Black Friday

I think we're falling asleep at the wheel here, people! Black Friday? How racist is that? We can call it Darkly Pigmented Friday, African American Friday.........maybe Roots Friday, giving a nod to slavery and how we are endlessly apologizing for that (well, I don't, but Bill Clinton loves apologizing for slavery). I'm thinking that the crackers are STILL trying to hold a black man down with this Black Friday thing. I think we need to call it Capitalist Friday, giving a nod to free enterprise. But, no, Big O hates capitalism. Hmmmmmm, how about Government Check Friday because I'm feeling strongly that this will be our LAST Thanksgiving and LAST Christmas because God forbid we acknowledge Thanksgiving and not whine about how the white man clobbered the red man (Indian) and raped their horses and their women and their land and built big cities and chased the red man onto reservations out in the middle of BF Egypt so they can pass out on their single wide front porches next to the transmission sitting on cider blocks while basking in the glow and ringing bells from the casino across the dirt road. Anyway, this possibly being our last Thanksgiving to be acknowledged and celebrated (think I'm kidding? Serious as a heart attack.) and by this time next year probably 1 in 3 people will be receiving some kind of gubmint assistance, so Government Check Friday would be appropriate. 

And I'll bet we don't get to celebrate Christmas next year because we can't be pissing off Ahmed with "Christ"mas, so we need to come up with something that won't piss off men that wear really bad italian tablecloths with serpentine belts around their heads or black ski masks and blow up busses in Israel. How about............Santa Day. But then we have always had big, fat, white Santas and that's SO unfair to so many groups. Once again, crackers are oppressing the black man. So maybe Fat Man In A Red Suit Day (shit, I just managed to offend fat people), and you can color the man any color you want so everyone can feel the love and not feel slighted or offended, because really, my mouth says one thing but my heart says something totally different and I don't ever want to offend men, women, children, dogs, cats, gays, lesbians, bi's, transexuals, hermaphrodites, Italians, Muslims, Blacks, Whites, Chinese, and I need to stop and go fix dinner, but you get the point. And really, Mrs. Clause? We can't forget the testicle collecting feminists that are pissed that the Mrs. isn't little and is stuck at home with a bunch of elves (oooops, now I have offended little people). 

I really don't know how we could have made this much progress with political correctness. Do you? 

 I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah, Black Friday.

I see an island!

One of the things I just love about wound change days is all the new things we see and learn.  Seven days a week is an IV drip for antibiotics and the medical term for what they're treating is osteomyelitis.  Here's a link to elaborate more.  http://www.medicinenet.com/osteomyelitis/article.htm  I'm just thankful for the medicine and the times in which we live.  I think sometimes, not on purpose, we just get wrapped up in the day-to-day, we take for granted the medical marvels we have at our fingertips to save lives. 

Now wound changes are Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  I'm seeing the benefits of this in that the skin graft has more "undisturbed" time and you see more results after a couple of days of being wrapped up.  Debriding the skin graft and surrounding areas is really important right now.  As dried lymphatic fluid, scabs, or dead skin are removed the new skin underneath has a chance to grow.  Unless the tissue is really visibly ready to be lifted off, normally the nurse will get a new washcloth, wet it with warm water, and wipe and massage the site until dead tissue lifts off. The graft itself is just amazing.  We couldn't figure out why, despite the graft, there's still such a definite difference in how the leg looks compared to the other leg.  The third TRACS surgeon, Dr. O'Herrin, who has not been involved until now but saw the leg for the first time last week, reminded us that they can graft skin, but the leg will have to fill out with fat, which is completely normal.  So, there's no fat between the grafted skin and the new tissue.  Makes perfect sense. 

Today there was a new surprise on the tendon that didn't get grafted--if you can look closely, you will see a white spot in the center of the granulation that has covered the tendon on top.  A couple of months ago I learned the term "epitheliazation", which is the growth of new skin cells.  That white spot on the center of the granulation covering the tendon is called an "epithelial island".  It is the creation of new skin dead center in the middle of the granulation.  This open tissue is too small for a skin graft and the surgeon is perfectly happy with letting the wound cover naturally.  This epithelial island is going to grow outward towards the edges of the wound.  The outer edges of the wound have epitheliazation along the edges and are growing inward toward the island.  In a matter of a couple of months this will be covered. 

