Stupid foot

In the past week, I've found out some interesting things about my stupid foot. Instead of hurting on the right side every time I take a step, it hurts on the left. (That is where the screw is so I don't know if that's why or not.) Mr. Mayhem and I went out last weekend to look for an exercise machine that we'll actually use. We've decided that a recumbent bike will probably be the best. The bike doesn't hurt my foot, but I can feel it working my ankle and that's probably a good thing. The elliptical machine hurt Mr. Mayhem's knees. When I tried the elliptical, I found out just how weak my ankle is. The darn thing almost threw me off, and I don't think Mr. Mayhem would've caught me. He was laughing too much. I've also been trying to do things with my foot that will stretch it and make it stronger. (This is called physical therapy without the therapist. I hope I'm not doing more harm than good.) Last night I decided to try to go from flat-footed to rolling up to my toes. I was barefooted by the way. Of course it hurt, but it all hurts. I did it a few times using both feet, but I discovered that my good foot was doing most of the work. I thought I'd try just the bad foot. I thought about it. I tried. Nothing happened. Well, except it hurt. I couldn't pick myself up at all. I guess I have something else to ask the doctor about next week. Stupid foot!

I tried

I tried to come by and visit yesterday, but Blogger wasn't happy then. Now I'm not too happy because whatever crud Mr. Mayhem had last week, I now have. If I could cut off my head I'd feel better.

Next week is homecoming for Mayhem #2 so I've been getting ready for that. I bought a lion to decorate with all the streamers and cowbells for her to carry around school next Friday. This week we have to go to Hillsboro for the football game. It's about an hour and a half away. I told a friend at church where we were going and she said she'd come along if I'd drop her at the outlet mall that was there so she could shop. The drum major has gotten very serious about this year's marching competition. This is our year to go to state, so we now have at least one extra practice a week, not counting sectionals. I called Mayhem #2's piano teacher and told her we'd have to put that on hold until after marching season. That's about the only thing that could give. The homework has to get done, and there has been alot of it.

Mayhem #1 has been working on a big painting for school and I can't wait to see it. She took a picture of a statue we saw when we were in Orlando and turned it into her project. She really seems to be enjoying her classes this year. I think next month her aerobics class starts. No more roller blading. Anybody want to buy some skates and pads?

Mr. Mayhem commented the other day that he would like to get back here some day. He now has a laptop from work that he carries around. He says we would need to upgrade our internet service. I think he just hates our dial up. It's all I know so it works for me. Anyway, to upgrade our internet, we probably need to upgrade our computer. We've been talking about it and looking at the financial aspects. I think we'll have to get a new computer so Mayhem #2 can get her homework done faster and we can get her some study programs for the SAT and ACT. It has absolutely nothing to do with all the new computer games Mr. Mayhem's been eyeballing. Nooooo.

6,5,4...Steroids

I broke down and called the doctor Friday, but of course he was in surgery. They worked me in this morning. He took more x-rays and said all the bones looked ok. (I swear I must glow in the dark after all the x-rays I've had in the last six months.) He said there was some arthritis around one of the joints. He put me on a steroid pack for the next few days, and gave me some anti-inflammatory/pain medication for after that. I go back in about three weeks. He didn't have any explanation for me about the pain. I'm kind of disappointed, but I home the meds will help. Although I am waiting for the first hot flash and sleepless night.

My house is so filthy it makes me want to cry. I need to get up and clean, but it hurts and that makes me want to cry too. Maybe I'll go pick up in my bedroom for a while before I pick up Mayhem #2. I've planned an easy to make dinner so that will help.

Mayhem #2 over-heated at the football game Friday night. We met some very nice firemen from Venus, TX. She's ok, but I'm ready for her to stop this. I thought she was prepared, but I guess she needed more water or Poweraid. The firemen did say that once you've had a heat episode that you're more likely to have it happen again. Great.

Here lizard, lizard, lizard...

