Ok I have to go on a rant right now ... because I'm a little on the annoyed side! There are some things in this world that set a person off and this is one of those times!
My fiancé and I went to a late dinner tonight. He worked all day and we knew that the restaurants and such would be super crowded because it's fathers day! So we left @ 8:15 and decided that we were just going to go grab some pizza at Pizza Hut. We are sitting there enjoying our meal when in walks two families ... with small children. At this time it is about 9:15. 9:15 pm and these parents have brought their children out to dinner. Small children. One had an infant there. You know - I probably wouldn't have been so annoyed if the kids were well behaved ... but of course they weren't! Running around like banshees! I mean - c'mon people! We specifically go out a little later so that we can avoid having to deal w/ screaming kids! Why is it that you do not have your kids at home ... in bed at 9:30 at night?
So Jim and I wound up leaving - got the rest of our pizza put in a to go box and we left. Thanks for a ruined evening stupid parents. Thanks for thinking only of yourself and your kids. At 9:30 in the evening - you should be taking pizza to go so you can get home and get your kids in bed so they aren't up all night! Well I guess I really don't care if they are up all night as long as you keep them confined to your house where only you have to deal w/ their screaming!!!
Do I sound like a bitch? Probably. Don't get me wrong ... I adore kids. My nieces and nephews mean the world to me. I've taken them out to dinner w/ my fiancé and they are so well behaved that it isn't funny. Of course I didn't take them out past their bed time.
Ok - I'm done ranting. Let's try and pass a law. I love the rule that Dave & Busters has. After a certain time in the night - no kids allowed. That rule rocks! There are a time and place for kids - we adults need our free time to!
TTFN ....
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A Dreamer and a Blog Award Winner!!!!
I woke up this morning just a regular shmoe, only special to those that I annoy. Then I found out that by the grace of God I have become a Blog Award Winner! I didn't even know I was nominated and here I am a winner. I have to admit that I do not have a speech planned and I do not have a fancy outfit for my speech but I am humbled by this obscure award. Not to many people get it and I am honored!!
This award also comes with rules:
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.
This is my very first award!!!
1. Thank you Tabitha for recognizing my Versatility and honoring me with this award.
2. Share 7 things about me ... with you! OK here goes nothing!
- I am engaged to my soul mate and my hero. We are getting married on 12/17/11. On the date of our wedding we will have been together 12 years.
- I am officially a gimp. On 2/24/10 I was in a motor vehicle accident and broke my calcaneus. It is not fun!
- I am a lover of cats. I have two beautiful little boy kitties who will turn one in August. They are so adorable. Here is picture for you to ohhh and ahhhh at!!
- I am a huge Yankees fan. They have been my team since I met my fiancé as he is a huge fan and we watch a lot of the games together! If there is a team to watch it is the New York Yankees!
- I hate the Boston Red Sox. Period.
- I am a huge fan of reality t.v! I'll pretty much watch anything but my favorites are: Big Brother, The Bachelor or Bachelorette, Amazing Race, etc! The list could go on and on!
- I am addicted to HGTV. There I said it.
3. I only know two bloggers. So I do not know who to pass this on to. I will promise you that I will start reading some blogs and pick some people to award this prestigious award to and I will let you know!!!
4. When I pick the bloggers I will let them know that I have selected them for the award!!!
So YAY my first award!! I'm excited!!
Now let's talk about dreaming. I am a dreamer - I do not know about you. I'm talking about the kind of dreams you have when you are asleep - not the "I have a dream" type of scenarios! I do not know where most of my dreams take shape. Some of them are just down right weird. Like last nights dream about alien bugs overtaking my house! I mean like WTH!! Sometimes - if I fall asleep w/ the TV on I'll have dreams about stuff that's playing on the TV. A lot of times I'll fall asleep watching HGTV and then I'll have a dream about home makeovers and stuff like that. I know that some people can diagnose a dream but how accurate is that type of stuff?
Ok - I now have another dream. I am online w/ a representative from Verizon and my new dream is that this person gets a terrible rash!!
I'm out for now ... =)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Life is like a drive in the car ...
Scratching your head thinking ... what is this loony talking about? She has surely lost it! haha no I'm serious - just hear me out! Jim and I just had a lovely journey in the car. He set up a meeting w/ his boss at her house at midnight tonight. Yes - I know you are thinking ... midnight? We were a bit confused at first but apparently she was super busy and told us she would be up and awake when we got there. His boss lives about 45 mins away from where we live - so our journey started at about 11:15 pm.
We were about 10 mins from her house when we ran into construction! BLECH - I hate construction! We sat for about 10 mins waiting for our turn to go. So finally we get through and we are on our way. We pull up to her house and guess what? Pitch black. All the lights in her house were off. We sent a text - perhaps she is sitting in a back room ... nothing. We waited about 10 mins then left. Now when I tell you that his boss lives in the boonies ... I really mean it. It is a beautiful area of NJ - surrounded by the Pine Barrens but it is in the middle of no where! So the next decision we made may not have been the smartest BUT we knew that we did NOT want to sit in that construction mess on our way home so Jim said "Let's go this way" when we left her house and our journey began!!
