken ankle checkup yesterday, which was actually seven weeks out, went well!
Before I left for my appointment, I asked the kids to go to the bookshelf and bring me a book to take along with me. They brought quite a collection for me to choose from!
Read-To-Me Bedtime Stories
The Norton Anthology of Literary Theory and Criticism
Simplicity Halloween Sewing Pattern Catalog
and What to Expect - The Toddler Years
As it turned out, I was the last patient to check in for the day and there wasn't a soul in the place. I was in and out fairly quickly. No time to read! They sent me straight to Xray. I posed for my lovely photos and again was thrilled that I didn't have to wait. Back across the hall to the doctor's office and they put me in a room right away.
The nurse popped in and said "Do you have any pain?" I said, "Yes." Without a word, she left. Ok.
The xrays are electronic, so the doc was already staring at my bones on his computer screen, all zoomed in and everything. He did that for a bit, then walked across the hallway to the little room I was in and took a look at my ankle.
He squeezed my ankle and asked me if it hurt! YES!!! And hitting my head on the ceiling hurt a bit too! Holy!
He said I have had significant muscle loss. The muscles are just gone, so I will need physical therapy. What took six weeks to disappear will take months to come back if I work hard at building them back up. Great.
The piece of bone that I broke off of the tip of my tibula is attaching itself back on in the correct position. Yippee! The doc showed me on the xray, and he told me that it was such a weird break. He said that usually a break like mine happens on the other side of the bone or higher up on the bone. I got lucky though because if I would have broken off a bigger piece of the bone or if the break was on the left side of the bone tip, then I would have had surgery. The structure of the ankle would have allowed the piece to slide out of position. But, where it was, being an odd place, turned out to be good because the broken piece stayed in place and is growing a bridge and reconnecting itself. Cool!
I'm not a fan of having surgery.
He said I can start limping around and putting a little bit of weight on it as I hobble around. Optomistically, I should be able to toss out the crutches in a couple of weeks. And, I can get rid of the boot before the end of August. He said I can wear my regular shoes after that. I said, "I wear flip flops". He said, "get some tenna shoes". I thought so.
As I was checking out, my cell phone rang and it was my husband. I just told him I was at the dr's office and I'd call him later, but it was enough to interrupt my train of thought and I left the dr's office without making my appointment for physical therapy. Whoops.
I called to make an appointment, but guess what, my insurance doesn't cover it at the same place where I'm seeing the doctor. That makes no sense! In fact, the doctor's office isn't sure where I can get physical therapy because my insurance isn't covering much. Ugh. I'm seriously hoping someone at the insurance company wakes up! They're being ridiculous!
I'm so excited that I dodged surgery and I am healing well! I need to get off of these crutches and get back to my normal life. I'm not a runner, dancer nor an athlete, but I do need both of my legs in good health to keep up with the kids and live my life the way I do. Looks like I'll be back on two feet soon! Yay!
Before I left for my appointment, I asked the kids to go to the bookshelf and bring me a book to take along with me. They brought quite a collection for me to choose from!
Read-To-Me Bedtime Stories
The Norton Anthology of Literary Theory and Criticism
Simplicity Halloween Sewing Pattern Catalog
and What to Expect - The Toddler Years
As it turned out, I was the last patient to check in for the day and there wasn't a soul in the place. I was in and out fairly quickly. No time to read! They sent me straight to Xray. I posed for my lovely photos and again was thrilled that I didn't have to wait. Back across the hall to the doctor's office and they put me in a room right away.
The nurse popped in and said "Do you have any pain?" I said, "Yes." Without a word, she left. Ok.
The xrays are electronic, so the doc was already staring at my bones on his computer screen, all zoomed in and everything. He did that for a bit, then walked across the hallway to the little room I was in and took a look at my ankle.
He squeezed my ankle and asked me if it hurt! YES!!! And hitting my head on the ceiling hurt a bit too! Holy!
He said I have had significant muscle loss. The muscles are just gone, so I will need physical therapy. What took six weeks to disappear will take months to come back if I work hard at building them back up. Great.