The IV antibiotics seem to be doing the job killing the staph and pseudomonis in the bone.  The foot looks better, isn't red.  Right now some areas around the foot and leg are being treated extra-gently with a pinkish cream that was used all throughout the treatment to protect the skin, but months of tape from the wound back and the pressure points as Mike rests his foot on pillows have worn out and cause blisters and the nurses are REALLY good about covering them with the ointment.

When this all commenced on August 1, the amazing surgeon came out of the OR after nearly two hours of surgery that first night to tell me what had happened.  I knew this wasn't going to be a simple fix, and as I listened to what she was telling me, although I was relieved for her compassion and care and surgical skill, all I could say was, "We don't have insurance."  I explained our predicament and his having to resign from the prison after his last knee surgery.  "That doesn't mean we will stop taking care of him and treating him."  I do not think I've ever seen a more caring face on a person, ever.  She truly feels that her mission in life is to heal and a month ago she got to some into a wound change, surprising us, and she teared up to see how well Mike was progressing. 

In the early days of this we were both blessed and, frankly, appalled to have been granted "charity care" status and know how precious that gift is.  Mike and I have been discussing this and we will be putting our post-treatment efforts into fund-raising for this amazing hospital.  It's small, but Consumer Reports named Salem Hospital the safest hospital in Oregon.  To look at the campus of buildings you would never guess there are so many individual clinics and so many people that live to give to you.  The current economy has created low funds in the charity care account and we will be launching an effort to reach out to the most philanthropic individuals and corporations and asking them to make donations to the charity care account.  With more and more companies laying off and reducing workers, insurance will be harder and harder to come by and our hospitals will face huge hardships.  Mike and I aren't independently wealthy, but it takes no wealth to write a letter and share our story and show them firsthand how this hospital saved Mike's life and changed our lives for the better.  They need wheelchairs and walkers.  Mike would like to try to find a company that makes hospital beds for big and tall people.  At 6'10", his biggest challenge was to get comfortable in a bed made for the average-sized person.

Should the Lord tarry, this will be our commitment to a hospital that made a commitment to us to heal my husband.

Top 10 Foods That Improve Your Hair

One of the most noticeable side effects from what Mike has gone through has been hair loss.  He was starting to thin on top, but holy jumpin' up and down, Martha, I am picking handfuls of hair off his shirt every day.  His hairdresser said it's from lack of nutrition while he's been battling back from nec/fac.  She said that once he starts becoming more active and eating more, he will see his hair begin to grow back.  This morning I found this very interesting article about food that improve your hair growth.  I think I shall stock up!  Read on:

Having a full head of hair isn’t every man’s dream. In fact, some men embrace their baldness, but let’s face it: If you do have hair and want to stay looking as young as possible, then you probably want the hair on your head to be thick, lustrous and shiny.

While all the secrets to healthy hair haven’t been figured out, scientists have identified a handful of nutrients that relate to hair health in some way or another. Include foods with these nutrients in your diet, and you’ll be improving the chances of keeping your mane as full as ever.

Prunes
Aside from keeping your bowels running like a Porsche 911 Carrera S engine, prunes can also help improve your hair because they are one of very few non-meat sources of iron. Although it’s not exactly clear how iron helps hair, it is well known that individuals who are iron-deficient can experience profound changes to their hair including hair loss, dryness, thinning, stiffness, and discoloration.

Green peas
 Although you don’t often see green peas labeled as a superfood, it might be a good time to start regarding them as such. It’s not that they’re teeming with antioxidants or any specific vitamin or mineral. No. On the contrary, green peas are instead very well balanced, offering a vast array of vitamins and minerals in reasonable amounts, including those that are important for healthy hair, like iron, zinc and B vitamins (deficiencies of these elements have been linked to unhealthy hair changes).

