Day Three

Tomorrow is the day! We are going to the surgeon to get instructions for wound care and how to take the brace off and on. Gerrick is READY! He is so uncomfortable! Today was a little tough. I had class and was gone for about 2 hours while Gerrick was home alone with the kids. He tried to get up to get himself a cup of coffee and tripped on the cords ( and there are three of them) to his arm-icing-machine. He fell and hurt his arm! He is such a klutzo! As soon as I got home, around 4:30, he went to sleep and hasn't got up since! I made him steak and ribs for supper because before I left for school he said he had his appetite back! I know he feels bad, but I understand. I just hope that soon he will get his appetite back.......mainly because he is kicking my butt in our diet competition! LOL!!!

The kids don't have school tomorrow. We are planning on going to the park to meet a friend and her kids to let Gerrick have some time alone, but after today I am not sure that is a good idea. Keep praying for him. I know that some people have called to talk to him, but he just isn't up to it yet. His voice mailbox is full! He is grateful, though, to have so many people worrying about him!

I have some great pics of Gerrick in his sling all doped up, I will get them up tomorrow!! (That's what we in the "biz" call a Cliff hanger!!!)

Day Two

Well, we got through the night. Barely, but we got through it! Gerrick was having no relief from pain. His medication was not helping, but it was giving him an upset stomach. He thought he was going to throw up a lot, but never did. The machine that was icing his arm needed to be filled every four hours, he needed medication ever six, and his position was needing re-adjusting almost hourly. Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep! I heard him several times get up and walk around, but he doesn't remember! This morning we called his surgeon for some new, stronger, medication. We called at 8a.m., and were finally called back around 2! They said they would call a prescription in, but it didn't get there until after 3:30! This whole time Gerrick was in a great deal of pain. Luckily his new pills are in his system and he was able to eat and not feel like puking today! I even talked him into letting me give him a sponge bath and a change of clothes. I cut a wife-beater to slide under his sling and ice machine, and he is much more comfortable!!! It has been 20 minutes and I haven't even heard him yell for me!!!

On a different subject, PLEASE!! Shae got a letter today from school that said she passed the test for the accelerated learning program, Prime Time, at Erskine. This is her third time making it in! We are very proud of her. Braydon had another perfect spelling test this week, as well. Keghan is going to the Ammana Colonies for lunch tomorrow for a field trip! They are eating a real German meal! She is so excited! Dax, another story all together, yelled "holy shit" on the church playground tonight. THAT would be my kid!!! He knew he was in trouble right away! But, I guess he's advanced in his own little way! Reagan is getting sicker. Tonight she just stayed with me at church instead of going to her preschool class. Her cheeks are all red and her little nose won't stop snotting! I just hope it doesn't get worse!

Hope that everyone is doing well. I know that we will try to get up to see some people this weekend or next. Gerrick is going stir crazy and would love something to do!!!

Home from the Hospital

Well, I am tired, but I know that some are still wondering how Gerrick is. We took him to the hospital at 11:50 to get checked in. I was a little tired because the kids kept me up all night because 3 out of 5 of them had fevers/coughs/headaches.......plus Gerrick was nervous and wouldn't sleep. So, when we got there and Gerrick told me he didn't bring the credit card, which I needed for lunch, I got pretty upset. We had parked quite a ways away and I was carrying enough food, toys, books, and other supplies to last the day with the two little ones. But, after that glitch, it was fine. It ended up that I needed to go home anyway because Keghan was home sick from school and needed more medicine..... So, after getting him checked in, shaved, and his IV in, we waited. There was a lot of that today. Around 1:30 the anesthesiologist came in and talked to Gerrick about the surgery. He talked him into getting a block of the nerve that serves the entire arm. This block would keep his entire arm numb for about 12 hours. He said that even if the doctors wouldn't tell him, he would, that this is one of the most uncomfortable surgeries you can have. That was encouraging! Gerrick had the scope plus an incision on the whole shoulder. He went into the operating room around 2:30 and was in the recovery room around 3:45. Dr. Stickland came and told me all about the surgery. It went well. The SLAP tear was big, and bleeding. He fixed it well, and it should heal in time. Gerrick is not allowed to move his arm from his sling until Friday after his doctor office. That's right, sponge bathes!!! He has a machine to keep ice water on his shoulder at all times. When I finally got to go back and see Gerrick, he was white as a ghost and looked like he was in a lot of pain. The block that was supposed to help was numbing his arm, but only from his hand up to a little past the elbow. He felt everything!!! The pain meds that the surgeon prescribed were the same ones that he is on for his neck pain, only less! So, they didn't even touch his pain. I felt so bad for him, and there was nothing I could do. We are waiting it out through the night, but his pain is really intolerable. He hasn't eaten yet, and the broth he tried to eat made him very sick to his stomach. I just pray that he will be comfortable enough to sleep for a while. He fell asleep while I was at the store buying wipes (for the bathes) and some green tea. The kids are being very good about not jumping on the couch while he's there, but 3 weeks is a long time to keep that up!!! Thank you to everyone who called today. I know Gerrick appreciates all the prayers!

A Case of the Mondays!!

Wow! That weekend went fast! Shaelynn had her party on Friday night. I will NEVER do that again! She had 11 girls show up, and yes, at least 5 of them were like her! I was up til 3 in the morning telling girls to shut up and go to sleep! I had moms coming at 8 to pick up kids for the Iowa game and piano lessons and what not! They were SO disrespectful, loud, rude, you name it! They weren't all like that, of course, but the good ones were outweighed and eclipsed by the masses! Some of the girls even apparently stole toys from Shae! But, the topper was at 2 am. The kids decided to get shaving cream and put it all over the sweet dears that actually went to sleep. So, about ten minutes later I was up helping girls wash shaving cream out of their eyes, hair, pajamas, blankets and pillows. I also had it in my carpet and on my couch. I was less than impressed with their obvious advanced slumber party knowledge! Shae went to bed crying and her friends were all wet! I know it wasn't her idea, and I am pretty sure I know who's it was, but Shae felt bad that someone got hurt because of her joke. They all got how mad I was when I decided that EVERYONE was getting up at 7 to clean up the living room! FUN! But, at the end of the day, it wasn't that bad, and the kids had fun in spite of the shaving cream. They made great canvas library bags and got to eat pizza, cake, ice cream, pop and popcorn.......maybe that's why they wouldn't sleep?!?!??!

Tonight we are enjoying the Monday night football game and relaxing, because the rest of the week promises to be anything but restful. Gerrick goes in tomorrow for his surgery. He came home from his doctors office today looking like he had seen a ghost. I am sure they discussed the risks of the surgery and Gerrick thinks every one will happen to him! He has a machine to pump ice water around his shoulder so that I don't have to invest in 100 pounds of ice! He is really nervous and is insisting that I sit in the hospital all day tomorrow with the kids! It shouldn't be that bad, the kids are well behaved, and we will leave for lunch and to get the big kids after school. Hopefully everything goes well and we will be home in time for supper.

I hope to get an update on tomorrow after Gerrick's surgery as I won't be able to get everyone called that I promised.