We drove down this road, then that road ... turned here and turned there. Jim kept assuring me that we were fine. We saw about 6 or 7 deer on the sides of the roads as we drove. I don't know about you - but deers can be scary standing on the side of the road. One little move and they will freak out and run in front of your car! I have had one accident this year ... I did not want another! So I kept telling Jim to keep his high beams on! We both stayed calm, even as I heard the stress building in Jim's voice. He was lost. In the middle of nowhere. First thing I did was look at his gas gauge. Three quarters of a tank. Ok - no stress needed about that. We don't have a GPS unit in the car. We've been meaning to get one but just never did. "Are we lost?" I asked. "We're screwed" he says.
I take out my cell phone. I know I have GPS ability on my phone. I start the application. $2.99 for one day. Ok - no problem. I download the application. My battery starts to die. OMG we are never going to get out of here. I kept thinking of the headlines "Two people found in their car in the middle of the Pine Barrens, must have been out there for days as they appear to have lost 2 lbs" hehe
I asked Jim if he had a charger - to which he said no. UGG why not! I was starting to get frustrated. "Stay calm Sonya - it will be okay" I kept thinking. I continued to download the navigator despite my low battery. "Oh wait" Jim says. "I took the car charger out of your car after your accident. It is in my glove box". WOOHOO! We will live!!! =)
Ok so I download the navigator and we determine where we are at and what we need to do. We are pleasantly happy with ourselves as we are driving along until we realize that we are heading back in the same direction of the construction! We didn't bypass it at all! We drove 30 mins out of our way, got terribly stressed and paid $$ for the navigation application and we accomplished nothing. We will still be sitting in the congestion! This was no good! So Jim said "I'm turning up here - we'll figure this out".
We did wind up finding our way around the construction. We came out exactly on the highway right after the construction ended. It took us 1 hour extra. If we would have been a little patient, we would have sat through the congestion for 10 mins and been home at 1 am instead of 2 am!!
So now you are thinking "Ok - great story, she's a funny girl but what does this have to do with 'Life is like a drive in the car?"
You travel through life and you generally hit a little bit of congestion. Pick a person you are going to be able to either sit with while you wait or who is daring enough to take a turn and go on a journey with you! Stay calm ... work together and you will make it through anything. Also remember that sometimes - if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with - most of the time it takes less time, stress and money to just tackle the issue (congestion) then trying your hardest to avoid it!!
That's my life lesson for the day ...
We were about 10 mins from her house when we ran into construction! BLECH - I hate construction! We sat for about 10 mins waiting for our turn to go. So finally we get through and we are on our way. We pull up to her house and guess what? Pitch black. All the lights in her house were off. We sent a text - perhaps she is sitting in a back room ... nothing. We waited about 10 mins then left. Now when I tell you that his boss lives in the boonies ... I really mean it. It is a beautiful area of NJ - surrounded by the Pine Barrens but it is in the middle of no where! So the next decision we made may not have been the smartest BUT we knew that we did NOT want to sit in that construction mess on our way home so Jim said "Let's go this way" when we left her house and our journey began!!
We drove down this road, then that road ... turned here and turned there. Jim kept assuring me that we were fine. We saw about 6 or 7 deer on the sides of the roads as we drove. I don't know about you - but deers can be scary standing on the side of the road. One little move and they will freak out and run in front of your car! I have had one accident this year ... I did not want another! So I kept telling Jim to keep his high beams on! We both stayed calm, even as I heard the stress building in Jim's voice. He was lost. In the middle of nowhere. First thing I did was look at his gas gauge. Three quarters of a tank. Ok - no stress needed about that. We don't have a GPS unit in the car. We've been meaning to get one but just never did. "Are we lost?" I asked. "We're screwed" he says.
I take out my cell phone. I know I have GPS ability on my phone. I start the application. $2.99 for one day. Ok - no problem. I download the application. My battery starts to die. OMG we are never going to get out of here. I kept thinking of the headlines "Two people found in their car in the middle of the Pine Barrens, must have been out there for days as they appear to have lost 2 lbs" hehe
I asked Jim if he had a charger - to which he said no. UGG why not! I was starting to get frustrated. "Stay calm Sonya - it will be okay" I kept thinking. I continued to download the navigator despite my low battery. "Oh wait" Jim says. "I took the car charger out of your car after your accident. It is in my glove box". WOOHOO! We will live!!! =)
Ok so I download the navigator and we determine where we are at and what we need to do. We are pleasantly happy with ourselves as we are driving along until we realize that we are heading back in the same direction of the construction! We didn't bypass it at all! We drove 30 mins out of our way, got terribly stressed and paid $$ for the navigation application and we accomplished nothing. We will still be sitting in the congestion! This was no good! So Jim said "I'm turning up here - we'll figure this out".
We did wind up finding our way around the construction. We came out exactly on the highway right after the construction ended. It took us 1 hour extra. If we would have been a little patient, we would have sat through the congestion for 10 mins and been home at 1 am instead of 2 am!!
So now you are thinking "Ok - great story, she's a funny girl but what does this have to do with 'Life is like a drive in the car?"
You travel through life and you generally hit a little bit of congestion. Pick a person you are going to be able to either sit with while you wait or who is daring enough to take a turn and go on a journey with you! Stay calm ... work together and you will make it through anything. Also remember that sometimes - if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with - most of the time it takes less time, stress and money to just tackle the issue (congestion) then trying your hardest to avoid it!!
