My First Masterpiece

This layout was created using Lego papers from The Scrapbook Shop using the Reflections™ Scrapbook Program:  Main Frame - Wrap Around and Title Topper - Billboard layouts.  My son, you are my first masterpiece, truly a brick off the old block.  Yes, the picture in the bottom right is me, a few years ago, building my own Lego creation.

Click on the picture to see the layout enlarged.

Darrin's Robot Knees 3.2

Today has been a very eventful day!  Friends Lynne and Lisa stopped by for a visit, while Darrin was on his way to the group therapy luncheon.  My Dad met us in the hallway as well.  After Darrin's lunch we had a nice visit in the room.  Then Dad and I went out for lunch so Darrin could have a little nap.  Last night was the most painful night yet, so he barely slept.

Dad and I met Darrin back in the group therapy room for his afternoon physical therapy.  After his excercises, they measured the angles at which Darrin can bend and straighten his knees.  He made it to a 90 degree bend with both knees, which is fantastic - he met his goal!  Then we all got to have popsicles!

For straightening, he brought his right knee to 2 degrees and the left to 4 degrees; 0 degrees is the goal, very close.  He is also able to do the straight leg lifts with his right leg now, so no more leg braces!! 

Everyone who has seen Darrin, nurse, doctor, therapist, and patients alike are all extremely impressed by his progress.  He walked back from the therapy room using his walker, without any braces.

Look Mom, No Hands!!!

This afternoon Darrin's nurse, Cindy, removed his bandages.  I have a few pictures here of his healing scars, skip them if you are queasy.  I personally think its pretty cool! 

This is his left knee.  It looks great!

His right knee is very bruised, which was to be expected because of the extent of the reconstruction required with that knee.  Dr. Ghose said that it was very deformed to start with from the osteoarthritis.

Tomorrow we may be moving out of the hospital over to assisted care, or possibly home, it will all depend on Darrin's progress by the morning physical therapy.  Please keep lifting him up in prayer, it is most certainly working!

Darrin's Robot Knees 3.1

Two days after surgery and Darrin is doing great with his physical therapy.  He has not slept very much, but he can sleep after he comes home.  He attended his first group therapy this morning.  He walked all the way there, and all the way back, about 200 feet!

The board in the physical therapy room reads:

Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit!

Lucy's 2nd Birthday Party

Yes, I am about a year+ behind in scrapbooking, but aren't we all a little behind?  Lucy will be 4 in February, so hopefully I'll have her 3rd birthday party layout completed before then.  It's good to have goals, right?

This one is kind of too many pictures, too little space, but it works.  I used parts of her tablecloth to cut out the big Elmo's.  The fuzzy Elmo with the presents is a Jolee's Boutique sticker - don't you just love those!

Click on the picture to see the layout enlarged.

Recipe:
Cardstock Combo Pack, Summer Carnival Palette

Darrin's Robot Knees 2.1

This morning was very busy.  So many people have been in and out of here I can't remember them all.  The drains were removed, Darrin is healing very well.  He still has the pain pumps in his legs.  They are so cool, they are little catheters in the veins of his legs to block the pain.  They dial them down during the day, so he can work his legs, then back up at night so he can rest.  The little black bags in the pictures are the pumps that are attached.

We had our first physical therapy session in the room this morning.  Darrin was able to straight leg raise his left leg which is really incredible; usually people who have their knees replaced will not be able to do that for 3-4 days after surgery.  One brace off!  The right knee isn't as easy to move as the left, because of the extensive reconstruction required.  But we'll get there!  After a few strengthening excercises, the physical therapist helped Darrin, using the walker, get up and walk about 25 feet!

The nurse just took out Darrin's IV!  Next will be lunch, then group physical therapy.  All in all, things are going very well.  Time to rest for a while.  He may be up for visitors or calls this evening.  If you want to check in, please call me first and I'll let you know how he is doing.

Trick or Treat

Halloween took second fiddle this week, so here are pics of the kids, all dressed up.  Lucy was Belle and Sam was Jango Fett.  Daddy stayed home to hand out candy with the dogs.  Darrin made an awesome display this year.  He found a program that runs the man in the mirror from Snow White, recorded and remixed his voice saying fun Halloween sayings like, "no costume, no candy", "I know a great knock knock joke, you start", and "isn't that guy across the street scary?"  He took an old box and painted it to look like bricks and hid the computer and monitor inside, and topped it off with spiders and crows.  I can't wait to see what he comes up with next year!  Wait, maybe next year Darrin will take the kids trick or treating and I'll get to stay home and pass out candy!

