Bleeding Heart

Here are a few pictures of a Bleeding Heart flower.  They are just too cool! 

Vel is so happy to have her staples out of her knee!  Now when she bends her knee they won't pinch her.  She is now walking around inside without a cane.  But she uses one, when she is outside going to PT, just for a little security.  Her knee is still a little swollen and is a lover of ice!  She's gone through three 30lb Bags of ice.  We found out from a friend last night that if you mix the right amount of rubbing alcohol and water and put it in a ziploc bag in the freezer, it will be a very cold flexible ice bag.
So, we are trying that.

Yesterday we moved back into our rig, from our friends basement.  It's nice to be home.-M

Spring in Nebraska

I love spring time, so it's nice that ours starts in Texas and then we get to see it start again in Nebraska!  I love all of the colors! One of my favorite plants-the "Bleeding Heart" is in full bloom also, I'll try to get a picture of it later.

Vel has Physical Therapy this afternoon and then her post op check-up with her Dr.  She is pretty excited, because she will get the staples out of her knee today!  I'm sure she will be worn out by the time we get home!  Not much else going on-M

Out and About

After Vel's PT on Friday, we went to Super Target and did some shopping. Vel hopped in one of those electric carts and drove around. There weren't too many people in the store, so I didn't have to worry too much about her running into someone! Ha!  Then this morning we just went down the road to some neighborhood garage sales.  It was a good outing, Vel got in and out of the car with just using her cane.  We just took our time, found a few DVD's and a few items for our geocaching trinkets. On the way home we had to hit  the Dairy Sweet, they have the best ice cream cones!  Of course we had to get a small dish of vanilla, so the dogs could have a little.  Then back home she put her leg up and took a nap.  Little by little she's getting there!-M

T-shirt Quilt!

The progress of Vel's knee is still going well. She's doing her Physical Therapy, exercises at home and walking around some. Her scar seems to be healing well and the bruising from surgery is slowly going away. 
The dogs are all doing well, Toby is back to normal and Tucker's sour stomach seems better. My biggest challange is keeping everyone's pills straight and on time.  I've been helping our friends with a few projects around the house, to keep me busy. 

Our friend, Barb, made a t-shirt quilt for Vel. It is really cool!!!!!  Vel has saved her t-shirts for years, she even had one from when she lived in Hawaii in the early 70's.  So, it's a variety of her old t-shirts.  Barb also has a picture of the dogs, printed onto fabric, within the quilt.  This quilt will definently be cherished! 

Better get busy, so we can make it to PT by 10-M

Catch up on Vel's progress

Vel was doing so well, that they let her go home Wednesday afternoon.  So, once she got settled on the couch with her protection box over her knee, the dogs mauled her!  I think they missed her, especially Tucker! He wouldn't stop giving her kisses! 
I just cut up a box that would fit over her knee, so the dogs wouldn't jump directly on her knee. It worked well!
I also took a picture of the hardware, five screws and a plate that came out of her knee.  Maybe I can use those screws on a wood project, they look to be stainless steel and very sturdy! Ha!

She had PT on Thursday and again on Friday. The Physical Therapist was surprised at how well she is doing. Especially the flexion of the new knee. So, hopefully this will continue!  She said she expected to have her usual shooting pain when she put weight on her leg. But she had none, I think she has lived with the pain for so long, she forgot what it was like not to have any! How wonderful is that!

She has 3 more Physical therapy appointments schedule, so we'll see if she needs anymore than that.
We are staying in our friends walkout basement, which is working out well. She has more room to move around for exercising and the bathroom facilities are alot more roomier than what the rig would be.

On the "Furry Kid" side of things, We had to take Toby to the emergency vet hospital on Friday evening.  He had been vomiting and had diarrhea for a couple of days, and we decided just to watch him and maybe take him into the Vet Sat Morning if he still had it. Well, he started to have what looked to be blood in his diarrhea, so off we went to see what's going on.   He had a case of gastroenteritis, a shot for vomiting and then  antibotic and diarrhea pills and back home we went.  The dogs like to eat rabbit poop and who knows what else. So, we think he got a hold of something that didn't agree with him.  So, I guess we will have to lease the dogs, to control what they eat in the yard!  -M

Update on Vel

Vel was up and moving around with the help of a walker yesterday! She looked good, when I went to visit her yesterday afternoon and is anxious to get going on her recovery!  Last evening she started getting hives, so she's allergic to something. The nurse gave her some benadryl and that took care of them.  Dr. Reckmeyer visited her last night and said he took off several bone spurs and smoothed off the back of her knee cap.  He said with the new knee in place, she will see a world of difference.  So, if all continues to go well, I should be able to bring her home tomorrow.    We'll have to put a barrier around her knee, as the dogs will be so happy to see her, I'm sure they will want to jump up and give her kisses!-M

