Last Days of Summer

 The day before I had to go back to school, Michelle and I and our mother went on our last field trip.  We have been field tripping each week somewhere.  Not necessarily fancy but somewhere.  I decided we needed to go to Provo Falls.  So we took Marlena's new car and headed up to the Uintahs.  It took about 70 minutes to get there and they were beautiful.  Michelle and I walked down and got our feet wet.  Marlena decided to stay up on the top.  

The water was cold, but not as cold as you would think

Sad that our road trips are coming to an end.  We road tripped to Delta, Midway two or three times, Lehi to see the poppys, Morgan to go to Taggarts grill, Albian Basin to see the wild flowers, Spanish Fork to the Cemetary a few times, Drove the Alpine Loop, and always ended with Lunch somewhere.  It was fun to watch for things to do and actually try them and have a low key approach to it. It was a great thing to do even when we don't have a Covid epidemic.  

Andrew is 22

 

Andrew came to visit us a week before his birthday.  He was celebrating some event ...oh a year with his girlfriend...so, we decided to celebrate his birthday early.  He gets the short end of the Birthday since his Birthday is always the day I go back to school or close.  So, Jim got the crumble cookies and we had root beer floats.  

Andrew is such a great man.  I remember one day turning around and wondering where this man in my house came from.  He is a  Senior in College majoring in Computer Science. He is super kind, and funny and willing to help. He goes to the gym every day and works hard at Maverick and is a tutor for the University.  Here's to a great year Andrew!

Recovery

 

Nick has been slowly recovering from his Traumatic Brain Injury.  He still likes to go to Football and hang out on the sidelines with the other players.  He is 74.  I think he is missing it because he was thinking he would be a starter this year for the JV.  Now he can be the Turn on the mics for the coaches.  

Here is Nick after football.  He has the ice pack to help with the pain.  

Starting year 28...

Another School year is upon us. I am starting year 28.  Wow.  I saw all these teachers that were old when I started teaching and never thought I would end up one of them. But here I am, and I'm one of the oldest.  If not the oldest, soon because all my older friends retire.  

It will be a weird year because of the Covid 19 epidemic.  The kids are coming only two days a week and the other days they are learning online.  Not sure how its going to play out because I have never experienced anything like this before.  Here's my room that I have grown old in.  

I got home from work and Brooke left this for me. :)  

 

Nick Recovery

 Nick came home from the hospital after 4 days. He has been in so much pain.  His head hurts.  

I get home from the hospital and here is what I found.  Ty brought this over.  He is so nice to bring treats.  Love him.

Brooke let Nick have her 5.00 pink drink from Starbucks...he left it in the shower...

He has spent his days in my bed...I want him sleeping upstairs so I can watch him and give him his medication

This is his old pill case that we had to throw away since it isn't working...Dollar Tree special isn't a great deal for pill cases.  

Nick's medication

New 5.00 pill case from Walmart which is much better

My cute friend Kenzie Brought us these blueberry muffins she made.  She came and visited.  It has been a while since someone visited.  It was fun to chat with her. 

I found these cool treats with Peanut Butter at Walmart when I was getting the pill case.  They look better than they are.

The Relief Society brought over these flowers and brownies for us.  There was no tag when we got them off the porch.  We were hoping it was one of my boyfriends that brought the flowers.  Nope... the Relief Society.  Dang.  

Nick insisted on going to his first football game.  He got out of the hospital about two days before.  It was against my better judgment but he needs to get out and not get depressed according to the doc.  He can do what he can.  Rest when tired or head aches

He is 74.  He doesn't have a helmet because he didn't play.  Speaking of Helmets, we bought that expensive helmet that he was wearing when he got hurt.  I have no doubt that is what saved his life.  If he was wearing a High School issued helmet I'm sure things would have been much worse.  

A Refinished Deck

We are suppose to stain the deck every few years.  We haven't done it for a while. We try and then its too hot or too rainy or it is winter.  I bought some stain or whatever to protect the deck last year and it has been sitting by the door ever since.

