Tuesday, October 31, 2006
9:50 pm

These Kids Scare Ya, Don't They?

Two pirates (yes, KB said she was a pirate) and two senoritas!

Saturday, October 28, 2006
9:30 pm

Out of the Hospital - Already?

Brother J was much more worried about deer hunting today, than talking to me about Cody - but, I forced the issue and kept my comments short and sweet so he could get back to his business.

Cody is going to be released from the hospital tomorrow (Sunday), and he will go to a rehabilitation center in central Missouri.  I am amazed that they let him out so soon!  Jeff said the surgery went good the other day and they pinned his pelvis back together.  He is off of the feeding tube and the tracheotomy, so he's ready to move forward with additional healing and life!

Good news for everyone, but now the work for Cody really begins!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006
12 pm

More Surgery

Brother J called last night to tell me Cody had requested that he come back to the hospital.  The doctors had just informed Cody and Shelley that they needed to take him back to surgery, and Cody was understandably upset at the whole issue.  He'd finally got to the point where he was off of the respirator and the morphine, and they had run the tests to take the trach and feeding tube out - and now it was all being upended by his butt surgery.

He said his behind hurt, while laying in the bed.  Shelley had suggested that perhaps this was a problem due to him falling down the stairs at home instead of the accident.  But, it doesn't matter.  Something on or near his tailbone is separated 2" and it shouldn't be - and that's probably what's causing him so much pain while he's laying down!  They're going to operate to repair it today.

I'm still suffering from this sinus infection.  Called my doc yesterday and she ordered up some different meds for me - *please* let it be the ones that finally work!  I have been miserable for 3+ weeks and am SO ready to find my "normal" again!

Sunday, October 22, 2006
8:15 pm

The Great Sandwich Caper

Jeff called with an update earlier today.

Cody woke up this afternoon and started yanking his medical 'stuff' off of his body and sitting up in the bed.

"What are you doing, buddy?" Jeff asked.

"I have to get up," Cody responded, "I left my sandwich downstairs."

Jeff said it took him a minute to be able to respond, he was laughing so hard.

"ummmm, Cody, that sandwich you're looking for is all ground up and in that bag hanging up there, so don't worry about it, everything's fine."  Jeff finally said.

Cody acknowledged Jeff with a grunt, then layed back down.

They've taken Cody off of the ventilator but he still has the trach and feeding tube.  Jeff said they'll be doing some breathing and swallowing tests tomorrow to see if it's time to remove these two things, as well.  His jaw is still wired shut, of course, but he lost a front tooth in the accident and it's just enough space to get a straw into his mouth.  Guess he'll be sucking down a lot of milkshakes and power drinks for a while!

But, Cody had a rough night last night.  J said the nurses think it's a morphine-related psychosis so they're now easing him off of the morphine and trading it for Percocet, to help with the pain.  Seems he woke up at some point and was adamant about getting out of there - he pulled off all of his bandages, started picking all of his scabs off, etc. etc.  Shelley woke up from a short nap to find bandages and blood everywhere!  eeeeewwwww. 

Jeff was tired as he'd been up at the hospital about 12 hours today.  He said Cody was fine if he or Cody's stepdad was in the room.  But if Shelley was the only one there, Cody didn't do a thing she suggested and was rather cranky and ugly to her.  Jeff was taking a bit of a break when he called me and then he was going to go home and veg for a couple of hours, and go back for a short time before visiting hours were over to see how the boy was doing.  Poor Shelley finally got to go home to get some rest.

Saturday, October 21, 2006
11 pm

No News Must Mean No News

No word on Cody for the last couple of days, folks.  I didn't want to bug brother Jeff, so I haven't tried checking in with them.  I can only assume that means that not much has changed with the Code-ster! 

Spent most of the morning and early afternoon mowing around here - it's just been fall Texas weather lately - one minute it's lovely, the next it's so blasted hot that you don't want to be outside ... and then it's raining!  And it's near impossible to try to predict when it's a good time to get on the mower - I think the grass was a foot tall in some places!  It's mostly done, now ... but, I do have a little area by the swingset that I'll need to get tomorrow.

Have you looked at all of the patterns I've put up on BOMquilts.com lately?  Goodness, I've been busy!  You can now find quilting accessories, Quilted Halloween fun, Christmas Stockings and Christmas Tree Skirts!  Wonder what I'll search for next??!!

And tomorrow, I quilt.

Thursday, October 19, 2006
8:45 pm

More Surgery

When brother Jeff answered the phone, he said he was standing by Cody's bedside - I told him to wave at Cody from the Texans ... and Cody waved back!