The piece of bone that I broke off of the tip of my tibula is attaching itself back on in the correct position. Yippee! The doc showed me on the xray, and he told me that it was such a weird break. He said that usually a break like mine happens on the other side of the bone or higher up on the bone. I got lucky though because if I would have broken off a bigger piece of the bone or if the break was on the left side of the bone tip, then I would have had surgery. The structure of the ankle would have allowed the piece to slide out of position. But, where it was, being an odd place, turned out to be good because the broken piece stayed in place and is growing a bridge and reconnecting itself. Cool!
I'm not a fan of having surgery.
He said I can start limping around and putting a little bit of weight on it as I hobble around. Optomistically, I should be able to toss out the crutches in a couple of weeks. And, I can get rid of the boot before the end of August. He said I can wear my regular shoes after that. I said, "I wear flip flops". He said, "get some tenna shoes". I thought so.
As I was checking out, my cell phone rang and it was my husband. I just told him I was at the dr's office and I'd call him later, but it was enough to interrupt my train of thought and I left the dr's office without making my appointment for physical therapy. Whoops.
I called to make an appointment, but guess what, my insurance doesn't cover it at the same place where I'm seeing the doctor. That makes no sense! In fact, the doctor's office isn't sure where I can get physical therapy because my insurance isn't covering much. Ugh. I'm seriously hoping someone at the insurance company wakes up! They're being ridiculous!
I'm so excited that I dodged surgery and I am healing well! I need to get off of these crutches and get back to my normal life. I'm not a runner, dancer nor an athlete, but I do need both of my legs in good health to keep up with the kids and live my life the way I do. Looks like I'll be back on two feet soon! Yay!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Life on Crutches
Life on crutches is not for me. It's been 6 weeks now (which is 6 weeks too many!)
I'm still in shock that my health insurance wouldn't cover crutches and I was lucky to have Anna's old pair in the garage. The insurance company must think people who have a broken leg are just going to... to... I don't know what they think! Someone at the insurance company needs to break a leg!
I am very limited on what I can do now, where I can go, and how long I can stand/hop on one leg. This is not fun. In fact, because of me spending the summer on crutches I can speak for the whole family and say that this has been the worst summer ever.
Pain
Obviously, my ankle hurts. Constantly! But it isn't excruciating pain, it's just pain. The swelling and pain have gotten better recently. I was beginning to think the swelling was permanent. That's just what I need, one Fred Flintstone foot.
The side effect of crutches is blisters on my palms, sore shoulders, aching right hip, knee and ankle (because that's the good side) and lots of headaches. The headaches are from losing my control-freakish ways of doing things.
I'm managing my pain with Advil and wine.
Walking:
Actually, hopping. I need a wide clear path to walk from point A to point B. It needs to be free of dust bunnies, laundry, shoes, clusters of dog hair, pennies, cheerios, glops of spilled Jello, slops of apple juice, and most importantly, legos. In the best of circumstances, it's hard for me and I'm not very steady.
I really had trouble the first week with walking on crutches. It takes some arm strength and some balance; I am blessed with neither. My friend brought me a wheelchair and I spent the first two weeks in it while I learned to hop on the crutches.
I should have taken the wheelchair to the doctor's office. The orthopedic doctor is located at the end of a long long long hallway, which was at the end of another hallway, which was after I hopped across the lobby and the parking lot too.
Every day, I almost fall down. I've only fallen three times where I had to put my broken foot down to catch myself from toppling over completely. Very painful.
Stairs:
Stairs are awful! Every single day, I almost fall down.
The first week I didn't use the stairs at all, I slept downstairs and had my husband or kids bring me clothes. The next two weeks I scooted up the stairs on my butt and when I got to the top I crawled to the doorway of my bedroom where I used the doorjam to help pull myself up. It wasn't pretty but it was stable and I got there.
These past three weeks I've been hopping up using the railing and the crutches at the same time. It's not easy! My good leg and hip really bark at me by the time I get to the top. And I always pray hard that I'll make it without falling over backward.
Down is much easier, but it is still a challenge. This also took me a while to learn but now I can do it. I need time though. Lots of time.
Stairs at other places are not so easy. I had to use the stairs at the swimming pool when I took my girls to lessons, and the stairs were covered in dirt and leaves plus the hand rail was too hot to touch. I used the handrail anyway and just burned my hand. I figured a burnt hand was better than a broken neck. They have a ramp, but it is a long hop around to use it, so I took the four stairs in front of the building.
