June Odds and Ends

Well me managed to pack June just as much as May.  After Greg hurt his arms my life got a lot busier.  Greg wasn't driving and needed a lot of help doing things.  It helped me realize how much I rely on him for things, including getting kids where they need to go.  


Greg thought it would be fun to celebrate his birthday and Father's Day with broken arms.  (Strangely, 3 of the last 4 years, our family has had someone in the family have a surgery in June.  Last year Liz was in the hospital on Greg's birthday. This year, at least, we were home).  We are so grateful for Greg.  He is such a great husband, father, and provider.  He is fun and spiritual.  He is so kind and forgiving.  He is awesome!  Greg turned 38 this year.  He has been graduated from High School for 20 years now!  


One of our big plans for June was to paint our basement.  We hired someone to finish it for us, but wanted to save a little bit of money by painting it ourselves.  Our basement is quite large.  They needed us to have the painting done by a certain date.  When Greg got hurt guess who that fell to.  Me!  I killed myself getting it done.  Adam helped me a little, but then was gone at a camp.  I also had the help of our amazing friend Rebecca Murphy for one day.  I ended up buying a nice paint sprayer.  Man those things are awesome, but the prep work is grueling.  I was so proud of myself for getting it done though.  Yeah, I am glad June is over.


Adam enjoyed a week away at a music camp at Luther College in Decorah, IA.  He loved it!  I was so glad he was able to go.  It was great for him to be with other talented kids.  He really enjoyed having some private piano lessons with college professors.  He also enjoyed his Keyboarding workshop and Chamber Choir.  The food was great.  He got to play sports every night.  He liked his room mate.  He was a happy boy.


Lizzy enjoyed a theater class here in town.  At the end of the week they put on a performance.  It was a little bit of acting, singing and dancing.  She really enjoyed it.  It has been fun to find some new things that she can enjoy since she is not able to do gymnastics yet.  The performance was really fun.


We threw in swimming lessons for two weeks along with several doctor's appointments.  I also got to drive Greg to work and home again.  It felt incredibly busy, just like May:)


The last week of May brought my Auntie Ann and my cousin's wife, Ya-Ping for a quick visit.  It was great to see them even it was quick.  Ann always makes me feel special and Ya-Ping is so kind and left a basket full of handmade hair bows for the girls. Thanks for stopping on your way through.


There you go.  That's June in a nutshell.  Next up... Vacation posts!

Greg with his birthday cheesecake

Lizzy on the right in her theater performance

Lizzy rocking out for her performance

Greg breaks his arms--yes both of them

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a man.  He was a very good man.  This man's name was Greg.  Now Greg was a grown man, but he often found himself hanging out with a bunch of teenage boys.  He attempted to help them and guide them and help them find their way in life.  He also liked to goof off  with them.  One summer, this summer actually, he went on a camping trip with these boys.  It was a survival camp, helping the boys learn survival skills.  


One night all of the leaders, including Greg, (and many of the boys' fathers) decided to play a game of Capture the Flag.  It was dusk and the terrain was uneven.  There were trees to hide behind and a field to run in.  Greg secreted himself behind a tree, patiently waiting for one of the boys to pass by his hiding spot.  The moment finally came and he leapt out to grab the boy who was swiftly running past.  Instead of obtaining his objective of capturing the boy, he found himself on the ground in agony.  In his efforts to tackle the boy he fell and slammed his head and his arms to the ground under the weight of his body.  


The boy  noticed Greg in a heap on the ground in obvious pain and called for help.  The doctor in the group came running.  It was obvious Greg had a broken right arm and maybe a dislocated pinkie on the left side.  He had a big bump on his head and was quite confused, unsure even what his phone number was.  Someone found the number for Greg's wife and called the unsuspecting woman at home.  "Your husband has had a pretty good fall.  We are bringing him to the hospital," the voice said to her on the phone.  She quickly got herself together and met Greg at the hospital.


Still dazed and confused (and in a lot of pain) Greg was glad to have his wife there to help answer questions. X-rays were taken, a CAT scan was done.  Thankfully no damage to the head was found.  The confusion and dizziness would wear off.  Right arm--radius and ulna both broken clean through right near the wrist. Left hand--several broken bones.  Pride--severally injured, may never heal.  They filled Greg with pain meds and set his arm the best they could.  "Come back tomorrow and we will do surgery they said."


After a short, restless night, Greg's wife drove him to the surgery center.  They peeked at his chart to see what was going to happen.  It said:
-Right distal radius fracture open reduction internal fixation, possible ulnar styloid open reduction internal fixation
-Left small finger proximal phalanx fracture closed reduction percutaneous pinning
-Left long finger metacarpal fracture closed reduction percutaneous pinning


Fortunately, the doctor explained it better than the chart.  "We are going to put a plate in your right wrist to hold the bone together.  It will be a permanent plate.  Once we get in there we will see if we want to fix the other arm bone, too.  In your left hand several bones are broken.  We are going to pin two of your fingers.  Now we won't have to open your hand up, but the pins will be sticking out of your hand.  It is going to be pretty tough for you do some things for a while."


Greg's wife patiently waited while they put him to sleep and fixed him up.  Greg's children patiently waited at home.  He went home to heal.  


After several weeks of needing lots of help (help with eating, bathing, shaving, driving, etc.)  Greg is doing much better.  He is happy to have the pins out of his hands and appreciates the help he is getting from a hand therapist.  Together they are trying to fully restore the movement in his right arm and left hand.  


Greg has learned to be more careful when he is enjoying games with teenage boys.  Greg has learned that he has a family who loves him and would do anything for him.  Greg has learned to be patient with himself when things don't come easy.  Greg has learned how many blessings he has been given in his life.  Greg is a happy man.

THE END

Here is Greg in the Emergency Room

Here is Greg's arm right after the accident.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

Greg's bump on the head

Greg in the Chinese finger trap.

On the way to surgery after a tough night

One perk--cupcakes from some of the great Young Women in our ward

Seeing the pins for the first time.  The pins drove him batty!

A scar to rival Lizzy's

Convalescing at home

Dream night at the zoo

June got off to a roaring start for us too.  No rest for the weary, you know.  Lizzy  (and her family) was invited to Dream Night at the zoo.  We were invited by the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, but many other area children's hospitals participate also.  It is a free night at the zoo for chronically or critically ill children and their families.  In some ways we were a bit surprised to be invited.  Her condition has improved so much we sometimes forget she was once critically ill and that her Chiari and Syringohydromyelia is something that may need to be monitored her whole life.


 It was wonderful to go.  I think seeing other children who were sicker that she is now (children with cancer shirts or no hair, children in wheelchairs, children with other disabilities) made Lizzy feel grateful.  We were all grateful that we have made it through the most difficult part, grateful that things are pretty good now.  I think she also feels sometimes sad about the things she can't do; it made her happy that we had this fun night, all free, because of her, too.  They fed us and had free crafts and face painting and free train rides.  It was really fun.  They also let all of the kids pick a free souvenir at the end of the evening.  We loved it!  Too bad Greg and Adam missed out on the fun.  Greg was with the older scouts on their High Adventure.  Adam was babysitting for a great family that has only boys.

Here are the kids at homed with their seal souvenirs.  Notice the face paint on Liz and Ben.  What a great night!