M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

I thought I’d better let yall know that we survived the trip to Orlando. I almost didn’t make the plane because they had to check my boot for drugs since I couldn’t take my shoes off at the airport. We went straight to Universal Studios, and since Florida is having a drought, it started raining buckets. You know how your feet get sore and chapped after you’ve worn wet socks and shoes for awhile. Well, I found out that it works the same way for your bum when you ride around in a wheelchair for awhile in wet shorts. Luckily, that was the only day it rained.

Seeing things from the perspective of a wheelchair is a bit strange. Granted we did get on the rides quicker, but I got tired of looking at everyone’s waist. It was also a bit unnerving to not be in control of where I was going. Mayhem #1 was a pretty sedate pusher. She would listen to my suggestions, and humor me when my direction skills failed me. At least she would politely tell me I was wrong. Mayhem #2, on the other hand, was on a mission, and it was to see if I could go completely gray before we left for home. More than once I saw my life flash before my eyes. She would get very upset with me when I would suddenly stop the wheelchair because I just knew she was going to run over someone. I finally had to explain to her that what she saw and what I saw were two different perspectives. I also finally quit trying to tell her how to get to wherever we wanted to go because all she had to do was glance at the map and she was on the right track. From where I was sitting, I couldn’t even see the signs that pointed us in the right direction.

The trip was a success for the band’s competition too. They brought home seven trophies, one of which was the Sweepstakes trophy. The flight attendants hated us when we got on the plane with them because all of them were at least three feet tall and they had to go in the overhead bins. For Mother’s Day, Mr. Mayhem picked us up from the airport. I thought that was a great present because we were all so tired and very glad to be home. We did five parks in four days, and they weren’t even whole days. We took lots of pictures, especially with characters. I’ll see if I can figure out how to get them on here after we get them developed.

Surgery

Thanks for the shoe info Jordana, but I'm stuck with the boot until surgery. Yesterday's x-ray showed that one of the bone chips had moved between the other bones a little. He also said that they may have to fuse the joint if there is alot of arthritis in it. I am so depressed. I tried so hard to avoid this. I came home and cried. If I think about it too much, I still want to cry. The doctor gave me a shot of cortisone to help me get through the trip. I'm sure when it stops hurting from the shot it will feel better. I go back in three weeks.

I need to go wake up Mayhem #2 a see how she is doing before I leave to help Mayhem #1 pack and come home. Mayhem #2 took a fall when she was hugging a friend at church last night. (It must have been some hug.) They fell in a tangled heap and the friend hurt her back as she twisted to avoid landing on Mayhem #2 with her full weight. She also has a very swollen index finger and thumb. We hope she's ok. She's in the flag corps and is going on the trip next week. The friend came down with her knee on Mayhem #2's shin bone. It hurt alot last night, but after some ice and Advil it was doing better. It didn't really swell so I don't think anything is broken.

I'll keep you posted. You might want to keep your distance. This clumsy disorder may be catching.

Doctors, and more doctors

Later this morning I'm off to the doctor with my mom. She wants to talk to him about finding some cheaper medicine. Apparently, she's hit the Medicare coverage gap and has to pay full price for her 12 or so medications for a while before the insurance kicks in again. She's already tried playing around with not taking some and making them last longer, and I reminded her that that's what landed her in the hospital before.

She's very concerned about her money. What she gets every month covers rent and meds. Her bank account has dwindled down and now she's panicking. I'm looking to see if I can find her a cheaper apartment, but no luck so far. Here's a novel concept...use some from the IRA in the bank. She is retired. That is what the R stands for. I know she doesn't have alot of money, but I think she's going off the deep end.

I have my own doctor's appointment tomorrow. I need to talk to the podiatrist about this foot. I need to know what I need to do to take care of it on the Orlando trip, which is next week. I've never had a broken bone so I don't know how it's suppose to feel when I try using it. Right now the boot is my friend. When I've tried to wear a shoe, and then go back to the boot, my foot feels so much better. Maybe I'm just a wimp.