Taking a Bath:
This is really a trick! It takes some gymnastics and ballet and ninja moves. Sure wish I had skills in any of these areas because I'm the farthest thing from being a gymnast ballet dancer ninja type person.
Luckily, I can take my boot off to take a bath, so I don't have to wrap my leg in a garbage bag to get cleaned up. But, I cannot bear any weight on it or use my leg to balance.
Getting out is even trickier. I can't even explain how to do it. Once I'm all wet, the tub is wet, every surface is slippery.... it's a miracle I can even manage it. The fear of someone finding me stuck in the tub keeps me motivated. But I do have to hold my leg up in the air to avoid temptation to use it (or land on it in the inevitable fall). I'm sure this adds to the hilarity of it all.
Cooking and Cleaning:
I use a barstool in the kitchen to sit on while I do dishes or cook at the stove. I also open the second drawer from the floor as a stool to elevate my leg. It's too tiring to stand on one leg like a flamingo.
For cleaning, I discovered the wonderful assistance of a good pair of grill tongs. I can reach higher and bend over just a little to pick up things off of the floor. Tongs are great! I can't really do much in the way of cleaning but picking up a little here and there makes a difference.
My husband has been doing 99% of the cooking and cleaning. And he's been training the kids, so he's not even doing it all. Actually, he's doing a great job.
Driving:
I can drive! The hardest part is getting in and out of the car. I put my crutches down the middle between the seats and my broken leg is my left leg, so it just lays there while Righty manages the gas and brake pedals.
I am broken, not handicapped so I have to park with the regular people instead of using the fabulous empty blue handicap spaces.
Going Places:
I haven't been going places. I've only gone to a couple of birthday parties and the park for a couple of playdates. I've only gone if I had someone to I am afraid to go shopping because there's no guarantee that I'll get a good parking space. If I get a close space, it's still a long hop to the front doors of any store. And then what? Hope for an electric scooter? What if they don't have one or the one they have is in use? It's just best if I stay home. I don't need to fall down in public. I don't want to end up on AFV or Youtube!
Losing Control
The hardest thing about being on crutches is losing control. I've had to let go of so much and just let life happen around me while I sit back and watch. I can't swoop in and do things my way, or save my husband the hassle. I can't sit here and bark orders and stress about what's happening or what we are missing. I can't walk, can't carry things, can't lift the kids, but I can't worry about all of that either. I need to heal up not tense up. So, I have had to work very hard on letting go of being in control.
Although, I admit, it's pretty cool to see that "How the hell do you do this every day?" look on my husband's face. Poor guy looks like a deer in the headlights almost all day long. I stifle my laughter to be polite (usually).
Watching jeans and pinks and towels all go into the same load of laundry hurts almost as much as the pain in my ankle. Seeing a kid sneeze and not be able to leap across the room with a kleenex before she wipes her snot on her sleeve is agonizing. I'm suffocating my inner control-freak or I'll burst. Nobody wants that!
Countdown
I am counting down the days until I'm back on two feet! At my next doctor appointment I will either be cleared to start limping or sent to surgery. It all depends on how I'm healing. I've spent the last six weeks doing nothing but healing, so I hope to prance out of that doctor's office like nothing ever happened. That's how it works, right?
I'm still in shock that my health insurance wouldn't cover crutches and I was lucky to have Anna's old pair in the garage. The insurance company must think people who have a broken leg are just going to... to... I don't know what they think! Someone at the insurance company needs to break a leg!
I am very limited on what I can do now, where I can go, and how long I can stand/hop on one leg. This is not fun. In fact, because of me spending the summer on crutches I can speak for the whole family and say that this has been the worst summer ever.
Pain
Obviously, my ankle hurts. Constantly! But it isn't excruciating pain, it's just pain. The swelling and pain have gotten better recently. I was beginning to think the swelling was permanent. That's just what I need, one Fred Flintstone foot.
The side effect of crutches is blisters on my palms, sore shoulders, aching right hip, knee and ankle (because that's the good side) and lots of headaches. The headaches are from losing my control-freakish ways of doing things.