Shrimp
 We already know that we should limit our red meats, but for men trying to build muscle, finding a protein replacement can be tough. Well, how about shrimp? Not only are these tiny crustaceans delicious served over pasta and red wine, but they’ll also help you keep your hair! Shrimp are an excellent source of vitamin B12, iron and zinc — key vitamins and minerals that you’ll need in your fight against hair loss.

Steel-cut oats
Like prunes, oats are loaded with more than enough fiber to help you maintain a healthy heart and bowels, but beyond fiber, oats are also jam-packed full of other important nutrients, like zinc, iron and omega-6 fatty acids. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-6 fatty acids are essential to normal skin, hair growth and development. Omega-6 fatty acids are also essential in the sense that they must be obtained from the diet — so don’t be afraid to throw down a nice big bowl of oatmeal now and again.

Kidney beans
Legumes like kidney beans have long been touted for their healthy-hair-promoting properties. Not only are they a great non-meat source of iron and zinc, but they’re also a great source of protein. Studies have shown that severe protein deficiency can lead to unhealthy hair or hair loss and thinning, more specifically. In fact, changes to hair were even considered as a means of identifying protein malnutrition in hospitalized patients back in the 1970s.

Walnuts
Pound for pound, walnuts are incredibly hair-friendly. Not only do walnuts have more omega-6 fatty acids than any other food, but they’re also full of zinc, iron, B vitamins (B1, B6 and B9), and plenty of protein. Of note, however, walnuts also contain a small trace of selenium, a mineral known to cause hair loss in people who are selenium-deficient or have way too much in their system.

Pumpkin seeds
Like walnuts, pumpkin seeds are loaded with all the nutrients that your hair could ever want, like protein, omega-6 fatty acids, zinc and iron. What’s even more exciting is that pumpkin seeds, like other seeds, can be easily combined with nuts for a delicious trail mix. Just throw together a handful of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, and raisins in a bag, and you have yourself the perfect hair-revitalization snack!_

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/11/11/top-10-foods-that-improve-your-hair/?intcmp=features#ixzz2Bw13UuMl

We are STILL America

Happy Friday.  We are three days post-election and this morning as I sat down with my bottle of Spark, I am happy to realize one thing:  I’m done with the “What the hell happened on Tuesday?” and feeling like I’ve got my feet under me again.  I don’t want to ask “What happened?” anymore.  I’m done with that.  We learned the hard way that when you put your faith and trust in man, you lose everything precious to you.  When you put your faith and trust in God, you have a fighting chance.  Now, it’s “This is what’s happening.  This is our story.  This is our goal.  This is the road we are on.  Join us or whine alone by the side of the road, but we’re moving on.”

Knowing myself, I know there will be down days and up days.  I’m not going to list links to stories of businesses that are closing because of the election.  We know they’re happening.  We don’t need to reiterate them or dwell on them or cause any further heartbreak to someone who’s being affected by them.  We need to gather around one another to encourage and help each other.  We need to remind one another that as long as we draw a breath, we are capable and able to reach for our goals and dreams.  True patriotic Americans will come up alongside a brother in distress and help.  We will show up with boxes of food.  We will share warm blankets and wood with those that are cold.  Our money still speaks volumes and if you see a company that is not being honest or righteous you can choose to buy elsewhere.  I like a latte as much as the next person, though I don’t drink them very often.  However, my days of ANYTHING Starbucks are over after the CEO of that company came out in support of O.  You want my money?  Should have supported someone different.  When I want a coffee I’ll go to a locally owned place not far from the house.  Support a local.  We have that power, you know.  We still have power.  Washington doesn’t want you to think so but it’s true.  We have the power of “no” and we have the power of our own legs carrying us where we need to go.  And we also have the power of bended knees and clasped hands and prayer.  And THAT power is mightier than anything a pen in Washington, DC can wield.