Shoe, no shoe

This is the week the podiatrist said I could try wearing a shoe. I did yesterday. Thought I was going to die! Things were hurting almost as bad as when I fell. I called the office this morning and asked if that was suppose to happen. The nurse suggested I go back to the boot for a few days and then try the shoe again. If it's still giving me trouble they want to see me before my May 10 appointment. Don't forget...There are only 17 days until the Orlando trip. This is not looking good for going without the boot.

Saturday I had a great time at my all-day scrapbooking event. I got 20 pages done in Mayhem #1's book. I think I'm going to need a third book to get all of high school in, as well as, another book just for band trips. I need to work on the journaling part. I'm way behind on that. It's really what I should do while I'm staying at home alot.

Mr. Mayhem went to see Mayhem #1 for Dad Weekend. They went to the first three innings of the school's baseball game and then left because her back was hurting on the benches.(Probably her bum was hurting too.) They really left because he doesn't like baseball. Mr. Mayhem still got sunburned. The man never wears sunscreen.

Mayhem #2 was left to her own devices at home. I rented her a movie to watch and made a list of chores for her to do. I also made a silly list of fun things to do. On the silly list I put "Eat Lunch." However, I didn't put "Eat Dinner." Therefore at 9:30 when we told her to get off her computer game and get ready for bed because we were exhausted, she said, "But I havent' had dinner." My response...."Who's fault is that?"

Weekend cont.

Now to finish the weekend story. Saturday morning found Mayhem #2 watching her cartoons. (She complains about getting up for school and church, but she’s up before the crack of dawn for the cartoons.) Mr. Mayhem went to have lunch with a friend. Mayhem #1 went and filled out another job application, (she’s still looking for a summer job) and I did laundry. That evening, I took the girls over to the mall where the Disney store is so Mayhem #1 could ask about that job she had applied for at spring break. Then we had to make a few stops so she could get an Easter gift to send to the Boyfriend. After that we went home. My foot hurt and Mayhem #2 needed to practice an instrument or two. Mayhem #1 was reading "Paradise Lost" for Brit. Lit.

Later that evening Mayhem #2 shows up in the living room crying. I ask what’s wrong and the response I get, "Nothing." I kept asking and I kept getting the same answer. I finally figured out that she had wanted to go to the bookstore and we didn’t make it there. These emotional rollercoasters are killing me.

Sunday School and church were good. I had warned them the night before that I wasn’t putting up with any attitudes on Easter. I’m surprised it worked. I looked over at Mayhem #1 during church and she looked like she was going to cry. I’m thinking, "Not again." Come to find out her back was hurting a lot. She laid down when we got home. Mr. Mayhem ate lunch and went to take a nap since he would get the honor of taking Mayhem #1 back to school. The Boyfriend called and woke up Mayhem #1. I could tell from the giggling coming from the room. Mayhem #2 came out of her room moping around. She plops on the couch and I look over and she’s curled up in a ball asleep. Then she flops back the other way and sleeps some more. Mayhem #1 finally decides to pack what little of the stuff she brought home that she’s taking back to school.

After she and Mr. Mayhem leave, Mayhem asks to go to the bookstore to buy a book. I point out that with the trip to Disneyworld coming up, she may want to save her money to buy t-shirts, keychains, and the like. She doesn’t like that answer. I coax her into better spirits by checking out the Disneyworld website with her. We decide to go to Dairy Queen for dinner. Another trick to keep her in good spirits. On the way she opened up and shared that she feels kind of neglected when Mayhem #1 comes home. I apologized for that and we discussed how crazy our lives were now that she was in high school, Mayhem #1 was in college, and my mom lives here in town. We agreed that Mr. Mayhem was just crazy.

The weekend ended pretty good, but there for a while, I thought I was going to run away from home. Too much emotional spew!

Worn out

Have I mentioned that moms don’t get paid enough? And my weekend is proof of it.