I'm managing my pain with Advil and wine.
Walking:
Actually, hopping. I need a wide clear path to walk from point A to point B. It needs to be free of dust bunnies, laundry, shoes, clusters of dog hair, pennies, cheerios, glops of spilled Jello, slops of apple juice, and most importantly, legos. In the best of circumstances, it's hard for me and I'm not very steady.
I really had trouble the first week with walking on crutches. It takes some arm strength and some balance; I am blessed with neither. My friend brought me a wheelchair and I spent the first two weeks in it while I learned to hop on the crutches.
I should have taken the wheelchair to the doctor's office. The orthopedic doctor is located at the end of a long long long hallway, which was at the end of another hallway, which was after I hopped across the lobby and the parking lot too.
Every day, I almost fall down. I've only fallen three times where I had to put my broken foot down to catch myself from toppling over completely. Very painful.
Stairs:
Stairs are awful! Every single day, I almost fall down.
The first week I didn't use the stairs at all, I slept downstairs and had my husband or kids bring me clothes. The next two weeks I scooted up the stairs on my butt and when I got to the top I crawled to the doorway of my bedroom where I used the doorjam to help pull myself up. It wasn't pretty but it was stable and I got there.
These past three weeks I've been hopping up using the railing and the crutches at the same time. It's not easy! My good leg and hip really bark at me by the time I get to the top. And I always pray hard that I'll make it without falling over backward.
Down is much easier, but it is still a challenge. This also took me a while to learn but now I can do it. I need time though. Lots of time.
Stairs at other places are not so easy. I had to use the stairs at the swimming pool when I took my girls to lessons, and the stairs were covered in dirt and leaves plus the hand rail was too hot to touch. I used the handrail anyway and just burned my hand. I figured a burnt hand was better than a broken neck. They have a ramp, but it is a long hop around to use it, so I took the four stairs in front of the building.
Taking a Bath:
This is really a trick! It takes some gymnastics and ballet and ninja moves. Sure wish I had skills in any of these areas because I'm the farthest thing from being a gymnast ballet dancer ninja type person.
Luckily, I can take my boot off to take a bath, so I don't have to wrap my leg in a garbage bag to get cleaned up. But, I cannot bear any weight on it or use my leg to balance.
Getting out is even trickier. I can't even explain how to do it. Once I'm all wet, the tub is wet, every surface is slippery.... it's a miracle I can even manage it. The fear of someone finding me stuck in the tub keeps me motivated. But I do have to hold my leg up in the air to avoid temptation to use it (or land on it in the inevitable fall). I'm sure this adds to the hilarity of it all.
Cooking and Cleaning:
I use a barstool in the kitchen to sit on while I do dishes or cook at the stove. I also open the second drawer from the floor as a stool to elevate my leg. It's too tiring to stand on one leg like a flamingo.
For cleaning, I discovered the wonderful assistance of a good pair of grill tongs. I can reach higher and bend over just a little to pick up things off of the floor. Tongs are great! I can't really do much in the way of cleaning but picking up a little here and there makes a difference.
My husband has been doing 99% of the cooking and cleaning. And he's been training the kids, so he's not even doing it all. Actually, he's doing a great job.
Driving:
I can drive! The hardest part is getting in and out of the car. I put my crutches down the middle between the seats and my broken leg is my left leg, so it just lays there while Righty manages the gas and brake pedals.
I am broken, not handicapped so I have to park with the regular people instead of using the fabulous empty blue handicap spaces.
Going Places:
I haven't been going places. I've only gone to a couple of birthday parties and the park for a couple of playdates. I've only gone if I had someone to I am afraid to go shopping because there's no guarantee that I'll get a good parking space. If I get a close space, it's still a long hop to the front doors of any store. And then what? Hope for an electric scooter? What if they don't have one or the one they have is in use? It's just best if I stay home. I don't need to fall down in public. I don't want to end up on AFV or Youtube!
Losing Control
The hardest thing about being on crutches is losing control. I've had to let go of so much and just let life happen around me while I sit back and watch. I can't swoop in and do things my way, or save my husband the hassle. I can't sit here and bark orders and stress about what's happening or what we are missing. I can't walk, can't carry things, can't lift the kids, but I can't worry about all of that either. I need to heal up not tense up. So, I have had to work very hard on letting go of being in control.