So, clean off the desk or the kitchen counter, or fold that last basket of clean laundry and thank God you have a washer and dryer if you have one.  If you still have a home, thank God for your kitchen and go make a good meal.  Get the vacuum cleaner out and thank God you still have carpets to clean.  When your kids are loud, don’t yell at them to be quiet, thank God you still have kids to keep you going, because they do that.  They keep you going.  Over the next few weeks I’m going over our house with a fine tooth comb and doing a final cleaning of things that weigh us down or we don’t need.  Streamlining our lives with as little baggage as possible is what we will be focusing on.  Let Washington have the baggage.  We don’t need it.  Remember that this is STILL America and no matter what they want to call us we will ALWAYS be Americans and it’s a blessing to be born in the greatest country man has ever known.  If down the road all we have is memories of what was, you’re still doing better than someone from Cuba or Venezuela or Russia or Iran.  Look at what they have to look back on.  We can remember how we started out, and NO one can tax that or take it from us.  EVER.  We are still AMERICANS.  Something most of the world has wished it could be. 

Now, get going!

Who can you share the Light with?

Yesterday I shared that our pastor came to the house to bless us with serving Mike communion since he can't get to church. Our pastor LOVES politics. LOVES politics. His wife was a relative of Mark Hatfield and they've been back to DC several times, to the Capital, and a few other places. He doesn't bring politics to the pulpit, but you can talk to him about it all day long anywhere else. As I opened the door yesterday, I eyed him and said, "Ok, we are good? No angst or concerns?" He just smiled. Our pastor is one of the most genuinely peaceful people I've met. He shared with us his background yesterday and all he EVER wanted to be, as far back as he could remember, is a pastor. He is rare because nearly all pastors have gone down a different road before they devoted their lives to the ministry. He started serving the Lord in grade school, then junior high, then high school, and beyond. The ministry was IT. And he's perfectly suited for it.

I peppered him with all sorts of political and spiritual questions and he patiently answered them for me. I love politics, too. It's endlessly fascinating. But then he said something that was so true. "Had Romney won, we'd have gotten lazy again. This will keep us on our toes because we know what's coming, and we know what we have to do."

Remember 9/11? Immediately flags were everywhere. Churches were filled to the rafters. He said our church saw about a week of attendant surge. It didn't take long for it to die down and the flags were pulled in and once again, Starbucks drive thru's were busy again. Americans are good, and you can hate me for saying this, but Americans are lazy. As long as we have a scintilla of fat in our lives, we get lazy. Truth hurts! You can bet had Romney been elected we'd all go back into our "me" comas.

We CANNOT be lazy. Now is the time that we need to work hard. Not just to feed our family and keep the lights on, but we are going to have to reach out. How well do you know your neighbors? Not well? Well, then, maybe you need to go over and knock on the door and introduce yourself and see if there is someone in needs of a comforting word or encouragement. Invite them to church with you and have a nice meal with them afterward. Strengthen your ties in the community. Learn who is who and who needs what and what uplifting or encouraging things that need to replace the dark and dismal in someone's life. Campaigns are won one voter at a time. Lives are changed, one person at a time. By ourselves, as individuals, we have our own strength, but you're INDIVIDUAL. I'm not saying you need to break bread every single day with strangers and travel in packs, but open your eyes, your arms, your hearts, your homes. You watch. You will find people that are hungry for friends, for Jesus, for food, for warmth, for someone just to CARE. It's no mistake that we are heading into cold weather right after the election. It's APPROPRIATE. Now more than ever people will need light and warmth. What do you have that can make a difference and make a friend?

Strength in numbers. POWER in numbers. Don't isolate yourselves when what you have inside your heart can make the difference between eternal peace or eternal damnation, between a friendship or suffocating loneliness, between despair or hope.

Pick up the pieces and begin moving on.

The past few months I’ve found a voice in writing and I’m grateful for you that have read my words and been so supportive and complimentary. I am now going to use my voice to hopefully warn for what’s coming. I am by NO means any expert on anything. I love the Lord and I know the power of having Him in your corner. I’ve spent the past 15 years learning all I can about the political system and prophecy and I’m still just scratching the surface. However, along the way I’ve gained wisdom from several incredibly spirit-filled people that have helped me with my walk with God.