Abi decided it was time to stain it. 

It looks so much better with the new protectant (not sure what to call it)  

AND the deck is finished.  She did a great job. Finished it in the last few hours she spent with us .  It looks great!  

A big Trauma

 Nick has been playing football.  I got  call on Thursday July 30 that he was light headed after taking a big hit at practice.  I went and picked him up and talked to the trainer.  The trainer looked like he was 12...anyway he said Nick had a concussion.  So, took him home to watch.

He was in excruciating pain.  He complained of head hurting and light and noise bothering him.  He covered his head up with a black sweatshirt to keep out the light even after I hung up dark sheets over the windows.  He looked miserable.  

He was throwing up constantly.  He decided to stay in the bathroom since the tile was cold...

Well, then he tells me his left arm is numb.  We decide to go to Insta Care.  Well, driving to Instacare I change my mind and decide to go to Primary.  Instacare will probably just send us there because it was a head trauma.  So, to Primary we go.  

The docs came in to assess him and he couldn't hold up his left arm as high as his left and his grip was not as strong in the left side.  I did notice that too before we brought him in.  The doc says Thats Concerning...They rushed him to CT scan.  He was back and they said they didn't finish with the Stroke protocol because they found a Subdural Hematoma on the right side of his brain that would be causing his problems.  That is bleeding on the brain...UGH.  But not a stroke.  

He was admitted to the ICU.  Neurosurgery were the ones talking to me.  That made me a bit nervous.  They said for now we just admit him and watch him and repeat the CT scan in the am and see if it changes.  They might have to go in and drain it.  Which doesn't sound bad except the bleed is the entire right side of his brain so they have to remove the skull (at least pieces) from the back to the front.  

So, watched him, gave him morphene for pain and something else for nausea.  Plus ice packs and dark room.  He survived the night and repeated the CT scan.  It didn't change.  Which was good.  We are having visits from Neurosurgery still, Trauma, and Rehabilitation.  They are very thorough.  

He was transferred to the Neurotrauma Unit.  That sounds so serious. Neurotrauma.  He threw up and just had a headache most of the time.  His pain he said was about a 7 or 8 out of 10.  Poor kid.  He didn't eat or drink much.  

He did get finally on Tuesday take a shower.  I'm sure they suggested it because they could smell him...He looked and smelled so much better.  :)  He did get an MRI today and another CT Scan.  Both were ok.  No change in the CT scan.  which is good. 


I asked about the CT scan getting better and they said it won't get better for quite some time.  Like 6 weeks or so.  But they ruled out surgery to remove part of his skull because there was no change and they thought the bleeding had stopped.  We had Rehab, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Social Work and Education people all visit and assess him.  

This is me...we had to mask up at the hospital

Needed some tums...luckily the pharmacy could help me out

Finally Wednesday they said we could go home.  So around 5 or 6 we were discharged.  

He decided to walk to the car.  He stopped at the bench outside the hospital to wait for me to get the car.  He hasn't been up much in 6 days.  

Michelle came to the hospital and I met her outside.  There are no visitors due to covid.  She had made this poster for Nick.  Names were written on the rice krispie treats of people who love him and want him better.  It was fun to talk to her for a minute in the front of the hospital.  On a side note, her car wouldn't start so security gave her a jump.  

He came home and went straight to bed.  He slept the rest of the day.  He needs to follow up with a Rehab doctor specializing in concussions.  And have a repeat CT scan to check again.  

 He did go to football practice Thursday even.   He just stood there and watched.  I think he couldn't stand missing it anymore and being with his friends.  I hung out and watched him to make sure he was ok and if he needed to go home.  He didn't know or he would have been so mad.  I do know he is starting to feel better because he is a bit snippy with me.  However, he comes home and sleeps and puts ice and a sweatshirt on his head.  

Glad I finally took him to the hospital and he is going to survive although there is no idea what the lasting effects will be.