I mentioned in my previous post that I was going to pick up Mayhem #1 later in the day on Thursday after I brought Mayhem #2 home from school. That didn’t happen because Mayhem #2 didn’t go to school. She woke up feeling dizzy. She had felt this way on Palm Sunday as well and she and I didn’t make it to church. Since this had happened twice and seemed rather odd, I took her to the doctor. Of course, our doctor wasn’t there so we saw a different one. She couldn’t find anything like an ear infection or sinus infection. She even checked her for anemia. That wasn’t it either. The doctor said it could be the beginning of an illness that hadn’t shown up with other symptoms yet or it could one of these weird teenage hormone things. I fed her some lunch, plopped her on the couch, played a movie, and told her to finish her maps after the movie. Mr. Mayhem was to call and check on her.

So about 2:00pm I headed to get Mayhem #1. After almost falling on the dorm stairs outside, I stayed at the top of the stairs and took all the stuff from there to the car. She had to bring it from the dorm room to the top of the stairs. With her broken bum and my broken foot, we were quite a pair. She brought home a bunch of stuff that she was leaving at home. She only has about 2 ½ weeks left. Believe me, we need to bring stuff home every trip or we’ll never get it all home. (Mr. Mayhem will bring home more next weekend since he’s going down for Dad Weekend.)

She wanted to drive back so I let her. We stopped in Waco for dinner. She yacked and yacked about the boyfriend, roommate, new classes she got for next semester, and such. We made it home about 7:30 with a stop at Wendy’s for Frosties for all. Boyfriend called at 8:30. The free minutes don’t start until 9:00. Mr. Mayhem suggested, after they had talked that 30 minutes, they should hang up and call back and there would be no minutes used. Everyone else went to bed around 10:00. She got on line with Boyfriend about then. I happened to wake up around 1:00am and the light in the living room was still on. She got off the computer and went to be shortly after that, but I laid awake for an hour worrying about Mayhem #1 and the Boyfriend and how she uses her time, and anything else I thought I should worry about.

The next morning I thought Mayhem #1 had gotten up (eventually) and taken a shower, but when I looked in her room she was back in bed asleep. A little while later, I asked Mr. Mayhem to wake her up. He came back and said I needed to go see her because there was an emotional upset going on. Apparently there was some stupidity on her part that upset the boyfriend and now she was all worried and upset that he was upset. She moped and cried off and on the whole day. We went out to Chili’s for lunch and then went to the movies like we had planned. We saw "Take the Lead." It’s about ballroom dancing. What did you expect? I asked Mr. Mayhem to sit next to weepy and keep an eye on her.

We enjoyed the movie, but the emotional spew was wearing me out. That evening we went to the Good Friday service at church. Since we were dealing with the crucifixion and Lord’s Supper, crying wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary. Finally, Boyfriend called and everything was smoothed out and ok. Thank goodness.

I’ll finish the weekend story later.

Just so you know. Mr. Mayhem didn't have internet at work last week so that's one reason why he couldn't post. If there were others, I don't know them.

Another update

The trip to the podiatrist was encouraging. Apparently the bone chips are stable. Nothing has shifted to where it doesn’t belong. I have to stay in the boot two more weeks and then I can wear a tennis shoe. I go back to the doctor the day before the high school trip to Orlando. When I told him about the trip he told me to take the boot with me. I guess we’ll see how it goes. If I have to wear the boot, I’ll have to get a wheelchair. That means I get to go to the front of the line for all the rides. I bet I’ll have lots of volunteers to push me around.

I’m going to pick up Mayhem #1 tomorrow for Easter. Since she doesn’t have to be out of the dorm by 5:00pm, I’ll go get her after I get Mayhem #2 home from school. Mayhem #1 said that was fine since she had to be advised and register tomorrow afternoon. She did say we had to be home before 10:00pm. I asked her if she would turn into a pumpkin and she said no, but that’s when the boyfriend gets on line. How silly of me? I should’ve known!