That's my life lesson for the day ...
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Fast forward to present day ...
I have been writing about the things that have been going on since my accident - telling you my stories of woe. I'm glad to report that ... I'm still a gimp and still waiting! There a a ton of stories I can tell you about the last 2 months that I've been sitting at home but I'm pretty sure that they will continue to happen to me so I will just update you as they happen! haha
I have begun going to Physical Therapy twice a week. NovaCare is the rehabilitation center that I am going to. So far they have been pretty nice. They have me doing some exercises that I'm not to sure why I'm doing them ... like riding the bike. But I basically do what they tell me to do. They know what they are talking about so I will trust them!! My biggest problem right now is that I still can not feel my foot. It has been over 3 months since my accident and my foot is still swollen AND my wounds are still open AND I still can not feel my toes! I go back to the doctors next Wednesday so I will get his thoughts on this. My therapist said she wouldn't be too worried - but then again ... it isn't her foot! So worried I am!
I have been getting better w/ my crutches. I have been trying to just use them for stability ... not so much as weight carrying. I would say I'm at like 75% on my foot which is great (for weight carrying). The only thing I am not doing though is walking long distances. For instance tonight we all went to the buffet for dinner. I used my wheel chair to go into the restaurant because there would be no way I could walk around and get my food and all that w/ my crutches! So if there is a distance involved - I use the wheel chair, but around the house and such I am pretty much on the crutches! YAY
Ok it is official - I am addicted to HGTV. One would wonder why since I do not have my own home - but when I do ... all I can say is that it will look amazing!!! LOL
Amazingly enough I am sleepy. I didn't wake up today till after 11 a.m but I am so tired right now I just need to sleep. If I can fall asleep before midnight I will be able to have a real excuse for not waking up my mother. She is peacefully asleep on the other couch and I decided last night that I will not wake her up to send her to bed ever again! She gets way to snippy with me even though I am doing her a favor. One of my friends ... Tabila suggested that I wake her up but use a subtle approach and use a pillow over her face! haha but I thought it would be a lot less obvious if I plug her nose that way I can just say that I'm wiping something off her face!! hahaha "What mom - you had glitter on your cheek, GOSH. I was just trying to help!!"
haha I'm kidding of course. Don't call the cops! I love my mother to death ... *throws pillow on couch*
TTFN - I'm going to sleep!
I have begun going to Physical Therapy twice a week. NovaCare is the rehabilitation center that I am going to. So far they have been pretty nice. They have me doing some exercises that I'm not to sure why I'm doing them ... like riding the bike. But I basically do what they tell me to do. They know what they are talking about so I will trust them!! My biggest problem right now is that I still can not feel my foot. It has been over 3 months since my accident and my foot is still swollen AND my wounds are still open AND I still can not feel my toes! I go back to the doctors next Wednesday so I will get his thoughts on this. My therapist said she wouldn't be too worried - but then again ... it isn't her foot! So worried I am!
I have been getting better w/ my crutches. I have been trying to just use them for stability ... not so much as weight carrying. I would say I'm at like 75% on my foot which is great (for weight carrying). The only thing I am not doing though is walking long distances. For instance tonight we all went to the buffet for dinner. I used my wheel chair to go into the restaurant because there would be no way I could walk around and get my food and all that w/ my crutches! So if there is a distance involved - I use the wheel chair, but around the house and such I am pretty much on the crutches! YAY
Ok it is official - I am addicted to HGTV. One would wonder why since I do not have my own home - but when I do ... all I can say is that it will look amazing!!! LOL
Amazingly enough I am sleepy. I didn't wake up today till after 11 a.m but I am so tired right now I just need to sleep. If I can fall asleep before midnight I will be able to have a real excuse for not waking up my mother. She is peacefully asleep on the other couch and I decided last night that I will not wake her up to send her to bed ever again! She gets way to snippy with me even though I am doing her a favor. One of my friends ... Tabila suggested that I wake her up but use a subtle approach and use a pillow over her face! haha but I thought it would be a lot less obvious if I plug her nose that way I can just say that I'm wiping something off her face!! hahaha "What mom - you had glitter on your cheek, GOSH. I was just trying to help!!"
haha I'm kidding of course. Don't call the cops! I love my mother to death ... *throws pillow on couch*
TTFN - I'm going to sleep!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Step by Step ...
March 15, 2010 was the date of my second surgery. You know thinking back it was both a day of fear and desire. I couldn't wait to get the external fixator removed from my leg/foot but at the same time I was afraid of what was to come after the surgery! My surgery was scheduled for 9 am. I was transferred to the hospital by an ambulance company on a gurney. It is very weird laying on a gurney in the middle of the hospital lobby as the driver tries to determine where I am supposed to go. I of course told them when they picked me up which floor and suite to go to but they statued that they needed to 'check in'. Numbnuts! Anyway - by the time they got me where I was going it was 9:30 a.m. Late for my damn surgery. I was really nervous. The nurses came over to me and we had to derobe me so I could put on the elegant hospital gown. Thankfully in this day and age they have begun to make these gowns large enough to fit those of us that have a little more cushion for the pushin!!