To top off Halloween, after the kids got home, Darrin put Sam's candy bucket (Darth Vador) on Teddy Bear (our mini-schnauzer).  He just sat there and didn't move, while I ran to grab the camera and snapped a picture.  When Darrin took the "hat" off, Teddy just looked at him like he wanted it on again.  Silly little doggy.

Darrin's Robot Knees 1.2

Darrin is officially in a room now and doing pretty well. It was a L-O-N-G afternoon as the stinker took 4 1/2 hours to wake up from the anesthesia. He is still pretty groggy and tired, as is expected.

He had a wonderful dinner of saltines, sherbet, and shasta twist.  He said that was the best sherbet he has ever had!  Something tells me the pills are working.

Darrin's Nurse is Dolly, and she is wonderful.  You'll be happy to know that she is taking great care of him.

Darrin uses this pump to help from getting pneumonia, he inhales until the piece inside goes up to the top.  This helps to expand the lungs and keep them from filling with fluids.

Darrin's legs are wrapped in bandages and velcro wraps.  They are also keeping ice on his knees.  Tonight he was able to wiggle his toes, this is a big step!

Also tonight Abe and Dolly got Darrin upright and his toes touched the floor.  Tomorrow, we'll try standing!  Amazing!!!

Darrin's Robot Knees 1.1

Good morning!  I'll be taking a bit of a departure this week to be with my husband.  He is having both of his knees replaced as I type this post.  This has been a long time coming, as he has had extreme knee pain for years.  We finally found the right surgeon.  This Doctor is awesome, it only took one meeting with him to put us both completely at ease.  The day we met him, he said that he had replaced two peoples knees that morning, and planned to do two more the next morning.  It is completely second nature to him, and that is the kind of surgeon you want to replace your knees.

This morning started out very early, about 4:30-ish. Ow my knees! Boy if I had a $1, heck a nickel for every time I've heard Darrin say that! :-)

  

We got ready and headed over to admitting. They shaved Darrin's knees and the surgeon, Dr. Tilok Ghose, came in and signed them both.  The Anesthesiologist came in and, along with Dr. Ghose, discussed what would be happening this morning.  The whole thing is just incredibly interesting, I kind of wanted to stay and watch, but thought better of that and came back to the hotel room to try to relax.  Yeah, like that's going to happen?




Last night the kids came with us to the hotel to swim and have ice cream, a fun family night before Daddy's surgery.  Now they are with Grandma Cindy for a few days.  Thank you Mom!!!  Darrin's Mom will be coming up from sunny Arizona to brave the cold and spend a week with us in two weeks as well.  We are so thankful for all of the love and support we get from our friends and family.

Finally!  Well not for you, but for me, this has been a long 7 hours.  Dr. Ghose just called and said that Darrin did beautifully!  His right knee was much more difficult than the left.  He will be in recovery for a couple of hours.  We will stay at the hospital for a few days then to Sister Kenny for additional rehabilitation.  Thank you God for bringing him through OK!  I'm off to be with him!  We'll update together later.  Have a wonderful day!
Jen

November Stamp of the Month: Around the Block

This stamp set has all the stamps to build your own house facade along with cute sayings such as:  we've moved, HOME, welcome to the neighborhood, and more.  November's stamp of the month:  Around the Block is a gotta have it!  You can earn this stamp set at a discount or for FREE!  it's a $22.95 value, contact me to find out how!

November Stampaganza! Buy 2 Stamp Sets Get 1 FREE!

WHETHER YOU’RE A LONG-TIME FAN OF STAMPS OR ARE just venturing into this fun hobby, now is the perfect time to grab some My Acrylix® decorative stamp sets! From November 3–30, 2009, when you purchase any two stamp sets (sizes A, B, C, D, and/or E only) at full retail price you will receive a third stamp set of your choice FREE (of equal or lesser value)—a savings of up to $22.95! Choose from any stamp set offered in any 2009 Idea Book or the current Product Review.

Take advantage of this month’s great offer to add to your assortment of these innovative stamps.  Either contact me or shop online.
 
*Shipping/handling apply. Offer valid November 3–30, 2009. Stamp sets available as the FREE set include A, B, C, and D-size sets only. E-size, customizable (K), Art & Soul® and Stamp of the Month are not available as the free set. Stamp sets that count toward the qualifying purchase include full-priced A , B, C, D, and E-size sets only. Stamps that do not count toward a qualifying purchase include Stamp of the Month, Art & Soul, Workshops on the Go™, and customized (K) stamps.