An Interesting Birthday or How to Get a Better Wheelchair

I imagine that everyone can remember a birthday that was particularly special or unusual. Birthdays are generally anticipated as a time to be treated special. I think the majority of mine were rather tame, enjoyable but nothing to get too excited about. There was, however, one birthday that I will always remember. It was during a four month hospital stay.
Let me explain the situation. A few years ago I had what I thought was the “flu”. After not being able to eat for a week, I couldn’t take it anymore and went to the hospital. I walked into the hospital wearing my pajamas, a purple robe, and white socks stuffed into some loafers. I had no idea what my hair looked like and I didn’t care. I lay in the emergency room for several hours and endured many tests. At last, the doctors and nurses walked into the room wearing masks, gowns and gloves. The results were in – spinal meningitis.
About 10:00 PM the nurse noticed that I couldn’t feel my feet. I was whisked to the MRI machine and it felt like I was the tube for hours. It was hot and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I just kept praying that I would get out soon. Afterwards, I was wheeled to the ICU but that experience and the next couple of days are just a blur. My first really clear memory was the doctor telling me I had lost feeling from my shoulders on down. He stated that it would probably take a month or so to recover and that my biggest obstacle was being depressed. And then he asked if I was depressed. Was he kidding?
Next came weeks of occupational therapy, physical therapy and recreational therapy. It was hard work, exhausting work, and often frustrating work. Some of the care I needed was humiliating; some of it, like wearing a bib, was kind of funny. During this time the hospital staff was constantly trying to adjust my wheelchair so it fit me properly. Despite their efforts I still often slumped in my chair and sometimes my feet would slide off. A large, long, Velcro strap was used to keep me in my chair.
My birthday started the same as every other day in the hospital did. The nurses and techs woke me up, gave me breakfast, put clothes on me, transferred me to my wheelchair, and took me to therapy. In occupational therapy as I tried to button buttons, roll therapy dough, and stretch rubber bands around pegs, my co-workers came in wearing birthday party hats, some of them singing, and some blowing party horns. I was torn between laughter and embarrassment. It was a fun break in my day. But this was just the beginning of the birthday fun.
The recreational therapist had made plans to take me to Peck’s, a large garden center. This was my first time out of the hospital in almost two months. It was fun to look at the flowers and to help pick out plants for the hospital’s Healing Garden. It felt so good to be out in the sunshine and away from the sterile environment of the hospital. When we had finished our shopping, the therapist loaded the plants and me into the van.
The drive back to the hospital seemed to be bumpier than our previous drive. Was it just my imagination or was I just tired? As we got closer to the hospital I felt myself slip down a bit in the chair. It was uncomfortable, but we were almost to our destination so I shrugged it off. Less than a block from the hospital, so close we could see it, we braked for a stop light. The momentum caused me to slip out of the chair, at least part way. I tried to prop myself up with my elbows, but without the use of my legs I couldn’t stop sliding. The Velcro strap and the seat belt were now around my chest, tight and digging into my armpits. The straps were the only things holding me into the chair. The therapist seeing in me through the rear view mirror looked panicked. I heard several expletives that I won’t repeat here.
The therapist stopped the van in the middle of the street, unstrapped me, and laid me on the floor of the van. The floor was bumpy and hard against my back. The ride was rough but we made it back to the hospital without injury. Two female techs were called to help put me back in the wheel chair but lifting a dead weight from the floor to a wheel chair is a lot different than sliding someone over from a bed. As I lay there listening to them strategize how to get me back in the chair I felt helpless, at their mercy, and wondered how long this would take. Then two muscular, manly security guards came by, they lifted me and had me back in the wheel chair in nothing flat. The therapist was mortified. I was ready to be done with the birthday fun. Other than the Red Lobster dinner someone brought me later the rest of that day was fairly uneventful.
The next morning, after the usual morning routine, I was wheeled to the rehab room and there was a different chair waiting for me. It had a firm back so I didn’t slump and a seat belt so I didn’t slide. I could tell that the therapists were upset with what had happened but I thought it was extremely funny. I now have an interesting birthday tale to share with my kids and maybe someday my grandkids, but I don’t want to do it again!

The Secret

I left class early one day this week because we were watching "The Secret". The video was trying to tell me that all I needed to do for good things to happen in my life-- like making lots of money-- all I need to do is emit positive thoughts. Check out their website if you want to know more. I felt the movie was promoting new age religious teaching. As a Christian I believe that God is in control of the universe. Christianity Today has an article about it.