I played the waiting game - as I watched different patients come and go. Then I saw Dr. Ostrum. He assured me that he was ready for the task at hand and that I had nothing to worry about. They were going to give me a shot that was going to put me out and I would wake up later all fixed up. I remember laying there in the "waiting area" ... and the next thing I knew it - I was in recovery. I'm not 100% sure how long the surgery took. I wish to some extent that I would have been able to see what they saw. They cut open my foot and basically reconstructed my heel w/ metal screws and bolts. I am forever going to have problems going into an airport or through any metal detector! I hope I do not get called for jury duty any time soon! LOL
Laying in recovery it was clear to me immediately that I had not been catheterized during surgery. Not sure how I did on the table with my bladder control BUT I did know that at that moment .... I had to pee. I called over my nurse and she said "Ok - let me get the bed pan" -_-
Bed pan? Oh boy. She came over and placed it under my ass. I sat there for I do not know how long trying to pee. I had to pee so bad that I thought it would be simple enough but nothing ... not one drop. I asked her to come back and I told her that it wasn't going to work and that I had to use the potty. This is where I said thank God to my Physical Therapy group in the Cinnaminson Center. They taught me how to manuever in and out of a wheel chair with one foot. They taught me how to get from the wheel chair to the toilet with one foot. They taught me how to get back in the chair and even back into bed! My nurse was so impressed!!
One thing I did have connected to me post surgery was my morphin drip. If you have never had morphin before ... I can attest that it is an amazing drug. I had a little control that every ten minutes I was allowed to hit the button and I would get an injection of the morphin. To this day I can swear to you that I never got any of that drug into my system. The damn button didn't work! I'm not sure if my doctor was trying to test me on how tough I could be or what but I spent the first 24 hours post surgery in extreme pain. Every doctor that came in to visit me said the same thing ... we need to talk to Ostrum. Well I know the man is busy - he's a surgeon for crying out loud!
Eventually he showed up in my room to admire his handy work. I was crying at this point and begged him for help. He talked to the nurses and told them to shoot the pain drugs right into my IV line. Relief at last! OMG it is amazing how nice you feel after you get drugs from your doctor. They have the good stuff at the hospital!!
My roommate at the hospital actually was a patient of Ostrum as well. She had some messed up feet or something. LOL She told me but I don't really remember. The reason I am telling you about her is because this woman was addicted to coffee. She had to have like 12 cups of coffee a day! Our first day in the room she was crying and throwing up from withdrawal! How crazy is that! Man oh man - it was insane.
So I was in the hospital until 3/17/2010 ... then I was released. St. Patty's Day. I don't have much Irish inside of me but the luck of the Irish was on my side on this day! Jim had his car ready to take me home. It really felt so great having the wind blow threw my hair and head home. I had not been home for exactly 3 weeks! I missed my couch - I missed my kittens ... I just missed everything.
YAY I was home !!!
I played the waiting game - as I watched different patients come and go. Then I saw Dr. Ostrum. He assured me that he was ready for the task at hand and that I had nothing to worry about. They were going to give me a shot that was going to put me out and I would wake up later all fixed up. I remember laying there in the "waiting area" ... and the next thing I knew it - I was in recovery. I'm not 100% sure how long the surgery took. I wish to some extent that I would have been able to see what they saw. They cut open my foot and basically reconstructed my heel w/ metal screws and bolts. I am forever going to have problems going into an airport or through any metal detector! I hope I do not get called for jury duty any time soon! LOL
Laying in recovery it was clear to me immediately that I had not been catheterized during surgery. Not sure how I did on the table with my bladder control BUT I did know that at that moment .... I had to pee. I called over my nurse and she said "Ok - let me get the bed pan" -_-
Bed pan? Oh boy. She came over and placed it under my ass. I sat there for I do not know how long trying to pee. I had to pee so bad that I thought it would be simple enough but nothing ... not one drop. I asked her to come back and I told her that it wasn't going to work and that I had to use the potty. This is where I said thank God to my Physical Therapy group in the Cinnaminson Center. They taught me how to manuever in and out of a wheel chair with one foot. They taught me how to get from the wheel chair to the toilet with one foot. They taught me how to get back in the chair and even back into bed! My nurse was so impressed!!
One thing I did have connected to me post surgery was my morphin drip. If you have never had morphin before ... I can attest that it is an amazing drug. I had a little control that every ten minutes I was allowed to hit the button and I would get an injection of the morphin. To this day I can swear to you that I never got any of that drug into my system. The damn button didn't work! I'm not sure if my doctor was trying to test me on how tough I could be or what but I spent the first 24 hours post surgery in extreme pain. Every doctor that came in to visit me said the same thing ... we need to talk to Ostrum. Well I know the man is busy - he's a surgeon for crying out loud!
Eventually he showed up in my room to admire his handy work. I was crying at this point and begged him for help. He talked to the nurses and told them to shoot the pain drugs right into my IV line. Relief at last! OMG it is amazing how nice you feel after you get drugs from your doctor. They have the good stuff at the hospital!!