I had an interesting animal experience yesterday. Actually, it started Monday. Mayhem #2 found a little baby lizard running around the house. Not the green kind. He was a little brown thing. Before we could catch him and put him out, he had run under the computer desk. Mr. Mayhem told Mayhem #2 not to sit at the computer barefoot unless she wanted her toes nibbled. We figured the lizard would dehydrate and that would be the end of him. I hadn't really thought of him again until I was getting dressed yesterday. I picked up my shorts to put them on and the little fellow fellow out of my pants. I thought he had run under the dresser, but then I saw that he couldn't but he was running around the edge. He blended in with the wood pretty well. I had an empty toothpaste box which I thought I could catch him in. He was a quick little sucker. I tried to use the box to block the corner so he had to run in the box, but he got by. Luckily he stopped before he slipped around behind the dresser. I herded him back the other way and got him in the box next time. He is now free and happy in the front yard. I told Mayhem #2 it was a good thing I found him before I put my shorts on!!! I don't think he would've survived otherwise.

The foot still hurts. You know those little pain charts from 0-10. If I don't have my four Advil in me every four hours, the pain is about a 12. Is this normal? I'm afraid Mr. Mayhem may have to put me down yet.

Two shoes

Here I sit wearing two shoes!! I have a very funny tan line just below my knee on my very skinny leg. I still don't know if I have the "right" shoes. I couldn't find any rocker bottom shoes so I got some Nike walking shoes that have a "roller rail". Instead of rockin', I'm rollin'. Walking is another interesting experience in pain, but since the foot hasn't worked like this in six months, I'm not surprised. I guess I'll take it slow. I'm beginning to think I'm just a wimp. Advil is my friend.

The sky is falling!!

Ok so I thought I'd get back here sooner than this. I do have two very important things to say first of all. IT'S RAINING AND IT'S BELOW 100 DEGREES!!!!!!!! It was over 100 for 23 days this month. My AC is loving this break. We haven't had rain since July 4, and I'm not even sure it rained at our house then.

I should be out shoe shopping, but since it's wet and I'm already at a walking disadvantage, I'll wait till tomorrow. The doctor said the bones in my foot are healed. He couldn't tell me exactly why it still hurts, but he said once I get in a shoe and start exercising it, it will probably get better. He said it may always ache some. It just depends. He told me not to ditch the crutches until the muscles had built up in my foot and leg, and I feel confident about walking without them. I'm suppose to find a rocker bottom shoe. He said New Balance had one, but the people at the New Balance store said they didn't. I did try on one pair of shoes and walking that way felt very weird. I've looked on line and they're hard to find. I told Mr. Mayhem I wasn't getting a "Granny" shoe. I found a company called Propet and they have a shoe with a rocker bottom profile so that might work. I don't want to buy a shoe off the internet so I'll see if someone has that brand.

I spent one day last week trying to find an alternate book for Mayhem #2 to read for English. It had to be set in the Mexican Revolution. After looking on line and running all over town, I got one that was actually a novel about the war (Not exactly what the teacher wanted, but she didn't give us any suggestions.) and since it was written in 1915 I thought we would be safe from the sex issue. Unfortunately, the language is awful. It's nothing worse that what she hears at school just about every day, so I told her to just bleep over it. I just can't win for losing.

I spent another day this week running all over the area finding art supplies for Mayhem #1's painting class. That was interesting, but I found everything she had on the list and Mr. Mayhem drove them down to her yesterday afternoon. I don't think the Post Office would let me mail turpenoid or linseed oil. Something about those "potentially hazardous " items they ask about when you mail something.

Alone again

It's day two. The house is quiet. I'm all alone. It's kind of nice.

Mayhem #2 started school last week, and we took Mayhem #1 back to college this past Saturday. Mayhem #1 has a new roommate this year and she seems nice. I hope the get along well. One of Mayhem #1's friends from last year helped move her stuff in and stuck around most, if not all, of the day. Another friend stopped by to say hi. Getting back to her friends made her feel really good. Her classes start tomorrow I think.