Mayhem #1 said she modeled for her figure drawing class today. She made her back hurt. Since she hasn’t done much drawing lately, I asked if she would have to draw us over the weekend as make up work. She said she probably could. I can see the poses now. Mr. Mayhem at the computer. Mayhem #2 with a book or Gameboy. Me sitting around with my booted foot elevated.

We’ve also talked about checking out a movie. She and I both thought of Ice Age 2. Mr. Mayhem suggested the new dancing movie. I like the way he thinks. I noticed on the way to the doctor’s office that they are building an Arthur Murray dance studio. Mr. Mayhem and I are hip and happen’. We got the dance craze before it was the popular thing to do. Or maybe we just never noticed it before we started taking lessons.

Band mom

Spent the morning at Mayhem #2's first high school UIL concert band and sight reading competition. Why is it that I'm the only parent that goes with any intention to help? After taking Mayhem #2 to school and sticking around till everyone was on the bus, I followed said bus to the competition site. I parked the car and hobbled over to her to collect her jacket. She had worn it to carry her reed water and retainer case. After she unloaded the necessary stuff it became mine.

I then hobbled over to where they were unloading the truck. There I found out that two kids had missed the bus. The assisstant band director was standing there with two horn cases in his hands. The kids had started going toward the other side of the building to go in the designated door by the warm-up room. I asked the band director what I could do. He said, "Can you hang on to these?" Yep. Now I have two trumpets and a jacket and a broken foot. I hobble after the band.

There was a stack of chairs in the hall so I took one down to sit in and one to prop my foot in. Put the trumpets on the floor and the jacket in my lap. A couple of guys walk up talking and I realize they are two of the judges for the sight reading portion. I resist the urge to talk with them since I'm in my band t-shirt and don't want to do anything inappropriate. A few minutes later a couple of girls come around the corner. One belongs to one of the trumpets and the other is a percussionist. The trumpeter takes her horn and leaves the case and a jacket. The other one changes shoes and leaves her backpack. I take the two horn cases, two jackets, and backpack and hobble to the auditorium. Oh, I still have the broken foot too.

After listening to the band that went before Mayhem #2's, I hobbled back to the practice room to see if anyone needed me to hold anything else. There I collected a purse and prayed if there was a cell phone in it it was off. I had passed off the trumpet cases to an administrator so I added the purse to the rest of my collection. The band was great on their first two pieces, but the third was a bit rough in spots. Not flawless, but overall a good performance. They headed off to the sight reading, but I don't go in the room for that. The kids don't need a bunch of parents staring at them when they are trying to figure out new music.

I found someone to hold "my" stuff and hobbled off to the restroom. This mom took pity on me and kept the purse and backpack. I hobbled outside to find the kids. They were pretty bummed about their sight reading performance. We still have to stick around for scores and to wait for the varsity band to perform. I got rid of all "my" stuff at that point and collected a different purse and sweatshirt from girls who were in the other band.

We listened to the other band, and when I came out of the auditorium one of the bus drivers was there. He said they had to park on the other side of nowhere. He gave me his cell number and asked me to call when they were ready for the buses. I wasn't sure where the band would come out of the building so I hobbled over to the truck and sat on the back bumper. I knew everyone would show up there and I would know when to call the bus driver.

They did. I did. Handed off "my" other stuff and hobbled to the car. Gave the administrator the emergency kit that I had brought in my car and waited for the bus to move so I could go home and prop up my aching foot.

Mayhem #2's band made a "1" on stage and a "2" sight reading. They wanted all ones, but they seemed pleased. I don't know how the top band did, but I wouldn't be surprised with all ones.