Although, I admit, it's pretty cool to see that "How the hell do you do this every day?" look on my husband's face. Poor guy looks like a deer in the headlights almost all day long. I stifle my laughter to be polite (usually).
Watching jeans and pinks and towels all go into the same load of laundry hurts almost as much as the pain in my ankle. Seeing a kid sneeze and not be able to leap across the room with a kleenex before she wipes her snot on her sleeve is agonizing. I'm suffocating my inner control-freak or I'll burst. Nobody wants that!
Countdown
I am counting down the days until I'm back on two feet! At my next doctor appointment I will either be cleared to start limping or sent to surgery. It all depends on how I'm healing. I've spent the last six weeks doing nothing but healing, so I hope to prance out of that doctor's office like nothing ever happened. That's how it works, right?
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Grandma's Pajamas
My grandmother asked me to make a pair of pajamas for her and I accepted the challenge. It was nice to have a sew something different for a change. The whole time I was sewing her pajamas, I really enjoyed the project and I kept thinking I should sew up a pair for myself! I think I will!
Honestly, it took me way too long to finish these pajamas. I should have been able to do them in a much shorter amount of time but my sewing time has been very limited these past few months. I'm so glad I finally finished them! Now I just have to get them in the mail. My grandma has more patience than anyone I know. She must, she's still waiting for her jammies! I'll send them soon! I just need to get someone to take them to the post office for me. Any volunteers? (I can't carry a package into the post office while on crutches)
My grandma sent me her measurements and her fabric preferences. She sent along one of her favorite pajama tops to use as a pattern too. I used the top to decide what type of fabric to get and of course, used it as the pattern for the top.
I took the kids with me to choose fabric. I was in charge of what it felt like and they were in charge of what it looked like. Good plan. But, they both chose something different. No problem, I'll make two pair! And, I did.
Cutting out two of something is just as easy (or hard) as cutting one. So, might as well cut two! The problem was that I didn't buy enough fabric of either print, so had to run back to the fabric store for more. Luckily, it was still in stock.
The pajamas are two piece sets. Pants and a blouse.
The pants were easy, but I am worried about the fit. I really hope they fit nicely. She sent measurements but I had a hard time with the pantleg to waist ratio. It didn't seem right and when I finished, I feel like the waist should have been wider to allow more of a gather in the elastic waistband. I don't know; I'm just nervous that they aren't quite right. I will see what she says about the fit and try again if needed.
The top was more difficult because of the collar, but I finally figured it out. I put the collar on wrong the first time I tried it and no matter how I tried to figure it out, it seemed wonky. I had to look it up in my sewing book! I like figuring things out on my own, but I do have a couple of nice sewing books that explain just about everything. I looked it up and it was so easy! Why didn't I figure it out!
The collar has to be sandwiched between the neckline and the interfacing, and then it is perfectly placed and the facing lies nicely too. OOooooooh. Of course!
The other difficult part, intimidating actually, was the buttonholes. I don't have a buttonholer on my machine so I had to zig-zag the buttonholes on my own. I love my vintage machine, it runs like a dream, but now I'm longing for an automatic buttonhole feature. My buttonholes might be a smidge different but they are all pretty close to the same. I had to make 8 of them!
I added two good sized pockets to each top for hankies and mints and other things.
The pajama tops turned out great! I hope they feel good and fit nicely. I'm looking forward to giving them to my grandma and hearing if she likes them or not. If they don't fit, I might just have to pack up my sewing machine and go visit!
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Rest in Peace, Sandy
Our dog died. She was old and lived a good life.
She was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on New Years Day in 2001. She was the runt of the litter and the last one to find a home. We got her on March 11th. Katie was 11 years old and Lexie was 9.
Lexie put at least two years of research and pleading into this decision to get a dog. She looked at lots of different breeds of dogs and knew what would be the best kind of dog for our family and our lifestyle. She wanted a female Golden Retriever.
I remember clearly. I was having an outpatient surgery that day in Sioux Falls and Keith went to pick up the puppy while I was in surgery. He was there to support me and ease my nerves and I never knew he was gone for a bit.