My roommate at the hospital actually was a patient of Ostrum as well. She had some messed up feet or something. LOL She told me but I don't really remember. The reason I am telling you about her is because this woman was addicted to coffee. She had to have like 12 cups of coffee a day! Our first day in the room she was crying and throwing up from withdrawal! How crazy is that! Man oh man - it was insane.
So I was in the hospital until 3/17/2010 ... then I was released. St. Patty's Day. I don't have much Irish inside of me but the luck of the Irish was on my side on this day! Jim had his car ready to take me home. It really felt so great having the wind blow threw my hair and head home. I had not been home for exactly 3 weeks! I missed my couch - I missed my kittens ... I just missed everything.
YAY I was home !!!
Rehab facility or Old Folks home?
Sorry I've been away for a couple days. Sometimes I get into a stupid funk and I just don't even pick up my computer!! But I'm back *hehe*
So as I told you before I was moved from Cooper Hospital to The Cinnaminson Center. I was moved in the cloak of darkness. When I got to the facility I pretty much was moved into my room and pretty much left alone. That was the first night.
Day two as I was laying in my bed all comfy cozy my aide came in and asked me if I wanted to get washed up and dress. I was surprised and happy. It was at this moment that I realized that I wasn't going to be able to just lay around and wait for the swelling in my foot to go down. These people were going to annoy me! Right after I got washed and got a new hospital gown I was greeted by my Physical Therapist. To be honest - I was angry. I kept thinking that I just wanted to be left alone. They of course kept telling me that I had to get up and move around. How was this possible? I only had one foot! I was not allowed to put any weight or pressure on my broken foot! This was completely ridiculous and annoying! They wheeled me down to the PT room. First off - I was the youngest person in the room by at least 40 years (besides the therapists). I looked around and all of these older people and it hit me. You aren't in a rehab facility - you are in a convalescent home! GREAT!!!
My first PT was an hour long. After that I got back to my room - crawled back into bed and sulked. These people were nuts! I thought perhaps they would have me doing PT two or three times a week. WRONG!
The next day was pretty much the same. My aide came in to get me up and washed. Thankfully my fiancé and mother brought me in some clothes to wear so I was no longer schlepping around in a hospital gown that showed way to much skin for my taste!! Again the lovely PT people were knocking at my door. I had to go down and sit in the PT room doing arm exercises and strengthening exercises for my legs. Then they brought over a walker. Hell no. I was not going to be using a walker! They showed me how to lean on the walker and hop. That's right - I said hop. Now mind you it had been one week since my accident at this point. My major injury was my broken heel. However, I had a badly bruised right foot. I had a severely bruised right hand and my shoulder was killing me from where I banged into the steering wheel/air bag! So I was a mess! But hop along I effing did! U G H!
Day in and day out - my days were about the same. Jim showed up at about 1 or 2 in the afternoon and stayed with me until 8 pm when visiting hours were over. He - even to this day has been amazing! I had tons of visitors come and go. The old people surrounding me were nice ... and most of them were pretty funny! One of the draw back to being in an Old Folks facility is the amount of time the place smells like poop. I have determined the reason for this. There are so many people staying in these facilities and each resident is only allowed 2 showers a week! Yes - I said it ... 2 showers a week! No wonder it smells so bad!! My room of course smelled fantastic because I had my sisters bring in those plug ins - every time a nurse or aide came in my room they would say "It smells so nice in here" haha
One time I was sitting in my room and my door was open. This woman who I had been told was deaf and could not speak was wheeling by my door. She stopped right outside my door and she looked in. This is no lie - she plugged her nose and then waved her hand in front of her face (like a stinky face) and then pointed to the ground as if saying "This place stinks" haha I looked at her and said "You don't have to tell me twice!" haha that was the funniest moment of my stay.
So basically after my bitching and complaining and moaning and groaning I actually wound up having a nice time in the home. All of the people there were so amazing. My nurse Janine was amazing. She took such great care of me! Always available when I needed her! She was my primary nurse and left right around dinner. Then I had a variety of night nurses! Nicci was my awesome daily aide ... she kept me motivated and really helped when I got depressed. As much as I hated getting up out of bed everyday - you really do need it. They don't want you to just lay there and wallow in your misery! They really did amaze me! My PT people turned out to be super great. As soon as I lost the chip on my shoulder and realized they weren't trying to ruin my life, they actually became pretty cool. Kylie always tried to make me laugh and Everett was always around to cheer you up. All in all my two weeks stay at The Cinnaminson Center wasn't bad at all. I never ever want to be in a situation where I would need to go to a place like this again but if it ever happened - I would go back to this facility.
Last story before I end this long ass blog haha I found out while I was staying there that the patients were allowed to bring their pets in for a visit. I had my fiance bring my kitten Eenie in for a visit. Eenie hadn't been feeling well and we believed that he really missed me. Jim brought him in and Eenie walked around for a couple mins and then he proceeded to lay on my chest (where he always laid as a little baby) and he slept there for 2 hours. He missed his mama!! <3
Ok - next blog I'll start w/ my next surgery ... it's late and I'm sleepy! TTFN!
So as I told you before I was moved from Cooper Hospital to The Cinnaminson Center. I was moved in the cloak of darkness. When I got to the facility I pretty much was moved into my room and pretty much left alone. That was the first night.