Sick and tired

I'm officially depressed. I went to the doctor this morning so he could help me get rid of the pain in my head from my sinuses. I thought he'd give me an anti-biotic. He gave me a nasal allergy spray and sent me next door to have my sinuses x-rayed. With all the x-rays I've had lately I think I glow in the dark. Now I wait for him to tell me if the x-ray showed I had an infection and he can give me an anti-biotic. And then he wants me to make an appointment with an allergist. The health insurance people just love me. Next they'll be telling Mr. Mayhem that I'm not worth the trouble.

I keep gaining weight and sizes mostly because I'm not as active as I was before the fall. I stay on my diet, but I've gotten to where I hate it and it doesn't seem to work anymore anyway. I'm blind as a bat.

I went to dance class to chaperone Mr. Mayhem and all those other women. I had a pretty good time laughing at everyone's expense, but I didn't get to dance. I am paying attention though so hopefully I will be able to pick it up easily once the boot comes off.

Speaking of the boot. I now have bruises on my shin from the straps that hold the boot on because I have to walk in it with out the crutches. It doesn't hurt too bad if I take small steps. It just takes me forever to get anywhere.

And Rippy died. Our best three-footed turtle. And the other two are nowhere to be seen.

Everyone is welcome to my pity party.

Oops, forgot the title again

I've had to give up the crutches except when I'm not in the big boot which is usually early morning and evening. The nerve on my side is killing me. And yes I'm using the crutches correctly. They just don't like me. Walking with all my weight on the foot makes it hurt more. Hopefully those bone chips aren't moving. It's kind of hard to walk in the boot. It makes that leg longer which makes my other hip hurt. I also think I'm getting a blister on the good foot so I'm trying thicker socks. I think the cure is going to kill me.

Mayhem #1 got her rollerblading class dropped on the last day that drops were allowed. She also made it to class yesterday, but not work. She said she wasn't hurting quite as bad. I asked about the boyfriend and she said he might move to New Mexico. Her response to him was, "That's not any closer." Of course I'll believe the move when I see it.

No one gave me any ideas for my mom's birthday gift. Help me out. Otherwise I'll just buy her some skinny romance books. (The big books hurt her hands and wrists.) She did go to the rheumatologist last week all by herself. He told her she had no tolerance for pain because all the stuff he was doing to her shouldn't hurt. I don't think I agree with that statement. If it is all in her head she does it very well.

Looks like we made it....

Thought I'd let you know that we survived the weekend. Mr. Mayhem made it back from Denver with keychains in tow for Mayhem #1. The dance class didn't happen though because of a family emergency for the instructor. After I called Mayhem #1 about asking for help, she did nothing. She ate alot of instant oatmeal because that's what she had in the room. It hurt my feelings that she didn't try to get help, but she's an adult and even adults do stupid things. I just hope she doesn't mess up her whole semester because she won't do anything.

I made it to bell choir, Sunday School, and church yesterday. Mr. Mayhem wouldn't let me stand on one leg and play so I sat in a chair and pretended to play my bells. Not one wrong note! Maybe next week I'll try actually playing while I sit in the chair. One of the ladies in the bell choir asked if I needed any help, and my response was, "Not now." Do you think anyone will get it?

Mayhem #2 has a paper to write for English and a project for her speech class. I'm proud of her for working on them before they are due. She was not happy with the grade she got on the last paper, but the teacher admitted he hadn't read them just looked to see if the pages were full. Her pages weren't completely full last time because of the nature of the book she had read. And she had finished the paper a week early and had planned on talking to the teacher about it, but was sick for the rest of the week. She turned in what she had done, and got a lower grade than some of the kids who had just copied stuff straight out of the spark notes. Mayhem #2 isn't going to put up with a low grade this time.

My mom turns 71 this Saturday so we'll probably take her out to lunch. What do you get for someone who doesn't really participate in life?

I'm whining

I called Mayhem #1 this morning mostly because I feel guilty because I’m not there to help her. I’m not sure I would be much help if I was there, but that’s beside the point. I told her she needed to ask for help with getting the rollerblading class dropped, and making sure the school knows why she hasn’t been to chapel this week. She can only miss chapel so many times a semester and she missed several weeks the last time she was sick. I also suggested she ask someone to go to the grocery store for her and get soup and other stuff she can fix in her room so she didn’t have to try to hobble to get something to eat.