He must have arranged the pick-up of the puppy in advance. I don't know how he did it. But he said he met the mama and the daddy dogs. They were both 100% Golden Retriever dogs and had papers. But, he wasn't interested in a certified dog, just a good dog. And he picked the best puppy!
I remember seeing her for the first time in the back of the truck shaking and scared. She was so little!
When we got home, I went in and Keith told the girls to come out and unload the truck. They knew we spent the day in Sioux Falls, obviously that meant we had a truckload of Sams Club groceries. They groaned but they got up and went to the garage like a couple of slugs. They looked in the back of the truck and squealed with joy!
All that was back there was a box with a towel in it and a puppy! Those were two very happy girls!
They thought and thought of names for her. They made lists and thought some more. In the end, Lexie named her Sandy and we all liked it.
I admit, I wasn't in love with her at first. I've never liked dogs. Ever. In fact, I've always detested all dogs. And I feared them. But she was ours and she was so cute and little. Keith promised she wouldn't be scary. She chewed on things, she peed on the floor and things, she was just a puppy! But she was so cute and snuggly! I did have to put my foot down and demand that she would be an outdoor and garage dog though, not a house dog. I was not having any of that! Keith and the girls wanted her to be an indoor dog, but I am the mom and my vote counts more. I said NO.
She had a good set up in the garage and Keith and the girls built her a nice doghouse. For an outdoor puppy, she had it very good. The outdoor dog setup lasted about a year or so. We kept her on a long leash outside since we didn't have a fenced yard. She was just fine out there, but I think she was lonely and longed to be with us. I didn't think so at the time though.
She became an indoor dog when she was spayed. I think it was August 2002. It was very hot outside and she had her surgery, so we let her come in to recover in comfort. She wasn't doing well though, she developed a life threatening infection and we were sure that we were going to lose her. We had to get a rag wet and squeeze the water into her mouth because she was so sick she couldn't get up at all. After that long illness, and lots of pampering, she was an indoor dog forever after.
She loved being with us. If we were all in the living room, she was in the living room. If we were all on the patio, she was on the patio. She was a very social dog and she loved us! We all loved her too, even me.
When she was 4.5 years old, we moved to California. People asked us, "Are you taking your dog?" I do not understand this at all. She was a part of our family, how do you leave your pet behind when you move?
She always went on vacation with us. That was one of her favorite things! No matter where she sat in the van, one or two people could pet her. She always had a great time vacationing with us. We took her camping and to motels and to fields and rivers and you name it, she went with us and she loved it!
Sandy was very perceptive. Maybe all dogs are, I don't know, but she was. She knew if someone was sick or injured and she would lay nearby. When I was pregnant with Gracie, but didn't know it yet, she was constantly laying near me, following me, getting underfoot. It was like she was suddenly my best friend and she just wanted to snuggle me and lay her head in my lap or on my belly. I thought she was just being a weird dog, little did I know that she knew there was a "puppy" coming!
She raised five "puppies". Gracie was the first of the litter, then Libby, Charlie, Henry and Alfred. She loved all of the kids very much! Katie and Lexie grew up and she loved them dearly but they weren't little ones anymore and they never really were little to her.
The kids loved Sandy! And Sandy let them love her and play with her in whatever way they wanted to. They rode her, they pulled on her, they pinched her, napped by her, slobbered on her, used her like a pillow, took her toys and bones away from her while she had them in her mouth, everything. She was very tolerant and forgiving and the worst she would ever do is wait for an opportunity to get up and walk away.
Know what I really liked about her? She didn't bark! Well, she did, but hardly ever. She would bark once while standing at the door waiting to be let in if she had been waiting for a while. One woof. Usually that was all you ever heard out of her. But of course, if all the neighbor dogs were barking at a rabbit or a shadow or gardeners on the hill behind our house, she had to run out and bark along with the chorus of dogs.
A tumor grew on Sandy's hip recently and it didn't stop growing. It was huge! She looked like she had a football in her pocket. She was in obvious pain too. We took her to the vet for surgery and he was able to remove the tumor although he said it was "gnarly" and very involved. He hoped that he got it all but there wasn't a guarantee. She really felt better!