Mayhem #2 had a pretty good first week. We do have an issue with a book she was suppose to read over the summer. The first problem was we never got a letter that told her she was suppose to read certain books over the summer. We found out at registration. I didn't have a problem with her reading "Great Expectations". We finally found out what the other book was and I was not happy. It was "Like Water for Chocolate". Though I've never seen it I knew the movie was pretty risque. Later I find out it was rated R. I got on-line and read the Sparknotes. I was getting less and less happy by the paragraph. I checked the book out of the library and read it. They say the book is all about food, and that is true. However, they fail to mention that the food has is very sensual element in the story. My fifteen year old doesn't need to read about descriptions of body parts or sexual encounters. And it definitely doesn't need to be discussed with fifteen year old boys. Mr. Mayhem and I wrote a letter to the teacher and asked for an alternate assignment. We haven't heard anything from the teacher yet. Mayhem #2 said they were going to start discussing the book tomorrow. Tonight is Meet the Teacher night so hopefully we can talk to the teacher then. Other than this little episode she's liking everything so far. She has the exact schedule she needed and we were shocked when she got it.

I better go get ready for the day. I have a tooth that's hurting so I guess I'll call the dentist. I hate going to the dentist. I go to the podiatrist Friday and I have a ton of questions to ask about the stupid foot. The main one is, "Is it still suppose to hurt so much?"

Maybe I'll write again tomorrow. Now that it's quiet.

2 steps forward, 1 step back

I put myself back on crutches for the weekend. No weight on the foot at all. I guess I did too much this week because by Friday, every step made me want to cry. I have to be able to get around some this week because Mayhem #2 has started band camp so I have to take her back and forth. And that sometimes means I have to take Mayhem #1 back and forth to work.

Mayhem #1 made it back from GA a day late thanks to Delta Airlines. She got bumped off her flight because it was overbooked. Then she got bumped off the next flight because the stupid people at the gate said they didn't have record that she was waiting to go on the flight. She wasn't the only one who was in this predicament. But she was the only 19 year-old on her first solo trip. The gate personnel told her and the 10 other people to go down a hallway and turn left and there would be someone to help them, then they just left. The simple directions didn't get them where they needed to go. Mayhem #1 ended up on her own after a bathroom stop. She said that she was shocked that no one offered any help. She was in tears before she found a superviser who took care of her. He got her a hotel and food voucher and got her off to the hotel, but he also gave her his name and phone number in case she had any trouble the next day. Her luggage went on the first flight after they told her it had been pulled off. Luckily, it was waiting for her in the baggage lock-up area. Other than that experience, her visit with the Boyfriend and his family and friends went well.

I don't know how it happened, but Mayhem #2 got the exact schedule she needed and wanted. She was asked by some of the kids she saw if she had read the books that were required. Apparently, some of the students received a list of books that were suppose to be read over the summer. We received no such list. I told her to find out what the books are because we still have two weeks before school starts. She's read a million books this summer...just not the ones they wanted her to read.

The foot's not happy. I better go prop it up. Thanks for checking up on me.

Hobbling

My doctor gave me the ok to start walking around the house in my lovely boot. Believe me, I can tell you exactly where that screw is in my foot. If I have to leave the house, I hobble with the crutches. I don't want to get caught somewhere with it hurting so bad I can't get home. I still don't do alot, but it's a start.

I had to take Mayhem #2 to the doctor yesterday for a check up and shots before school registration next week. We only thought she'd get one shot. She got three and a finger stick to take blood. She was not happy, but ice cream helped. The doctor also had to check her for scoliosis to make the school nurse happy. Her spine is fine. She's just asymmetrical.

Mayhem #1 is off in Georgia visiting the Boyfriend. She got there ok, but I haven't heard from her since. I hope she calls me today. Just want to make sure things are going ok.