I discovered with my fall that people don’t think to offer help. I had two ladies from church bring me lunch a few of times those first couple of weeks when I couldn’t hardly get off the couch. I had to call and ask them to help me. A friend from school helped some if I asked. Some days I’d find some Goldfish I could carry with my crutches and have that for lunch. I had to have something to take my medicine with. Mr. Mayhem had to come home every day and make dinner, do dishes, do laundry, grocery shop, bathe me… No one even offered to help. I had to call and ask people to bring Mayhem #2 home from school. I have to admit that my feelings are kind of hurt. I know it’s not all about me, but I can’t count the number of meals I’ve made for people having babies and surgery. I’ve been helping a friend in SS get to chemo every week and other doctor’s appointments for two years. Not to mention other errands for her. Finally in the last few months a few other people have started helping her too.

I guess I should quit whining. Actually, I’m praying about my attitude. I know it’s wrong, but it hurts when "friends", who know your predicament, don’t share the burden.

Departed and arrived

Mr. Mayhem called me this morning at about 8:00 to let me know he had gotten to Denver. Actually, he woke me up. Since I got up with him at 4:00am so I could get a shower, I took a nap after taking Mayhem #2 to school. I later went to the fish store and bought my fish some bubbles. I really bought air stones, but they make bubbles. Maybe Mayhem #2 will help me clean my tank a little this evening. I also looked through several tanks of angel fish for a "Phantom." We had one before that's face was half white and half black. Since he died, Mayhem #2 told me I have to find another Phantom. After standing and looking for a while, I decided I was tired of standing and left with just the bubbles. After eating lunch, I managed to get the dishes done, so now I'm sitting down again. I do that alot.

There really isn't much on daytime tv. While I was stuck to the couch, I finished my seasons of Magnum, P.I., McGyver, and Quantum Leap. Mr. Mayhem went out to Sam's Club one night and came back with the first season of Doogie Howser, M.D. What amazed me was how much Mayhem #2 likes it. She commented that all of the teen shows that she has seen is about the girls. She thought it was cool to see things from a boy's perspective. She still thinks boys are gross though.

Please continue to pray for Mayhem #1. She is in alot of pain. I mailed her a donut to sit on yesterday and a big get well card from the youth group today.

I have to remember..."Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...."

Ok...so far

Nothing catastrophic has happened....yet. I'm puttering at a load of laundry so Mr. Mayhem will have a good choice of clothes for his trip to Denver tomorrow. His flight leaves at 6:30 am. He will be back for dance class on Friday night. Not that that involves me. I'm really bummed about it. I was looking forward to maybe getting our foxtrot right and learning the tango. I'll let Mr. Mayhem teach me the new moves.

If it weren't for bad luck...

Got a call from Mayhem #1 about 9:00 this morning. She should have been in her rollerblading class. She was, but she fell. Backwards. All that safety equipment we bought did her no good. After the trip to the clinic, she called me and said we could now address her as "Madam Broken Butt." The doctor said the x-ray didn't show a break, but for it to hurt that much it had to be. He gave her pain medication and sent her home. He also told her to sit on something hard. I would've thought they would've given her the donut to sit on. No physical activity for four weeks so I guess she'll have to drop her class. Poor kid has had a pretty rotten semester between this and her other illness.

Somebody stop this ride. I want to get off.

Foot Update

Apparently, the CT scan was conclusive. The foot is broken in two places. There are two displaced chip fractures. The doctor decided to keep the foot in the big boot cast so that I could at least take it off and shower. He said we wouldn’t rush into surgery unless the chips moved into the spaces between the bones. He also said I could walk on it. Now let me get this straight…We don’t want the bone chips to move so we’re going to exert pressure on them? Not to mention that it hurts to walk on it. I walk with the crutches. I don’t put a lot of weight on the foot, but hopefully this will stop the hernia that I’m afraid the use of the crutches started. I can’t win.

