Gone So Long

Today. Almost all better.

First time at physical therapy. I told him NOT to wear the sweatshirt.

He was sweating when he was done!

Stepping outside to get some fresh air! It's like his "first day of school" picture!

Home from Dale's first trip to the Dr. a week after surgery. It took Peter, Al Wirrick and

Spencer Hall ans myself to get him there. Thanks guys!

Up and walking slowly 6 days after surgery.

Good to be home!

Going home in the back of the van! Only way we could get him home.

Day before surgery, Sleepy boy!

I'm back! It's been over 2 months but I have a good excuse. Dale, my beloved, has been recovering from tearing (on both knees at the same time) the tendons from his knee caps. To make a very long story short, he was making his last delivery of the morning to Wholefoods on Oct. 11th and his legs went out from under him. He was taken to U. of Wa. Med Center and after spending 10 hours in the emergency room they finally admitted him. It wasn't until Monday that they figured out what had happened. At first they thought he had rhabdomyolysis. it's a breakdown of the muscle fibers and the fibers are released into the bloodstream and it affects the kidneys. Well after doing lots and lots of tests and finally calling in an orthopedic Dr., they decided what had happened. This is after Dale had told them from the start in the emergency room he felt a tearing on both legs. He had to wait till that Wed. to have surgery because there wasn't an operating room. After opening up both knees they discovered that the tendons hadn't ripped completely and were able to weave them back together and sew them back together. He came home the next day and it has been a long road back to health. Two weeks after surgery he developed blood clots in both legs and in his lungs and was taken by ambulance to Overlake on Nov. 7th. He was there for 5 days. The first night was very rough but each day he improved. Having straight legged braces on his legs and not being able to move enough contributed to the clots. He will take cumadin for at least 6 to 12 months and is now only goin every 2 weeks to check his blood.

Anyway, he is now doing Physical Therapy on a limited bases and his braces are at 30 degrees now so he can move and doing alot on his own now. He has started back to work, going a few hours a day. He doesn't see the Dr. again till Jan. 16th and then we will see how much longer the braces stay on.

When something like this happens your life is put on hold and you spend your days getting better and just taking each day one at a time. We are so grateful to Heavenly Father and a Savior who loves us and has seen us thru every day. Good friends and family too. Our sons and their wives have helped tremendously. We are grateful for the 3 separate blessings the boys administered to Dale during this time. Thru all of this we have laughed alot with a few tears sprinkled in between. Where would we do without the laughter?

We have had a wonderful Christmas. Seth, Lacey, Weston and Koper came from Moscow. Andrew and Ned came home from school. Peter and Steph and their children and Timmy and Erin and their children all came over for Christmas Eve. Dale's mother was able to make it too. So we were a big, loud and fun group. I wouldn't have it any other way!!! We went sledding on the hill around the corner from the house. We have sooooooooooo much snow!!!!!! We had lots of food and a present frenzy!!!!!

We have missed Sam, Kate, Clark and Meredith who are in kind of warm Louisiana. Tommy went to Utah to be with his fiance, Rachel. Yes he asked her last week to marry him. They are looking at a May wedding.

So here are a few pictures from the last few months and Christmas.

Love to all and Merry Christmas and Happy New year!!!!