Mr. Mayhem has had meetings at some swanky hotel all week. Unfortunately, the a/c in his car seems to be going out so I need to call the dealer. We've had eight straight days of 100+ temperature and there a few more coming up. He got into some vines about three weeks ago and he's still itching and it's still spreading even after a round of steroids. He'll have to call the doctor again.

I better go call about the car.

Update

I thought I'd let you know I'm still alive. The stitches came out last week and it hurt so bad I almost passed out. It still hurts to keep my foot down so this will be short. I officially became handicapped yesterday per Mr. Mayhem. Mayhem #1 took me to the sub-courthouse to get a temporary handicapped placard for the car. He's currently visiting his dad in WA. I'm jealous. I'm going this morning to supervise the cleaning of the fish tanks at church. Tomorrow evening I'll actually go to church for the choir's special concert. Mayhem #1 is singing and Mayhem #2 is playing djimba (sp). It's an African drum. Luckily my nephew had one. I'll try to drop by more often. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is surgery day. I have to be there at 6:45 am. I'm not really excited. Actually, I'm kind of scared. I haven't slept very well since Friday night when I discovered that "external support" the doctor mentioned wasn't a soft cast it's rods in my bones braced by a rod on the outside of my foot. It's called a mini-rail. Mayhem #2 wants me to ask the doctor if there is a Mickey rail to go with the Minnie rail she envisioned. Too much Disney World.

I guess I've done a little too much looking on the internet. Some of the articles I've found are not very encouraging about this procedure fixing my foot at all. Others say that everything the doctor has done and is going to do is standard operating procedure. I'm just afraid my foot will never work right again.

I don't look forward to two months on crutches. Maybe I'll just stay home for that time. I did get the paper work for a handicap parking permit. Since Mayhem #2 will be stuck at home with me, except when she goes to camp without me, I bought her some jewelry making beading stuff. She's always wanted to make things and try to sell them. This might give her a chance to develop an inventory.

I know I'm being a whiner. I'm not going to have 27 screws in my foot like the race horse, but believe me four rods sticking out is enough for me. Don't give Mr. Mayhem any ideas. He might put me down for all the hassle I've become. Please pray. I'll let you know something when I can.

Growing up

Mayhem #2 looked lovely last night for her band banquet. After searching for the Oriental-style dress she wanted last weekend, and finding out the shop where we saw them was closed, we were in serious trouble. Her piano teacher offered her daughters' formals to Mayhem #2 to try. Several of the dresses were way too small, but she finally fell in love with a lavender satin dress. I happened to have silver shoes and purse that would work. One of the other dresses she liked had a sheer silver wrap with silver confetti stars between the fabric. That was nice and blingy for her.

We got home around three after my pre-op lab work. In two and a half hours, I made her into a princess, complete with painted nails and make up. She's never worn make up except for stage make up. We didn't do alot of make up, but I wanted her to feel special. A little purple eye shadow, pinky blush that you couldn't really see, Mayhem #1's shimmery powder, and a little purple lipstick. She's very light complected (sp?). We used clear mascara, which I had never heard of, and we found some brow powder and wax that was blonde so I could color her eyebrows without just drawing them on with a brown liner.

Since she is so into the Lord of the Rings elf thing, she wanted little braids on the sides of her head that went together in the back and was braided down her back. The rest of her hair we left down. I tried to put a little curl in it, but when it's waist length and extra fine, curl doesn't hold very well. Along the braid we put sparkly hair do-dads. Mayhem #1 loaned her her prom jewelry that was the right shade of purple and very blingy.

Her escort was dad. He was looking quite dapper in his suit. When I was putting some perfume on Mayhem #2, he got out his cologne. He told her, "I only break out the good stuff for special people."

After the banquet, Mr. Mayhem took her to church for the end of school youth lock-in. Everyone oohed and aahed over her, and she ate it up. She took close to change into because I had warned her repeatedly, "No light saber fighting in that dress!"

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.