My goals for today are to pick up Mayhem #2 from school and take her to piano lessons and fix dinner. It’s not much, but it’s something. Most things I try to do I have to have help with. Like, someone else will have to bring the dirty clothes to the washing machine for me. Mayhem #2 and I loaded the dishwasher together last night. I can only stand on the good leg for so long. A chair is required for fixing my hair. I’m being forced to limit what I do. IT’S KILLING ME!!!

Spring Break

We made it through spring break with the boyfriend. He is a very nice young man. A little on the crazy side, but that just made him fit in. We went to the mall one day. I got a wheelchair everywhere we went. I told the girls it was pay back for all those years I strolled them around. Mayhem #1 made some comment about the weight difference. I told her to watch it! I let Mayhem #1 and the boyfriend wander around together while Mayhem #2 and I looked around for shiny things and comfortable flip flops. Not for me, mind you.

Tuesday we went to the zoo. I decided not to wait until Wednesday which is half-price day because I was afraid that everyone and their brother would be there that day. Boy was I right. Over 16,000 people went to the zoo on Wednesday. It even shut down one of the freeways. The zoo was still busy on Tuesday, but it was bearable. Between the crowd and me in the wheelchair, it took us all day. Normally it takes about three hours. I spent a lot of time waiting outside exhibits while the kids went in. I’d find a bench and wheel up very close and prop my foot up. It was a beautiful day and warm enough if I parked myself in the sun.

Wednesday, after a quick trip to the church to borrow a wheel chair, we went to the Stockyards. We got there just in time for the longhorn herd to mosey down the street. We checked out the museum and the shops in the train station. We had lunch at Riscky’s BBQ. (Sorry Terry. No pictures.) After lunch we went downtown. Mayhem #2 and I headed to the library while Mayhem #1 and the boyfriend strolled down to Barnes & Nobles.

Thursday was the love birds day. The boyfriend had made dinner reservations at a 5 star French restaurant for that evening. Mayhem #1 wanted to show him the botanic gardens, so Mayhem #2 and I stayed home and rested. She may not have been tired, but I was exhausted and hurting. There wasn’t a lot blooming in the gardens but they went to the Japanese Gardens and said it was beautiful. That afternoon they went to Half-Priced Books. I rode with them over to the restaurant on a practice run so Mayhem #1 would feel comfortable driving over there. (She was my cab driver all week.) They got all spiffed up. The boyfriend had forgotten black socks so I loaned him a pair of Mr. Mayhem’s. They looked very nice and had a great evening.

Friday, they had to take me to the podiatrist’s office bright and early. After that, all three of the kids had breakfast at McDonalds and then took my mom grocery shopping. They picked me up from the doctor’s office and we returned the wheelchair to the church. Mayhem #2 and I sat in the car while Mayhem #1 practiced her rollerblading in the church parking lot. She had started her class last week and needed a little extra time. It’s been close to 10 years since she had rollerbladed last. The boyfriend walked around with her while she practiced. That evening Mayhem #2 went to a youth event at church and the rest of us, Mr. Mayhem included, went to Chili’s for dinner. We talked about going home and watching some movies, but instead Mayhem #1 sat with the boyfriend’s arm around her while she cried. I checked with her later. It was early separation anxiety.

Saturday it rained all day. Mayhem #1 and the boyfriend ran a few errands, and then late that afternoon all three of the kids met some friends for laser tag and dinner. We had a crazy sing along that night. Mayhem #2 loves for Mayhem #1 to play piano so she can sing along. This caused a little stress earlier in the week because Mayhem #1 didn’t do this according to Mayhem #2’s schedule. It boiled down to Mayhem #2 not liking sharing her sister. Anyway, the sing along was funny. Mr. Mayhem was a great Kermit the Frog in The Rainbow Connection. The boyfriend’s comment to Mayhem #1 later that night was, “Your dad’s crazy!”

