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!!!!

Ned Off to School Part 2

So, last Saturday Daddy, Tommy and I took Ned over to Yakima. Rainy day. Yuk! Ned and I left about 1/2 hour before them because Daddy had to make deliveries. We go there at about 11:30. it was raining in Yakima. I asked the woman checking everyone in about the rain and she said it hadn't rained there in months. great, it rained on move in day! YUK! Any way we got things into the room and then it was time to take Ned over to the baseball barbecue the coach was having for all the players. Ned walked thru the gate and I turned and balled like a baby. As Daddy and Tommy sat in the truck and watched me. I got myself under control in about 2 minutes and all was good. It was like taking all the boys to kindergarten on the first day all over again. Thought I was done with that. After we all ate at Arby's and I ran a gallon of milk back to Ned I was off to Moscow to see Seth, Lacey and the kids.

Let me tell you there is a whole lot of nothing out there in central Washington. I literally was the only person on my side of the road for 2 hours! I made it to Moscow in 3 hours. Not bad! I spent 5 days with Seth, Lacey and the boys and we had a great time. I went to work with Seth for about 2 hours one day. He taught me all about draft horses. Let me tell you they are big beasts. I sewed some things (baby blankets, tooth fairy pillows, diaper burp cloths) Lacey is taking over to Now and Then where she sells her vinyl products. They cleaned the carpets, we went down to Lewiston to go to the Home Depot. We were able to get gas at Safeway for only $3.29 a gallon. Can you believe getting excited about $3.29 gas? It was just fun to hang out with Seth, Lacey and the boys.

I went back thru Yakima on my way home and spent 3 hours with Ned. He is fine and adjusting. Baseball was very hard the first day and he was very tired but it's getting better and easier. He likes his classes too. He has been able to get rides to church and last night our Bishop who is from Yakima and was there over the weekend, had him over for dinner at his father's home. So he is being well taken care of which i am very grateful for.

I got home at midnight on Thursday and will catch up some day!


This picture goes with the back end of Ned making his bed. Another exciting moment!

A view of Ned's room. Exciting!

Happy boys?

Goofballs!!!

The dark cinder block hall to his room.

Ned in front of his dorm.

The road to Moscow. I took alot more oictures of the country side

but didn't think you would want to them ALL!

Me quivering next to Justin. LOOK at his eye!

Seth & Justin. This horse is HUGE!!!!

We believe this is Weston.

One of Weston's finer moments!

Just hangin' out!

Koper and the toy box.

The road back to Yakima .

Off to School

Making his bed. Nice backside!

Ned eating his last bowl of cereal at home or in the car for awhile. We are about to take off.

The grand Tour of Yakima Valley C. C.

Last Wednesday Ned & I went over to Yakima for his orientation. This is Y.V.C.C. in a nutshell. You can stand at the clock tower and see the whole school. All the buildings are new except the gym.

The first picture is "the" classroom building then the park next to the school, then the gym, the library, the clock tower. I was standing in front of the bookstore taking the picture of the tower. The dorm is behind the bookstore across the street. All pretty compact. So there you have it. Your baby brother is all set and ready to go. Unbelievable that all of our sons are graduated and making lives for themselves. Daddy and I are very proud of all of you. And that includes wives and grandchildren. Love you all. Mom

Uncle Tommy

I was talking to Seth tonight and he requested that I put some pictures of Tommy on the blog. So here you go Weston. Here's your Uncle Tommy.

Finally Getting It Together

So, Daddy and I have been trying to get things in order around here. We had let the back yard go and I've been trying to put our bathroom back together for it seems two years now. We are getting there.
Daddy worked in the yard yesterday and hauled off the last of the yard waste to the dump. We are going to get new rock for under the back windows and it will be done till next spring when the weeds reappear. Yard work gets really old!
Then, in our bathroom the only thing left to do is to put the baseboard in. I would have it done but when i went to have Peter cut them for me I forgot the measurements. Thanksgiving is my deadline. Really! I put the stick down tiles down and it is such an improvement over the yukky old floor. Real tile would have been better but this will do just fine!
The last thing, but not least, is the garage. It's not done so I won't take a picture of it till we are done. Uncle Paul is coming to get the Mustang to start working on it for Daddy. Should be gone in a few weeks. We will then start on Daddy's work area and get it cleaned up. Yahoo!!!
So we carry on and go a day at a time.

Till next time, Mom