Cody endured another 8+ hours of surgery, to try to repair his lower jaw.  They wired his mouth shut, but said they'd only leave the wires on for two weeks as they're afraid he'll lose his range of motion if they leave it closed and unused any longer.

I suggested to Shelley, Cody's mom, that they leave it an option with perhaps a key for her - as there may be times when SHE wants his mouth to quit talking!  hehe  She said his classmates came to see him today and told him it was SO QUIET in school without him there!  I bet it is, at that!

Shelley said he was ok except he got aggravated with her and the nurse when they tried to wipe some blood from his jaw - he threw the washcloth across the room!  But, she sounded good and that's important - no matter how much we moms have to endure with our children, if we don't take care of ourselves, too, we don't have quite the same energy to help take care of our kids. 

I did call The Trickster, too, but she hasn't been able to go see Cody because she's suffering from a cold!  She certainly didn't want to aggravate his recovery, especially since he's flat on his back.  I respect her for that and appreciate that she's at least talking to me - I felt so lonely without her!  Besides some members of my family with whom I've had good relationships with, The Trickster is probably one of the few with whom I've *remained* good pals for over 20 years.  You know what I mean?  Some folk I just have family relationships with ... it's been much more - more like friends and not family, with The Trickster. 

I also got an email address for the hospital so I'm going to forward the photo of brother Tom to his son - Shelley said it was ok, and I think Cody needs to see that his dad is ok, at times.  Perhaps it'll help!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006
10 pm

No News is No News, I Guess

Haven't heard a word from my family today, so am guessing that means Cody is doing about the same.  I *know* they would have called if he wasn't ok.  I was supposed to call The Trickster either tonight or tomorrow night, for an update about her visiting him, but I took a late nap <blush> and by the time JD woke me up, I had homework to organize, kids to herd through the showers, dinner to cook, clothes to set out for tomorrow, lunches to pack, bills to pay, etc. etc.  I'll try real hard to put a call in to her tomorrow night.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006
9:30 pm

Always Good and Bad

Cody continues to heal.  Jeff told me tonight that he still had some internal bleeding, but they were hoping it would heal itself.  They don't want to put him through surgery again, if they can help it.  They did change their minds and put a trach and feeding tube in today - he needs to stay as immobile as possible to heal, and this was the best way to make sure that happens.  Therefore, he's still on the ventilator as they keep him in the drug-induced coma to allow this healing to happen.

Tonight, I called the Trickster.  She is my older brother's widow and I haven't heard from her in over a year (perhaps two).  I didn't know if I'd done something wrong, or what.  But, I needed her to be my proxy to go let Cody know that his family was pulling and praying for him.  She has had some issues, so WHEW I was so relieved to hear that it wasn't something that I had done wrong!  It was lovely to talk to her, and she sounded strong.  She has no problems going to see Cody, so I'll talk to her tomorrow after she visits him to see how things are ... and to catch up on life!  I spent a whole lot of time with she and Mike when I moved to Missouri in 1986, and I didn't want to lose her as part of "my" family circle (unless she wanted to lose me).

I also found out that Cody's girlfriend is the other girl who survived, and they just re-built her pelvis as it was crushed.  Unfortunately, her sister was the driver and she didn't make it.  J said that the girlfriend was in traction, so when the sister passed away, they brought the sister's body to her sister's room so she could say her good-byes.  Doesn't that just bring tears to your eyes?  How dreadful for that family!

I need to vent a bit.  If you don't want to hear my rant, please leave now.  I respect your decision.

If you tell a child who is in the hospital that you are going to visit them, and then NOT show up and not even CALL to tell folks that you've changed your mind - you should be subject to arrest and tortured.  Perhaps it's only a minor offense to you, but when you mess with a child's heart, you mess with all they have.  Some members of Cody's extended family did this to him and I am livid about it.  Hence the reason I needed the Trickster.  Cody deserves as much love as this family can give him - and if I were there, I'd be buggin' him to the nth degree to let him know that we love him beyond words.  Unfortunately, the drama is much more important to some folks - than the love that is needed to raise a child.  I don't live in their world of theatrics, and I don't want to.  I choose love over everything else - and I hope Cody knows and sees that within our relationship.

Monday, October 16, 2006
5 pm

Pray for their Families

I've had some folks ask me about the others involved in the automobile accident, as they wanted to pray for their families, as well.  This article talks about the incident, it's the second auto accident story in the article that my nephew was involved in:

http://www.boonvilledailynews.com/articles/2006/10/16/news/news1.txt

2:15 pm

More on Cody ...