While she recovered, our favorite neighbor dog died. He was a year older than Sandy and they got along very well in the 10 years that they lived next door to each other. They were best friends, if dogs have best friends. They did seem to understand one another and had a healthy respect for each other. Teddy was a sweet dog and Sandy seemed to know that he was gone. Like I said, she was perceptive.
After a couple of months, the tumor returned. And it came back with a fury. It grew very fast and it spread. It grew over (and probably under) the base of her spine. It also grew into her belly. It caused her a lot of pain this time. Her last week, the tumor blocked her intestines and she was throwing up each day, until the tumor grew more and she just stopped eating. Her back was in so much pain that she couldn't squat to go to the bathroom and she was losing all dignity.
On her last day, she couldn't get up. She was so sad and her eyes pleaded for relief. We knew it was time to end her misery, but we each day during her last week we thought she deserved another day. We knew that when she couldn't get up that day had arrived.
Keith took care of her on her last day and after her euthanasia, he brought her home so that the kids could say goodbye. He then took her to a place called Veterinary After Care for cremation. They took very good personal care of her and returned her cremains to us in a cedar box with her name on an engraved plate on top. Very dignified and lovely.
Sandy was in our family for 12 and a half years. She was a member of our family just as much as anyone else in this family is. We will always miss her. She was the best dog! I can truly attest to that since she completely transformed me from a strong anti-dog person . She loved every one of us every day. We'll miss her wagging tail.
She was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on New Years Day in 2001. She was the runt of the litter and the last one to find a home. We got her on March 11th. Katie was 11 years old and Lexie was 9.
Lexie put at least two years of research and pleading into this decision to get a dog. She looked at lots of different breeds of dogs and knew what would be the best kind of dog for our family and our lifestyle. She wanted a female Golden Retriever.
I remember clearly. I was having an outpatient surgery that day in Sioux Falls and Keith went to pick up the puppy while I was in surgery. He was there to support me and ease my nerves and I never knew he was gone for a bit.
He must have arranged the pick-up of the puppy in advance. I don't know how he did it. But he said he met the mama and the daddy dogs. They were both 100% Golden Retriever dogs and had papers. But, he wasn't interested in a certified dog, just a good dog. And he picked the best puppy!
I remember seeing her for the first time in the back of the truck shaking and scared. She was so little!
When we got home, I went in and Keith told the girls to come out and unload the truck. They knew we spent the day in Sioux Falls, obviously that meant we had a truckload of Sams Club groceries. They groaned but they got up and went to the garage like a couple of slugs. They looked in the back of the truck and squealed with joy!
All that was back there was a box with a towel in it and a puppy! Those were two very happy girls!
They thought and thought of names for her. They made lists and thought some more. In the end, Lexie named her Sandy and we all liked it.
I admit, I wasn't in love with her at first. I've never liked dogs. Ever. In fact, I've always detested all dogs. And I feared them. But she was ours and she was so cute and little. Keith promised she wouldn't be scary. She chewed on things, she peed on the floor and things, she was just a puppy! But she was so cute and snuggly! I did have to put my foot down and demand that she would be an outdoor and garage dog though, not a house dog. I was not having any of that! Keith and the girls wanted her to be an indoor dog, but I am the mom and my vote counts more. I said NO.
She had a good set up in the garage and Keith and the girls built her a nice doghouse. For an outdoor puppy, she had it very good. The outdoor dog setup lasted about a year or so. We kept her on a long leash outside since we didn't have a fenced yard. She was just fine out there, but I think she was lonely and longed to be with us. I didn't think so at the time though.
She became an indoor dog when she was spayed. I think it was August 2002. It was very hot outside and she had her surgery, so we let her come in to recover in comfort. She wasn't doing well though, she developed a life threatening infection and we were sure that we were going to lose her. We had to get a rag wet and squeeze the water into her mouth because she was so sick she couldn't get up at all. After that long illness, and lots of pampering, she was an indoor dog forever after.
She loved being with us. If we were all in the living room, she was in the living room. If we were all on the patio, she was on the patio. She was a very social dog and she loved us! We all loved her too, even me.