Vel's surgery update

The dogs were looking at us, like what the heck are you doing feeding us breakfast at 4 o'clock in the morning.  They knew something was going on! We got to the Hospital at 5am and Vel's surgery started right on time at 7:30.  An hour and a half later Dr. Reckmeyer came out and said everything went well. He took out 4 screws and a small plate, that he had put in several years ago, so he could get the new knee in the right place.  Vel had a spinal block instead of general anesthesia, so she was happy about that. She was able to listen to her Ipod during surgery.   Back to the room, she was put on a morphine pump, because the spinal was wearing off and it was starting to hurt some.   So......so far so good!
 Hopefulling when I go back, she will be pain free and running the halls!  Ha Ha!!    -M

Busy weekend

Vel's flowers that she planted down in Texas are finally doing well-Spring is here!  We don't have any squirrels around here, so they are able to grow!          We drove up to Lyons on Saturday for a visit with my folks.  Vel is borrowing my Mom's shower chair and walker that she used during her knee surgery.   Vel hasn't said anything about cancelling her knee surgery yet, but I know she's nervous!       So, it's going to be an early morning, but it good to get it done and over with!

So....until tomorrow...M

                                   

Running around

Yesterday, I went to the Dentist for a check-up and cleaning (all's good!) Then I stopped at my former workplace (that sounds weird) and handed in my keys and beeper, as I am no longer PRN there.  It was nice to see some of my co-worker friends.
Then in the afternoon Michelle, Joni, Vel and I went to Omaha. We first drove to south of the Old Market to find Orsi's. It's an Italian Bakery in "Little Italy" of Omaha.  We are still on our quest for Italian Castelvetrano Green Olives. We had some in a restaurant in Florida a couple years back, they have a buttery, very smooth taste to them.  We found some in the Italian area (The Hill) of St. Louis, last fall and also ordered some online. But we haven't found the exact same tasting ones. We may never find them, but it sure is fun to hunt for them.

We then went to the Broadmoor Grocery on Pacific Street in the Countryside Villiage area. It is a quaint little store, with some unique items.

After that we went to Whole Foods, ate a mid afternoon lunch there and then did a little shopping.  We never did find any of "the" olives, but we found a few other goodies!  Such as  sourdough bread with chunks of garlic in it-Yum!  It was a fun day and I got my grocery store fix!-M

Busy week

As we knew, this first week back in Nebraska would be very busy with Dr. Appointments, Taxes, ect....  We don't usually have any type of schedule, and we've gotten use to our relaxed lifestyle, so it's kind of hard to get going sometimes!  (I know you probably feel sorry for us-Ha Ha)

 The dogs love being able to run around without any leashes attached.  We are parked in a fenced in area, so all we have to do is open the door and out they go!  It's nice to be able to see them run!

So, you may know, that I have an addiction to those little stuffed animal crane machines. (you may see them in the front of WalMarts, as you walk in) I get a kick out of trying to get the little stuffed animals out, then I usually give them away after I get them. (My Dad always told me to have a little fun everyday-so that's my fun every now and then)  Anyway, what I'm getting at, is our friends had a tree removed and look at that little crane that is helping him move the logs!  What fun would that be!!!   Maybe I should of asked him if needs temporary help-Ha Ha!    

I better get going for another busy day!-M

Back to Willow Ridge Site #1

We made it back to Site #1 at Willow Ridge (Our friends driveway) Sunday afternoon.  We stayed at the KOA in Salina KS on Saturday night. It was a nice place, that is in the process of improvements, right along interstate.  Again the interstate noise was constant, but not terrible.   The picture shows our site at the KOA.
      This week is full of appointments while we are here. Vel is getting her right knee replaced a week from today.  So, we have to get prepared for that.  (Mentally for Vel)
The snow is all gone-Thank Goodness!!!  I just hope it stays away!!!   Later-M

Heading North

We left Rockport Thursday morning, for our trip to Nebraska.  First night we stayed in Waco, TX at a RV park right next to the interstate. ( I-35 RV Park) The road noise wasn't terrible, but it was constant.  OK place for an overnight stay.  They had black top roads for good dog walking and the dogs didn't pick up any sandburs when they went to the grass. Texas is full of sandburs, and they must have a certain smell to them, because Toby will sniff  and then slowly walk on the grass to check it out.
             Friday we made it to Purcell, OK. to the City Park. It's a very nice area, pond, golf course, pool, picnic areas and a small RV park.  Next door is a huge empty field that they are grading. We know that we are in Oklahoma with all the red dirt!

Just down the road is a Super Walmart, so we had to make a trip there for a few items. We took the dogs for their walk and settled in for the night.
       Today we will be in Kansas somewhere, we'll see what town we end up in. -Maggie