December 3
Vern and Donna McDonald reserved a conference room at the Hilton Garden Inn so that Jan (who just had hip and arm surgery) and me could watch the civil war game in comfort without a ton of people there. It was fun and relaxing!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Vern's Infirm Room
The Pin is NOT In!
Thursday, December 3
Two days after my post-op appointment, I got up and took a shower and notice afterward that the surgical pin had come out of my toe! It was yanked out by some blankets in the middle of the night! OH NO!
Post-Op Appointment
All looked well at my post-op appointment. Another four weeks of walking in the boot though. :(
The Perfect Tree at Donavan's
As per tradition, we went to Donavan's after Thanksgiving (usually do it on Friday but Federal employees didn't get it off). This is our 11th year!
Dressed for Success
Love this hat and scarf knitted for me by my childhood friend, Beth! Bundled up for our tree hunt.
Men in the Distance
I couldn't walk all over looking for our tree due to my toe. So I waited on the perimeter until they found it.
It Didn't Take Long
We usually don't waste much time making a decision for a tree. We have been taking pictures next to the tree for years, but it is hard to see how tall they have grown because the trees are a different height every time! This is one of our tallest trees yet though.
Late Lunch at Khairol and Noorul's
We stopped by Khairol and Noorul's to show them our fresh-cut tree, and they had made us a lunch with Ketupat (Malay dumpling) with peanut sauce. Feruz was there too.
Thanksgiving in Newberg
November 26
We had a lovely time with the family and brought Super and Jane along to enjoy the fun!
Super Explaining Cut Paper
Super and Jane gave my mother-in-law some exquisite artistically cut paper from China.
Morning Light
November 24
One of the lovely things about the days after my surgery were the beautiful mornings. I love getting up when the sun hits our living room.
Over The Top
November 23
We had our whole Kingdom Community over for Malay food, and Laura and Shelby liked playing in our new video chairs!
Tea Quiche
November 23
Despite my surgery, we didn't want to cancel a tea I had made with three Saudi women. George found this wonderful recipe (because Saudis don't like sweet things with their tea). Sadly, one got sick. The other had to pack to go somewhere, but they didn't call to tell us they weren't coming and we waited and waited. A bit discouraging, but the quiche was GREAT!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Slugs and Mushrooms
November 21
George and the boys took these on a nice hike they took while I was recovering from surgery. This is my favorite of the bunch.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Carol's Surgery Adventure
Thursday, November 19
After a trip to see Dr. Tsai at Samaritan Orthopedic on Monday, he scheduled me for surgery today.
They have new gowns since my angiogram! You connect it up to the blue device with the white hose, and it keeps you warm the whole time you wait. In this case, we had to wait 3 hours and 45 minutes before the surgery because Dr. Tsai had a morning emergency surgery that bumped everyone back. No worries, see what I did with the time below.
Pre-Op Waiting
The long wait allowed me to read my new favorite book: Letters by a Modern Mystic by Frank C. Laubach. It is about a man's experiment to live in a conscious moment-by-moment communion with God! Perfect for someone facing surgery!
(George is always taking pictures of me reading - I really need to make a book of all the photos he has taken over the years)
I also listened to Shakespeare's classic comedy, As You Like It, as I waited. I had only 8 minutes to go when the anesthesiologist came to call. He said I could finish but then the operating room nurse, Ruth Ann (I had a good friend named that growing up so I remembered), came in to prep me.
I was able to finish within one minute after surgery and before I was discharged, and finished it when I got home!
Any day I can finish a book is a good day!
Results of Surgery
He got the RIGHT foot. It has a pin in it to hold the tendon together.
Apparently, I didn't say anything incriminating under anesthetic other than, "I hope I don't say anything weird." Then, I was out. I woke up out of dream where we were discussing As You Like It with the people in the OR, but no one was interested in discussing it when I actually woke up. Go figure.
The OR recovery nurses were talking about a recent Oprah show, and I chimed right in (very disturbing topic so I watched it on Tuesday). I popped right out of the grogginess, unlike last time I went under.
Recovery
The end of what proved to be a very pleasant experience at Good Samaritan Hospital. Thank you all for your great care of me!
On to recovery!
Lunch at Noha's
November 18
Noha made me an off-the-charts Egyptian meal. Her mother-in-law came to visit at the end. It was a delightful afternoon.
Happy 15th Birthday Paul!
Paul is a true blessing in our lives. He is sweet, kind, considerate, responsible, talented, and funny!
Game of Life
Paul loves Board games, and this is one I actually liked growing up. So, we look forward to playing it as a family!
Visitors Enjoy Teh Tarik
November 18
It was so great to finally meet Johnny. He lived in Malaysia for five years, but we did not overlap. I made he and his friend, Mohammed, a Teh Tarik (Sweet Malaysian Pull tea). Mohammed was a sweet guy from Libya!
Trip to Urgent Care
November 14
At 5:45 a.m., I removed the sugar bag from the cupboard to make Chai tea. This set off a chain reaction: the raisin bag fell against the pepper shaker, it fell out of the cupboard onto a 16 oz glass tumbler breaking it, the broken glass descended on to my foot cutting through the skin AND the extensor tendon for my big toe.
I tried to go get George (who was sleeping in the bedroom) by walking across the floor trying to apply pressure without getting blood on the carpet. When I realized this was futile. I whispered down the hall, and my Mr. Knightly sprang into action. Paul (who was sleeping downstairs and a family practice doc) came an hour later and said I needed to go to Urgent Care. We had to wait until it opened at 9 am. I got it stitched up by 10:15, but I got the grim news that I would probably need surgery to reconnect the tendon.
Moral of the story: Do not make Chai tea without steel toed boots in the kitchen.
Cleaned Wound
I won't put the gory one on. If you want to see it, click on this one and go back a few pictures in my photostream, and you will see it!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Only Enough for One Pie
Last year, we made oodles and oodles of applesauce, apple butter, and apple pies from our tree, but we only had five apples this year!
It was so delicious. Good job, George!
Fall Leaves
We went on a lovely walk together this morning. We got rained on and prayed and took pictures of fall leaves.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Open House for Indonesian Earthquake
October 11
The Malays and Indonesians in town organized this at the last minute to benefit the Indonesian earthquake victims. Yani's family went and deliver food and water to the victims within a week of this open house that raised $2600!
Noorul and Bongsu
Noorul just came to the US on September 22 with her husband, Khairol (behind her on the left) and three children. He youngest was only 2 months old when they stepped on the plane. She is a brave woman!
I am helping her with her English, and she is helping me with my Malay. It is a great match
YUMMY and HOT!
I said "Sangat Panas" instead of "Sangat Pedas". That is what I get for trying to translate a word from English to Malay instead of just thinking Malay all the way. Panas and Pedas means "hot". in English, and we use them interchangeably to mean "spicy hot" or "hot weather". Doesn't work in Malay. They all had a big laugh about that.
It is so nice to feel like a child in language again. I love the challenge of it!
Kim and Me at Tea
October 1
It is our tradition to take each other out for tea on our respective birthdays. Kim's is actually on September 30th, but both of our days were crazy. Kim is one of my dearest friends!
Serenity Tea after a Busy Week
It was an insane week for me. The busiest I have had in a long time. I almost canceled a couple of times, but I am so glad we could just sit and talk for three uninterrupted hours in a quiet setting.
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