When she was 4.5 years old, we moved to California. People asked us, "Are you taking your dog?" I do not understand this at all. She was a part of our family, how do you leave your pet behind when you move?
She always went on vacation with us. That was one of her favorite things! No matter where she sat in the van, one or two people could pet her. She always had a great time vacationing with us. We took her camping and to motels and to fields and rivers and you name it, she went with us and she loved it!
Sandy was very perceptive. Maybe all dogs are, I don't know, but she was. She knew if someone was sick or injured and she would lay nearby. When I was pregnant with Gracie, but didn't know it yet, she was constantly laying near me, following me, getting underfoot. It was like she was suddenly my best friend and she just wanted to snuggle me and lay her head in my lap or on my belly. I thought she was just being a weird dog, little did I know that she knew there was a "puppy" coming!
She raised five "puppies". Gracie was the first of the litter, then Libby, Charlie, Henry and Alfred. She loved all of the kids very much! Katie and Lexie grew up and she loved them dearly but they weren't little ones anymore and they never really were little to her.
The kids loved Sandy! And Sandy let them love her and play with her in whatever way they wanted to. They rode her, they pulled on her, they pinched her, napped by her, slobbered on her, used her like a pillow, took her toys and bones away from her while she had them in her mouth, everything. She was very tolerant and forgiving and the worst she would ever do is wait for an opportunity to get up and walk away.
Know what I really liked about her? She didn't bark! Well, she did, but hardly ever. She would bark once while standing at the door waiting to be let in if she had been waiting for a while. One woof. Usually that was all you ever heard out of her. But of course, if all the neighbor dogs were barking at a rabbit or a shadow or gardeners on the hill behind our house, she had to run out and bark along with the chorus of dogs.
After a couple of months, the tumor returned. And it came back with a fury. It grew very fast and it spread. It grew over (and probably under) the base of her spine. It also grew into her belly. It caused her a lot of pain this time. Her last week, the tumor blocked her intestines and she was throwing up each day, until the tumor grew more and she just stopped eating. Her back was in so much pain that she couldn't squat to go to the bathroom and she was losing all dignity.
Keith took care of her on her last day and after her euthanasia, he brought her home so that the kids could say goodbye. He then took her to a place called Veterinary After Care for cremation. They took very good personal care of her and returned her cremains to us in a cedar box with her name on an engraved plate on top. Very dignified and lovely.
Sandy was in our family for 12 and a half years. She was a member of our family just as much as anyone else in this family is. We will always miss her. She was the best dog! I can truly attest to that since she completely transformed me from a strong anti-dog person . She loved every one of us every day. We'll miss her wagging tail.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Ankle Update
As it turned out, I really did break my ankle. I also sprained it. I went to Urgent Care the weekend that I injured myself and saw an orthopedic doctor a few days later. He couldn't tell from my Xrays if the bone was fractured but he thought it was. To be sure, he sent me for a CT scan.
He said it didn't really matter because treatment was the same. Stay off of it, elevate and ice.
The CT scan was weird! I didn't have to have my whole body in the gigantic tube, just the knee down. Then I went back to the orthopedic doctor.
He showed me the CT scan images on his smart phone, and told me that he would email the little video clip to me (never did). In the CT images, you can clearly see that the tip of the tibia bone is broken off. Not fractured, not chipped, broken. At least I didn't break my leg bone in half and develop a new bend in the middle, right?
Since I am a trustworthy grown-up (doc's words and I didn't pay him extra to say that), I was given a choice of a boot or a cast. After three weeks in the splint, I got a tall walking boot. It is so big and heavy, I'm not sure if it was the right choice. But, the 100 degree weather keeps reminding me that indeed, the boot was a good decision.
With the boot, I can scratch my itches. I can use lotion. I can strap an ice pack on. I can air out. And best of all, I can take it off and have a nice bath! I wear the splint at night because the boot is to cumbersome for sleeping and the doctor suggested switching to the splint for night use too.
I have to stay off of that foot until August 8th, and if all is well at that point then I can start to apply pressure and begin to walk on it. I will have to wear the boot until mid-September, again, that 's if it heals well. After that, I will have to invest in a decent pair of shoes and stick to my promise to never jump off my bed again.
I can't wait for mid-September!
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