Day two as I was laying in my bed all comfy cozy my aide came in and asked me if I wanted to get washed up and dress. I was surprised and happy. It was at this moment that I realized that I wasn't going to be able to just lay around and wait for the swelling in my foot to go down. These people were going to annoy me! Right after I got washed and got a new hospital gown I was greeted by my Physical Therapist. To be honest - I was angry. I kept thinking that I just wanted to be left alone. They of course kept telling me that I had to get up and move around. How was this possible? I only had one foot! I was not allowed to put any weight or pressure on my broken foot! This was completely ridiculous and annoying! They wheeled me down to the PT room. First off - I was the youngest person in the room by at least 40 years (besides the therapists). I looked around and all of these older people and it hit me. You aren't in a rehab facility - you are in a convalescent home! GREAT!!!
My first PT was an hour long. After that I got back to my room - crawled back into bed and sulked. These people were nuts! I thought perhaps they would have me doing PT two or three times a week. WRONG!
The next day was pretty much the same. My aide came in to get me up and washed. Thankfully my fiancé and mother brought me in some clothes to wear so I was no longer schlepping around in a hospital gown that showed way to much skin for my taste!! Again the lovely PT people were knocking at my door. I had to go down and sit in the PT room doing arm exercises and strengthening exercises for my legs. Then they brought over a walker. Hell no. I was not going to be using a walker! They showed me how to lean on the walker and hop. That's right - I said hop. Now mind you it had been one week since my accident at this point. My major injury was my broken heel. However, I had a badly bruised right foot. I had a severely bruised right hand and my shoulder was killing me from where I banged into the steering wheel/air bag! So I was a mess! But hop along I effing did! U G H!
Day in and day out - my days were about the same. Jim showed up at about 1 or 2 in the afternoon and stayed with me until 8 pm when visiting hours were over. He - even to this day has been amazing! I had tons of visitors come and go. The old people surrounding me were nice ... and most of them were pretty funny! One of the draw back to being in an Old Folks facility is the amount of time the place smells like poop. I have determined the reason for this. There are so many people staying in these facilities and each resident is only allowed 2 showers a week! Yes - I said it ... 2 showers a week! No wonder it smells so bad!! My room of course smelled fantastic because I had my sisters bring in those plug ins - every time a nurse or aide came in my room they would say "It smells so nice in here" haha
One time I was sitting in my room and my door was open. This woman who I had been told was deaf and could not speak was wheeling by my door. She stopped right outside my door and she looked in. This is no lie - she plugged her nose and then waved her hand in front of her face (like a stinky face) and then pointed to the ground as if saying "This place stinks" haha I looked at her and said "You don't have to tell me twice!" haha that was the funniest moment of my stay.
So basically after my bitching and complaining and moaning and groaning I actually wound up having a nice time in the home. All of the people there were so amazing. My nurse Janine was amazing. She took such great care of me! Always available when I needed her! She was my primary nurse and left right around dinner. Then I had a variety of night nurses! Nicci was my awesome daily aide ... she kept me motivated and really helped when I got depressed. As much as I hated getting up out of bed everyday - you really do need it. They don't want you to just lay there and wallow in your misery! They really did amaze me! My PT people turned out to be super great. As soon as I lost the chip on my shoulder and realized they weren't trying to ruin my life, they actually became pretty cool. Kylie always tried to make me laugh and Everett was always around to cheer you up. All in all my two weeks stay at The Cinnaminson Center wasn't bad at all. I never ever want to be in a situation where I would need to go to a place like this again but if it ever happened - I would go back to this facility.
Last story before I end this long ass blog haha I found out while I was staying there that the patients were allowed to bring their pets in for a visit. I had my fiance bring my kitten Eenie in for a visit. Eenie hadn't been feeling well and we believed that he really missed me. Jim brought him in and Eenie walked around for a couple mins and then he proceeded to lay on my chest (where he always laid as a little baby) and he slept there for 2 hours. He missed his mama!! <3
Ok - next blog I'll start w/ my next surgery ... it's late and I'm sleepy! TTFN!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Waiting Game ..
I've been waiting a lot since 2/24/10 ... waiting for swelling to go down, waiting for visitors to come visit .. waiting for Jim to bring me lunch ... waiting for the pain to go away ... it's amazing how much time one can spend waiting.
After my surgery on 2/25/10 I spent the next couple of days in the hospital. I really did have a lot of people come visit. Jim spend 90% of his time with me at the hospital. He was exactly who I needed with me during this whole experience. My mom was also there with me - if she wasn't working, she was with me. Co-workers showed up ... family members ... and some great friends. Sunday 2/28 was a big day for visitors ... Renee' came down and actually helped me "shower" which was just what I needed! Amazing what a good friend will do for you when you need it!!
Another visitor that showed up on Sunday was my lawyer Chris Costello. You never in your life think that you will need a lawyer but when something like this happens, it truly is important to find someone who will be on your side and help you through all the legal aspects. I was lucky to find Chris as he is the brother-in-law of my sisters neighbor, so it was an easy find and a lucky one also!!