Sunday saw Mr. Mayhem and Mayhem #2 headed off to church. The handbells were playing so they had to be there. I headed to the bus station with Mayhem #1 and the boyfriend. It was rainy. She was crying. He got put on an earlier bus so we didn’t have to sit around for an hour. We only sat for about 10 minutes, and I honestly think that worked out for the best. We talked a little on the way home and I tried to be silly for her. She went home a packed so dad could take her back to school. The drive back took extra long because of the weather and all the other crazy college kids headed back to school on the same road.

I think it was a good week. We all had to make adjustments and learn new things. Mayhem #1 is pretty miserable right now, but I hope she’ll get back in the swing of things pretty quickly. Long distance relationships are hard. Growing up is hard. It happens whether we like it or not.

Oh Well

The MRI was inconclusive, so I have a CT scan this morning. The foot hurts alot since the doc put the soft cast and air cast on. Extra pain meds. The house is still a mess and the boyfriend comes Sunday. Oh well. We had to ask someone from church to go pick up Mayhem #1 and bring her home for spring break. I am going crazy. Can't sleep very well between the streroids and waiting on the next stabbing pain. Gotta run....Not literally.

MRI

Quick, before the computer locks up...The podiatrist I saw Friday is sending me to get a MRI today. He also referred me to another podiatrist because he thinks the bone chip might need to come out and he doesn't do that type of surgery. The appointment with the new doctor is Wednesday. Funny, but when I called this doctor to get an appointment, he couldn't see me until Mar. 29. Go figure.

The swelling has gone down some and the splint kind of rattles around on my foot and leg. I'm afraid to put the ace bandage on too tight because my toes turned black the other day.

I better go and get this posted. Don't want to push my luck. I'll let you know what we find out. Six days till the boyfriend arrives.

I'm a rambler, I roam around

Pardon me if I ramble. I'd like to post something, but nothing earth-shattering is going on right now, so I'll come up with something.

I just got home from running errands and practicing handbells. One of the other players and I use to practice on Wed. night during prayer meeting, but since attendance is down at prayer meeting, we were told we couldn't practice at that time. That bothered me at first. I have nothing against prayer, don't get me wrong. Our pastor changed things up a little when he first came. Instead of doing a small sermon or lesson, we get a full one. So he gets done at about 6:55. Prayer meeting is suppose to be over at 7:00. Then we do prayer requests and we break into small groups to pray. Of course the choir wants in the sanctuary for choir practice. I don't mind small groups, but they have the pianist play while we're praying and I find myself concentrating more on the words of the song than the prayer. I'm sure this will all work out. I'm not really upset about it. I'm not really sure how I feel about it.

I got a weird phone call from Mr. Mayhem earlier this week. He asked if there was a reason I had kicked him last night. I said no and that I didn't remember kicking him. He said he spoke to me and I answered him. I know I've screamed in my sleep when I was having a dream about someone breaking in the house. I know I whapped him across the face while I was dreaming about trying to catch football. I woke up enough to tell him it was a bad pass. This time I didn't remember a dream to go with kicking him. My thought is, if I did kick him, I shouldn't have to tell him why I kicked him. He should know what he's done to deserve it.

Mayhem #1 is going home with her roommate this weekend. She's excited. The mom in me came out and told her to get her homework done first. I've been working on cleaning out clothes we don't or can't wear anymore. It's the beginning of the cleaning the house before the boyfriend comes. If we start with the clothes, maybe we can actually get to the other stuff. Ease into this getting rid of stuff. We haven't started on the bathroom yet, but we need too. Mayhem #1 can't handle paint fumes so that need to be done soon.

I'm going scrapbooking tonight. Yeah!! I need to go pack up my stuff. There was something else I was going to tell you, but I forgot it. Oh well. Maybe I'll remember and post again.