Brother Jeffy just called with a very positive report on Cody.  Seems they allowed him to wake up and he's been conversing with his mom via paper and pen.  Doctors see such an improvement that they're going to move him to the Pediatric ICU today (instead of the surgical ICU) and they'll start him on physical therapy already!  Said his liver and spleen haven't been a problem, so they must be healing.  They were worried about his lower jaw, thinking they would have to use a trach and feeding tube...but, after more tests, they've found that he broke 3 bones in his jaw, but *not* the most important one - so, no trach and no feeding tube!  Jeff said Cody was complaining about a few aches and pains <the nerve!> but nothing really making him miserable except he cannot talk -- if you knew Cody, you'd giggle at that cause that boy never shuts up!

God's peace to all who have prayed and shared in this heartache with us - the outpouring of support has been such a comfort to me, and I hope I'm there when you or someone you love needs the same!

Sunday, October 15, 2006
11:35 pm

Update on Cody

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your prayers for Cody!  God is with him, I'm sure of it - and he's doing better!

I talked to my youngest brother tonight and they have determined that Cody's brain is *not* swelling (awesome news) so they took him in for a 6-7 hr. surgery to repair his arm. Seems he had covered his face with his arm as he was moving forward in the auto when the crash occurred, and so his arm took the brundt of the impact with the windshield. My little brother said Cody continued to be in a drug-induced coma so his internal injuries would have a chance to heal without further disruption, but that the doctors were hopeful that Cody was going to make it.

He also told me that Cody was very combative prior to the EMS showing up at the scene of the accident. When the first responders showed up, it just so happened that one of them was a friend of Cody's stepdad. So, when he got to Cody, he told Cody he'd call Shelly (Cody's mom) and that calmed Cody right down so they could stabilize him and life flight him to the hospital. The doctors have all said that right there is a good sign, that his brain wasn't mush immediately following the accident - that he could talk (he said this man's name) and that he could comprehend what the man told him. So, the hope is that his brain continues to NOT swell and that they can keep him critical but stable, on meds, until his liver and spleen have a chance to heal on their own or be operated on. He also has a fracture in his neck, but cannot do much until they see how he's going to react to what they've done thus far.

I feel like Jerry Lewis when asking for more - but, keep the prayers going!

2 pm

Tom, Phone Home

Tom, are you around?  Call me at Mama Lu's house. 

If anyone who knows my brother Tom reads this, please ask him to call me immediately.  Or if you know how I can get in touch with him, please email me at info (at) quilttherapy.com.

Cody, Tom's son and my nephew, has been in a terrible auto accident.  He is alive, but is in a drug-induced coma and on a ventilator.  He has many broken bones and a lacerated spleen and liver.  But, they cannot operate on these things until they are able to determine if his brain is swelling.  Two of the four kids in the auto that Cody was riding in have died.  The driver of the car they hit, head-on, has died. 

Tom, your family is looking for you.  No one cares what happened yesterday, they want you to spend time with Cody today.  It may be the last time you get to see him - though, we pray he's going to mend to have a chance to grow into a young man we can all be proud of.

My family and I love Cody as much as our own - I used to take Cody on Tom's weekend visitations when Tom was incarcerated, when Cody was 2.  We flew him to Utah a few summers ago and he spent the week with us.  He's a special young man to many and we appreciate your prayers at this time.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006
8:30 pm

Ibba Habba Coldbba

I told JD today that it always helps to have a doctor in your back pocket ... thank goodness for Aunt O!  My cold has come back with a vengence and JD is *over* not sleeping because I cough all night. 

Yup, he's done.

And I'm done sleeping on a camper sofa couch - with a big crack in the middle.  It is no good for a person with no butt or hips.  ouchie.

So, I called Aunt O (no kids, she's not really our aunt) and she called our family doc in Utah and got all the necessary meds called into a pharmacy here.  And I EXPECT to lapse into a drug-induced sleep within the next hour.

And JD does too.

Because no one wants to see us turn into gremlins too soon before Halloween!

Sunday, October 8, 2006
9 pm

Yes Mel, There IS a Santa Clause ...

Friday, October 6, 2006
11:35 pm

Ever Wondered ...

about the white space on paper, in books and on websites?  I recall the kids' art instructor telling them there *is no* white space in life.  Everything we see has color.  Most use white as a way to focus your attention on the color.  Is your world color?  Or white?

Tuesday, October 3, 2006
2:15 pm

If You Know Me, This Should Make You Laugh

You Were Nice This Year!

You're an uber-perfect person who is on the top of Santa's list. You probably didn't even *think* any naughty thoughts this year. Unless you're a Mormon, you've probably been a little too good. Is that extra candy cane worth being a sweetheart for 365 days straight?