Foot, Chickens and Puppy

Well, there is the only picture taken of the purple cast and toes!!
Anyway, hello again!
Yes, what does it take for Jodi not to blog in over a MONTH!!!!!
Well, I guess we all know the answer by now, severe bone breaks, massive surgery, severe pain, tons of narcotics and a lack of energy to do anything.

Well, I guess I could have blogged. But it would have been about my foot every day, and nobody wants to read about that.

So I will update a bit here. Below is my new best friend. The knee wheeling scooter. About 3 weeks after surgery I was carefully able to use this instead of those blasted crutches. ("crunches" as Kaebrie calls them). It was a lot easier to roll to the bathroom with, which is the only place I went.
I seriously spent a solid month and a half on that couch, day and night. The first few weeks were in a haze of severe pain, Demerol, morphine, codeine, and others. But we are going to not blog about that and just forget most of those weeks.
What I don't want to forget is all the blessings from them.

Our church is amazing. From the first day, food was delivered. After 6 solid weeks of daily food, we finally asked them to stop. Six weeks!!!! By then I was able to stand in the kitchen and do somethings. And so much food was brought that we filled the freezer too. I can now balance and do dishes, and I can get things done, even sweep, but it is awkward and just takes a lot more time. The ladies in the church even hired a cleaning crew for a few weeks. What a blessings!

Our family. All of them came over and helped. Friends called and emailed and sent cards and care packages. Collin and Kaitlynn have had a great life lesson. They have had to do just about all the household chores, from laundry, to bathing the kids, to puppy duty to cleaning, and it has been really good for them. I can be thankful in this injury for all it has taught them.

My husband. What a load of responsibility he has just in his normal jobs. And he had to take complete care of everything here for a long time. He worked so hard taking care of us and still taking care of church responsibilities. The patience he displayed still makes me tear up thinking about it. What a true blessing he is and I am thankful for this injury that it totally reminded me how special he is and why I fell in love with him in the first place.

Three weeks ago, the cast was thrown away and replaced with the boot. The "cutie bootie" as a friend named it. It is MUCH heavier than the cast was. Think - living in a ski boot. I was instructed to take it off for 5 minutes a day and start writing the alphabet with my foot. Easier said than done!! But even better, was being able to get ALL the way in the shower for the first time in 5 weeks. TO be able to have water run down that leg and to feel clean was wonderful!

I am still being treated for that rare and weird nerve syndrome. The treatments are working. Hopefully only 2 -3 more spinal shots. The toe part of the boot I usually keep open because anything touching my toes sets of a nerve attack that isn't fun.

Today is 8 weeks since the fall. Two months. I started physical therapy this week. 3 times a week I go for some very interesting exercises and rehab. The ankle hasn't moved in 8 weeks and now it needs to learn how to with being recreated with metal. We are still planning on Disney in June, but we know now I won't be back to normal. We will take it day by day, knowing the Lord is in control.

These are make-up pictures. Pretend these were posted 6 weeks ago. Sam and Collin ordered the plans online, got the needed tools, then built this chicken coop. They set it here for a few days so I could see it out of the window before they moved it back to its permanent spot. To this day, this first set of old lady chickens have never laid an egg. Another, larger coop was then built, this one not portable, another set of hens added, and each one happily lays about an egg a day. The kids love collecting the eggs!
Then, Sam added a rooster. I did not want one. I was sleeping so little that I did not want anything to wake me up. But the hens needed a boyfriend, so here is Dumplin. Sam brought him inside to meet me and we had a little talk. I told that rooster that sleep was precious. And if he cockle-doodle-dood and woke me up, I was getting some Dumplings and was going to cook him. He listened and has not once woken me up. But he does cockle all day long! Truth be told, I really enjoy hearing him. I sit outside and can hear him and all the hens clucking. With all the greenery and the flowers and the birds and the chicken sounds, it is so peaceful.
Yazzi is still here and growing so fast! She is four and a half months old and is quickly learning the commands Sam is teaching her. Here she is following the command sit. But she isn't allowed up until the release command is given. She will sit and stare at you and follow your every move until you release her. Today, I even placed a treat on her nose and she stayed put. She loves being outside and will find every puddle on the property and dive in. She is one dirty dog at the moment!
Here she is running to me when I gave the release command. Isn't she pretty?
There is more to come. I will have to find some time to catch up! Happy Spring!!!