However, I will admit last night I went to bed somewhat distraught. It seemed as though instantaneously, we watched a perfectly normal election night WITHOUT WARNING go into a major upset. Like we stepped into a parallel universe and we were looking at a foreign world through a lens. This wasn’t supposed to happen, said Dick Morris, Charles Krauthammer, George Will, Ann Coulter, and the list goes on. It was as though the last many months disappeared, all that hard work, and the election appeared to be handed to him. I know I’m supposed to give the office of the presidency the honor it deserves. I’ll honor the OFFICE. I will NOT honor the man.

My daughter, Katherine, and I have had some trying times recently. Last evening all that was dropped. She spent much of last evening, while in class, comforting and encouraging me. She’s too young to have ever known the good times we knew as kids growing up. I was grieving what was. She’s never known it. We had such amazing times as kids, didn’t we? I was so blessed last night that we could put the petty things aside and I was encouraged by her texts. She tried to tell me I was jumping to conclusions and making mountains out of molehills. It’s ok, mom, just be patient and don’t upset. He’s not even close. Then the final decision: We didn’t win. She was amazingly astute in her observations and thoughts and in her comfort. We may butt heads, but politically, she gained some insight growing up with me as her mom and she was a comfort. “We still have God, mom.”

Laurie was also quite strong. She is a tenacious fighter, smart, capable, and eloquent. Her last remark was, “I still have my God, nothing can change that. Lord knows we'll need him now more than ever.” Right now she is in the middle of her nursing clinicals and her husband, after being betrayed by a superior at work, is now looking for a job, and we are waiting to see if how the interview went and if the job comes through.

And then, Alison. As I the tears fell down my face, as I grieved what appeared to be further destruction of our beloved United States, Alison brought her teddy bear to me, wrapped his fuzzy arms around my neck and said, “Mom, Butterscotch thinks you need a hug. Don’t cry. We still have Jesus. We can’t make everyone see the truth. Eventually, they will have to see it.”

More wisdom in the words of these three than I’ve heard from most adults in a long time. They all acknowledged that the White House will once again house someone we don’t care for, but God can never be taken from us.

This morning I woke up and that’s when He started working on me.

“Lori, do not despair. Didn’t I tell you I will never leave you nor forsake you? Don’t you remember Job? What did I tell him? Where were you when I laid the foundations for the heavens and the earth? So, if I’m going to tell him that thousands of years ago, then I will tell you, I have not moved, left, budged an inch. LAST NIGHT is what happens when you put your faith in a MAN and not in ME. This country chased me out a long time ago. I still am in the hearts and lives of those that took the gift of salvation, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be trying times. I raise up kings and take down kingdoms, remember?”

We had indeed put all our hope and faith on a man, or men, or a party, or a label (liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian) and completely ignored who our hope and faith should have gone to: God.

Strange, but I don’t feel as strong a sense of defeat today. Should the Lord tarry, we have four years to get through and our mettle and resolve will be tested like no other time. We are truly going to have to be the salt and the light. Now our choice is to curl up in the fetal position and feel sorry for ourselves, or grab hold of our Bibles and start letting the world SEE how WE lead. There is a party affiliation heading the country. We need to be the God affiliation heading our side. And make no mistake, there are still sides. I am of the opinion now that the former titles I listed above are gone. This election took us to new territory: Socialism. You can pretty it up all you want but that’s what it is. Socialism.

At some point over the last couple of decades we have watched our fellow Americans go from having a dream and a desire to work hard and achieve, to standing in line for a handout with little or no guilt. Do you remember the last election, the group of black women jumping up and down and the journalist asked them what this meant, this new president they had. “Obama money! We gonna get us some Obama money!” This used to be a nation of such pride. You were ashamed if you had to accept a handout or a hand-up. We’re Americans. We don’t need to accept charity from anyone. A sense of pride and ownership came with that paycheck we deposited. Now, you’re considered greedy or undeserving if you have a good job, are pursuing a good job, or in need of a good job. The ambitious or enterprising are the targets of snotty comments and snarky remarks. The laziness that has taken us over is shameful. I choose not to participate in that. In fact, I am challenging every single person that reads this to start a business. There are plenty that you can start and if you need help, well maybe we can all put heads together and help one another out. WE do not have to fall in lockstep with what resides in DC. We are fighters. We are Americans. We cling to our guns and our Bibles. Most of us, anyway. Get your Bible out and start reading it to your family at night. Pray together. Do not let the divisive attitudes of those in power divide your family. One of the first rules of communism is to destroy the family. You go the opposite direction. Gather your family close to you and resolve to stick together. They can only do to you and your family what you ALLOW

There are dark days coming, but remember who our King is. God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God that created the universe and gave us His Son. He has not left us or forsaken us. Rather, many have left or forsaken Him. Find Him. Once you do find Him, get down on your knees and start talking to Him. He really wants to hear from you. I promise.