So I spent until 3/1/10 in Cooper Hospital, still swollen, still in pain. The medical professionals felt that it was going to take a long time for my swelling to go down so I had to be transferred to a Rehab Facility. Cinnaminson Center was going to be my home for the next 2 weeks. I was a little nervous about moving to the new facility but it turned out to be a great place. I was lucky enough to get my own room and everyone at the facility were amazing. It really is surprising how quickly your opinion of a place can change just from the staff there!!
I'll tell you more about them tomorrow - right now I'm waiting for Jim to show up so I can go out! =) Bye!!!
After my surgery on 2/25/10 I spent the next couple of days in the hospital. I really did have a lot of people come visit. Jim spend 90% of his time with me at the hospital. He was exactly who I needed with me during this whole experience. My mom was also there with me - if she wasn't working, she was with me. Co-workers showed up ... family members ... and some great friends. Sunday 2/28 was a big day for visitors ... Renee' came down and actually helped me "shower" which was just what I needed! Amazing what a good friend will do for you when you need it!!
Another visitor that showed up on Sunday was my lawyer Chris Costello. You never in your life think that you will need a lawyer but when something like this happens, it truly is important to find someone who will be on your side and help you through all the legal aspects. I was lucky to find Chris as he is the brother-in-law of my sisters neighbor, so it was an easy find and a lucky one also!!
So I spent until 3/1/10 in Cooper Hospital, still swollen, still in pain. The medical professionals felt that it was going to take a long time for my swelling to go down so I had to be transferred to a Rehab Facility. Cinnaminson Center was going to be my home for the next 2 weeks. I was a little nervous about moving to the new facility but it turned out to be a great place. I was lucky enough to get my own room and everyone at the facility were amazing. It really is surprising how quickly your opinion of a place can change just from the staff there!!
I'll tell you more about them tomorrow - right now I'm waiting for Jim to show up so I can go out! =) Bye!!!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Be careful what you wish for ...
Waking up in the hospital on the 25th of February was something I never thought would happen. Believe it or not - when I was a kid I wanted to know what it was like to break a bone! My sister Tracy broke bones left and right when we were kids! Then my brother Tim followed her lead and I can't even tell you how many times he was being rushed to the hospital for falling out of a tree. Now I never really wanted to be hurt ... I think it was more the attention that I looked for. Any little injury I had I always made it out to be a big deal ... telling my mom that I thought I needed to go to the hospital. She never took me! Low and behold my time would come. And now if I had every birthday wish back I want to wish for toys, socks ... heck I'll even wish for the flu right now! I do not want to wish for a broken bone! This is for the birds!!!
Dr. Ostrum came to see me on 2/25 to tell me how he was going to fix me up. He told me that I hadn't left him much of a heel to work with but he was going to put me back together. When I woke up post surgery I had this wonderful device on my foot.
This is what they call an external fixator. It was put in my heel/foot/leg to separate the bones that were crushed so that they could fix me up. Problem was that my foot was so swollen there was no way Dr. Ostrum would be able to repair my heel until the swelling went down. Patience and it's virtue has hit me on this day.
My long road to recovery started on this day.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Everyone has a past ....
It all started on 2/24/10. Before I left my house I sent my future niece a text message to say Happy Birthday. I never thought that I would be seeing her in a few hours at her job laying on a stretcher in the ER. Intrigued? Oh it's a good story.
Have you heard that song ... Isn't it Ironic by Alanis Morissette? I always loved singing along to this song ... I'm actually a good singer or I think I am in my head! haha anyway - I think about this song as I think about this day. I was driving to work like any normal day - nothing special about it. My gas light was on and I knew I needed gas. As I was approaching the gas station I realized that I forgot my ATM card at home! GREAT! Now I have to drive to work on fumes! Ok - I'll make it! I officially can not tell you if I would have made it or not. 10 minutes later I was laying in the back of an ambulance.
She came out of nowhere. I was the sole car on my side of the road - driving down a 40 mile an hour stretch of the road. On my right sat the school she pulled out of. About twelve buses sat there waiting their turn to pull out on the highway. I always heard patience was a virtue. Not on this day I guess. I blinked my eyes and looked in my rear view and as I looked back infront of me ... she was there ... pulling into the highway. I tried to swerve but she was so close to me that I bounced off her side and she ricocheted me into oncoming traffic ... hitting the jeep head on.
I remember screaming ... Oh my God ... my chest hurt ... my shoulder hurt ... my left foot hurt. I unlatched my seat belt ... my airbags deployed all around me. I opened the door ... hearing people screaming at me to stay in the car. OH my God .... I was still screaming. Ester was standing next to me. She was a fellow bus driver sitting behind the one who pulled out in front of me. She stayed calm thank God. What happened ... I kept thinking ... Where did she come from ran through my head. I looked at Ester ... the police were here ... the ambulance was there. That was quick I thought. I was crying ... scared ... in pain. The next few minutes were a blur ... I talked to the police officer ... Ester called my fiancé ... he was on his way thank God. The paramedics were there ... "What hurts" they asked .... Everything I thought ... they put me in a neck brace ... that was very uncomfortable. I knew something was very wrong with my left leg/foot. My whole leg was numb. On the stretcher ... in the ambulance. Where is my fiancé? Sirens on ... off we went.