Collage Fun

I went to a day workshop in the Amanas. It was a lot of fun. First we decorated plain papers with paste and paint to create a variety of colors and textures. We made an accordion book the first day and a larger collage the second. then being an over achiever I made a third just for fun.

click of the Bird of Paradise Collage to see them.

Brian's Song

Recently, I watched Brian's Song. I remember watching it with my family when it first came out. I remember my big strong daddy getting tears in his eyes watching it.

Oreo's Spa Day

Oreo went to the vet for his bath and claw trim. He was very cute in his little bandana. He smells a lot better too

Dedicated to Tye

Tye says I don't have to just blog about my dogs so this entry is dedicated to him.

I hope he enjoys the photo.

Tye is one of the pastors at church and is excellent on the saxophone. He's very jazzy, caring and his family is cute.

Here we go again . .

Hey --it was a pretty nice day outside today. So much so that I wanted to take Oreo for a walk. However, I'm at the hospital emergency room again with my mom for what I'm 99% sure is another false alarm due to her panicking over her aches and pains. We've been here about 3 hours and just saw the doctor. They are going to do the usual tests, so now we're waiting for that. I tried reading my human relations text book but I gave up because I kept falling asleep.

I know I'm being a big whiner but it's hot in here and I'm getting grumpy, sleepy, -- hmmm can't think of any other dwarf names -- also hungry.

I think I'm going to go find some water and a snack.

Oh yeah, I watched Beneath the Planet of the Apes! They should of stopped with the first one!!!!

Planet of the Apes

I've just recently watched the new version and the original movies The Planet of the Apes. I actually enjoyed both. Just the kind of slightly offbeat movie I like. Anyway, I've decided that I like the original the best. I think it has a better story and Charlton Heston is running around half naked. Besides the ending is classic. And who doesn't love it when Charlton says, "Get your hands off me you damn dirty ape!" ???

Sliding on down the road. . ..

I'm sick of snow and ice. I took me an almost three times longer than normal to drop off my kids at school today. I saw the aftermath of a car rear-ending a school bus.

Oreo Checks Out The Snow

Click the photo above to see Oreo checking out the snow. Usually he won't even go off the porch when there's this much snow. Oreo doesn't much care for snow, I can't say I blame him. I think most of us are tired of the snow this year.

Valentines Day

How was your Valentines Day?

I received a peice of chocolate with coconut in it from one of my sons -- he doesn't like coconut.

Buster Bar Dessert

Here is a yummy dessert. Doesn't have much to do with Boston Terriers but one of the ingredients are the cookies named after Oreo.



1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
48 Oreo cookies
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 (16 ounce) jar hot fudge sauce
1 cup Spanish peanuts
8 ounces Cool Whip

1. Crumble oreos and set aside 1/2 cup.
2. Mix oreos with margarine and press into 13x9 pan bottom only.
3. Gently spread ice cream over the oreo crust.
4. Slightly heat hot fudge and pour over ice cream. Don't get it too warm as it will melt the ice cream and ruin the dessert. Just warm enough to pour comfortably. Cover with the peanuts.
5. Spread the cool whip over the top.
6. Sprinkle with the left over oreo crumbs.
7. Freeze.
8. Take out 1/2 hour before serving time.

Stinkin' Cute

I think Oreo is one of the cutest dogs, sometimes too energetic, but cute.

I love to throw popcorn and watch him catch it. He begs for other treats too. When he looks at me with his big eyes how can I resist?

The only problem with too many treats is Oreo becomes "stinkin' cute"! The odors float through the air and whoo boy!

And the only one I have to blame is myself!!!!

Two Bostons are Better Than One

I'm probably biased, but here is a picture of the two cutest Boston Terriers ever. Oreo is the one with the red collar. This was one of the rare moments where they were laying still together. Mostly they chased each other around for hours.



Unforturantly Rocky, the one on the left, choked to death a few moths ago. It was a tramatic experience. Someday I'd like to take a class in first aid for pets. Rocky was the snuggly one, he loved to cuddle.



Oreo is the frisky one. He is still with me and I enjoy him very much -- even though some days he's too energetic. In fact when I try to spend time on my laptop, like now, he ususally throws a toy on the keys. This can send me to windows I'm not currently interested in. Sometimes when I'm watching TV, I put a toy ring of his around my foot and he plays tug of war.



I'd love to hear of any other Boston Terrier escapades!



Have a great day!!!

Oreo's Sweater

This is Oreo and his new crocheted sweater. I' m not sure he likes it but don't you think the colors are nice and cheerful? I'm not sure what I was thinking when I picked out the yarn.....

Oreo is a 2 1/2 year Boston Terrier. Sometiomes we refer to him as a Boston Terrorist -- he is very energetic.