FEMA! Where is FEMA! Cries Staten Island.

Friends, if you can take the time to watch this, please do so.  It's a link down at the bottom of this blog.

First, can I just say that Ann Curry, you have no clue as to how lucky you are that you're no longer trying to fit on the morning couch with Matt Lauer and his EGO.  You forte is doing stories like this.  Consider what Today did to you a favor.

Now, after you watch this, what was the first thing that came to mind?  For me it was this:  Why are these people crying and begging and screaming for SOMEONE, THE GOVERNMENT, FEMA....ANYONE. 

Therein lies the problem!  We have been so conditioned by the government to depend on them for everything.   As Glenn Beck once said, you should be so prepared for ANYTHING that comes at you that when the FEMA trucks do roll into your neighborhood, you can politely tell them, "We don't need you.  Go find someone else to help." 

People make fun of preppers.  Until they are the ones showing up at your door with a meal, or dry blankets, or offering to let you come over to their house for a hot shower because they thought ahead and installed solar panels that heat the water tanks, or however those things work.  We are not preppers per se, but we do have quite a bit to help us out in an emergency.  Make fun of that family that buys MRE's and Food Insurance and Stove In A Can, and propane stoves, until they are the ones bringing a hot meal to you after the power goes out.

In Oregon there are government officials that will FIGHT you until you are broken down over YOU having the gall to save rainwater in barrels and other water resource containers.  They don't WANT you to have bathwater saved for your garden.  Why?  Because then they can't come along and give you what you need, but you have to follow their guidelines and their rules or they don't give you what you need.

That is just such bullshit.  They claim ownership of the water because it fell into the STATE of Oregon.  Again, what was that word?  Oh, yes, bullshit.  The rain falls and if it falls into a cistern in my backyard then it's mine and I'll use it however I wish.  We were given a buttload of medical supplies when Mike was discharged in August from Salem Hospital.  They didn't want to restock them so fine, hand them over!  I am making a REALLY awesome first aid cabinet.  If we have a natural disaster I'll be happy to bandage boo-boos.  Because we have the materials on hand.  The family across the street needs a meal?  Happy to oblige.

Why?

Because we are AMERICANS.  We take care of our own (hey Barack, that is why we're so pissed at you for Benghazi.  Because you didn't take care of four Americans.) and we make sure our own are well-fed and have needs met when disaster strikes.

So go ahead and keep making fun of that family that lives out in the middle of BF Egypt and hunts fowl and has a pantry that would make Caroline Ingalls cry tears of giddy happiness.  It's that same family that will be the first to knock on your door to see if you need help.

These people in Staten Island, Long Island, along the Jersey Shore--when you get back on your feet--and you will because you're AMERICANS, and Americans bounce back no matter how far off the building we are dropped--get your homes in order, clean out a closet or two and start putting away the things you so desperately needed and didn't have because a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, you let the government tell you they would give you everything you need.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/11/02/NBC-Staten-Island-Abandoned-By-FEMA-Red-Cross

Friday, November 2, 2012

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. The world is just CAREENING out of control and our lives go on. We spent three hours at the hospital this morning. This has been such an emotional day. At one point I was sitting in the wheelchair outside the exam room having a good old fashioned cry.

Here is a picture of what greeted us when all the dressing was off. To the untrained eye, like mine, it doesn't look like much. In fact, I don't really know what I expected, but the doctor was EXTREMELY pleased with the graft. She said it took very well. 