The ride to the hospital was long. So bumpy. My cell phone was going off. The paramedic looked at my phone. It was my boss - I was late. I asked the paramedic to send him a text .. in accident .. on way to hospital. My family - I had to get in touch with my family. How? We arrived at the hospital ... the ER doctors were right there. No open wounds thank God. The nurses did what they needed to do to get me ready for tests. Scared ... pain ... sad. Off we went - X-rays needed on entire body. Neck brace still on. "Sonny" I hear ... I look over and there is Jim, my fiancé. He is here. "You can come with" says the nurse. He grabs my hand. Into X-ray I go. Then into MRI. Moved from table to table ... more and more pain. Back in the ER. "Jim you have to call my family" - he's on it. The word is out. My cell phone is going crazy. Friends texting me - worried. Work texting me ... nervous. Family texting .. upset. I couldn't move. Still on the back board ... neck brace still on. Uncomfortable. Mom's here ... only one visitor at bedside. Jim kisses me and goes out to my mom. Quiet ... alone. Mom's face is there ... upset .... nervous ... worried. Crying. "I'm going to be okay" I assure her. Doctor comes in. Neck is okay .... neck brace comes off ... thank God. Back is okay ... back board removed. Ok - so far so good. Worried ... concerned ... the doctors don't look thrilled. What is it? How bad could it be? Broken foot? Broken Ankle? Crushed Calcaneus.
Yup - I crushed my calcaneus. Or otherwise known, my heel. Actually my ankle crushed into my calcaneus and smooshed it. In addition I broke all of the metatarsal bones in my foot.
Date I was admitted into the hospital: 2/24/10 Date my life changed forever: 2/24/10
More tomorrow ...
Have you heard that song ... Isn't it Ironic by Alanis Morissette? I always loved singing along to this song ... I'm actually a good singer or I think I am in my head! haha anyway - I think about this song as I think about this day. I was driving to work like any normal day - nothing special about it. My gas light was on and I knew I needed gas. As I was approaching the gas station I realized that I forgot my ATM card at home! GREAT! Now I have to drive to work on fumes! Ok - I'll make it! I officially can not tell you if I would have made it or not. 10 minutes later I was laying in the back of an ambulance.
She came out of nowhere. I was the sole car on my side of the road - driving down a 40 mile an hour stretch of the road. On my right sat the school she pulled out of. About twelve buses sat there waiting their turn to pull out on the highway. I always heard patience was a virtue. Not on this day I guess. I blinked my eyes and looked in my rear view and as I looked back infront of me ... she was there ... pulling into the highway. I tried to swerve but she was so close to me that I bounced off her side and she ricocheted me into oncoming traffic ... hitting the jeep head on.
I remember screaming ... Oh my God ... my chest hurt ... my shoulder hurt ... my left foot hurt. I unlatched my seat belt ... my airbags deployed all around me. I opened the door ... hearing people screaming at me to stay in the car. OH my God .... I was still screaming. Ester was standing next to me. She was a fellow bus driver sitting behind the one who pulled out in front of me. She stayed calm thank God. What happened ... I kept thinking ... Where did she come from ran through my head. I looked at Ester ... the police were here ... the ambulance was there. That was quick I thought. I was crying ... scared ... in pain. The next few minutes were a blur ... I talked to the police officer ... Ester called my fiancé ... he was on his way thank God. The paramedics were there ... "What hurts" they asked .... Everything I thought ... they put me in a neck brace ... that was very uncomfortable. I knew something was very wrong with my left leg/foot. My whole leg was numb. On the stretcher ... in the ambulance. Where is my fiancé? Sirens on ... off we went.
The ride to the hospital was long. So bumpy. My cell phone was going off. The paramedic looked at my phone. It was my boss - I was late. I asked the paramedic to send him a text .. in accident .. on way to hospital. My family - I had to get in touch with my family. How? We arrived at the hospital ... the ER doctors were right there. No open wounds thank God. The nurses did what they needed to do to get me ready for tests. Scared ... pain ... sad. Off we went - X-rays needed on entire body. Neck brace still on. "Sonny" I hear ... I look over and there is Jim, my fiancé. He is here. "You can come with" says the nurse. He grabs my hand. Into X-ray I go. Then into MRI. Moved from table to table ... more and more pain. Back in the ER. "Jim you have to call my family" - he's on it. The word is out. My cell phone is going crazy. Friends texting me - worried. Work texting me ... nervous. Family texting .. upset. I couldn't move. Still on the back board ... neck brace still on. Uncomfortable. Mom's here ... only one visitor at bedside. Jim kisses me and goes out to my mom. Quiet ... alone. Mom's face is there ... upset .... nervous ... worried. Crying. "I'm going to be okay" I assure her. Doctor comes in. Neck is okay .... neck brace comes off ... thank God. Back is okay ... back board removed. Ok - so far so good. Worried ... concerned ... the doctors don't look thrilled. What is it? How bad could it be? Broken foot? Broken Ankle? Crushed Calcaneus.
Yup - I crushed my calcaneus. Or otherwise known, my heel. Actually my ankle crushed into my calcaneus and smooshed it. In addition I broke all of the metatarsal bones in my foot.
Date I was admitted into the hospital: 2/24/10 Date my life changed forever: 2/24/10
More tomorrow ...
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