The tendon down in the foot is another matter. She really had to cut away and there is still some infection somewhere. A culture was taken and it turns out to be pseudomonis. This was the same bacteria that would show up on the gauze wraps and had to be dressed with gauze soaked in Dakins solution, the saline water/bleach solution. Topically it's not bad. When it is down in the foot, however, that's another story. We are being sent to the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the hospital and expecting a call from the Radiology Department for a CT Scan of the foot. That will be done to see if there is any infection in the bone. I'm going to pick up his prescriptions for two antibiotics that work together to get rid of the bacteria. The Infectious Disease doc will decide if Mike will have to have IV antibiotics. If that's the case, he will have that done at the same Wound Clinic because it's actually the Infusion and Wound Clinic. They can change the bandages daily and administer the IV drugs daily. But for now, it's pills while we see how far this is in the foot. We have opted for the time being not to go back on the Wound VAC.

The skin graft itself is interesting. That is actually a few layers of skin, although very see-through. If you look carefully you can see the pattern of the machine that punctured the holes for breathing and drainage. Doctor was quite happy with that. If we can get the pseudomonis under control, this will then be a success.

Mike had the dressing PEELED off his stomach this morning. Ugh, that was PAINFUL. No matter how much saline solution or Lidocaine was poured onto it, it was being pulled from raw skin. And bleed! Bled like a stuck pig. He did grab onto my arm once in absolute agony. Apparently that was payback for the contraction I had in labor with Ali that ground his hand and wrist into the plastic siding on the bed.

We're even now. Stay tuned.

My mission today, should I choose to accept it........

Is to get the dead tomato plants down.  I am truly ashamed of how I've let the yard go to crap since Mike got sick.   Today the first order of business is to get a couple of things tossed into the yard refuse container because I think there are about 2 million fruit flies in it from tossing apples and pumpkins in.  Then I'm cooking down the pumpkins from Halloween to put the meat in the freezer.

I'm feeling the need to purge again.  In 2008 when we lost the house in Redmond (had a painful flashback to that this week.  I miss that house.  I don't miss Redmond, but I miss that house.  Mike picked out such a lovely little place.) and I spent a lot of time purging and cleaning out closets and things we didn't need to haul through life with us.  I know we have plenty again to give to Goodwill.  It's very freeing, not going through life with so much baggage. 

At a friend's suggestion I bought Disney's Little House DVD.  It was WONDERFUL.  Kind of choppy in the story telling and Alison and I kept asking each other, "Wasn't Carrie born in the big woods of Wisconsin?"  There was no baby Carrie.  But for all of those people who are anti-homeschooling ("Socialization!  What about socialization?"), here goes:  This was back in the day when family was EVERYTHING.  The turn of the century was about the same time the progressive push was starting.  One of the first points of Socialism, Marxisim, Progressivism is to destroy the family.  Get inside the family, get them OUT of the house and start taking down the fathers so the family needs government assistance for all their needs.  Before that, family helped family and once the family was stable, then they reached out to the community.  People helped take care of themselves and each other.  There were no "government programs".

 The kids were taught manners.  They were taught to work hard.  No one jumped in the wagon and bounced over the prairie to Kohls to buy a dress.  Even when we read Farmer Boy Mrs. Wilder had a weaving loom up in her sewing room and she MADE the material from wool shorn from the family sheep.  She made the material and then made the clothes.  Shoes?  You were lucky to a pair a year, and if money was tight, you got the hand-me-downs and the largest feet got the new shoes.  I have LOVED reading through this series with Alison at bedtime, and watching this DVD because you see kids getting EXCITED over a stick of sugar candy in their stockings.  There were no X-Box's or Easy Bake Ovens under the tree.  And actually, Christmas trees were few and far between.  A stocking hanging from the mantle, maybe, but those stockings were filled with shiny coins and candy sticks.  One of my favorite things to do at Christmas is to take a fresh orange and adorn it with clove spears.  The FRAGRANCE!  And that was a treasured gift.  A pomander for the dresser or closet.

I think this series of books and the movie should be required reading for every single person in this country.  You would discover true appreciation, generosity, and joy.  Children would once again be introduced to manners.  They would find the fun of being outdoors and building forts and work hard to help the family bring in the harvest from the garden.

THOSE were the good old days.